Small Time - The Complete History Researched by Malcolm Batchelor Independent Television’s 15-minue slot for the under fives broadcast from 1955 to 1966. Produced and Presented for the Network by Associated-Rediffusion Television. Part Two: The Complete Programme Index A-L (Main details as printed in 'TV Times') ADVENTURES OF BOOTY MOLE Written and created by Joan Reed and Jane Johnson. Animated by Elizabeth Shingler, Anne Newell and Hal Danby. First Transmitted December 1960. ADVENTURES OF PLONK The adventures of the little grey goose. Written and told by Jean Ford. Drawn by Neville Wortman. Music by Andrew Fenner. First Transmitted 15th September, 1958. ADVENTURES OF TUM Illustrated and told by Patrick Boyle. Written by Dorothy Kate Ramsden. Music by Andrew Fenner. First Transmitted 16th October, 1959. ADVENTURES OF TWIZZLE Written and produced by Roberta Leigh. Music by Leslie Clare. Directed by Gerry Anderson. First Transmitted 13th November 1957. Notes: 52 x b/w 15min episodes. Twizzle is a boy doll who lives in Straytown with all the other lost or unwanted toys including his friends Footso the black cat, Candy Floss, Jack-in-the-box and Jiffy the broomstick man. They are looked after by the Toy Inspector. Twizzle has the strange ability to be able to stretch his arms and legs to incredible lengths. ALEXANDER THE MOUSE (right) Written and told by Oliver Postgate. Illustrated by Peter Firmin. First Transmitted 14th April, 1958. Notes: The first professional collaboration of Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin. The 'animation' was done live by using magnets to move illustrated cut-out figures. ALL AT SEA The nautical adventures of Captain Ruff and his ready crew. Written and performed by Howard Williams and Ivan Owen. Editor Virginia Tabb. First Transmitted November 1965. AMANDA AND THE MAGIC GLADE The story of a Christmas fairy doll. Read by Lisel Beaumont. Written by Mary Plumbly. Drawn by Neville Wortman. Music played by Andrew Fenner. First Transmitted 12th December, 1958. ANGELA The stories of a little girl called Angela who has many exciting adventures. Script by Shelagh Prior. A Hodson-Lee Production. First Transmitted 7th August, 1958. ANIMAL LAND Muriel Young (left) takes you into the land of the little animal and tells some stories about it. Written by Grahame Dangerfield. First Transmitted February 1962. ANNE’S GARDEN Anne Melville talks about the birds and animals and flowers in her garden. Written by Mary Plumbly. Pictures by Grahame Dangerfield. First Transmitted May 1963. AROUND THE WORLD Jackie and Gillian Moran take younger viewers to an exciting country each week. Illustrated by Peter Firmin. First Transmitted 18th September, 1958. BARBARA & THE UNKELOPE Barbara Brown (right) has never seen an unkelope, but still expects one for tea and wonders what he’ll be like! Music by Sam Fonteyn. First Transmitted June 1963. THE BEECHWOOD TALES Introducing Dozy the doormouse and Bright Eyes the baby squirrel. Narrated by Janet Nicholls. Drawn and animated by Neville Wortman. Written by E. Paine. First Transmitted 23rd April, 1959. BEST OF TUM Illustrated and told by Patrick Boyle. Written by Dorothy Kate Ramsden. Music by Andrew Fenner. First Transmitted November 1964. THE BIG BLACK CRAYON Rolf Harris and Jean Ford in a programme of stories and pictures. The young audience are invited to help Rolf Harris in drawing pictures with their Big Black Crayon. Jean Ford tells her own story. First Transmitted 26th September, 1955. BOTTLE The dog with the nose for crime. Narrated by Meg Trace. Story and music by Hubert Pattison. Editor Jenny Wilkes. First Transmitted May 1966. BROCK & BRUIN Story written and introduced by Janet Nicholls. Voices by Peter Hawkins and Ivan Owen. Puppets animated by Elizabeth Shingler and Jane Tyson. First Transmitted 19th January 1959 CHIPPY (right) Written and devised by Peter Hayes. Voices by Roy Skelton and Jill Raymond. Music by Bert Weedon. First Transmitted February 1961. Notes: Chippy is a 12 year old boy who lives with his Uncle Eustace, retired from the Indian Army. Chippy finds a 'magic hammer' from India, which makes his toy dog Banger come to life... CHRISTMAS STORY In pictures and music. Told by Jean Ford with special illustrations by Alfred Wurmser. A One-Off Programme Transmitted on Tuesday, 20th December, 1955. CHRISTMAS PARTY All the Small Timers meet. Rolf with Oliver. Susan Spear will bring Doodle, Quizzy and Billy Boots. Snoozy will come with Dorothy Smith. Paul Hansard will bring Johnny & Flonny and a special invitation given to Jean Ford. A One-Off Programme Transmitted on Friday, 23rd December, 1955. CLARA THE LITTLE RED CAR Told by Jean Ford. Animation by Alfred Wurmser. Produced by Pat Baker. First Transmitted 27th December, 1955. COLONEL CROCK Muriel Young introduces Much Winding’s favourite motor car. Devised by Edward Andrews. First Transmitted 7th July, 1959. COME OUT TO PLAY With Jackie and Gillian Moran. Illustrated by John Glasham. First Transmitted 18th September, 1957. DOG WATCH Children are invited to the Grimbles Lighthouse to meet senior keep Oliver and his mate Fred Barker (right). Devised and presented by Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin. First Transmitted January 1961. Notes: Fred Barker was voiced by Ivan Owen. THE DRAWING MACHINE By David Myers. John Ridley as Professor Buckle uses his wonderful new invention to help him tell a story. First Transmitted May 1964. THE ENCHANTED HOUSE Pamela Russell tells the story. (From 10th December, 1957) Lisel Beaumont tells the story. (From 18th April, 1958) Nellyphant the elephant and her two friends introduce viewers to more animals. Written by Mary Plumby. Drawn by Neville Wortman. First Transmitted 10th December, 1957. FIRESIDE STORY June Thorburn (left) tells a story she has written especially for you. First Transmitted February 1963. FOLLI THE FOAL By Mary Plumbly. A baby horse goes in search of some wings. His legs are so long he falls over them, so he thinks it would be better to fly. Read by Lisel Beaumont. Drawn by Neville Wortman. First Transmitted 19th September, 1958. FRISKIMO By Margaret Cornell. Illustrated and narrated by Muriel Young. Music by Andrew Fenner. First Transmitted 31st December, 1959. FUNNYWAYS FARM Told by Gwynne Price who also wrote the stories and drew the pictures. Music by Andrew Fenner. First Transmitted February 1963. GEORGE THE DRAGON Adventures of the nicest dragon in the world. Written and told by Meg Trace. Illustrated by Tony Hart. Music by Andrew Fenner. First Transmitted October 1965. HANDS AND FEET Including Musical Alphabet by Eric Spear and Billy Boots Introduced by Susan Spear. Produced by Pat Baker. First Transmitted 24th February, 1956. HANK With Francis Coudrill, in a cartoon adventure from the wild and woolly west. First Transmitted 16th June, 1959. HUFF PUFF JUNCTION Or how not to run a railway! Written and performed by Howard Williams and Ivan Owen. First Transmitted November 1964. Notes: William Potts is the Station Master of Huff Puff Junction, joined by Charlie the Porter, Mr Horace Grimm the Signalman and Smithy the engine driver. IVOR THE ENGINE Told by Olwen Griffiths, David Edwards and Oliver Postgate. Pictures by Peter Firmin. Music by Vernon Elliott. Written and produced by Oliver Postgate. First Transmitted 28th December 1959. Notes: 32 x b/w 10 min episodes. Created by Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin, this is the story of Ivor, the little Welsh railway engine from the Merioneth and Llantisilly Rail Traction Company Limited. Ivor was fired by Idris the dragon who lived in Ivor's boiler. The engine driver was Jones the Steam and the stationmaster was Dai Station. The first 6-part story, concerning Ivor's great ambition was to sing in the choir like Evans the Song, was the only one Postgate intended, but ITV liked it so much more stories were commissioned! JANIE’S TOYS Told by Jean Ford. Janie is a little girl who has lots of toys and every night before she goes to bed she puts them away in her toy cupboard. But as soon as Janie is asleep the toys wake up and have all sorts of adventures. Animation Alfred Wurmser. Produced by Pat Baker. First Transmitted 17th January, 1956. JEMIMA Jean Ford and Jemima have some fun with magic words. Devised and written by Jean Ford. Animated by Barbara Alexander. First Transmitted October 1960. JOHNNY AND FLONNY With Paul Hansard (right). A weekly serial telling the adventures of Johnny, a little glove puppet created by Paul Hansard and Johnny’s little rabbit pal Flonny. Johnny gets up to all the pranks and mischief indulged in by most human little boys. Written by Geoffrey Hubbard. Music by Ernest Kaye. Produced by Pat Baker. First Transmitted 23rd September, 1955. Notes: The first ever Small Time programme. THE JOURNEY OF MASTER HO (The Willow Pattern Boy) By Oliver Postgate. Drawn by Peter Thompson. Produced by Penny Wootton. First Transmitted 16th September, 1958. Notes: Oliver Postgate's first venture into stop-frame animation, which he did himself to meet the budget of £175 per episode. There is reputedly no narration as these were originally intended for deaf children. KANDY A puppet series for young children introducing Kandy and his friends Happity, the Bunny Babes, Flying Phil and many others. Introduced by Jane Elliot Hayes. Script by David White. Puppets by Peter Elliot Hayes. First Transmitted 2nd November, 1959. KUFF The adventures of a koala bear. Storyteller Meg Trace. Written by Marc Karlin. Drawn by Patricia Jones and Anselm Devoold. Programme Editor Jenny Wilkes. First Transmitted August 1966. LET’S MAKE A PARTY Created by Jean Ford and presented by Jane Enshawe (left), with Jimmy Scott and Pippy The Telephant. Programme Editor Virginia Tabb. A One-Off Programme Transmitted on Thursday, 23rd December, 1965. LET’S MAKE A STORY Created by Jean Ford and presented by Jane Enshawe. Programme Editor Virginia Tabb. First Transmitted July 1965. THE LITTLE HOUSE THAT STOOD ON THE HILL Told by Jean Ford. Produced by Pat Baker. First Transmitted 8th November, 1955. LITTLE ROCKY The rocket who was afraid of heights. Read by Muriel Young. Written by Steve Roseberry. Drawn by Neville Wortman. Music played by Andrew Fenner. First Transmitted 8th December, 1958. Notes: This was Muriel Young’s Small Time debut. THE LOST INVITATION Small Time visits the wood where Brock & Bruin and their friends live to see how they are going to spend Christmas. Written and introduced by Janet Nicholls. Voices by Peter Hawkins (right) and Ivan Owen. Puppets by Elizabeth Shingler and Anne Newell. A One-Off Programme Transmitted on Monday, 21st December, 1959. With thanks to the TV Times and the British Newspaper Library. On to the Complete Small Time Programme Index M-Z The Sara and Hoppity Website would welcome any information on Small Time for future updates.