|
|
|
 |
After Space Patrol... While only Paul Starr and The Solarnauts continued the space adventure theme of Space Patrol, Roberta Leigh and Arthur Provis continued to make other pilot films and series as well as commercials and industrial training/information material. These are their other children's series: Picture The Word 26 x 15 minute episodes. Produced in 1965. Animation. Created and devised by Roberta Leigh, and screened as part of Small Time in the Rediffusion London region. Tikki the Toucan would explain two different words per installment:
Wonder Boy and Tiger Puppet animation, 15 minute colour episodes, ©1966?  In the first episode, Wonder Boy and his cat Tiger circle the Earth on their magic mat; they can only land whenever Tiger's magic whiskers sparkle warning that someone somewhere is in trouble. By staring into Tiger's eyes, Wonder Boy can see the person who needs their help. They go to assist a small boy who has lost his ball in the garden of mysterious oriental Dr. Fang. When Wonder Boy tries to retrieve the lost ball he discovers that Doctor Fang is a thief who has trained his talking Persian cat Princess to steal a diamond necklace. Tiger joins forces with Princess but ends up being accused of the robbery himself. Wonder Boy and Tiger escape just in time on their magic mat. A return to magic and fantasy for Roberta Leigh after two dips into science-fiction. Tiger is a wonderful creation and has the most character but everything else comes over flat and somewhat lifeless. The inability to animate Tiger and the cat Princess successfully make them a little static. One can only assume a limited budget (again) which made it necessary for 'older' puppets from Space Patrol to be reused, which clash a little with the newer rubber faced puppets of the two boys and the policeman. Production Credits:  Music & Lyrics by Roberta LeighVoices by: John Braban, Peter Reeves, Ronnie Stevens, Paddy Turner Puppeteers: Joan Garrick, Judith Morgan, Shirley Denny Sets designed by: Roger Blackwell Costumes by: Shirley Denny Director of Photography: Arthur Provis Camera Operator: David Knill Chief Electrician: Bill Ward Editor: Norman Cole Sound Recording: Audio Systems Produced by National Interest Pictures for Wonderama Productions Copyright ©Wonderama AstroViewer Working: • The BFI listing for this series indicates it was filmed in 1966, while the copyright given on the Network DVD release states 1968.  • Peter Reeves (left) recalls working on the series: "I remember doing more than one test recording of scripts for this, but I can't remember which part I played. However it must have been a good part because I remember being disappointed when I heard that the project was not going ahead. Roberta Leigh regarded me as a supplier of eccentric and unusual voices, so it may well have been Tiger!"• Peter Reeves also commented: "I am an inveterate 'squirrel' and retain old scripts for years, but I cannot recall ever coming across a script of Roberta Leigh's. This may be because, being new projects, she wanted to ensure no word got out about them before she wanted, or because we often changed the wording of her lines at the session (with her agreement) and she would need the revised version for editing."  • Actress Paddy Turner (right) would also provide voices for Send For Dithers (see below), and later ppeared in A Dance To The Music Of Time for BBC Radio in 1980.• John Braban also provided voices for Send For Dithers, and worked as a continuity announcer for ABC Television and ATV Midlands, before moving on to the BBC in 1969. He continued to work for them until 1990. • Ronnie Stevens, while credited, has no recollection of the series at all! • Judith Morgan was a floor puppeteer at AP Films/Century 21, but was only credited as a Puppeteer on Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. • Roberta Leigh later used the Wonder Boy & Tiger characters in a comic called Wonder Weekly (see above), which she edited and was available only through Esso Petrol stations in 1968/69. • The series utilises the rubber faced puppets with flexible jaws that made their debut on Paul Starr. • Several episodes feature puppets from Space Patrol, notably Gallia who becomes Doctor Fang, Gabbler (who is pink), Marla (with black hair), Slim and Husky appear, largely unchanged save for wigs and costumes. • Bizarrely, the General Darinx puppet from Paul Starr appears as the woman whose necklace Doctor Fang plots to steal. • This series was apparently only aired by Southern. Airdates are unknown. • The first episode of Wonder Boy and Tiger is now available as an extra on the Space Patrol DVD Box Set.. Send For Dithers Puppet animation, 15 minute colour episodes. Produced in 1966?  In the first episode, Dithers of the 'Let Me Help You' agency is asked by supermarket owner Mr Biggs to deliver a large surprise package to Johnny Barker. But getting his scarf stuck in the gate, Dithers trips and the talking 'surprise' is revealed to be a king penguin, Mr Perkins. After several mishaps, Mr Perkins is given to Dithers by Mr Biggs, to assist him on his safety-orientated adventures. Obviously aimed at the very young, the awfully twee story and characterisation is balanced by nicely detailed sets and some nice puppetry. Production Credits: Created by Roberta Leigh Produced by Roberta Leigh & Arthur Provis Sets designed and made by Modelive Directed by Frank Goulding Screenplay, Music & Songs by Roberta Leigh Associate Producer: John Chittock Voices by: John Braban, Brian Jackson, Paddy Turner Puppeteers: Joan Garrick, Jane Tyson Puppets by: Jock Speirs Costumes by: Shirley Denny Photography: Arthur Provis Camera Operator: David Knill Chief Electrician: Bill Ward Editor: Denis Skelton Sound Recording by Audio Systems Produced by National Interest Pictures for Wonderama Productions Copyright ©Wonderama • At least thirteen episodes exist complete. and this appears to be the entire series. • The combination of puppets, live action inserts and animation give the show a kind of early Sesame Street feel, albeit aimed at the very young. • The BFI listing for this series indicates it was filmed in 1966, while the copyright given on the Network DVD release states 1969. • This series also utilises the flexible puppet faces that debuted in Paul Starr. • Brian Jackson appeared in several television series such as The Avengers, and The Persuaders, and still works as a model, actor and voice-over specialist.  • The Chief of the S.B.I. in Paul Starr appears as supermarket owner Mr Bigg in the first episode.• Marla from Space Patrol appears as Mrs Barker (left) in the first episode, with dark hair and slightly altered eyes to make her appear more human. The Gallia puppet also appears as a road sweep. • The Johnny Barker puppet also appears in Wonder Boy And Tiger, as does Dithers, playing the policeman seen at the end of the first story. • Modelive Ltd also built towards the models seen in The Solarnauts. • This series was apparently aired as part of Tinker and Taylor in the west country of the UK, was shown by Westward, and was later screened by Southern in the summer of 1972. • The first episode of Send For Dithers is now available as an extra on the Space Patrol DVD Box Set. The Adventures of Mr Hero Animated pilot film, ©1966. Running time - approx 7 minutes  After a disagreement, the shadow of Nicky separates from him and drifts out to the sea. The shadow names himself 'Mr. Hero', befriends Tottie the Turtle and Blinka the Starfish, and dresses himself in fancy clothes from a sunken Spanish galleon. While he becomes a person under the sea, on returning to the land he becomes just a shadow again.  Stylised and abstracted drawn animation, in basic colours with line drawn figures and backgrounds, and based on the first of two books by Roberta Leigh. The animation follows the style of illustrator Harry Hess, who also directed the pilot, which is bold, child-like and colourful in a way that verges on the psychodelic.Production Credits: Produced by Roberta Leigh Story, Music & Lyrics by Roberta Leigh Designed and Directed by Harry Hess Made by TV Cartoons Ltd • In the original book (right), Mr Hero was originally the good shadow of naughty boy Nicky, but Nicky doesn't like being told to be good so he cuts his shadow off into the sea. The starfish is called Blinka the Winka, as he can 'switch' on and off very quickly. • The second book is salled Mr Hero and the Raggler Children, published in 1961. • This pilot film is now available as an extra on the Space Patrol DVD Box Set. Timothy Travel Circa 1966. Puppet animation. This unsold 30 minute pilot is the work of Arthur Provis, and comprises of a number of short episodic adventures. The eponymous character Timothy is a time traveller who ends up in the Middle Ages and gets involved with a knight in armour, and a talking dragon. The production is apparently very polished. Further details are unknown. Space Patrol - The Website would welcome any information on any of these or any other Wonderama/National Interest Picture Productions for future updates. |
||
 |
|||
 |
|||
 |
|||
 |
|||
 |
|||
 |
|||
 |
|||
 |
|||
 |
|||
 |
|||
 |
|||
 |
|||
 |
|||
 |
 |
 |
 |