Noddy     (1975)
 
    producers: CPL / Stop Frame Productions
    animation: stop-motion animation
    episodes: 15min episodes

 
    "I may be small, but I feel so tall in Toytown ..."
  

    This terrific little series is often confused with its equally-terrific remake from
    the 1990s. Both series were brought to the screen by the production partnership
    of Brian Cosgrove and Mark Hall, but this first version was created under the
    banner of their former production company Stop Frame Productions and
    is cut from rougher cloth than it's glossier nineties companion. The series
    has a wonderful gruffness in its scripts and characterization with poor Noddy
    frequently at the end of an accusing finger, venemous stare or barrage of some
    form or another from the Toytown residents....

           

    Stop Frame populated the opening and closing credits with little ladybug
    creations. Noddy keeps nodding his head, uncontrollably, throughout each
    episode and the numerous Toytown residents are most skilfully articulated -
    Mr Wobbly Man wobbles, the Toy Bears shuffle as they walk, etc. The
    splendid animation is supported by equally-splendid voicework courtesy
    of actor Richard Briers (Roobarb, Noah & Nelly). There's a grand grumpiness
    to his Big Ears, Plod and the rest, but they never become over-bearing...
 
    Noddy is of course, an Enid Blyton creation, born by her in 1949 and brought
    to life by Dutch artist Harmsen Van Der Beek. He first appeared on television
    in 1955 courtesy of the black and white puppet series The Adventures Of Noddy.
    The Further Adventures Of Noddy followed in the 1960's - this time in colour.
    Stop Frame's series was the first full-fledged animated adaptation. It's also
    renowned for being supposedly very 'non-PC', with all sorts of politically
    incorrect behaviour going on. But that certainly doesn't seem to be the case
    with the episodes The Hound has been viewing again. Maybe they
    have been re-edited since their initial broadcast...?

             

    Ruth Boswell adapted the Toytown stories for Stop Frame. Her CV includes
    credits for The Tomorrow People, Timeslip, and The Molly Wopsy. She went
    on to co-create Toonhound favourite Moschops. The author of the show's
    hummable theme tune is Mike McNaught. His eclectic discography includes
    an arranger's credit for the soundtrack of Monty Python's Meaning Of Life...

    Noddy is in the news again this year, of course, thanks to the brand-spanking
    new CGI series from Chorion/Enid Blyton Ltd called Make Way For Noddy.
    Not bad going for a 53 year old creation...