Pooch says 'Welcome to Toonhound!'Toonhound logo

     ...cartoons, animation, comic strips and puppets in the UK  Union Jack


 
 HOME

  THE HOUND
  british toon
  news & chatter
 
  MOVIE TOONS
  animated films
  & shorts

  TV TOONS
  animated series

  TOON MAKERS
  animation studios

  & people

  IT'S A PUPPET!
  string, hand
  & finger puppets

  COMICS
  characters, strips
  & comic books


  TOON GODS
  british animators
  & illustrators


  RESOURCES

  ______________

  Click here for Frankie Stein... Click here for Fungus...
   Click here for Bunty...  Click here for Wallace...

  FLEETWAY ST.
  
  GENTLEMAN
  BRIGGS

  BUNTY'S BOOTY

  CRACKING
  COLLECTIBLES


  _______________

  
Toons for sale at ToonsToGo!
  _______________
  

  ABOUT ME
  EMAIL
  DISCLAIMER


  _______________


  

 

  Tv Toons
 

  
    Noddy     (1975)
 

    producers: CPL / Stop Frame Productions
    animation:
stop-motion animation
    episodes: 15min episodes

     Stop Frame's version of Noddy

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

    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....

       Big Ears isn't happy...  A Cosgrove Hall ladybug...  

    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...?

     The Toytown Milkman and Postman...    PC Plod...    The Skittle Children...

    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...

  spacer number two

    Some Toytown trivia
               
    • In the very first episode - Noddy Goes To Toyland - Noddy doesn't actually
       have a name, or indeed, that blue hat with a bell on the end. He is encountered
       en route to Toytown - or more precisely - struck by Big Ears the Brownie on
       his bicycle after he encounters him in the middle of the Toytown road. The lad
       has run away from his Toymaker, as he explains:

         "He made a lion. I don't like lions.
          They frighten me!"


       Big Ears takes him under his wing and names him 'Noddy' because he keeps
       nodding his head uncontrollably when he speaks. The blue hat is a present from
       Big Ears at the end of the first tale, when Noddy is granted permanent status in
       Toytown after saving a little girl from one of Noah's animals. And guess which
       animal? - Yep, a lion...


     Noddy doesn't aquire his famous red and yellow car until the second episode.
       He's given the vehicle by Mr Polly as a reward for catching Gobbo The Goblin
       and his gang when they carjack his garage...


     Noddy gets on particularly well with the doll Angela Goldenhair. Indeed, there
       appears to be a rather tender affection between the two. Could she be Noddy's
       First Love...?


     Poor old Noddy can't read or write, or add up properly, nor tell left from
       right - things he only discovers in episode four, Noddy Goes To School.
       This after he's been driving his car around for a couple of episodes, taking
       taxi fares and pennies for odd-jobs - yoiks!...
   
 

     Noddy can't drive particularly well either. In Hurrah For Noddy he manages
       to right-off Mr Polly's red car whilst pursuing Gobbo and his gang. Then,
       in Noddy And His Car he brakes sharply whilst giving The Big Pink Cat a
       taxi ride. She's thrown over the windshield - poor thing!


       Some facts to 'Gobbo' down...

  spacer number two

    Stop Frame episodes

        Noddy Goes To Toyland          Noddy At The Seaside
        Hurrah For Noddy                  Noddy And The Magic Rubber
        Noddy And His Car                 Here Comes Noddy Again
        Noddy Goes To School            Look Out Noddy
        Well Done Noddy                    Noddy Goes To The Fair
        Noddy And The Bumpy Dog

  spacer number two

      produced and directed by Mark Hall
         
         
      script:              
Ruth Boswell
                               
from Enid Blyton's 'Noddy' books
      music:              
Mike McNaught
      lyrics:               
Ruth Boswell                
      characters
      designed by:    
Brian Cosgrove, Bridget Appelby
      prod team:       
Chris Taylor, Simon Bosanquet,
                           Kate Wride, Marj Graham
      camera:
          Jim Noble
      editor:  
           John Pipkin
      dub mixer:
       Tony Anscombe         
      narrator:            
Richard Briers    
             

  spacer number two

     On the web


       Noddy 
       http://www.noddy.com
       The official site for the second Cosgrove Hall incarnation of Noddy.
       Lots of fun and games for little kids, with a smattering of info...

       Cosgrove Hall 
       http://www.chf.co.uk
       The official Cosgrove Hall site, for info on all of their many and varied
       productions...

      
Jediman
       http://www.jedisparadise.co.uk/
       Jediman has a fine selection of screen grabs from the first Noddy puppet
       series for you - from the 1955 black and white version and the later
       colour series - very nice...


  spacer number five
                 index »    previous »   next »        
  spacer number six 

© Stop Frame / CPL / Enid Blyton Ltd / Chorion / F2000-2004