Toonhound - The Perishers (1979)

   "Perishin' kids!..."

    A teatime gem here, courtesy of FilmFair. Those perishin' youngsters Wellington,
    Maisie, Marlon, and Baby Grumplin and Boot the rakish sheepdog, jump off the
    pages of the "Daily Mirror" and into the living rooms of the nostalgia generation.
    The adaptation was shepherded on to the tv by the strip's creator Maurice Dodd,
    working closely with Bill Melendez' team, and as a result the spirit of the original
    is maintained. The kids and their dogs go carting and camping, they visit the
    seaside, and go bouncing around wildly on bright green spacehoppers. And
    throughout they bicker and backbite in that brilliant mangled dialect that's
    part-cockney, part-hoity-toity, and utterly, beautifully British.

        That irascible sheepdog Boot

    There is one aspect that's been lost in the translation, and that's the social
    commentary. Likewise the politicking Fred Beetle and Delinquent Caterpillar.
    But this is a teatime show for kids, after all. And it's a memorable one, with
    a clap-clapping, synthesized theme tune and a star turn from Leonard
    Rossiter as the voice of that wily, conniving old schemer Boot.

    » Bill Melendez was previously responsible for bringing Snoopy and the
       "Peanuts" gang to life on our screens. His connection to both series
        continues the ongoing - and somewhat unfair - comparisons with that
        beloved American strip...

    » As for the Perishers strip, well, that ran in "The Daily Mirror" from 1957
        to 2006. The strip reached its natural conclusion in June of that year,
        six months after the death of its much-admired creator...

       Elephants ahoy!

     Perishin' politics

     The politics may have disappeared from the TV toon, but "The Perishers"
     still ruffles a few PC feathers, nowadays. Take a look at this detail from
     the very first episode "Magic Mirror". Boot can clearly be seen scarpering
     past an elephant foot waste bin/umbrella stand!

     Luckily for us, and the elephant, this unfortunate item is nowhere to be
     seen, come later episodes...

     See also

     The Perishers (comic strip)

     In the news

     The Hound: June 2006
     The end of the Perishers...

     The Hound: January 2006
     The death of Maurice Dodd...

     Current promos/tie-ins



     In Spring 2007, Robert Harrop Designs launched this magnificent
     Perishers statue. Measuring approx 23cm x 12cm, the piece
     features Wellington, Maisie, Marlon, Baby Grumpling and that
     ever-reluctant dawg Boot. It's been restricted to just 750 perishin'
     editions worldwide...

     » You can buy yours from the friendly folks at Boojog...

     Perishers episodes

     Magic Mirror
     In the Cart
     A Life From the Ocean Wave
     A-Camping We Will Go
     A Fool and his Money Aren't as Easily Parted as You Think
     Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Bath?
     How to Train the Family Dog
     The Ugly Duckling
     Spring Fever
     Look Before it Leaps
     The Skateboard Champion
     The Wheeling and Dealing
     She May or She May Not
     Noblesse Oblige
     The War Games
     Well Blow Me Down
     Bone Champions
     The Rehabilitation of BH (Calcutta) Failed
     The Eye Balls in the Sky
     The Inch-thick Ketchup Sandwich

     Broadcast info

     The series premiered on BBC1, 21st March 1979 at 5.35pm.
     The Beeb's scheduling had "How to Train the Family Dog" as the
      the first episode. Episodes screened on week-days, sometimes for
      two or three days in a row, but never in a consistent daily run.

      "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Bath?" brought the series to a
      conclusion, 4th May.



     The Perishers on DVD

     The Perishers - Magic Mirror
                Region 2 / Tempo TV Classics / February 2006

     The perishers by Maurice Dodd
     a FilmFair presentation

     from the Daily Mirror cartoon strip
     by Maurice Dodd and Dennis Collins

     a Bill Melendez production

     director:            Dick Horn
     producer:          Graeme Spurway
     exec producer: Graham Clutterbuck
     writer:               Maurice Dodd
     music:              Trevor Evan Jones
    animation:        Geoff Loynes, Ron Murdoch,
                            Janet Nunn, Colin White
    layout:              Gordon Harrison, Ted Pettengel
    backgrounds:     Dean Spille
    production:       Lucinda Ash, Tony Cooper
    checking:          Roland Carter, Caroline Neale
     co-ordinator:     Michael Hayes
     camera:            Gary Knowelden, Nick Boisson
     editing:             John Farrow
     voices:              Judy Bennet
                            Sheila Steafel
                            Peter Hawkins (BH the Bloodhound)
                            Leonard Rossiter (Boot)

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			The Perishers (1979) producers: FilmFair for the BBC animation: 2D animation episodes: 20 x 5mins
		"Perishin' kids!..." A teatime gem here, courtesy of FilmFair. Those perishin' youngsters Wellington, Maisie, Marlon, and Baby Grumplin and Boot the rakish sheepdog, jump off the pages of the "Daily Mirror" and into the living rooms of the nostalgia generation. The adaptation was shepherded on to the tv by the strip's creator Maurice Dodd, working closely with Bill Melendez' team, and as a result the spirit of the original is maintained. The kids and their dogs go carting and camping, they visit the seaside, and go bouncing around wildly on bright green spacehoppers. And throughout they bicker and backbite in that brilliant mangled dialect that's part-cockney, part-hoity-toity, and utterly, beautifully British. There is one aspect that's been lost in the translation, and that's the social commentary. Likewise the politicking Fred Beetle and Delinquent Caterpillar. But this is a teatime show for kids, after all. And it's a memorable one, with a clap-clapping, synthesized theme tune and a star turn from Leonard Rossiter as the voice of that wily, conniving old schemer Boot. » Bill Melendez was previously responsible for bringing Snoopy and the "Peanuts" gang to life on our screens. His connection to both series continues the ongoing - and somewhat unfair - comparisons with that beloved American strip... » As for the Perishers strip, well, that ran in "The Daily Mirror" from 1957 to 2006. The strip reached its natural conclusion in June of that year, six months after the death of its much-admired creator... Perishin' politics The politics may have disappeared from the TV toon, but "The Perishers" still ruffles a few PC feathers, nowadays. Take a look at this detail from the very first episode "Magic Mirror". Boot can clearly be seen scarpering past an elephant foot waste bin/umbrella stand! Luckily for us, and the elephant, this unfortunate item is nowhere to be seen, come later episodes... See also The Perishers (comic strip) In the news The Hound: June 2006 The end of the Perishers... The Hound: January 2006 The death of Maurice Dodd... Current promos/tie-ins In Spring 2007, Robert Harrop Designs launched this magnificent Perishers statue. Measuring approx 23cm x 12cm, the piece features Wellington, Maisie, Marlon, Baby Grumpling and that ever-reluctant dawg Boot. It's been restricted to just 750 perishin' editions worldwide... » You can buy yours from the friendly folks at Boojog... Perishers episodes Magic Mirror In the Cart A Life From the Ocean Wave A-Camping We Will Go A Fool and his Money Aren't as Easily Parted as You Think Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Bath? How to Train the Family Dog The Ugly Duckling Spring Fever Look Before it Leaps The Skateboard Champion The Wheeling and Dealing She May or She May Not Noblesse Oblige The War Games Well Blow Me Down Bone Champions The Rehabilitation of BH (Calcutta) Failed The Eye Balls in the Sky The Inch-thick Ketchup Sandwich Broadcast info The series premiered on BBC1, 21st March 1979 at 5.35pm. The Beeb's scheduling had "How to Train the Family Dog" as the the first episode. Episodes screened on week-days, sometimes for two or three days in a row, but never in a consistent daily run. "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Bath?" brought the series to a conclusion, 4th May. The Perishers on DVD The Perishers - Magic Mirror Region 2 / Tempo TV Classics / February 2006 The perishers by Maurice Dodd a FilmFair presentation from the Daily Mirror cartoon strip by Maurice Dodd and Dennis Collins a Bill Melendez production director: Dick Horn producer: Graeme Spurway exec producer: Graham Clutterbuck writer: Maurice Dodd music: Trevor Evan Jones animation: Geoff Loynes, Ron Murdoch, Janet Nunn, Colin White layout: Gordon Harrison, Ted Pettengel backgrounds: Dean Spille production: Lucinda Ash, Tony Cooper checking: Roland Carter, Caroline Neale co-ordinator: Michael Hayes camera: Gary Knowelden, Nick Boisson editing: John Farrow voices: Judy Bennet Sheila Steafel Peter Hawkins (BH the Bloodhound) Leonard Rossiter (Boot) On the web The Authentic Perishers Run by the creators themselves, this splendid site gives you all the strip info and history you might need - plus you can buy the original strips!... Little Gems The Gems guide us through the TV series... The Shadow Gallery Jean Rogers' thought-provoking page takes a most detailed look at strip... Tony's Trading This is great! - Tony presents a page of cover scans archiving every Perishers book and omnibus published over the years... Cartoon Art Operated by cartoonist Peter Longden, his online store includes several fine pieces from the pen and brush of Bill Melvin, including some beautiful Pippin pages and a page of original Perishers strips for you to buy - if your wallet's big enough... index » previous » next »

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