Toonhound - Raggy Dolls

      "The Raggy Dolls... Raggy Dolls... Are happy to just to be...
       Raggy Dolls... Raggy Dolls... Dolls like you and me..."

     Made imperfectly, like you and me, the seven Raggy Dolls were rejects from
     Mr Grimes' Soft Toy factory cruelly cast aside into the Reject Bin. But of course,
     these seven fellows were the most special toys of all, coming to life when no one
     was around and embarking on numerous adventures wherein their 'disabilities' were
     put to most constructive use...

     The seven Raggy Dolls were:

        Hi-Fi - a talking toy, with a st-st-stammer...
         Back-To-Front - handy man doll with a head the wrong way round...
         Lucy - a doll with faulty threads and loose limbs...
         Dotty - splashed with blue paint...
         Princess - dressed in rags instead of riches...
         Claude - made for export to France, but he missed the ferry...
         Sad Sack - too stuffed, and hence, too pricey to make...

     The series was the brainchild of Melvyn Jacobson, and its catchy Raggy Dolls theme,
     voices and stories were of course provided by that ex-Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band
     member, part-time Monty Python star, and sometime Rutle Neil Innes. It was a
     sweet series, attempting to show kids that we're not all perfect, but everyone's
     just the same regardless of our differences...

     After the first 13 episodes were shot and broadcast Yorkshire TV reassessed the
     the series and decided to dust down the look and feel of the production. Orchid
     Productions, headed by Mark Mason, created new characters including an eighth
     Raggy Doll called Ragamuffin. The new-look show was 'brighter' than the original
     and ran for 65 episodes. Mark Mason runs his own studio now, handling work on
     shows like Microscopic Milton, Angel Mouse, William's Wish Wellingtons and
     Toonhound fave, the wonderfully daft Philbert Frog...

      A trio of Raggy Dolls books...

     Raggy fans should hunt down Boxtree's tie-in books published around 1990
     and featuring art by Steve Smallman - at least 8 titles were published...

     Many people confuse the Raggy Dolls with Annie the rag doll and Teddy the
     stuffed bear from The Forgotten Toys special and series (1995-1997). But
     although some of the talent behind the camera was the same, the production
     was a wholly independent creation adapted from the books by James Stevenson.
     What's more, Annie and Teddy were merely 'forgotten' and not 'rejected'...

        series created by Melvyn Jacobson

       writer:            Neil Innes
       music:            Neil Innes
       producer:       Joy Whitby
       voices:           Neil Innes

      On the web

       80sNostalgia
       http://www.80snostalgia.com/classictv/...
      '80sNostalgia' provides us with a fine site dedicated to these Forgotten Toys.
       Pics and clips abound. There's even that raggy theme tune for you....

       Mark Mason Animation
       http://www.markmasonanimation.co.uk/raggy_dolls.htm
       This site is great. Here Mark Mason identifies his company's contribution
       to the later Raggy Dolls series. Click on the 'Model Sheets' title to link through
       a selection of fabulous character sheets for each of the dolls....

       Neil Innes
      http://neilinnes.org/Q-R.htm#raggydolls
       Here's that darned hummable theme song again, courtesy of the multi-talented
       music maker Mr Neil Innes. The lyrics are here for you and those for a
       number of his other songs - with downloads...

       Neil Innes - biography
       http://www.geocities.com/fang_club/Innes_biog.html
       A handy biography page here, for those who want to find more doo-dah
       about Mr Innes...

       Stian's Raggy Dolls Page
       http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/...
     Some new pics here on this infrequently updated page. And here's that
       song again in English and - what's that? - Swedish? - This page is from the
       same chaps behind that nifty Pigeon Street site....

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			The Raggy Dolls (1987-1989) producers: Yorkshire TV animation: cel animation 13 x 10mins / 65 x 10mins


	"The Raggy Dolls... Raggy Dolls... Are happy to just to be... Raggy Dolls... Raggy Dolls... Dolls like you and me..." Made imperfectly, like you and me, the seven Raggy Dolls were rejects from Mr Grimes' Soft Toy factory cruelly cast aside into the Reject Bin. But of course, these seven fellows were the most special toys of all, coming to life when no one was around and embarking on numerous adventures wherein their 'disabilities' were put to most constructive use... The seven Raggy Dolls were: Hi-Fi - a talking toy, with a st-st-stammer... Back-To-Front - handy man doll with a head the wrong way round... Lucy - a doll with faulty threads and loose limbs... Dotty - splashed with blue paint... Princess - dressed in rags instead of riches... Claude - made for export to France, but he missed the ferry... Sad Sack - too stuffed, and hence, too pricey to make... The series was the brainchild of Melvyn Jacobson, and its catchy Raggy Dolls theme, voices and stories were of course provided by that ex-Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band member, part-time Monty Python star, and sometime Rutle Neil Innes. It was a sweet series, attempting to show kids that we're not all perfect, but everyone's just the same regardless of our differences... After the first 13 episodes were shot and broadcast Yorkshire TV reassessed the the series and decided to dust down the look and feel of the production. Orchid Productions, headed by Mark Mason, created new characters including an eighth Raggy Doll called Ragamuffin. The new-look show was 'brighter' than the original and ran for 65 episodes. Mark Mason runs his own studio now, handling work on shows like Microscopic Milton, Angel Mouse, William's Wish Wellingtons and Toonhound fave, the wonderfully daft Philbert Frog... Raggy fans should hunt down Boxtree's tie-in books published around 1990 and featuring art by Steve Smallman - at least 8 titles were published... Many people confuse the Raggy Dolls with Annie the rag doll and Teddy the stuffed bear from The Forgotten Toys special and series (1995-1997). But although some of the talent behind the camera was the same, the production was a wholly independent creation adapted from the books by James Stevenson. What's more, Annie and Teddy were merely 'forgotten' and not 'rejected'... series created by Melvyn Jacobson writer: Neil Innes music: Neil Innes producer: Joy Whitby voices: Neil Innes On the web 80sNostalgia http://www.80snostalgia.com/classictv/... '80sNostalgia' provides us with a fine site dedicated to these Forgotten Toys. Pics and clips abound. There's even that raggy theme tune for you.... Mark Mason Animation http://www.markmasonanimation.co.uk/raggy_dolls.htm This site is great. Here Mark Mason identifies his company's contribution to the later Raggy Dolls series. Click on the 'Model Sheets' title to link through a selection of fabulous character sheets for each of the dolls.... Neil Innes http://neilinnes.org/Q-R.htm#raggydolls Here's that darned hummable theme song again, courtesy of the multi-talented music maker Mr Neil Innes. The lyrics are here for you and those for a number of his other songs - with downloads... Neil Innes - biography http://www.geocities.com/fang_club/Innes_biog.html A handy biography page here, for those who want to find more doo-dah about Mr Innes... Stian's Raggy Dolls Page http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/... Some new pics here on this infrequently updated page. And here's that song again in English and - what's that? - Swedish? - This page is from the same chaps behind that nifty Pigeon Street site.... index » previous » next »
	© Melvyn Jacobson / Yorkshire TV /F2000-2004