"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 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...

     "Raggy Dolls" was the brainchild of Melvyn Jacobson, and the catchy theme,
     voices and stories were 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 although we're not all perfect, everyone's
     got something to offer...

     Old dolls/new dolls

     After the first 26 episodes had been filmed, Yorkshire TV reassessed
     the series, and in what was to become a "first" for the broadcaster, an
     independent production company - Orchid Productions -  was asked to
     spruce up the show. Amongst the personnel was first-time director
     Mark Mason, who brought to life new characters including a scarecrow
     called Pumpernickel, and an eighth Raggy Doll called Ragamuffin.

     Incredible as it may sound, in all, 117 "Raggy Dolls" episodes were made!

     Orchid Productions closed its doors in 1995. As for Mark Mason, he runs
     his own self-titled 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 series artist 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"...

     
 

    Original episodes

     The Big Top
     After the Storm
     The Dark Wood
     The Genius
     The Winter Swan
     The Flying Machine
     The Pigeon Race
     The Fun Fair
     Too Many Cooks
     The Terrible Twins
     Spring Toys
     A Trip to the Sea
     A Royal Tour
     Onion Soup
     Moving House

 

    Original series credits

     series created by Melvyn Jacobson

    producer:                  Joy Whitby
    writer:                        Neil Innes
    music & script
     consultant:                Neil Innes
    original drawings:      Steve Smallman
    animation director:    John Marsden
    artwork
    & animation:             Roy Evans
    graphic design:         Michael Gilbert
    rostrum camera:       Paul Allen, Mike Gates,
                                   Mark Wright
    sound dubbing:         Keith Quirk
    film editor:               Roy Lafbery   
    voices:                    Neil Innes

 

     On the web

     Mark Mason Animation 
     This site is great. Mark Mason identifies his company's contribution
     to the later Raggy Dolls series...

     Neil Innes
     All about the man....

     Neil Innes - biography
     A handy biography page here, for those who need more doo-dah...


 
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