The Woodentops (TV series)
Encyclopedia
The Woodentops was a children's television series first shown on BBC Television
in 1955. It was created by Freda Lingstrom
and Maria Bird and featured on the Friday edition of Watch with Mother
. The main characters were a family of wooden dolls who lived on a farm
:
The children, Jenny and Willy, were twins.
Other characters included:
Also:
Curiously, Daddy Woodentop never wore a shirt and spoke with a country yokel
accent, whilst Mummy and the twins were both extremely well dressed and well spoken
. Mrs Scrubbitt was suitably reserved.
The music at the beginning and end of each story is taken from the 22nd piece of the set of 25 Norwegian folk songs and dances for piano, Opus 17 by Edvard Grieg
. This music, which is quite short in duration, is called "Kulokk", which translates to "Cow-Call". It is divided into two sections, the first of which is used for the introduction and the second part for the end of each story. It occasionally appears as a leitmotif
in the stories, hummed by Mummy Woodentop from time to time.
music video which reached No.1 in the UK singles chart
. Daddy & Mummy Woodentop appeared in the video, Jenny appears on the front cover of the CD & DVD but not in the music video.
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
in 1955. It was created by Freda Lingstrom
Freda Lingstrom
Freda Violet Lingstrom OBE was a BBC Television producer and executive who was responsible for pioneering children's programmes in the early 1950s....
and Maria Bird and featured on the Friday edition of Watch with Mother
Watch with Mother
Watch With Mother was a cycle of children's programmes broadcast from 1952 by BBC Television which was created by Freda Lingstrom.It was the first BBC television programme specifically aimed at pre-school children, like its radio equivalent Listen with Mother that also started in 1950...
. The main characters were a family of wooden dolls who lived on a farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
:
- Daddy Woodentop
- Mummy Woodentop
- Jenny Woodentop
- Willy Woodentop
- Baby Woodentop
The children, Jenny and Willy, were twins.
Other characters included:
- Buttercup the Cow
- Spotty Dog (or, as announced at the start of each episode, "..the very biggest spotty dog you ever did see")
- Mrs Scrubbitt (who comes to "help" Mrs Woodentop)
- Sam Scrubbitt (who helps Daddy Woodentop with the animals)
Also:
- Scripts and music: Maria Bird
- Puppeteers: Audrey AtterburyAudrey AtterburyAudrey Selma Atterbury was a British puppeter best known for her work on the 1950s pioneering BBC's children's series Andy Pandy....
, Molly Gibson and Gordon MurrayGordon MurrayProf. Gordon Murray , is a renowned designer of Formula One race cars and the McLaren F1 road car.-Early life:... - Voices: Eileen BrowneEileen Browne (broadcaster)Eileen Browne, was a BBC Radio broadcaster, perhaps best known for being one of the original presenters of Listen with Mother....
, Josephina Ray, Peter HawkinsPeter HawkinsPeter John Hawkins was an English actor and voice artist.- Career :Born in London and a native of Brixton, Hawkins' long association with British children's television began in 1952 when he voiced both Bill and Ben, the Flower Pot Men. In 1955–1956, He voiced Big Ears & Mr. Plod from The... - Designs: Barbara JonesBarbara Jones (artist)Barbara Mildred Jones was an English artist, writer and mural painter.- Biography :Barbara Jones was born in Croydon, Surrey...
Curiously, Daddy Woodentop never wore a shirt and spoke with a country yokel
Yokel
Yokel is a derogatory term referring to the stereotype of unsophisticated country people.-Stereotype:In the US, it is used to describe someone living in rural areas...
accent, whilst Mummy and the twins were both extremely well dressed and well spoken
Received Pronunciation
Received Pronunciation , also called the Queen's English, Oxford English or BBC English, is the accent of Standard English in England, with a relationship to regional accents similar to the relationship in other European languages between their standard varieties and their regional forms...
. Mrs Scrubbitt was suitably reserved.
The music at the beginning and end of each story is taken from the 22nd piece of the set of 25 Norwegian folk songs and dances for piano, Opus 17 by Edvard Grieg
Edvard Grieg
Edvard Hagerup Grieg was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is best known for his Piano Concerto in A minor, for his incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt , and for his collection of piano miniatures Lyric Pieces.-Biography:Edvard Hagerup Grieg was born in...
. This music, which is quite short in duration, is called "Kulokk", which translates to "Cow-Call". It is divided into two sections, the first of which is used for the introduction and the second part for the end of each story. It occasionally appears as a leitmotif
Leitmotif
A leitmotif , sometimes written leit-motif, is a musical term , referring to a recurring theme, associated with a particular person, place, or idea. It is closely related to the musical idea of idée fixe...
in the stories, hummed by Mummy Woodentop from time to time.
The Official BBC Children in Need Medley
In 2009 the Woodentops appeared in the The Official BBC Children in Need MedleyThe Official BBC Children in Need Medley
"The Official BBC Children in Need Medley" is a cross-over single by Peter Kay's Animated All Star Band. It is the official Children in Need Single for 2009, and was released on 21 November 2009. The song was shown for the first time on Children in Need 2009. The cover art is a parody of the cover...
music video which reached No.1 in the UK singles chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. Daddy & Mummy Woodentop appeared in the video, Jenny appears on the front cover of the CD & DVD but not in the music video.
In popular culture
- "Woodentop" is used in the UK as a slang term for a policeman.
- A "spotty dog" is an aerobicsAerobicsAerobics is a form of physical exercise that combines rhythmic aerobic exercise with stretching and strength training routines with the goal of improving all elements of fitness...
exercise which resembles the gait of Spotty Dog. - In Episode 3 ("Weekend") of the UK sitcom Men Behaving BadlyMen Behaving BadlyMen Behaving Badly is a British comedy that was created and written by Simon Nye. It follows the lives of Gary Strang and his flatmates, Dermot Povey and Tony Smart It was first broadcast on ITV in 1992...
, Series 3, when Tony (played by Neil MorrisseyNeil MorrisseyNeil Anthony Morrissey is an English actor, media personality and businessman. He is best known for his role as Tony in Men Behaving Badly....
) reads aloud the title of the book "Are You Ready for Love?" Gary (played by Martin ClunesMartin ClunesAlexander Martin Clunes is an English actor and comedian. Clunes is perhaps best known for his roles as Gary Strang in Men Behaving Badly, Doctor Martin Ellingham in Doc Martin and the title character in Reggie Perrin....
) replies, "Have the Woodentops got a spotty dog?"