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Little Gems - Snippets from the past

Pipkins

Pipkins Pipkins

Pipkins Pipkins

Pipkins Pipkins

Pipkins Pipkins Pipkins

Click here to listen to the Theme tune(thank you to Richard for supplying)

Inigo Pipkin and Pipkins (renamed later on in 1973)

Pipkins was made by ATV Television Production studios (soon to be Central Television) in the 1973 onwards. This preschool children's lunchtime program was shown on I.T.V. around midday and was an absolute must watch program. The first series of shows had George Woodbridge in the lead role as as Inigo Pipkin (Mr Pipkin) who was the puppet maker. Johnny and Bertha (played by Wayne Laryea & Jumoke Debayo respectively) supported the human cast for the show. All the puppets (Hartley Hare and Old Tortoise) and Inigo lived in a small toy shop in a town somewhere in England (any offers as to where ?).

During filming, George Woodbridge never really looked very well and sadly died in during the filming of the second series in 1973. People may remember George Woodbridge in films and shows such as the Magnificent Six and ½, Dracula: Prince of Darkness, The Iron Maiden, What a Carve Up, Two Way Stretch, An Inspector Calls, Green for Danger, The Black Sheep of Whitehall - check out the IMDB database to see a huge list of films he starred in . But most of all he will be remembered as the father figure in Pipkins who took care of Hartley and Tortoise.

By now the show was very popular and could not be written off just like that. Johnny took over and gave the show a more solid foundation onto which new stories could be written. Hartley and Tortoise were the real rocks of the show and were there from the start but soon Topov, Pig, Mooney, Pigeon and Octavia came along to add a bit more variety to the show.

Hartley Hare was a real moth eaten old hare who was always trying to be the leader of the group. He often considered himself to me more intelligent, better looking and a more human like hare that the other animals. He would often try to be the director for any of the show's stories. Pig was the supposed brains of the outfit and spoke with a thick Brummie accent. Topov - not sure of his or her role. The monkey was always on top of things and hence that is where the name originated from. Octavia was the beautiful bird and hence a singer. She spent most of her time strutting around singing and looking pretty. Hartley was in love with her and would often lose himself as she sang. Tortoise was the oldest and wisest of the group and was in charge of the cash register. He did not seem to have a sense of humour and spoke with the same monotonic voice throughout the series. Mooney was not often seen in the show but when he was he appeared as an Irish Badger. He would very often tell stories long and tall. The last member of the group was pigeon who would often act as a messenger and relay information back to the Pipkins crowd concerning the outside world. A few other characters appeared in the show from time to time including some of Hartley's relatives.

The introduction song was sung by Jackie Lee who (most of us will remember) also sang the song for the classic puppet series "The Adventures of Rupert Bear." I think she also did the theme for "White Horses" as well. Pipkins went all the way into late 1981 before it finally vanished from our screens, never to be repeated. Whatever happened to poor old Hartley and did he ever get his true love Octavia (although most of us believed he was always in love with himself). From some of the information that Richard sent me, the studio it was filmed in may not even be there anymore. This is really sad as this program was brilliant and really set a standard for all other shows to follow.

Songwise, there were a couple of different versions with different lyrics. Back in 1974 they used:

This is the story of....

Inigo Pipkin

Inigo Pipkin

Inigo the puppet maker

OhhOhhhh

Inigo Pipkin

Inigo Pipkin

Inigo the puppet man

Inigo the puppet mannnnnn

Later on in the series after the sad death of George Woodbridge (Mr Inigo Pipkin) different lyrics had to be brought in.

Here come the Pipkins

There go the Pipkins

And they've got another job to do

Topov the Monkey

Pig's always hungry

In the Pipkin puppet van

In the Pipkin puppet vannnnnn

A third version then appeared in 1977 - This one had new screen titles as well

Pipkins

There's Pig

And Hartley

There's Tortoise

And Hartley

There's Topov

And Hartley

Pig, Tortoise and Topov

And Hartley Hare

Pipkins - new titles Pipkins - new titles Pipkins - new titles

Pipkins - new titles Pipkins - new titles Pipkins - new titles

Pipkins - new titles Pipkins - new titles

Pipkin's Characters

Hartley Hare Mr Pipkin Topov
Hartley Hare
Never quite knew what his true vocation was
Mr Pipkin
The original puppet master
Topov
Always on top of something - hence name
Tortoise Johnny Bertha
Tortoise
Was responsible for all cash handling
Johnny
Took over after Mr Pipkin died
Bertha
Again not sure of her role
Pig Mooney Pigeon
Pig (from Birmingham)
The inventor with a big appetite
Mooney
Not sure of his role but would often tell stories
Pigeon
Messenger
Octavia
Octavia
Opera singer (or at least she thought she was)

One of the best remembered parts of the program was the animated GIF below: Click here to listen to the clocks.

It's.................Time

It's........................................................................................TIME!!!

Credits

Pipkins - end credits Pipkins - end credits Pipkins - end credits

Pipkins - end credits Pipkins - end credits Pipkins - end credits

Pipkins - end credits Pipkins - end credits Pipkins - end credits

Pipkins - end credits Pipkins - end credits

Pipkins - end credits

Inigo Pipkin George Woodbridge
Johnny Wayne Laryea
Bertha Jumoke Debayo
Narrator, Hartley Hare, Uncle Hare, Angus McHare, Mooney & Tortoise Nigel Plaskitt
Pig & Octavia Heather Tobias
Topov & Pigeon Lorain Bertorelli
Written by Susan Pleat & Billy Hamon
Music and Lyrics Chris Hazell
Theme song by Frank Weston & Ron Roker
Sung by Jackie Lee
Graphics by Alastair McMurdo
Film Cameraman Martin Bell & Tony Leggo
Film Sound Peter Dodson
Film Editor Steve Singleton & Jonathon Morris
Senior Cameraman Mike Whitcutt
Sound Director Len Penfold
Senior Vision Control Jim Reeves
Puppets made by Jane Tyson
Adviser Ronald Gulliford & Dinah Goldwater
Designed by Michael Eve
Produced & Directed by Michael Jeans, Pembroke Duttson & Dorothy Denham
An ATV Colour Production

Pipkins - end credits