Pipkins volume 4 [DVD]

Product Information

I went out to Elstree for an appointment with this producer,” Nigel recounts. “He said can you do character voices? I said yes, and he said, good. He gave me a short written description about a brown hare and that was it. He didn’t even ask me to do the voice – just took my word for it. What can the puppets do about Johnny? He seems to think that he is the only one who is helping, whereas he is only one of the Pipkins, the help people…. When a visitor arrives at Pipkins he is given food and drink as a treat. Pig has noticed this and thinks of ways of appearing himself as a visitor.

Mrs P and Octavia are both birds. Each accuses the other of not being able to fly, and the are both right of course. But when they begin to squabble, Topov cleverly finds a way to bring them together again. Some painters paint walls, other painters paint pictures. Hartley knows exactly which painter he is, but it doesn’t help very much with the job that they have given him to do. Or does it? Tortoise has his own lift, but something has happened to it. Hartley cannot turn the handle............

Pipkins have got a lovely brown hen in the yard. She is called Hetty and it is her job to lay eggs for them. But the odd thing is that as soon as the eggs are laid, they disappear. Could Pig and his fondness for omlettes have anything to do with it? Pipkins was a unique British children’s TV programme that featured a range of animal characters with regional accents. The main characters included Hartley Hare, Pig, Topov the monkey, Octavia the ostrich, Pigeon, Mrs Penguin, Uncle Hare, and Sophie the cat. What type of animal was Hartley Hare? Octavia the Ostrich moves her beak, but there is no sound. Mr Pipkin is so worried that he gets Johnny to call the doctor. But the clever Dr Stethoscope knows what the trouble is- Octavia has lost her voice. Hartley discovers that you can tell the time by dialing a certain number on the telephone. He believes that the lady sits there all day and all night-just waiting for him to call……

The show’s cast of puppets was diverse and memorable. Hartley Hare, the somewhat threadbare puppet, acted as the leader and thinker of the group, often engaging in witty banter and humour. With his unforgettable personality, Hartley became a fan favourite. Mr Pipkin, Johnny, Hartley Tortoise and even naughty Topov are all going away to the seaside for a holiday. Dr Stethoscope is going with them to make sure that no one, especially Hartley, gets a cold. Playing at market stalls is fun. It's even more enjoyable if someone else plays at buying items from your market stall. But no one seems prepared to buy anything from Hartley... In 1978, Johnny was replaced by Tom (played by Actor Sam Kydd's son, Jonathan) until 1980 when Peter Potter (paddy O'Hagan) took over the lead role. A new character called Mrs Muddle also appeared for the later series and she was played by actress Sue Nicholls who, you may remember, also played Miss Popov in Rentaghost. Topov is supposed to telephone Hartley to tell him where he is when he’s out working, but naughty Topov doesn’t do this… yet, somehow Hartley find’s out…how?Hartley Hare was a puppet character, and he was a hare, a type of animal related to rabbits but larger and with longer legs. Who were the cast members in Pipkins? Uncle is coming to dinner so Mrs P and Hartley are busy in the kitchen preparing a meal. But a funny thing happens to Uncle on the way to Pipkins…

While it was education with a soft peddle, it nonetheless had a big effect on children, Nigel believes. This ATV series began in 1973 as a show called Inigo Pipkin, starring George Woodbridge as the titular Mr P. Unfortunately, George died during the second season so the show was re-named simply Pipkins and continued on with Inigo’s assistant Johnny (Wayne Laryea, pictured above) and the ‘animals’. Hartley has a record player. He also has loud records, which he plays, but others aren’t too keen on the music, or the times he chooses to play it… Johnny has to paint a new scene for the puppet theatre. To this, he needs some paint, some brushes and the puppets as far away as possible! Unfortunately, they want to help, and so does Charlie.

How We Used To List At Christmas!: 28th DECEMBER, 2002 – 3rd JANUARY, 2003

Stage Managers SARA PAUL, KATIE COLLEY, ANNE IBBOTSON, JANE COTTON, CLARE SANDFORD, SUE COWLING, SHEILA ATHA, NOOLA DELANEY Inigo Pipkin was first shown on New Year's Day 1973. When the show started, the main character was an elderly puppet maker called Inigo Pipkin (hence the original title), played by George Woodbridge. The puppets were his creations, and over the course of the first series, viewers saw Inigo bring to life Hartley Hare and the Tortoise (a.k.a. George) played by Nigel Plaskitt; and Topov the monkey, Pig and Octavia the ostrich, all played by Heather Tobias. Some things, such as an apple can be shared quite easily with a friend. But even a brilliant Hare like Hartley finds it difficult to cut custard in half.......... Fred announces that he wants to become a sailor because he wants to wear a cap and a coat with brass buttons, but does he know what it’s like on a boat when the wind blows and the sea gets rough? When Johnny makes a jigsaw, Hartley wonders what is the point of preparing a picture and then cutting it into little pieces....

Hartley feels poorly, but he’s in good hands as Charlie is looking after him. However as Hartley recovers, strange things start to happen to Charlie… Pipkins decide to grow their own food, like people do in the country. But Uncle Hare, who has come to help, knows that country ways don’t always work in the town…. It's holiday time for Pipkins, and they are camping in the woods. Everyone has a job to do, and they are all happy. At least, almost everyone....Octavia can’t stand the mud! The problem about moving into a new house is deciding what each room should be used for. Also, some things get lost, as Topov discovers...As you look around the workshop, you’ll notice many fascinating things which fit into the stories you can see during the coming weeks. Johnny has a cold, so Charlie comes round and does a few little jobs to help out. Hartley makes Johnny feel worse by saying that Charlie is so much better than Johnny, and Topov makes a complete mess of things by trying to copy Charlie…. Pig makes an invention that ensures everyone receives an equal share of food. but he get's more than the others. Has he arranged it on purpose? Johnny and Hartley are going to make a garden swing for a child they know. They’re not too keen on Pig helping them, but yet when it comes to solving their biggest problem, Pig proves to be surprisingly helpful. Hartley decides to visit his uncle in the country-but on the same day, his uncle decides to go and visit Hartley! Hartley meets lots of interesting animals in the country, but will he meet his uncle?