Andy Pandy
Encyclopedia
Andy Pandy is a British children's television series
that premiered on BBC
TV in June or July 1950. The original series of programmes was shown until 1970, when a new series was made. A third series was made in 2002. The show was the basis for a comic strip of the same name in the children's magazine Robin
.
TV in 1950, on either 11 July or 20 June, as part of the For the Children
strand (later Watch with Mother
). A marionette
who lived in a picnic basket
, Andy was later joined by Teddy, a teddy bear
, and Looby Loo, a rag doll
, who would appear when Andy and Teddy weren't around. Looby Loo who had her own special song "Here we go Looby Loo". All three lived in the same picnic basket
.
Each episode ended with a variation on the famous song: "Time to go home, Time to go home, Andy is waving goodbye."
All the 1950s originals had narration by Maria Bird.
In one episode Andy Pandy sees how high he can go on a swing
. This episode was released on the 1987 compilation by BBC Video.
Initially the programmes were transmitted live. Then it was realised that if the programmes were filmed, they could be repeated. Twenty-six fifteen-minute episodes were filmed on 16mm; they were repeated continuously until 1970.
It is claimed that the design for the character was based on Paul Atterbury
, the then young son of puppeteer Audrey Atterbury
.
A comic-strip version was published in The Robin.
The prouction staff for the original series were:
2. April 4, 2002
3. April 11, 2002
4. April 18, 2002
5. April 25, 2002
6. May 2, 2002
7. May 9, 2002
8. May 16, 2002
9. May 23, 2002
10. May 30, 2002
11. June 6, 2002
12. June 13, 2002
13. June 20, 2002
2. January 23, 2003
3. January 30, 2003
4. February 6, 2003
5. February 13, 2003
6. February 20, 2003
7. February 27, 2003
8. March 6, 2003
9. March 13, 2003
10. March 20, 2003
11. March 27, 2003
12. April 3, 2003
13. April 10, 2003
2. February 17, 2005
3. February 24, 2005
4. March 3, 2005
5. March 10, 2005
6. March 17, 2005
7. March 24, 2005
8. March 31, 2005
9. April 7, 2005
10. April 14, 2005
11. April 21, 2005
12. April 28, 2005
13. May 5, 2005
Children's television series
Children's television series, are commercial television programs designed for, and marketed to children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run in the early evening, for the children that go to school...
that premiered on BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
TV in June or July 1950. The original series of programmes was shown until 1970, when a new series was made. A third series was made in 2002. The show was the basis for a comic strip of the same name in the children's magazine Robin
Robin (magazine)
Robin was a British weekly children's magazine published from 1953 to 1969, originally by Hulton Press. Associated annuals were also produced, the first dated 1954, until at least the ninth in 1962...
.
Original 1950–52 series
The original version of Andy Pandy premiered on BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
TV in 1950, on either 11 July or 20 June, as part of the For the Children
For The Children
For The Children is a British television programme, the first to be designed especially for young children of school age. First broadcast on the BBC Television Service at 3pm on Saturday 24 April 1937, for its first two years the series was only ten minutes in length...
strand (later 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...
). A marionette
Marionette
A marionette is a puppet controlled from above using wires or strings depending on regional variations. A marionette's puppeteer is called a manipulator. Marionettes are operated with the puppeteer hidden or revealed to an audience by using a vertical or horizontal control bar in different forms...
who lived in a picnic basket
Picnic basket
A picnic basket or food hamper is a basket intended to hold food and tableware for a picnic meal. Picnic baskets are standard equipment at many picnics....
, Andy was later joined by Teddy, a teddy bear
Teddy bear
The teddy bear is a stuffed toy bear. They are usually stuffed with soft, white cotton and have smooth and soft fur. It is an enduring form of a stuffed animal in many countries, often serving the purpose of entertaining children. In recent times, some teddy bears have become collector's items...
, and Looby Loo, a rag doll
Rag doll
A rag doll is a children's toy. It is a cloth figure, a doll traditionally home-made from spare scraps of material. They are one of the most ancient children's toys in existence; the British Museum has a Roman rag doll, found in a child's grave dating from 300 BC.Rag dolls have featured in a...
, who would appear when Andy and Teddy weren't around. Looby Loo who had her own special song "Here we go Looby Loo". All three lived in the same picnic basket
Picnic basket
A picnic basket or food hamper is a basket intended to hold food and tableware for a picnic meal. Picnic baskets are standard equipment at many picnics....
.
Each episode ended with a variation on the famous song: "Time to go home, Time to go home, Andy is waving goodbye."
All the 1950s originals had narration by Maria Bird.
In one episode Andy Pandy sees how high he can go on a swing
Swing (seat)
A swing is a hanging seat, usually found at playgrounds for children, a circus for acrobats, or on a porch for relaxing. The seat of a swing may be suspended from chains or ropes. Once a swing is in motion it continues to oscillate like a pendulum until external interference or drag brings it to a...
. This episode was released on the 1987 compilation by BBC Video.
Initially the programmes were transmitted live. Then it was realised that if the programmes were filmed, they could be repeated. Twenty-six fifteen-minute episodes were filmed on 16mm; they were repeated continuously until 1970.
It is claimed that the design for the character was based on Paul Atterbury
Paul Atterbury
Paul Atterbury, FRSA is a British antiques expert, probably best known for his many appearances since 1979 on the BBC TV programme Antiques Roadshow.-Biography:...
, the then young son of puppeteer Audrey Atterbury
Audrey Atterbury
Audrey Selma Atterbury was a British puppeter best known for her work on the 1950s pioneering BBC's children's series Andy Pandy....
.
A comic-strip version was published in The Robin.
The prouction staff for the original series were:
- Producer: Freda LingstromFreda LingstromFreda Violet Lingstrom OBE was a BBC Television producer and executive who was responsible for pioneering children's programmes in the early 1950s....
. - Writer/composer: Freda Lingstrom and Maria Bird.
- Singers: Gladys Whitred, Julia Williams
- 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, Martin Grainger.
1970 series
By 1970 the black and white films were almost worn out and so 13 new episodes were filmed in colour and transmitted from 5 January 1970.2002 series
Another set of 52 episodes were made in 2002, now using the stop-motion technique instead of string puppeteering. The original nursery and garden were expanded to an entire village, with Andy, Teddy and Looby Loo now owning individual houses, and four new characters were introduced: Missy Hissy, a snake, Tiffo, a dog, Bilbo, a sailor, and Orbie, a yellow-and-blue ball. Whereas the emphasis of the original series was on music and movement, the emphasis of the 2002 series was on making and doing.Series 1: 2002
1. March 28, 20022. April 4, 2002
3. April 11, 2002
4. April 18, 2002
5. April 25, 2002
6. May 2, 2002
7. May 9, 2002
8. May 16, 2002
9. May 23, 2002
10. May 30, 2002
11. June 6, 2002
12. June 13, 2002
13. June 20, 2002
Series 2: 2003
1. January 16, 20032. January 23, 2003
3. January 30, 2003
4. February 6, 2003
5. February 13, 2003
6. February 20, 2003
7. February 27, 2003
8. March 6, 2003
9. March 13, 2003
10. March 20, 2003
11. March 27, 2003
12. April 3, 2003
13. April 10, 2003
Series 3: 2005
1. February 10, 20052. February 17, 2005
3. February 24, 2005
4. March 3, 2005
5. March 10, 2005
6. March 17, 2005
7. March 24, 2005
8. March 31, 2005
9. April 7, 2005
10. April 14, 2005
11. April 21, 2005
12. April 28, 2005
13. May 5, 2005
UK VHS Releases
| VHS Title | Release Date | Episodes |
|---|---|---|
| Andy Pandy (BBCV 4205) | 1988 | Red Engine, Sailing Boats, Trampoline, Hobby Horses |
| Andy Pandy 2: Tales from the Toybox (BBCV 4361) | 1990 | Jack in a Box, Looby Loo has a Cold, Tea Party, Tricycle |
| The Very Best of Andy Pandy (BBCV 5107) | 1993 | Trampoline, Jack in a Box, Red Engine, Tea Party, Hobby Horses |