Grotbags
Encyclopedia
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
villain, Grotbags has always been played by actress and singer Carol Lee Scott in a costume comprising distinctive vivid green make-up and a witch's cape and hat. The character was created for the series Emu's World, made by Central Independent Television
Central Independent Television
Central Independent Television, more commonly known as Central is the Independent Television contractor for the Midlands, created following the restructuring of ATV and commencing broadcast on 1 January 1982. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc, under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting...
, which was first screened on the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
network in 1982
1982 in television
The year 1982 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1982.For the American TV schedule, see: 1982-83 American network television schedule.-Events:...
.
Grotbags' role was largely to act as a nemesis to the good and virtuous character played by actor and puppeteer
Puppeteer
A puppeteer is a person who manipulates an inanimate object, such as a puppet, in real time to create the illusion of life. The puppeteer may be visible to or hidden from the audience. A puppeteer can operate a puppet indirectly by the use of strings, rods, wires, electronics or directly by his or...
Rod Hull
Rod Hull
Rodney Stephen Hull , better known as Rod Hull, was a popular entertainer on British television in the 1970s and 1980s. He rarely appeared without Emu, a mute, highly aggressive arm-length puppet of the flightless emu bird...
, often with the hindrance of her two companions, a cowardly crocodile named Croc and a politely-mannered and camp robot butler, Robot Redford. Her presence in the show largely involved threatening to steal Hull's 'pet' Emu and terrorising the children inside The Pink Windmill (Hull's fictional home in the series). The children comprised students from the Corona Academy. Her weapon of choice was a "bazazzer," a gold-coloured arm with an umbrella handle. This was pointed at the offending article or person, and was activated by Grotbags shouting "bazazz!", but it would not inflict any harm upon the recipient. The bazazzer sometimes doubled up as a mobile telephone.
The programme's weekly storyline would usually revolve around a surprise visit from Grotbags or her companions, who would gain entry to the Pink Windmill by ringing the doorbell. This would cause an excited Hull, followed by the children, to dance around chanting "There's somebody at the door, there's somebody at the door"), which provided the show's most memorable catchphrase. An unwitting Hull would then open the door, letting the villain in. However, Grotbags' plans were always seen to fail, a plot device
Plot device
A plot device is an object or character in a story whose sole purpose is to advance the plot of the story, or alternatively to overcome some difficulty in the plot....
which served to educate younger viewers that good should always triumph over evil.
Emu's World was replaced after a few series by Emu's All Live Pink Windmill Show
Emu's All Live Pink Windmill Show
Emu was an anarchic British television puppet of Rod Hull, and after successful appearing on a number of Variety shows, he was given his own Television series on the BBC, then on ITV.-Emu's Broadcasting Company:...
, in which Grotbags offered contestants from the audience the chance to win prizes in her 'grotto'. Grotbags then went on to host her own TV series transmitted by ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
between 1991 and 1993 with her puppet lodgers, Doris the Dodo Richard Coombs
Richard Coombs
Richard Coombs is a puppeteer from England, who has worked extensively on many British television shows, feature films, commercials & music videos. In 1987 & 1988, he worked on the ITV Saturday morning children's show, Get Fresh, where he operated the puppet, Gilbert the Alien, alongside fellow...
and Colin the Bat Francis Wright
Francis Wright
Francis Wright is a British actor, puppeteer, and writer.-Biography:Wright was educated at St Paul's School, and studied drama at the Arts Educational Schools, where he graduated with honours...
. The same performers also played Grumble, her cauldron, and Lumpy - a silver-tongued creature made up of left-over spells. Lumpy's voice was based on Noel Coward
Noël Coward
Sir Noël Peirce Coward was an English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what Time magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise".Born in Teddington, a suburb of London, Coward attended a dance academy...
. Grumble's was not.
The scripts for the series were written by Bob Hescott and directed by Colin Clews.
Scott continued to play Grotbags in pantomime and at live functions with the occasional TV appearance for some time after the end of the series, but has since retired from performing.
Transmission guide
- Series 1: 13 editions from 4 September 1991 - 18 December 1991
- Series 2: 10 editions from 9 September 1992 - 11 November 1992
- Series 3: 6 editions from 6 January 1993 - 10 February 1993
External links
- Grotbags at Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- Official Tribute Site
- Carol Lee Scott (Grotbags) Official Myspace