Kõige suurem sõber
Encyclopedia
Kõige Suurem Sõber was a long-running children's TV show on Estonian Television in the early 1980s. It featured a big orange furry creature called Leopold (played by Harri Kõrvits) and a host of other more or less recurring characters, and is for many Estonians a symbol of childhood and/or children's TV.
Unfortunately, most of the magnetic video tapes used for storage of the show have been recycled due to the perestroika
-era deficits. However, a small number of the episodes have remained, and are now available from ETV on both VHS
and DVD
.
of the show. Puppeteered by Hendrik Toompere.
No relation to Apu Nahasapeemapetilon
of The Simpsons
. Indeed, Kõige suurem sõber precedes The Simpsons
by almost a decade.
In response to the controversy, Estonian National Broadcasting, a successor of Estonian Television and Estonian Radio, decided to trademark some of its most well-known characters, including those of Kõige suurem sõber.
Broadcasting of the pilot episode was rescheduled to 6 September 2007 at 22:05, but on 5 September 2007, the Harju Maakohus issued a temporary injunction against broadcasting until ETV
's trademark claims have been tried.
On 29 January 2009, Harju Maakohus dismissed the lawsuit and lifted all related temporary injunctions, ruling that the plaintiff has not proven that the defendant is the show's producer, and therefore, that the appropriate defendant was sued.
Unfortunately, most of the magnetic video tapes used for storage of the show have been recycled due to the perestroika
Perestroika
Perestroika was a political movement within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union during 1980s, widely associated with the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev...
-era deficits. However, a small number of the episodes have remained, and are now available from ETV on both VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
and DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
.
Postikana
A chicken serving as a postmasterPostmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
of the show. Puppeteered by Hendrik Toompere.
Äpu
A small and shy character living inside one of Leopold's drawers. Puppeteered by Heino Seljamaa.No relation to Apu Nahasapeemapetilon
Apu Nahasapeemapetilon
Apu Nahasapeemapetilon is a character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Hank Azaria and first appeared in the episode "The Telltale Head". Apu is the proprietor of the Kwik-E-Mart, a popular convenience store in Springfield, and a friend of Homer Simpson. He is also...
of The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
. Indeed, Kõige suurem sõber precedes The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
by almost a decade.
Anekdoot
This character lived inside one of Leopold's cupboards, and sometimes told a joke after the main show. He had no other relations to the other characters.2007 parody controversy
In early 2007, Ken Saan and others planned to introduce an irreverent parody show "Täna Õhtul Leo Põld" (Tonight Leo Põld) reusing, in grotesque ways, characters of this show. Many people considered this extremely inappropriate, and objected in various ways. Although the first few episodes were produced, the show was withdrawn before broadcasting the pilot episode, scheduled for 15 May 2007, due to death of Dan Põldroos, one of the main actors of the parody.In response to the controversy, Estonian National Broadcasting, a successor of Estonian Television and Estonian Radio, decided to trademark some of its most well-known characters, including those of Kõige suurem sõber.
Broadcasting of the pilot episode was rescheduled to 6 September 2007 at 22:05, but on 5 September 2007, the Harju Maakohus issued a temporary injunction against broadcasting until ETV
Eesti Televisioon
Eesti Televisioon is the national public television station of Estonia. It made its first broadcast on 19 July 1955.The bulk of ETV's funding comes from government grant-in-aid, around 15% of which is in turn funded by the fees paid by Estonian commercial broadcasters in return for their...
's trademark claims have been tried.
On 29 January 2009, Harju Maakohus dismissed the lawsuit and lifted all related temporary injunctions, ruling that the plaintiff has not proven that the defendant is the show's producer, and therefore, that the appropriate defendant was sued.