List of recurring TUGS characters
Encyclopedia
This is a list of recurring characters who appeared in the 1988 children's television series
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...
, TUGS
TUGS
TUGS is a British children's television series, first broadcast in 1988. It was created by the producers of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, Robert D. Cardona and David Mitton. The series dealt with the adventures of two anthropomorphized tugboat fleets, the Star Fleet and the Z-Stacks, who...
.
Star Fleet
Flag of the United States
The national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows...
, using a red funnel
Funnel
A funnel is a pipe with a wide, often conical mouth and a narrow stem. It is used to channel liquid or fine-grained substances into containers with a small opening. Without a funnel, spillage would occur....
with blue and white stripes around the top. Each member of the fleet also carries a red flag with a white star. The fleet, in order of smoke stack
Chimney
A chimney is a structure for venting hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. Chimneys are typically vertical, or as near as possible to vertical, to ensure that the gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion in what is known as the...
number, are as follows:
Ten Cents
Ten Cents is the most prominent member of the Star Fleet. Appears in every episode, and usually has a significant role.Ten Cents is Captain Star's first tug, a "harbour switcher" who is used for a wide variety of tasks around Bigg City Port. Ten Cents' capabilities range from the towing of barges to liner
Ocean liner
An ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...
docking operations - though not on his own; this job is carried out by the whole fleet. Like the rest of the Star Fleet, Ten Cents is based on the tugs of San Francisco from the 1920s, and his name reflects his American origins.
Ten Cents is one of the younger Star Tugs. He is strong willed and it takes a lot to break him. He is quick-witted and takes action swiftly without hesitation. He never lets other tugs bully him and never fails to stand up for others. He is always willing to set aside his own safety for the sake of others.
Unlike the other tugs of Bigg City, Ten Cents' whistle/hooter was modelled to resemble a face complete with a red flat-cap like Sunshine's - its tone is strident but middle-pitched and Ten Cents almost always sounds it in a quick double-or-triple-bursts - the audience's attention was focused on this whistle in the episode 'Jinxed' when it seemed that the sound triggered Boomer's accidents.
Ten Cents works mainly with Sunshine, the Star Fleet's second and smaller switcher. They have shared many adventures, almost to the extent that it is impossible to imagine one without the other. Hercules often relies on Ten Cents to look after others such as Lillie or the Duchess.
Despite being based on an American tug, like most of the Tugs characters he speaks with a British accent. Specifically, he has a strong east end cockney
Cockney
The term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations. Geographically and culturally, it often refers to working class Londoners, particularly those in the East End...
accent.
He is voiced by Simon Nash
Simon Nash
- Television Fame :Nash made his television debut in 1980 at the age of 8 as Sammy in the 1980 sitcom Nobody's Perfect. He later starred as Sean Stebbings in the 1987 black sitcom Tickets for the Titanic, as Garth Stubbs in the first series of Birds of a Feather, and in the children's TV programme...
. In the series Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse was a series for young children, produced by Sunbow Entertainment in 1997 in association with the Bank Street College of Education in New York. The show centred around a young boy named Salty, as he plays and learns with his friends in a magical lighthouse...
, which reused episodes of Tugs, he was voiced by Ian James Corlett
Ian James Corlett
Ian James Corlett is a Canadian animation voice artist, writer, and musician. He is the creator of Studio B Productions' animated series Being Ian and Yvon of the Yukon....
. Also in Salty's Lighthouse, his sister was Sunshine (who was rendered as female).
Although Tugs did not officially have a lead character, Ten Cents was the closest the series came to one. Ten Cents had the same model basis as Zip and Zug did. He was also the tug depicted in the TUGS logo.
Big Mac
Big Mac is Captain Star's second tug, a "harbour tug" who sports a distinctively broad Glaswegian accent. He is used for a variety of tasks around Bigg City Port, usually the ones involving heavy loads, as he is a very strong tug. He works mainly with Warrior, another very strong tug, who looks a lot like him- he has the same large face and blue flat cap- but is younger. Big Mac is based on the tugs of San Francisco waters from the 1920s, and his name doesn't have any connection with McDonald'sMcDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
famous trademark. His name is more likely to derive from the fact that he is big, and speaks with a broad Scottish accent.
Big Mac can come across a rude and stubborn tug, but he has a heart of gold, despite his tendencies to be macho, gruff and tough at times. He is very much willing to set aside his own safety for the sake of others, and usually (but not always) remains level-headed when implementing a strategy.
Big Mac is without a doubt an essential character to tugs, he is, after all, one of the strongest tugsof the fleet and despite his sometimes abrasive manners, he can be kind and gentle. He is always willing to help out someone in trouble, and uses his great strength to help wherever he can.
Big Mac is voiced by British actor Nigel Anthony
Nigel Anthony
Nigel Anthony, is a British theatre and television actor, who has also worked notably in radio with many broadcasts to his credit He is married to the actress Kate Binchy and is also an accomplished drummer with a wide knowledge of jazz.His theatre work includes The Taming of the Shrew, Happy...
, who also voices: Zebedee, Hercules and the Fire Tug.
In Sunbow
Sunbow Productions
Sunbow Entertainment was an animation studio, founded in 1980 and owned up until 1998 by Griffin-Bacal Advertising in New York. The first animation efforts by Griffin-Bacal were producing the animated commercials for Hasbro's G.I...
's Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse was a series for young children, produced by Sunbow Entertainment in 1997 in association with the Bank Street College of Education in New York. The show centred around a young boy named Salty, as he plays and learns with his friends in a magical lighthouse...
Big Mac's name was changed to "Big Stack" and was played by Paul Dobson.
O.J.
O.J. is a "paddle-driven" "harbour tug", the only one of his kind remaining in Bigg City Port, and Captain Star's eldest tug. He is often described as "versatile, but slow". He is indeed capable of a variety of tasks, but is sometimes restricted by his age and mechanical condition. As Captain Star said in the episode "Quarantine", "he had given many years of good service, but time was catching up on him".Prior to an overhaul during the year of the 'heat wave', in the same episde, O.J.'s aged engine was the cause for a number of mishaps, including an accident that resulted in the sinking of the Fulton Ferry. O.J.'s weakness and age has often placed him on the receiving end of jokes and insults from Star Tugs and Z-Stacks alike. For a period, he was the primary target of Burke and Blair, the evil scrap-dealing Tugs who made several attempts to persuade Captain Star into selling O. J. and his engine for a cheap price. But after O.J.'s quick thinking prevented Ten Cents from having to enter Quarantine, Captain Star firmly sent the scavengers packing, and had O.J. overhauled.
As the Star Fleet's "wise elder", O.J. possesses unbeatable wisdom
Wisdom
Wisdom is a deep understanding and realization of people, things, events or situations, resulting in the ability to apply perceptions, judgements and actions in keeping with this understanding. It often requires control of one's emotional reactions so that universal principles, reason and...
. He has extensive knowledge and experience of harbour life and manoeuvres, and because of this, Captain Star often places him in charge of some operations, such as ocean liner docking maneuvers. On various occasions, O.J. has demonstrated his ability to devise swift and clever strategies to help himself and his fellow Stars out of predicaments. He does not stand for nonsense, and is quick to correct the younger tugs if they make mistakes. Despite his occasionally harsh approach, O.J. cares for his brothers as a grandparent would for their grandchildren.
O.J. could not be called a leading character in the series- the only episode where he played a major role was "Quarantine", but he appeared in every episode, even if he only had one line.
He speaks with a Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
accent. He is voiced by British actor Timothy Bateson
Timothy Bateson
Timothy Dingwall Bateson was a British actor. The son of Dingwall Bateson, a solicitor later knighted, he was educated at Uppingham School and Wadham College, Oxford....
. In Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse was a series for young children, produced by Sunbow Entertainment in 1997 in association with the Bank Street College of Education in New York. The show centred around a young boy named Salty, as he plays and learns with his friends in a magical lighthouse...
he was voiced by Ian James Corlett
Ian James Corlett
Ian James Corlett is a Canadian animation voice artist, writer, and musician. He is the creator of Studio B Productions' animated series Being Ian and Yvon of the Yukon....
, and renamed to the more commonplace sounding "Otis".
Chris Tulloch noted that OJ's model was one of the most reliable. This may have been for many reasons. But, according to Tulloch, the vast majority of main characters (those with machinery inside them) would often threaten to "turn turtle" and would have to be fixed firmly to a chassis to keep them upright. However, due to O.J.'s paddle-wheels, he rarely had this balance problem. The chassis was still used on O.J. to keep him from bobbing up and down like a toy boat.
The model was later rebuilt and used in the series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Thomas and Friends is a British children's television series, first broadcast on the ITV network in September 1984. Until 2003, it was named Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. This series was shot on 35mm film...
as a prop for harbour scenes, making O.J. the only Star Tug to appear in TTTE. However, it only made random cameos on the narrow gauge railway and disappeared after the fifth season.
Top Hat
Top Hat is Captain Star's fourth tug, a "railway tug", an uppity and snobbish character with a monocle and an Upper Class (Posh English) accent who looks down on everyone, both his friends and his foes, believing that he is the best tug in the Star Fleet.Although he tries to avoid any job that will make his paint dirty, he is used for a wide variety of tasks around Bigg City Port, mainly distributing railway rolling stock with his barges Frank and Eddie. Like the rest of the Star Fleet, Top Hat is based on the tugs of San Francisco waters from the 1920s, although he also resembles John-A.-Dialogue-&-Sons-built New York Central Tugboat 13
New York Central Tugboat 13
New York Central Railroad Tugboat No. 13 is a railroad tug boat built in 1887 in Camden, New Jersey by John A. Dialogue and Sons.It is currently undergoing extensive renovation at Garpo Marine in Tottenville, Staten Island....
, which is also a railway tug. His name derives from his trademark hat. Despite his problem with dirty jobs he is often used to tow Lord Stinker the garbage barge in episodes such as High Tide or Warrior. In High Tide he gained a great respect for the barge. Yet in other episodes he complains about the garbage itself, and often teases Warrior for his garbage smell.
Aside from his snobbish personality, Top Hat's most distinguishing feature is his elevated wheelhouse - it's this feature that distinguishes him as a railway-tug, as real tugs built to haul railroad rolling stock on barges had equally high wheelhouses to allow their pilots and crews to see over the top of their high loads. Unlike his real-world counterparts however, Top Hat can bob his wheelhouse up and down, giving his model an extra element of movement which was often used for dramatic or comedic purposes.
Top Hat intensely dislikes doing dirty work, and clearly goes to lengths to avoid it- in the episode "High Tide", Big Mac remarks that Top Hat always wriggles out of nasty jobs - ironically, as it turns out, for Top Hat is forced to take a garbage barge to the city dump in that same episode.
Top Hat, like O.J., could not be called a leading character - his only starring role was in the episode "High Tide", when he prevented a nasty accident. But he appeared in most episodes, even if he only had one line.
He was voiced by John Baddeley
John Baddeley (actor)
Edward John Baddeley is a British actor. Apart from his work in the theatre in the provinces and the West End, he is also notable for his work with the BBC and as voice-over artist...
. In Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse was a series for young children, produced by Sunbow Entertainment in 1997 in association with the Bank Street College of Education in New York. The show centred around a young boy named Salty, as he plays and learns with his friends in a magical lighthouse...
, he and Hercules are Voiced by Long John Baldry
Long John Baldry
John William "Long John" Baldry was an English and Canadian blues singer and a voice actor. He sang with many British musicians, with Rod Stewart and Elton John appearing in bands led by Baldry in the 1960s. He enjoyed pop success in the UK where Let the Heartaches Begin reached No...
.
Warrior
Warrior is Captain Star's fifth tug, who is used for a wide variety of tasks around Bigg City Port. Warrior usually works with his brother, Big Mac. He often is clumsy but tries not mess up.His capabilities range from the towing of barges, mainly that of Lord Stinker, (a garbage barge who is an associate of Warrior's, though Top Hat has to deliver him to the garbage depot in the episode "High Tide") to major liner docking operations, including Princess Alice and The Duchess. Like the rest of the Star Fleet, Warrior is based on the tugs of San Francisco waters from the 1920s. His name is ironic, as he is not much of a fighter. In some scenes it seems as though he has a bit of hair sticking out from under his cap.
He works mainly with Big Mac, whom he resembles in some respects - he has the same large face and blue flat cap, but looks and sounds younger. When he is surprised, he often says "Sufferin' Stacks!".
Again, mainly plays a supporting role, but has one episode named after him, and also plays a fairly important role in the episode "Up River".
He is voiced by Sean Barrett
Sean Barrett (actor)
Seán Barrett is a British actor and voice actor.He began acting as a child appearing on BBC children's television and in films such as Bang! You're Dead, War and Peace, The Genie and Four Sided Triangle.Years later he made many appearances in television and films including ITV Television...
. In Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse was a series for young children, produced by Sunbow Entertainment in 1997 in association with the Bank Street College of Education in New York. The show centred around a young boy named Salty, as he plays and learns with his friends in a magical lighthouse...
, he's voiced by Michael Donovan
Michael Donovan
Michael David Donovan is a voice actor for many TV shows and anime. He is most known for his voice on the series ReBoot for his voices of Phong, Mike the TV, Cecil, and Al. He has also provided the voice of Sabretooth for X-Men: Evolution and Carnage for Spider-Man Unlimited. He played the lead...
.
Hercules
Hercules is Captain Star's largest vessel, an "ocean-going" tug who is often used for large-scale operations and important contracts. During periods of bad weather he is out at sea answering distress calls, and is often sent out to escort large vessels into the port. He is often considered to be one of the fleet's main leaders, and is often placed in charge of large operations. Like the rest of the Star Fleet, Hercules is based on the tugs of San Francisco waters from the 1920s. He shares his name with the commonly known mythological figure (see HerculesHercules
Hercules is the Roman name for Greek demigod Heracles, son of Zeus , and the mortal Alcmene...
), although he may have been named after the well-known British war vessel, HMS Hercules
HMS Hercules
Five ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Hercules, or HMS Hercule, after the Greek and Roman hero Hercules. Another was launched, but never served in the Navy: was a 74-gun third rate launched in 1759 and sold in 1784....
. The most likely basis for his name however is the Ocean-Going Tug Hercules
Hercules (1907)
The Hercules is a 1907 built steam tug, which is now preserved at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park in San Francisco, California.- History of the Hercules :...
, a 1907 with an identical hull and superstructure, based in San Francisco, the same city on which TUGS' crew drew inspiration for the Star Fleet.
Character-wise, Hercules is a cool-headed fighter. He speaks with a clear, soft tone and a politically correct (P.C.) English accent, but his words are often hard. Nothing can break him and not even the antics of the Z-Stacks and Bluenose can set him back. He is held in high regard by most of the tugs in the harbour, and even Zorran knows that he cannot win a confrontation with Hercules. Hercules is famously known for referring to his fellow Star Tugs as "ma' dears", "darling" and "sweet-heart". He is the only TUGS character to have sideburns. He is recognised for his 'discreet' relationship with Lillie Lightship, and his 'lady's man' persona.
Hercules makes various appearances in selected episodes across the series. He is not seen as often as the other Star Tugs, mainly because he is often away winning contracts or on errands at sea. He is voiced by British actor Nigel Anthony
Nigel Anthony
Nigel Anthony, is a British theatre and television actor, who has also worked notably in radio with many broadcasts to his credit He is married to the actress Kate Binchy and is also an accomplished drummer with a wide knowledge of jazz.His theatre work includes The Taming of the Shrew, Happy...
. In Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse was a series for young children, produced by Sunbow Entertainment in 1997 in association with the Bank Street College of Education in New York. The show centred around a young boy named Salty, as he plays and learns with his friends in a magical lighthouse...
he and Top Hat are voiced by Long John Baldry
Long John Baldry
John William "Long John" Baldry was an English and Canadian blues singer and a voice actor. He sang with many British musicians, with Rod Stewart and Elton John appearing in bands led by Baldry in the 1960s. He enjoyed pop success in the UK where Let the Heartaches Begin reached No...
.
Sunshine
Sunshine is Captain Star's seventh tugTug
Tuğ is a village in the Khojavend Rayon of Azerbaijan....
, a small "harbour switcher" who is used for a wide variety of tasks around Bigg City Port
Bigg City Port
Bigg City Port is a fictional harbour the setting of the 1988 children's television series TUGS. The port is home to two tugboat fleets around which the series centres, the Star Tugs and The Z Stacks...
. Sunshine was introduced in the pilot episode of the same name. He has many capabilities that range from the towing of barges to liner docking operations, in his first assignment from the Star Fleet he was pushed by evil Z-stack Zorran who caused the whole thing to be a disaster. Like the rest of the Star Fleet, Sunshine is based on the tugs of San Francisco waters from the 1920s.
Sunshine can be occasionally cheeky at times, but he is very strong willed nethertheless. He is quick-witted and takes action swiftly without hesitation (usually).
Sunshine also can figure things out very quickly, as in "Jinxed" where he points out that each of jinxed tug Boomer's unfortunate mishaps occurs right after Ten Cents sounds his steam hooter, suggesting a cause-and-effect relationship. On the subject of whistles, Sunshine's is middle-to-high pitched and has a distinct 'whooping' sound which could best be described as 'upbeat', suiting his personality and name.
Sunshine has a rather soft Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
(or Geordie
Geordie
Geordie is a regional nickname for a person from the Tyneside region of the north east of England, or the name of the English-language dialect spoken by its inhabitants...
) accent and (most of the time) he whistles when he speaks, because he is missing some of his front teeth.
Sunshine is voiced by British actor, playwright and screenwriter Shaun Prendergast
Shaun Prendergast
Shaun Prendergast is a British actor and writer. Prendergast has made hundreds of appearances in television, film and on radio and written extensively for the stage, television, radio and film. He played Greg Doland in British soap opera Emmerdale from August 2007 until July 2008. In 2009 he...
. In the US series Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse was a series for young children, produced by Sunbow Entertainment in 1997 in association with the Bank Street College of Education in New York. The show centred around a young boy named Salty, as he plays and learns with his friends in a magical lighthouse...
, which reused edited episodes of Tugs, Sunshine was portrayed as female (along with Captain Star and Little Ditcher), and was also supposed to be Ten Cents' sister, voiced by Andrea Libman
Andrea Libman
Andrea Eva Libman is a Canadian actress, television writer, and singer, whose most popular on-screen appearances are on the Little Women movie, Andre and a guest-role on The X-Files...
. Though Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse was a series for young children, produced by Sunbow Entertainment in 1997 in association with the Bank Street College of Education in New York. The show centred around a young boy named Salty, as he plays and learns with his friends in a magical lighthouse...
seems to be retconed with TUGS. He also made a small cameo in Theodore Tugboat
Theodore Tugboat
Theodore Tugboat is a Canadian children's television series about a tugboat named Theodore who lives in the Big Harbour with all of his friends. The show was produced in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada by the CBC , and the now defunct Cochran Entertainment, and was filmed on a model set using radio...
(Rob Cardona's other tugboat series) when the Harbour Master received cookies from his mother and the cookies looked like Sunshine.
Grampus
Grampus is a midget submarine once owned by the navy. He is a close friend of the Star Fleet and has helped them out in various situations. He appeared for the first time in the episode "Pirate", in which he helped to prove Ten Cents' innocence, when he was accused of stealing barges. In the episode "Regatta", he was nearly blown up by Bluenose the obnoxious naval tug, having been branded as 'too old' for further service. He speaks with a Central English accent (with a noticeable lisp).He was thankfully swiftly rescued by the Star Fleet. On the same day, he was bought by Captain Star and joined the Star Tugs as their first submarine. Grampus also has a tendency to blow water in the tug's faces, mostly at Bluenose in "Regatta/4th of July".
Grampus was voiced by British actor Lee Cornes
Lee Cornes
Lee Cornes is a British actor.He appeared in three series of Blackadder, as a talking extra, in two episodes of The Young Ones and in the TV show Bottom, as barman, 'Dick Head'. He made an appearance in the first episode of Filthy, Rich & Catflap as a binman. He also starred in children's drama...
.
In Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse was a series for young children, produced by Sunbow Entertainment in 1997 in association with the Bank Street College of Education in New York. The show centred around a young boy named Salty, as he plays and learns with his friends in a magical lighthouse...
he was voiced by American voice actor Brad Swaile
Brad Swaile
Bradley "Brad" Swaile is a Canadian voice actor. He has acted in several animated series, known mostly for his anime roles; particularly that of Amuro Ray in the original Mobile Suit Gundam series, Mousse in Ranma 1/2, and Quatre Raberba Winner in Gundam Wing...
.
In the Japanese version he was voiced by Sakurako Kishiro.
Grampus is probably based on a Plunger-class submarine torpedo boat
Plunger class submarine
The Plunger-class was an early class of United States Navy submarines, used primarily as training vessels for the newly formed "silent service" to familiarize navy personnel with the performance and operations of such craft. Most of these "A-class" submarines ended up being stationed in the...
and is probably named after the USS Grampus (SS-4)
USS Grampus (SS-4)
USS Grampus , a Plunger-class submarine later named A-3, was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for two members of the dolphin family : Grampus griseus, also known as Risso's dolphin, and Orcinus orca, also known as the killer whale.Her keel was laid down on 10 December 1900 at...
which was a Plunger class submarine.
Captain Star
Captain Star is the most prominent character in the whole series, due to the fact that he narrates it, doing so in the past tense, and in a way makes it clear that he is no longer at the helm of the fleet, and since the 1920s he has retired. It is unknown whether he is looking back from the actual time the program was released (late eighties) or before, neither is it known who he is recounting his memories to. He narrates all thirteen episodes.He is obviously a veteran sailor and owns the Star Fleet. He always appears as a loudhailer in the window of the Star dock building. He takes great pride in his fleet, but he knows that it is important to be hard on them in order to succeed. He is usually very defiant and is always very strict if something doesn't go as shipshape as it's supposed too. He has seven tugs and one submarine (from 4 July onwards), they are: Ten Cents (1), Big Mac (2), O.J. (3), Top Hat (4), Warrior (5), Hercules (6), Sunshine (7) and Grampus (submarine).
Captain Star is performed by veteran voice actor Patrick Allen
Patrick Allen
John Keith Patrick Allen was a British film, television and voice actor.-Life and career:Allen was born in Nyasaland , where his father was a tobacco farmer. After his parents returned to Britain, he was evacuated to Canada during World War II where he remained to finish his education at McGill...
.
In Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse was a series for young children, produced by Sunbow Entertainment in 1997 in association with the Bank Street College of Education in New York. The show centred around a young boy named Salty, as he plays and learns with his friends in a magical lighthouse...
the captain was actually a female character along with Sunshine and Little Ditcher, being voiced by Lenore Zann
Lenore Zann
Lenore Zann is a politician as well as a screen, television, stage, and voice actress who has appeared in numerous television shows and films...
.
Z-Stacks
The Z-Stacks are devious, tricky and scheming boats. They are always finding ways to hinder and infuriate the Star Tugs, their great rivals. As such, they are the main villains of the series.Zorran
He is a scheming and evil tug and his lackeys (who are usually Zug and Zip) do his dirty work to keep him happy. He has a love/hate relationship with tramp steamer Izzy Gomez. Like the rest of the Z-Stack Fleet, Zorran is based on the tugs of Moran fleet from the 1920s. He speaks with a neutral English accent (with lashings of Cockney). Although he is a steam-driven tug, his deep, aggressive whistle sounds more like the air-horns fitted to modern diesel locomotives, trucks and ships.
He has a major roles in most episodes, and a majority of stories focus on him as a leading, scheming villain in some way. Although he is undoubtedly the smartest of the Z-Stacks, his plans usually end up backfiring - either through the incompetence of the other Z-Stacks or through his own overconfidence. He doesn't appear to be afraid of anyone other than Hercules, and has even been known to show insolence to his boss, Captain Zero.
Despite his malign characteristics, there is a very good reason for Zorran's role as leader of the Z-Stacks - he's easily the most competent and (when not scheming) sensible of the fleet, best shown in the episode 'Munitions' when he was given responsibility for overseeing a large delivery of explosives. Zorran ensured the other Zs followed all correct safety precautions and saw that the job was carried out efficiently. Later at the Naval Pool he sided with OJ when arguing with the officious navy Tug Bluenose over common sense vs. orders, and when a massive fire broke out was concerned enough to urge rival tug Ten Cents to get out of the danger zone. True to his more opportunistic nature however Zorran then sat back to enjoy the impromptu fireworks display as the naval tramp steamer Krakatoa blew itself apart.
Zorran is voiced by the series' art director, Chris Tulloch
Chris Tulloch
Chris Tulloch is a British animator, who has worked on children's series such as TUGS, Salty's Lighthouse and Dream Street.He is best known for voicing the crucial antagonist part of Zorran in TUGS and directed four of the thirteen episodes that currently exist today.He currently collaborates with...
, although he was not credited as such. In Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse was a series for young children, produced by Sunbow Entertainment in 1997 in association with the Bank Street College of Education in New York. The show centred around a young boy named Salty, as he plays and learns with his friends in a magical lighthouse...
Zorran's voice was done by two different actors. First Scott McNeil
Scott McNeil
Scott McNeil is a Canadian actor and voice actor. He currently resides in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
and later Kirby Morrow
Kirby Morrow
Kirby Morrow is a Canadian actor. He currently resides in Vancouver, British Columbia.- Filmography :2011 Mortal Kombat: Legacy King Jerrod– Kitana & Mileena: Part 1 … King Jerrod...
.
Zebedee
One of the devious Z-Stacks, he is Captain Zero's second tug, a who is used for a wide variety of tasks around Bigg City Port. Like the rest of the Z-Stacks, Zebedee is based on the tugs of the Moran fleet from the 1920s. He speaks with a LiverpudlianLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
accent.
Zebedee is one of the more complex characters in TUGS
TUGS
TUGS is a British children's television series, first broadcast in 1988. It was created by the producers of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, Robert D. Cardona and David Mitton. The series dealt with the adventures of two anthropomorphized tugboat fleets, the Star Fleet and the Z-Stacks, who...
, mean and vindictive on the outside, but on the inside there is much to his personality. In the episode 'High Winds' his guilty conscience proves he has good in him, when he helps the Star fleet tow the liner Princess Alice.
According to sources, Zebedee is voiced by British actor Nigel Anthony
Nigel Anthony
Nigel Anthony, is a British theatre and television actor, who has also worked notably in radio with many broadcasts to his credit He is married to the actress Kate Binchy and is also an accomplished drummer with a wide knowledge of jazz.His theatre work includes The Taming of the Shrew, Happy...
, who provides the voices of Big Mac and the fire tug.
In the animated series Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse was a series for young children, produced by Sunbow Entertainment in 1997 in association with the Bank Street College of Education in New York. The show centred around a young boy named Salty, as he plays and learns with his friends in a magical lighthouse...
Zebedee later became a nice Z-stack and was voiced by Ian James Corlett
Ian James Corlett
Ian James Corlett is a Canadian animation voice artist, writer, and musician. He is the creator of Studio B Productions' animated series Being Ian and Yvon of the Yukon....
. It was previously thought that his name was changed, but since it remained visible on his hull, it seems that the producers interpreted it wrong. On Salty's Lighthouse, his name was always pronounced as "Zeebee".
Following the conclusion of the TUGS series in 1989, Zebedee's model was shown in the Thomas and Friends episode Something in the Air (Season Five) along with Zip, as two of the tugs who helped Henry
Henry the Green Engine
Henry the Green Engine is a fictional anthropomorphic 4-6-0 steam locomotive from The Railway Series books written by the Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry and his son, Christopher Awdry, and the spin-off children's television series, Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends.Henry lives on the fictitious...
after a water accident.
Zak
Zak is the third member of Captain Zero's Z-Stack fleet, he was used for a wide variety of tasks around Bigg City Port. Zak's main role was that of a flunky to the devious Zorran and is usually seen working with his companion Zebedee. Like the rest of the Z-Stacks, Zak is based on the tugs of the Moran fleet from the 1920s, although he bears a resemblance to the tugboats BaltimoreBaltimore (tug)
The Baltimore is a preserved steam-powered tugboat, built in 1906 by the Skinner Shipbuilding Company of Baltimore, Maryland. It is the oldest operating steam tugboat in the United States...
and Luna
Luna (tugboat)
The Luna is a historic tugboat inBoston, Massachusetts. The Luna was built in 1930 by John G. Alden and M.M. Davis. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a U.S...
. He is a thuggish character, often aggressive and threatening. Publicity material for the series indicated that he saw himself as a potential leader of the Z-Stacks.
Zak's most prominent appearance was in 'High Tide', when he and Zebedee competed with Big Mac and Warrior for a big steel contract. Engine trouble that Zak had neglected to get treated however forced the two Zs to take a shortcut through Bigg City's canal network - what Zak saw as a very clever idea however resulted in disaster when Zebedee's tall load struck and collapsed a railway bridge.
Zak is voiced by British actor, animator and modeller Shaun Prendergast
Shaun Prendergast
Shaun Prendergast is a British actor and writer. Prendergast has made hundreds of appearances in television, film and on radio and written extensively for the stage, television, radio and film. He played Greg Doland in British soap opera Emmerdale from August 2007 until July 2008. In 2009 he...
who provided the distinctive voice of Sunshine.
He speaks with a gruff cockney accent. In TLC's Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse was a series for young children, produced by Sunbow Entertainment in 1997 in association with the Bank Street College of Education in New York. The show centred around a young boy named Salty, as he plays and learns with his friends in a magical lighthouse...
, he speaks with a Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
accent done by Terry Klassen
Terry Klassen
Terry Klassen is a Canadian voice actor and voice director in Vancouver, British Columbia. He co-created Yvon of the Yukon. He is the voice director for shows including Martha Speaks, "Johnny Test", "George of the Jungle", "Ed, Edd n Eddy", several "Barbie" movies, "Transformers", "CardCaptors",...
.
Zug
Zug is Captain Zero's fourth tug, a "harbour switcher" who is used for a wide variety of tasks around Bigg City Port. Zug's capabilities range from the towing of barges to liner docking operations. Like the rest of the Z-Stacks, Zug is based on the tugs of the Moran fleet from the 1920s. He speaks with an Eastern European accent (thought to be Estonian).Zug is a scheming and vindictive tug, he mainly works with Zip and is the "brains" of the operation, whereas Zip tends to be rather, herm, and slow. Zug is obviously intimidated by the main Z-Stack Zorran and has a tendency to be somewhat nervous and jittery around him. Zug and Zip are the Z-Stack equivalents of Ten Cents and Sunshine, in that they are the smaller tugs of the fleet, who work together, and they are often plotting against the other two. Zug seems not to be all that smart, but compared to Zip he's a genius!
Zug has a major roles in most episodes, and a majority of stories focus on him as a major character in some way.
He is voiced by Mike Mulloy
Mike Mulloy
Mike Mulloy is a British actor who became a member of the cast of The Benny Hill Show in its later years, although his roles were usually very minor and he more often acted as Hill's stand-in. He also played the Garage Manager in Through an Unknown Land, the Landlord's friend from The Return, and...
In the American children's TV series Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse was a series for young children, produced by Sunbow Entertainment in 1997 in association with the Bank Street College of Education in New York. The show centred around a young boy named Salty, as he plays and learns with his friends in a magical lighthouse...
he was voiced by two different actors. First Scott McNeil
Scott McNeil
Scott McNeil is a Canadian actor and voice actor. He currently resides in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
and later Kirby Morrow
Kirby Morrow
Kirby Morrow is a Canadian actor. He currently resides in Vancouver, British Columbia.- Filmography :2011 Mortal Kombat: Legacy King Jerrod– Kitana & Mileena: Part 1 … King Jerrod...
.
Zip
Zip is Captain Zero's second "harbour switcher". He works, nearly always, with Zug and together they are often used to win minor contracts (such as the freighting of quarried boulders) and other such duties. Like the rest of the Z-Stack fleet, Zip is based on the Moran tugs of New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He speaks with a neutral English accent.
His head is often in the clouds, and he is well known for being a coward. He is easily scared and sometimes speaks out of turn. He is very quick to back down when engaging in an argument, and is easily dominated. Zip is often described as being 'slow in the head', for it will often take him a while to catch onto things, even basic terms and phrases like devious. He is mostly left out of plans, but may come up with his own, screwing up the original.
Whilst Zip and Zug are a similar wavelength, and have often been compared with Ten Cents and Sunshine, Zug is much more skeptical of the pair, whilst Zip is quite the opposite. He will often follow along with Zug's plans in any situation, even if the concept of doing so causes him to lose his nerves. Zug often takes advantage of Zip's naivety to keep himself out of danger. Zip is not seen as often as the other Z-Stacks, though his roles in various episodes have always brought much-needed comic relief.
He is voiced by John Baddeley
John Baddeley (actor)
Edward John Baddeley is a British actor. Apart from his work in the theatre in the provinces and the West End, he is also notable for his work with the BBC and as voice-over artist...
. In Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse was a series for young children, produced by Sunbow Entertainment in 1997 in association with the Bank Street College of Education in New York. The show centred around a young boy named Salty, as he plays and learns with his friends in a magical lighthouse...
he was voiced by Ian James Corlett
Ian James Corlett
Ian James Corlett is a Canadian animation voice artist, writer, and musician. He is the creator of Studio B Productions' animated series Being Ian and Yvon of the Yukon....
.
Captain Zero
Captain Zero is Captain Star's main rival, and he is owner of the Z-Stacks/Zero Fleet. Like Captain Star, he only ever appears as a speaker/microphone in the window of the Zero dock building. He speaks with a Orcadian accent.Very little is known about him, although it is often implied that he has a criminal gangster background, especially in the episode High Winds which featured Johnny Cuba. He is always looking for ways of getting ahead of Captain Star, and will often resort to 'devious' ways in order to do so.
His five tugs fear him greatly and follow orders obediently.
He is voiced by Mike Mulloy
Mike Mulloy
Mike Mulloy is a British actor who became a member of the cast of The Benny Hill Show in its later years, although his roles were usually very minor and he more often acted as Hill's stand-in. He also played the Garage Manager in Through an Unknown Land, the Landlord's friend from The Return, and...
. In Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse was a series for young children, produced by Sunbow Entertainment in 1997 in association with the Bank Street College of Education in New York. The show centred around a young boy named Salty, as he plays and learns with his friends in a magical lighthouse...
he was voiced by American Actor French Tickner.
Izzy Gomez
Izzy Gomez is a large tramp steamerTramp steamer
A ship engaged in the tramp trade is one which does not have a fixed schedule or published ports of call. As opposed to freight liners, tramp ships trade on the spot market with no fixed schedule or itinerary/ports-of-call...
from Mexico and a regular sight in Bigg City Port, bringing in large loads of imported bananas.
Distinguishable by his stereotypical Mexican accent and sombrero, Izzy is infamous for trying (and failing) to convince the tugs to give him a cheap tow into port. Izzy is fickle - on the rare occasions when he is offered a tow, he declines - this is seen in the episode "Warrior". He succeeded in getting a tow only once, in the episode "Ghosts", when Zorran, frightened of sailing alone, agreed to tow him in for free. He has landed himself in various troublesome situations - in the episode "Warrior", he attempted to come in without a tow, and ran aground - but once redeemed himself by testifying on Sunshine's behalf when the latter was accused of sabotaging a liner docking operation. During his time in Bigg City Port, Izzy has been subjected to ghosts and potential sinking. He is close friends with Warrior of the Stars, and appears to have a love/hate relationship with Zorran. On his hull he comes from a place that is in Spanish but in English it means big port. Maybe sort of equal to bigg city.
Izzy also appeared on some episodes of Thomas and Friends but without a face and a hat.
According to sources, Izzy is voiced by Mike Mulloy
Mike Mulloy
Mike Mulloy is a British actor who became a member of the cast of The Benny Hill Show in its later years, although his roles were usually very minor and he more often acted as Hill's stand-in. He also played the Garage Manager in Through an Unknown Land, the Landlord's friend from The Return, and...
.
In Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse was a series for young children, produced by Sunbow Entertainment in 1997 in association with the Bank Street College of Education in New York. The show centred around a young boy named Salty, as he plays and learns with his friends in a magical lighthouse...
he was voiced by French Tickner.
Lillie Lightship
Lillie Lightship is a special and much-loved lightship, placed at Dender Rocks to warn shipping of potential hazard. The Star Fleet have the contract to provide her with the necessary fuel to keep her light shining. She is also good friends with the Star Tugs, and tries to be nice to the Z-Stacks, but they rarely reciprocate.She appeared for the first time in a small cameo role in "Sunshine", although she had more important roles in later episodes, particularly "Bigg Freeze", when they needed her light to guide Vienna, a beautiful ocean liner. Hercules appears to have 'a special place in his heart' for Lillie.
Her voice actress in the original show is unknown. In Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse was a series for young children, produced by Sunbow Entertainment in 1997 in association with the Bank Street College of Education in New York. The show centred around a young boy named Salty, as he plays and learns with his friends in a magical lighthouse...
she was voiced by Venus Terzo
Venus Terzo
Venus Terzo is a Canadian actress best noted for her role as Detective Angela Kosmo in Da Vinci's Inquest and its spinoff, Da Vinci's City Hall. She was nominated in 2002 for the Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role in that same role...
; and in the Japanese version she was voiced by Sakurako Kishiro, who also voiced Grampus.