The Adventures of Twizzle
Encyclopedia
The Adventures of Twizzle (or simply Twizzle as it was known in some territories) is the very first television show produced by AP Films
and specifically Gerry Anderson
, after being approached by author Roberta Leigh
(who also co-produced with Anderson) and her colleague Suzanne Warner. Sources vary as to who directed the series. In addition to his production duties, Anderson also directed the action whilst photography was directed by Arthur Provis
, Anderson's founding partner at AP Films. Music was scored by Barry Gray
, art direction came from Reg Hill
and special effects (which at the outset amounted largely to scenery painting) were by Derek Meddings
, all of whom would become long-time collaborators with Anderson. Twizzle and all the puppets for the 52 films were made by Joy Laurey, and there were 2 Twizzle puppets made for filming, 1 Twizzle puppet for conventional shots and another Twizzle puppet for the stunt shots when Twizzle's arms and legs became longer. The trick of extending Twizzle's arms and legs were based on a system of curtain rings and puppet strings pulled internally inside the puppets arms and legs.
Twizzle - from whom the series gets its name - is a boy doll with the ability to extend (or "twizzle") his legs and arms and wears a pixie
like hat and has a cat companion known as "Footso". Although a boy, he was voiced by a woman, Nancy Nevinson who also narrated the series. Denise Bryer did Footso and the other voices.
The series follows his adventures as he uses his abilities to get out of trouble. In all, 52 episodes were made in black and white , although only the first, Twizzle and Footso, is believed to survive and was included as an additional feature on the boxed set of the entire series of Space Patrol
released in 2003.
Twizzle proved useful in a fire by saving a child on a high window when no ladder was available for which he was given a racing car as a reward but after crashing it he swapped it for a breakdown truck which he uses for rescuing toys. Footso had large feet which sometimes trip him up, hence his name. Later came Jiffy the Broomstick Man (a cross between a broom made of twigs and a man who could sweep the floor on his own) who Twizzle and Footso rescued from the clutches of a stereotypical evil witch (who had threatened to burn him) when he flew up the chimney to escape her. The witch returned in a later episode and there was another narrow escape by all. Jiffy could fly by lying horizontal and would fly other people out of trouble. Twizzle and Footso built Straytown where stray toys (misfits) could live and lived in a cabin there. This theme was later carried over to Torchy the Battery Boy
. Both ideas bear a resemblance to Peter Pan
and Neverneverland.
All had their songs which were entertaining time-wasters, with Footso "dreaming of herrings and kippers and creamy cream" after which he'd say "Purr! Purr! Purr! Meowwll!", the latter loudly and then the show would continue (a theme Anderson later carried into Four Feather Falls
). The songs were written by Roberta Leigh. There was also Chawky the white faced Golliwog who would complain: "Who wants a white faced golliwog" and Candy Floss, a "Mamma Doll" who could not say "mamma" as well as Bouncy, a ball who had lost his bounce. There was also a thin Teddy Bear as well as a China Doll and a Jack in the Box. An occasional visitor to Straytown was The Toy Inspector who would check on the toys living there.
AP Films
AP Films or APF, later becoming Century 21 Productions, was a British independent film production company of the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s...
and specifically Gerry Anderson
Gerry Anderson
Gerry Anderson MBE is a British publisher, producer, director and writer, famous for his futuristic television programmes, particularly those involving specially modified marionettes, a process called "Supermarionation"....
, after being approached by author Roberta Leigh
Roberta Leigh
Janey Scott Lewin , well known as Roberta Leigh is a British author and artist. She wrote romance fiction and children's stories as Roberta Leigh, Rachel Lindsay, and Janey Scott....
(who also co-produced with Anderson) and her colleague Suzanne Warner. Sources vary as to who directed the series. In addition to his production duties, Anderson also directed the action whilst photography was directed by Arthur Provis
Arthur Provis
Arthur Provis is an English cinematographer and producer, best known for co-founding AP Films with Gerry Anderson.As a former Navy photographer forging a career operating rostrum cameras, he met Anderson filming a series called You've Never Seen This about unusual circus acts...
, Anderson's founding partner at AP Films. Music was scored by Barry Gray
Barry Gray
Barry Gray was a British musician and composer who is best known for his work for Gerry Anderson.-Life:...
, art direction came from Reg Hill
Reg Hill
Reginald E. Hill was a British television producer and was most prominently associated with the work of puppet animator Gerry Anderson.-Professional life:...
and special effects (which at the outset amounted largely to scenery painting) were by Derek Meddings
Derek Meddings
Derek Meddings was a British television and cinema special effects expert, initially noted for his work on the "Supermarionation" television puppet series produced by Gerry Anderson, and later for the 1970s James Bond films and the Superman film series.-Early years:Both Meddings' parents had...
, all of whom would become long-time collaborators with Anderson. Twizzle and all the puppets for the 52 films were made by Joy Laurey, and there were 2 Twizzle puppets made for filming, 1 Twizzle puppet for conventional shots and another Twizzle puppet for the stunt shots when Twizzle's arms and legs became longer. The trick of extending Twizzle's arms and legs were based on a system of curtain rings and puppet strings pulled internally inside the puppets arms and legs.
Twizzle - from whom the series gets its name - is a boy doll with the ability to extend (or "twizzle") his legs and arms and wears a pixie
Pixie
Pixies are mythical creatures of folklore, considered to be particularly concentrated in the areas around Devon and Cornwall, suggesting some Celtic origin for the belief and name.They are usually depicted with pointed ears, and often wearing a green outfit and pointed...
like hat and has a cat companion known as "Footso". Although a boy, he was voiced by a woman, Nancy Nevinson who also narrated the series. Denise Bryer did Footso and the other voices.
The series follows his adventures as he uses his abilities to get out of trouble. In all, 52 episodes were made in black and white , although only the first, Twizzle and Footso, is believed to survive and was included as an additional feature on the boxed set of the entire series of Space Patrol
Space Patrol
Space Patrol has been the title of several science fiction works:*Space Patrol , the United States 1950s TV series with a concurrent radio version...
released in 2003.
Overview
Twizzle's legs looked suspiciously like drinking straws with lines around them in a swirling pattern and undoubtedly the figure was pushed up from below while the straw-like legs were twisted around to give the "Twizzle" effect. Twizzle originally lived in a toy shop and was sold to a naughty girl named Sally Cross. He escapes her that night and hides in a dog kennel where he finds Footso who has run away from home.Twizzle proved useful in a fire by saving a child on a high window when no ladder was available for which he was given a racing car as a reward but after crashing it he swapped it for a breakdown truck which he uses for rescuing toys. Footso had large feet which sometimes trip him up, hence his name. Later came Jiffy the Broomstick Man (a cross between a broom made of twigs and a man who could sweep the floor on his own) who Twizzle and Footso rescued from the clutches of a stereotypical evil witch (who had threatened to burn him) when he flew up the chimney to escape her. The witch returned in a later episode and there was another narrow escape by all. Jiffy could fly by lying horizontal and would fly other people out of trouble. Twizzle and Footso built Straytown where stray toys (misfits) could live and lived in a cabin there. This theme was later carried over to Torchy the Battery Boy
Torchy the Battery Boy
Torchy the Battery Boy was the second television series produced by AP Films and Gerry Anderson, running from 1958–1959. It was another collaboration with author Roberta Leigh and was directed by Anderson, with music scored by Barry Gray, art direction from Reg Hill and special effects by...
. Both ideas bear a resemblance to Peter Pan
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
and Neverneverland.
All had their songs which were entertaining time-wasters, with Footso "dreaming of herrings and kippers and creamy cream" after which he'd say "Purr! Purr! Purr! Meowwll!", the latter loudly and then the show would continue (a theme Anderson later carried into Four Feather Falls
Four Feather Falls
Four Feather Falls was the third puppet TV show produced by Gerry Anderson for Granada Television, from an idea by Barry Gray.-Production:The show was made on a tight budget and could not afford sophisticated special effects...
). The songs were written by Roberta Leigh. There was also Chawky the white faced Golliwog who would complain: "Who wants a white faced golliwog" and Candy Floss, a "Mamma Doll" who could not say "mamma" as well as Bouncy, a ball who had lost his bounce. There was also a thin Teddy Bear as well as a China Doll and a Jack in the Box. An occasional visitor to Straytown was The Toy Inspector who would check on the toys living there.
Episode guide
- Twizzle And Footso
- Twizzle And Footso Get Caught
- Twizzle Saves The Doll
- The Breakdown Van
- Footso Is Stolen
- Twizzle And The Golliwog
- Jiffy And The Chawky Quarrel
- Footso Disappears
- Twizzle And The Broken-Down Toy
- Twizzle Builds Stray Town
- A Flag For Stray Town
- Jiffy's New House
- Twizzle And Footso Go Fruit Picking
- Twizzle Has Some Fun
- Twizzle And Candy Floss Open A Cake Shop
- Twizzle Saves The Broken-Down Toys
- Twizzle Gets Lost
- Jiffy Opens A Barber Shop
- Another Racing Car
- Twizzle And His Friends Go To The Circus
- The Toys Go To School
- Bouncy The Ball
- Jack-In-The-Box
- Twizzle Catches Cold
- The Naughty Girl
- Jiffy's New Twigs
- Twizzle And The Snowman
- Twizzle And The Thin Teddy Bear
- The Lazy Broomstick Man
- Twizzle And The Polly Moppet
- Footso And The Magic Seeds
- Jiffy And The Polly Moppet Quarrel
- Footso Gets A New Tail
- Twizzle Is Naughty
- Twizzle Is Stolen
- Chawky Gets A Present
- Twizzle And The Toy Inspector
- Twizzle And The Naughty Breakdown Van
- Orange And The Banana Tree
- Jiffy's Birthday
- Polly Moppet Disappears
- Naughty Polly Moppet
- Footso And The Naughty Girl
- Stray Town Thief
- Twizzle Papers The Cabin
- Twizzle And Footso Go Camping
- Twizzle Goes To The Seaside
- Twizzle Goes To The Fair
- Twizzle Goes Fishing
- Twizzle Goes To The Zoo
- Candy Floss's Birthday
- Footso Has A Toothache
Annual
There was a British annual brought out in 1960 by Brin Brothers Ltd, called More Twizzle Adventure Stories, "The lovable T.V. character by Roberta Leigh". It had 91 pages of text stories and comic style stories (18 of them with the one page introduction). Illustrations were by F. Woof. Apart from the covers and frontispiece which are in full colour, the rest of the illustrations are black and white with one other colour (red, orange, blue or green). The annual is printed on cheap cardboard-like paper and is now very rare though not sought after.External links
- The Adventures of Twizzle at Fanderson, the official Gerry Anderson appreciation society
- Television Heaven