Tots TV
Encyclopedia
Tots TV is a television
show, produced by Ragdoll Productions
and Central
(later owned by Carlton Television
) (Both Ragdoll and Central also produced Rosie and Jim
and Ragdoll independently produced Teletubbies
for the BBC
). Tots TV was also broadcast in the USA on PBS from 3 January 1993 to 27 April 1998. It features three ragdoll
friends: Tilly, a French
girl, with red hair, who speaks in basic French
(in the U.S. broadcast, she speaks Spanish
, and in France, she speaks English), Tom, a blue haired boy with glasses, and Tiny, the youngest Tot, who is smaller than the others and has green hair. The show won two BAFTA awards for its Producer Ann Wood and Director Vic Finch. In September 1999 Tots TV moved to Carlton
because Central Television was going to be replaced by the network.
The show was written by Robin Stevens
and Andrew Davenport
who also played the characters Tom and Tiny in the show. Tilly was played by two people: Claire Carre, who wrote along with Robin Stevens, the episode "Melon Chase" and Veronique Deroulede. It was originally shown on ITV
's children's television strand, Children's ITV
; it heralded an era the broadcaster abandoned much programming for older children. The show was later broadcast in the UK
on CBeebies
, the BBC
's children's television station on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays
In one episode, the tots visit a glass blowing studio, where they watch a glass duck being made. Another episode shows the tots visiting an animal park.
Sometimes these episodes feature one of the tots reading the other two a story. These episodes always feature the reading tot preparing to read using dolls of the characters in the story. Apparently the other two are unaware they are preparing to read a story because they always ring them up on their personal phone to ask if they want to listen to a story, despite the fact they all live in the same house. In some of the episodes the tots find an object such as a ball or a trumpet, which sometimes causes havoc. Whether the tots are in their house or out somewhere, they usually sing a song at some point.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
show, produced by Ragdoll Productions
Ragdoll Productions
Ragdoll Productions is a UK company that produces children's television shows. It was founded in 1984 by Anne Wood, who later devised many of their television series, seen in 111 countries and translated into 41 languages.Before 1984, Ragdoll's founder Anne Wood made children's programmes for...
and Central
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...
(later owned by Carlton Television
Carlton Television
Carlton Television was the ITV franchise holder for London and the surrounding counties including the cities of Solihull and Coventry of the West Midlands, south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire,...
) (Both Ragdoll and Central also produced Rosie and Jim
Rosie and Jim
Rosie and Jim was a British children's television programme which appeared, on and off, on CITV since the early 1990s. The programme was the creation of John Cunliffe, in collaboration with Anne Wood and Robin Stevens, Robin Stevens] also played the character Jim...
and Ragdoll independently produced Teletubbies
Teletubbies
Teletubbies is a BBC children's television series targeted at pre-school viewers and produced from 1997 to 2001 by Ragdoll Productions. It was created by Ragdoll's creative director Anne Wood CBE and Andrew Davenport, who wrote each of the show's 365 episodes. The programme's original narrator was...
for the 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...
). Tots TV was also broadcast in the USA on PBS from 3 January 1993 to 27 April 1998. It features three ragdoll
Doll
A doll is a model of a human being, often used as a toy for children. Dolls have traditionally been used in magic and religious rituals throughout the world, and traditional dolls made of materials like clay and wood are found in the Americas, Asia, Africa and Europe. The earliest documented dolls...
friends: Tilly, a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
girl, with red hair, who speaks in basic French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
(in the U.S. broadcast, she speaks Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, and in France, she speaks English), Tom, a blue haired boy with glasses, and Tiny, the youngest Tot, who is smaller than the others and has green hair. The show won two BAFTA awards for its Producer Ann Wood and Director Vic Finch. In September 1999 Tots TV moved to Carlton
Carlton Television
Carlton Television was the ITV franchise holder for London and the surrounding counties including the cities of Solihull and Coventry of the West Midlands, south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire,...
because Central Television was going to be replaced by the network.
The show was written by Robin Stevens
Robin Stevens
Robin Stevens is a British puppeteer, actor, director and writer for children's TV for nearly 30 years, and has done many successful programs. These include The Teletubbies, Pob, Rosie and Jim, Tots TV, Boohbah & Blips. He worked for Ragdoll Productions for about 20 years, at times co-writing...
and Andrew Davenport
Andrew Davenport
Andrew Davenport is an award winning British producer, writer and composer specialising in creating television and publishing for young children...
who also played the characters Tom and Tiny in the show. Tilly was played by two people: Claire Carre, who wrote along with Robin Stevens, the episode "Melon Chase" and Veronique Deroulede. It was originally shown on 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...
's children's television strand, Children's ITV
CITV
CITV is a British television channel from ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It broadcasts content from the CITV archive, as well as commissions and acquisitions. CITV itself is the programming block on the main ITV Network .The CITV channel broadcasts from 06:00 to 18:00...
; it heralded an era the broadcaster abandoned much programming for older children. The show was later broadcast in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on CBeebies
CBeebies
CBeebies is the brand used by the BBC for programming aimed at children 6 years and under. It is used as a themed strand in the UK on terrestrial television, as a separate free-to-air domestic British channel and used for international varients supported by advertising, subscription or both...
, the 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...
's children's television station on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays
Characters
- Tilly - The only female tot and who is French. (In the American Version of the show, she spoke Spanish) She has red hair, wears a purple dress and bright yellow tights. She also carries a yellow and green recorderRecorderThe recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...
that is attached to a red ribbon around her neck that she plays when songs are being sang. Her favourite colour is Red. - Tom - The eldest male tot and possibly the leader. He has blue hair and is black. He wears turquoise dungarees with lots of pockets (where he keeps his pencils and notebooks) and a yellow jumperJumper-Clothing:*Sweater or heavy sweater pulled on over the head, used in the UK and Commonwealth*Jumper , in the USA, a sleeveless, collarless dress, known elsewhere as a pinafore or pinafore dress* Part of the uniform of the United States Navy...
as well as wearing glasses. His favourite colour is Blue. - Tiny - The youngest of the tots and the one who carries their magic bag when they set off on their adventures. He has green hair and wears a green cardiganCardigan (sweater)A cardigan is a type of machine- or hand-knitted sweater that ties, buttons or zips down the front; by contrast, a pullover does not open in front but must be "pulled over" the head to be worn. The cardigan was named after James Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan, a British military commander,...
with badges on and red shorts. His favourite colour is Green. - Furry Boo - A small mischievous dog that the tots do not know about.
- Donkey - The pet donkey who lived in a stable in the Tots' garden.
Titles
Every episode begins with an animated illustration of the tots' house, which fades into the real version; both are set to the theme tune.Going out
Often but not always the Tots will go out to explore an everyday area on the human world. This often involves them helping out a young child. This also sometimes involves them using their magic bag (Sac Magique) which they always take with them, Tiny always carries it and Tilly always operates it. When asked to help, it always produces an item to help them in the situation. In some of the episodes they go out and watch 'Jane' find out about different animals. A few episodes starred a man called Jack who would set up some sort of play area for some children, the tots would secretly watch him and the children play.In one episode, the tots visit a glass blowing studio, where they watch a glass duck being made. Another episode shows the tots visiting an animal park.
Staying in
In some episodes the Tots do something in their house - the secret house. Because the full titles feature the tots leaving the house, they are altered for such episodes.Sometimes these episodes feature one of the tots reading the other two a story. These episodes always feature the reading tot preparing to read using dolls of the characters in the story. Apparently the other two are unaware they are preparing to read a story because they always ring them up on their personal phone to ask if they want to listen to a story, despite the fact they all live in the same house. In some of the episodes the tots find an object such as a ball or a trumpet, which sometimes causes havoc. Whether the tots are in their house or out somewhere, they usually sing a song at some point.
Other
If the episode was a full-length double-bill (sometimes the 1st half with Jane or they go out on an adventure and the second half an adventure in the secret house) in the earlier episodes with Jane, they are joined with a 2 minute animation of a 'Noah's Ark' story (based on the toy Noah's ark in the secret house) or an animation of a picture that a viewer had sent in to the program.America
Over a few episodes the Tots go to America and show them exploring the country. One of the places they visit is a diner. They also go to an apartment complex where outside lots of children dance hip-hop. There are 3 groups, each wearing matching coloured t-shirts. They also see a saloon. When they return to their house it is covered in dust.The big treasure adventure
An hour long special was made where Tilly, Tom and Tiny go on a big adventure to find treasure by sailing across the sea in a pirate ship. The tots sail to an island where they find treasure. The treasure is accidentally dropped in the sea after Tom let Tiny steer the pirate ship.Running Gags
- Furry Boo is always causing mischief or even helping the tots out (one such moment was when he helped put the star on the top of their Christmas tree), but they never know he's there.
- When things go wrong or the tots are just being silly, they call each other names like "Banana", "Sausage" and "Tomato".
- The Tots have telephones which signify their favourite colour with the same phone number of 12345, that they use to communicate with each other, even if they are only a small space away.
Episodes
Episodes Included:- Middle Of The Night
- Hippo
- Furry Beat
- Tom's Trumpet
- Old McTom
- Tiny's Box Song
- Tilly's Recorder
- Castle
- Cleaning Windows
- Birthday Surprise
- Naughty Little Pig
- Tiny Leaves Home
- Lost in the Supermarket
- Postwoman
- What's That Noise?
- Vegetable Guard
- Disco Machine
- A Sticky Mess
- Missing the Bus
- Naughty Mysterious Person
- The Dentist
- Owl
- Hedgehog
- Peacock
- Bus Ride
- Rabbit
- Space Robots
- Tiny's Box
- Rhino
- Dreamy Tilly
- Bike Ride
- Donkey Ride
- Fox
- Camel
- Roller Skating
- Lemur
- Snail
- Hedgehog
- Windy Day
- Apple Picking
- Kittens
- Playground
- Bike Ride
- Dress
- Peacock
- Dog
- Elephant
UK and USA DVD & Video History
- UK
- Video Collection International2 Entertain2 Entertain is a British video and music publisher, formed by the merger of BBC Video and Video Collection International in 2004....
(1993-1997) - Carlton Home Entertainment (1999)
- Video Collection International
Funding
- The Kavli FoundationThe Kavli FoundationThe Kavli Foundation, based in Oxnard, California, is a foundation that supports the advancement of science and the increase of public understanding and support for scientists and their work....
- Corporation for Public BroadcastingCorporation for Public BroadcastingThe Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a non-profit corporation created by an act of the United States Congress, funded by the United States’ federal government to promote public broadcasting...
- Viewers Like You
Thank you
- Kellogg's
- Intel
- Juicy JuiceJuicy JuiceJuicy Juice is a brand of juices and juice concentrates geared toward children and sold in the United States by Nestlé using the slogan "The very best juice for the very best kids." Prior to March 2006, it was known as Libby's Juicy Juice and was formerly owned by the Libby's Canned Food Company,...
- Wal-MartWal-MartWal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
- Target CorporationTarget CorporationTarget Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
- Chuck E. Cheese'sChuck E. Cheese'sChuck E. Cheese's is a chain of family entertainment centers. Chuck E...
- Knights InnKnights InnKnights Inn is an economy/budget hotel chain owned by Wyndham Worldwide and based in Parsippany, New Jersey. Key features include free parking, handicapped-accessible rooms, a continental breakfast, and highway access at most locations...
- PBS Foundation
- Grant ThorntonGrant ThorntonGrant Thornton LLP encompasses the U.S. operations of Grant Thornton International, the largest accounting organizations outside of the Big Four . The member firms of Grant Thornton International comprise a global network of 27,000 employees and 2,207 partners in more than 110 countries...
- The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
- WGBH Boston
- Dunkin Donuts
- Kimberly Clark