| BUTTON MOON |
Button Moon was originally conceived by Ian Allen as a stage show for Playboard Puppets in 1978. Adapted as a TV series for Thames two years later, Button Moon has now become a household name. It is loved by both the very young and grown ups!
Button Moon TV Series
Aimed at younger children, the series was devised and written by Ian Allen.
The first series of 13 programmes was transmitted in 1980. A further 6
series of 13 programmes followed, making a total of ninety-one different
Button Moon adventures.
The series were repeated on a yearly basis for Thames TV
up until 1988. All 91 episodes have been shown on satellite channel UK
Gold since spring 1993.
Overseas sales. Button Moon has been sold abroad in the following places:
New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Zimbabwe, Malaysia, Kenya, Swaziland
and Albania!
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The theme song for the series was written by Peter Davison of Doctor
Who fame, and Sandra Dickinson. The incidental music for the series was
written by Peter Goslin. Narration was by Robin Parkinson. Puppeteers:
Ian Allen, John Thirtle, Alistair Fullarton, Sue Dacre, Chris Leith, Judith
Bucklow, Ian Brown, Tony Holtham, Annie Halliday. Directors: John Darnell,
Neil Stinchcombe, Audrey Starrett, Peter Yolland and Stan Woodward. Executive
Producer, Charles Warren. 
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Button Moon merchandising.
Button moon has become retro, as part of the current nostalgia boom!
Button Moon T-shirts are still available and are being produced by 2 the
Max Limited, Kierbeck Business Complex, London E16 2BG. The beautifully
made toys, are now turning up on E-bay
so try your luck and see if you can acquire a wonderful piece of memorablia.
The toys were produced by Golden Bear Products Limited, 40 Hortonwood,
Telford, Shropshire TF1 7EY.
Other products include:
Thames/Methuen Storybooks (a series of 12). Viewmaster 3-D reels. Story
cassettes (5). Videos/DVD’s (6 different ones plus 2 episodes on
a Thames Childrens’ compilation). Activity pack comprising video
and colouring book. Record (‘We’re off to Button Moon’
by the Singing Hotpots). Postcards, posters, badges etc.
Ratings and sales figures (Great
Britain). Button Moon TV series - often in top 5 children’s
programmes with audiences of well over 6 million, on occasion beating
other Thames
programmes such as ‘The Benny Hill show’. (w/e 31 March 1985
- Button Moon, 6.58 million viewers... Benny Hill, 5.51 million).
Button Moon Stage shows
Playboard Puppets presented 430 theatre performances of Button Moon (with
2 repetory companies) for the 12 month period ending 31 August 1988, in
venues all over the country. This represents a total audience of over
200,000.
Recently, as part of the nostalgia boom, there has been a demand (largely by students!) for a return of the stage shows. Who knows, it could happen! Mr Spoon and his family always were ahead of their time, their attitude to recycling resonating with the 21st century zeitgeist!
| Button
Moon Gallery |
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| SPOOKS OF BOTTLE BAY |
The Spooks of Bottle Bay was commissioned by Carlton TV and was shown
on television between 1993 and 1995. It was created by Ian Allen.
The original stories and design were by Ian Allen and the puppets and
settings were produced by the late John Thirtle.
When night fell, the famous Bottle Bay Spooks put on their sheets, came to life and tried to outwit the Bottle Bay Baddies - Sybil and Cedric Sludge. The series features Sally, Fred and Baby Spook, Maxi the dog, Ted and Lilly Turine as well as poor Sid Sludge - the persecuted brother of the evil Sybil and Cedric.
| Spooks of Bottle Bay (Click on pictures to enlarge) |
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| PLAYBOARD/ MO & HEDGE (BBC) |
Playboard, featuring Mo & Hedge (Mole and Hedgehog) was a series
of 13 programmes (repeated eight times) shown from 1976 - 1980 in the
BBC ‘Watch with Mother’ slot. Mo and Hedge lived near a fairground
so that each day they could have fun at the fair. ‘Roll up, Roll
up’. Mo and Hedge try to knock down the piled up tin cans on Jo’s
game stall. Arabella, Bill and Kathy have to duck as Mo is not very good
at throwing the bean bags! The show was presented by Christopher Lillicrap,
the puppeteers were Ian Allen, John Thirtle, Angie Passmore and Chris
Hitchens.
The show was written and directed by Judy Whitfield and the producer was
Michael Cole.
| RAINBOW (Thames TV & Fremantle) |
Over 200 appearances (plus repeats) with Zippy and George. (Puppets re-made annually by the late John Thirtle since 1972!)
When Playboard Puppets first started working on Rainbow, they had the pleasure of working alongside Peter Hawkins (the voice of Captain Pugwash) and Roy Skelton (the voice of the daleks!)
Puppets in vision. Playboard Puppets presents it’s creation of the imagination.
| Mo & Hedge and Rainbow (Click on pictures to enlarge) |
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| OTHER TV CREDITS INCLUDE |
That's Life (BBC),
Basil Brush Show (BBC),
Not the Nine O'Clock News (BBC),
Charles Aznavour Show (Dutch TV),
Top of the Pops (BBC),
The Happy Apple (Thames),
Thames Telethon,
Marmalade Atkins (Thames),
Wacaday, Wide Awake Club (TVam),
Seeing and Doing (ITV Schools),
Saturday Starship (Central),
CBTV (Thames),
Jenny Can't Work Any Faster (ATV), Shadows (Thames),
The Boy Merlin (Thames).