I've been thinking about this. It's not an easy question. It changes as I consider it, as my memory revs up.
One day it's Thunderbirds and those fabulous vehicles, another it's Scooby Do and those wonderful monsters and another it's Blue Peter, with something new all the time. There are many more contenders too.
Do you have this dilemma readers? What was your favourite kids TV show in your part of the world?
If we're restricting it to just kids shows, it would have to be Thunderbirds or Captain Scarlet. As a kid, I was fond of shows that weren't for kids, Star Trek and the ITC series like, Randall and Hopkirk or the Champions.
ReplyDeleteI liked Randall and Hopkirk too Kev. Was Randal ...... Deceased a follow on series?
DeleteRandall and Hopkirk (Deceased) was the full title of the series. Called 'My partner the Ghost' in America I believe.
DeleteThanks Kevin. It's the Likely Lads I was thinking of: it's got two titles. Two series I think.
DeleteThe Likely Lads and Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
DeleteThe original Star Trek was my favorite show as a kid, and remains so to this day. But if you insist on something created for kids, I'd have to go with Looney Tunes / Merrie Melodies. Ya long-eared galoot.
ReplyDeleteHa ha, I adored Merrie Melodies and Looney Toons Baron too. Star Trek was a weekly must see US show, as was Voyage to the Voyage to the .... Sea and High Chapperral!
DeleteThunderbirds, followed by Doctor Who and The Avengers. But there were plenty of other fine shows that would make a Top 100.
ReplyDeleteYes, good call Paul. I loved the Avengers as a kid but found the theme tune and storylines a bit scary. I still do!
DeleteBest kid's TV shows for me were: Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and Ultraman! SFZ
ReplyDeleteNever seen Ultraman SF! Any good?
DeleteUltraman was a revelation to me. It was broadcast on US TV in 1968, only for a short while, but I caught it while I could. A half hour live action series, with Ultraman fighting a new monster every week! Created by Eiji Tsuburaya, the f/x wizard from the Toho Godzillla films. 1968 saw Thunderbirds and Ultraman on TV - maybe my best year? SFZ
DeleteThunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, UFO, Dr Who, Danger Man, The Champions, Orlando, Gigantor, Space Patrol and Star Trek. Amongst others!
ReplyDeleteI guess though Number One has to be Thunderbirds.
Don't know Orlando Bill. What's that?
DeleteOrlando was a kids show produced by Redifusion London [the predecessor of Thames TV] - It starred Sam Kydd, much in the vein of Ace of Wands. Also TV Comic used to run a colour weekly double page strip.
DeleteGood list! I forgot about Gigantor and Space Patrol. Loved Space Patrol! SFZ
DeleteHands down Lost In Space.
ReplyDeleteGood one Cap! It's a classic!
DeleteHere is where I date myself. Our first TV was in 1953 for the Coronation.
ReplyDeleteThe BBC TV show for kids was WHIRLIGIG. Each Saturday this magazine style show had a number of features and the one's that stand out are HANK THE COWBOY by Francis Coudrill, an animated/puppet show. SOOTY with Harry Corbett, COLONEL CROCK a stop action talking model vintage car show and continuing serials including Dick Turpin.
Following that as a children's show that would be the original Dr Who. It's production values were reminiscent of Whirlygig ten years earlier.
Harry Corbett and Sooty were faves of mine before handed over to Matthew Brian. A great show, I adored the cheekiness of Sweep! As for Doctor Who One, was the Zorbis one of those early stories?
DeleteThe Zorbis were a couple of seasons into the show. If you want to enjoy the calm of HANK the COWBOY try this colour version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhX0wnOV6TE
DeleteThanks Terran.
DeleteFor me it was definitely Thunderbirds. It inspired me to try and do miniature visual effects as a career -and for a sweet period in the 80's I actually got to live the dream!
ReplyDeleteIn my later years, having been sidelined by CGI, I decided to recreate those glorious puppet shows.
At first I decided on the greater realism of Captain Scarlet, but I have swung back towards the stylization of Thunderbirds.
"Will that be all, M'Lady?"
And the best of Parkers luck you with your project Looey
DeleteDefinitely Dr Who for me.
ReplyDeleteOthers were important ( Star Trek, Thunderbirds, UFO, Blake's 7, The Avengers, to name but a few) but it was Dr Who all the way, back then.
And I think you mean 'The Zarbi' (ant like creatures) Woodsy, not Zorbis.
I adored the Pertwee and early Bakers years Mish. Didn't really know the other Docs. My fave episodes were the Curse of Pelidor and the Sea Devils. At least they're the ones that have stuck in my mind, altho' any episode with a monster, UNIT, the Brigadier and the Doc will have been good. The Zorbies were the ant like critters in rolling plastic spheres! Ha ha
DeleteI can (just) remember William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton in the 1960s, then on to Jon Pertwee in the 1970s.
ReplyDeleteDid you get Blue Peter in NZ Paul or your version?
DeleteNo Blue Peter in NZ, but there were similar magazine shows. One from the 1970s was called Spot On. That also had a regular team of three presenters.
ReplyDeleteInteresting Paul.
DeleteI'm sad that no one's mentioned The Banana Splits. I had the record album... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Banana_Splits
ReplyDeleteAh, yep, what a show Baron. All the amazing parts. The Arabian Knights. Loved that and all the rest.
Delete