Pipkins
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Pipkins (originally Inigo Pipkin) was a British children's TV programme. Hartley Hare, Pig, Topov and the gang, were the stars of ATV's legendary pre-school series which ran from January 1973 to 29 December 1981.
When the show started, the main character was an elderly puppet maker called Inigo Pipkin (hence the original title), played by George Woodbridge. The puppets were his creations, and over the course of the first series, viewers saw Mr Pipkin bring to life Topov the monkey and Octavia the ostrich. However, Woodbridge died in March 1973, during the recording of the second series. In 1974, in a first for children's television, Inigo's death was worked into the programme, predating the Mr. Hooper episode on Sesame Street by nine years. From this episode onwards the show was renamed Pipkins, and Inigo's assistant, Johnny (Wayne Laryea), took over.
The direction of Pipkins had to change; from hereon in the show ceased to centre around a puppet workshop. The characters became "The Help People", helping anyone in need of a hand. Johnny left Pipkins around 1978, to be replaced by Tom (Jonathan Kydd). Tom moved on in 1980, his place taken by Peter Potter (Paddy O'Hagan). The familiar workshop set was replaced around 1979 with new interiors built up off the ground to enable puppeteers to work standing up and move around more freely.
The programme ended when ATV became Central Independent Television, and was replaced by Let's Pretend. In common with other 1970s shows, a lot of Pipkins episodes, including the first Inigo Pipkin, are missing from the archives. However, Nigel Plaskitt who played Hartley, made off-air recordings of many episodes and some of these have been released on DVD in the UK.
Writers included - Susan Pleat, Gail Renard, Billy Hamon, Steve James (aka Nigel Plaskitt), Denis Bond, Vicky Ireland, David Cregan, Johnny & Sandy Byrne, Samuel Sevlon and Michael Jeans.
Music was by Chris Hazell
Directors included Michael Jeans, Chris Tookey, Glyn Edwards, Pembroke Duttson & Dorothy Denham
Cast
| Inigo Pipkin | George Woodbridge |
| Johnny | Wayne Laryea (now called Amartie Laryea) |
| Hartley, Tortoise, Narrator, Uncle Hare, Angus McHare, Mooney | Nigel Plaskitt |
| Pig, Topov, Octavia | Heather Tobias |
| Pig, Octavia, Topov, Pigeon | Lorain Bertorelli |
| Pig, Topov, Octavia | Elizabeth Lindsay |
| Pig, Sophie The Cat | Anne Rutter |
| Pig | Alex Knight |
| Mrs P, The Penguin | Diana Eden |
| Tom | Jonathan Kydd |
| Peter Potter | Paddy O'Hagan |
| Bertha | Jumoke Debayo |
| Fred Pipkin | Royce Mills |
| Charlie, The Dustman | Charles McKeown |
| The Old Gentleman | Preston Lockwood |
| The Genie | Billy Hamon |
| Mrs Muddle | Sue Nicholls |
| The Eccentric Detective | Nigel Plaskitt |
| The Bag Lady | Heather Tobias |
| Granny | Janet Dale |
External links
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