UK, 12 February 1974-7 May 1974
1 series, 13 episodes, average 15m each
16mm film, colour, 4:3
mono, English
A British object animated fantasy television series created by Peter Firmin and Oliver Postgate. Although only 13 episodes were made they were repeated so often that the programme was seen by subsequent generations of viewers and became one of Britain's best-loved shows. In 1999 the public voted it the UK's favourite children's TV programme in a BBC poll and in 2014 the title character appeared on a British postage stamp issued by Royal Mail to celebrate classic children's television programmes.
Premise
Bagpuss is a rather tatty pink and white striped toy cat who sits in the window of an early 20th century lost and found shop. When young Emily brings a new object for the shop, and when no-one is looking, Bagpuss and the other animals objects all come to life to see what it is.
Credits
Crew
Directed by: Peter Firmin, Oliver Postgate
© [not given on screen]
Film by Smallfilms
Written by: Oliver Postgate
Puppets by: Peter Firmin
Pictures by: Peter Firmin
Music by: John Faulkner & Sandra Kerr
Cast
Told by Oliver Postgate, Sandra Kerr & John Faulkner
Episodes
Ship in a Bottle (12 February 1974)
Owl of Athens (19 February 1974)
Frog Princess (26 February 1974)
Ballet Shoe (5 March 1974)
The Hamish (12 March 1974)
The Wise Man (19 March 1974)
The Elephant (26 March 1974)
The Mouse Mill (2 April 1974)
The Giant (9 April 1974)
Old Man's Beard (16 April 1974)
The Fiddle (23 April 1974)
Flying (30 April 1974)
Uncle Feedle (7 May 1974)
Links
Extracts included in
The 100 Greatest Kids TV Shows (2001)
I Love Muppets (2002)
Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror (2021)
References
Periodicals
- Broadcast 2 October 2009 p.4 – note (Coolabi prepares to bring Bagpuss out of retirement)
- Broadcast 16 October 2009 p.7 – illustrated article (Bagpuss TV return is blocked by Postgate by Katherine Rushton)
- Cult TV vol.1 no.3 (October 1997) pp.28-31 – illustrated article (But Emily Loved Them by Nick Peer)
- Cult TV vol.2 no.1 (January 1998) p.72 – review (Thursdays: TV Choice to 25 Jan by Nick Peer)
- Screen Finance vol.22 no.19 (22 October 2009) p.7 – note (Checklist: UK film by Tim Adler)
