Home Television Kids TV Magic Roundabout, The

Magic Roundabout, The

1 9 6 5 – 1 9 7 5 (UK/France)
441 x 5 minute episodes

The five-minute slot just before the early evening BBC1 news on Monday (at 5:50 pm) guaranteed Magic Roundabout a viewing audience of over eight million.

While parents waited for the news, kids got to see the antics of Florence, Ermintrude, Zebedee and friends – including the dog that inspired a million birthday cakes, Dougal.

This seemingly innocent children’s animation series included witty commentary for the adults, allowing two generations to enjoy it.

Flavoured with a laid-back and surreal view of life, the programme reflected a heavy 60s feel. It soon achieved a cult status.

Filmed using frame-by-frame stop motion photography in a superbly colourful setting, the programme featured a rather off-the-wall cast.

There was Dougal, the shaggy dog who lived on a strict diet of sugar; an eccentric magical jack-in-the-box called Zebedee, who would announce his arrival with a boing; a rabbit named Dylan, who could have been accused of growing something considerably stronger than carrots in his vegetable patch; Ermintrude the pink cow; Mr Rusty, the owner of the old merry-go-round; Florence; Brian the cheerful and optimistic snail and their friends in the garden.

The most famous sentence of the series was Zebedee’s standard declaration “Time for Bed” sending millions of children to sleep every evening. Meanwhile, he got to stay up and take drugs with Dylan. And is it just coincidence that the Zeb-meister looked like Frank Zappa?

Concept and animation was by Serge Danot (a French animator in a Paris advertising studio) and the English version was written and told by Play School presenter Eric Thompson (the late father of actress Emma Thompson).