1 9 6 8 (UK)
9 x 30 minute episodes
This 30-minute children’s adventure series from Thames Television – starring an Enid Blyton-style gang of resourceful kids clad from head to toe in cool denim and solving absurd crimes in a bizarre fantasy world – aired on Thursdays at 5:20 PM.
Gang leader Mini (Michael Feldman) was the son of Professor Morris (Michael Gwynn), who worked on top-secret research for the government, placing the kids close to danger and excitement (the exact function of George’s father, Quentin Kirrin, in Blyton’s Famous Five books).
In the first of two episodic stories – “The Supercharged Egg” – Professor Morris was kidnapped and the Silver Egg – a device intended to hold enough electricity to power the entire world – stolen.
The two had been taken by four unlikely comic strip hoodlums – the dapper Spitz (Harold Innocent), the beautiful, pink-suited Auntie Cuthbert (Caroline Blakiston), flat-capped thug Greenface (Terence Rigby) and midget Tich (Norman McGlen).
The second story – “The Bug Pirates” – saw scientist Dr Sturgeon’s (Donald Morley) new virus stolen from his lab by a gang of modern-day pirates led by Godfrey Quigley.
Mini Morris
Michael Feldman
Speedy
Anthony Peplow
Sniffer
Len Jones
Big Bill
Sebastian Abineri
Philippa
Liz Crowther
Professor Morris
Michael Gwynn
Mrs Morris
Maureen O’Reilly
Miss Roberts
Lesley Judd
Spitz
Harold Innocent
Auntie Cuthbert
Caroline Blakiston
Greenface
Terence Rigby
Tich
Norman McGlen
Dr Sturgeon
Donald Morley
Captain Morgan
Godfrey Quigley
Miss Pilkington
Marty Cruikshank
Luigi
Tony Caunter
Franco
David Leland
Smith
Hugh Cross
Robinson
David Morrell
Episodes
The Supercharged Egg: Plans are Hatched | Things Begin to Boil | Scrambling for the Egg | Bringing Home the Bacon
The Bug Pirates: Into Uncharted Seas | Ahoy! Skull and Crossbones | Into Troubled Waters | The Captain’s Treasure | In Davy Jones’ Locker
