Molly Wopsies, The

1 9 7 6 (UK)
6 x 30 minute episodes

The Molly Wopsies was written by a 50-year-old Mr Smith, a machine-line worker at the Morris car factory in Oxford, England, who speculatively submitted a script to the TV company.

The story was set in wartime Oxfordshire, in the small village of Heathcote, and centred on two child evacuees from London who gave the local ghost the name ‘Molly Wopsy’ and then proceeded to form a gang – also with that name.

The gang – comprising leader Dinky Dunkley (Ben Forster), Alan (Phil Daniels in his first tv role), Norman (Matthew Whiteman) and Dottie (Julie Taylor) – had one major adversary: their arch-enemy the village bobby PC Berry (Aubrey Morris).

Close on two years after the original pilot episode (titled simply The Molly Wopsy and screened as part of the series Funny Ha Ha), Thames screened a full series of adventures, utilising Arthur Askey’s recording of Run, Rabbit, Run as the theme tune.

The gang got up to little more than causing mild havoc at the harvest festival or stealing the odd chicken.

Perhaps the most interesting episode showed the kids discover a German fighter pilot who had bailed out over the village.

Dinkey Dunkley 
Ben Forster
Alan Musgrove 
Phil Daniels
Norman Yates 
Matthew Whiteman
Dottie Minton 
Julie Taylor
Sergeant Needler 
George Innes
PC Berry 
Aubrey Morris
Reverend Braithwaite 
Frank Gatliff
Farmer Brown 
Patrick Barr

Episodes

The Initiation | All Was Gathered Safely In | The German Hunters | Arrowing Times | The New Uniform | Sunday Morning