1 9 8 9 (UK)
13 x 5 minute episodes 1 9 9 1 (UK)
26 x 5 minute episodes 1 9 9 2 (UK)
13 x 5 minute episodes
This puppet duck presented other puppets singing contemporary songs of the day for five minutes just before 4.00 pm. Sounds simple, yet it achieved a viewing audience of 3 million and had something of a cult following with students.
Dooby Duck was originally designed by master puppeteer Roger Stevenson in 1981 and made his debut in the 1985 Christmas Pantomime Babes in the Wood starring Les Dawson at the Palace Theatre Manchester.
He literally stopped the show and was given his own series on the BBC – Dooby Duck’s Disco Bus. Melvyn and Millie Mouse helped with the running of the disco – along with Rocky Rooster – and also performed occasionally.
The main musical act was The Kwackerjacks, a duck pop group, naturally. Over the years there were over thirty different ducks representing everyone from The Village People to hard rock bands.
There were keyboard ducks, drummer ducks, and Country and Western ducks plus female ducks, Strawberry and Daphne.
Dooby returned in January 1991 with Dooby’s Duck Truck with Dooby and the gang touring in a huge articulated Truck. He came back again in Winter 1992 with Dooby Duck’s Euro Tour, which featured episodes in Spain, France etc.
The voice of Dooby was provided by puppeteer Harry Stuart, which was processed to a higher pitch.
