Galloping Galaxies!

1 9 8 5 – 1 9 8 6 (UK)
10 x 25 minute episodes

This BBC series for kids was set onboard an interplanetary merchant spaceship (the Voyager) in the 25th century and featured Kenneth Williams (in one of his final roles) as the voice of SID (Space Investigation Detector) – a bossy and sarcastic computer which was constantly putting down the crew with pithy one-liners.

The Voyager was manned by the suave Captain Pettifer (Robert Swales) assisted by First Officer Mr Morton (Paul Wilce) and Communications Officer Mr Webster (Nigel Cooke) – and, later, Second Officer Elliott (James Mansfield).

Often putting a spanner in the works were the foolish Irish robot pirates Robot 20 (Matthew Sim) and Robot 7 (Michael Deeks) who were commanded by human Space Pirate Chief Mick Murphy (Sean Caffrey in the first season and Niall Buggy in the second).

The crew often experienced problems, such as when they mistakenly beamed aboard Miss Appleby (Priscilla Morgan) from the 20th century after travelling through a space/time warp.

Galloping Galaxies! was created by Bob Block, who had previously conceived Rentaghost and Grandad.

SID
Kenneth Williams
Captain Pettifer
Robert Swales
Mr Morton
Paul Wilce
Mr Webster
Nigel Cooke
Mick Murphy
Sean Caffrey (1)
Niall Buggy (2)
Robot 7 (“Sean o’Seven”)
Michael Deeks
Robot 20 (“Paddy o’Twenty”)
Matthew Sim
Mr Elliott
James Mansfield
Miss Appleby
Priscilla Morgan
Dinwiddy Snurdle
James Bree

Video