Bob the Builder (character)

Last updated

Bob the Builder
Bob the Builder character
Bob the builder.jpg
Bob as he appears in the original series and Project: Build It, animated in stop motion
First appearanceUnaired Pilot Episode (1997; unofficial)
Scoop Saves the Day (1999; official)
Created by Keith Chapman
Designed by Curtis Jobling
Voiced by Neil Morrissey (1999) (1997-2011) (UK) [1]
Rob Rackstraw (2007-2011) (only for live shows and the official website) (UK)
William Dufris (2001-2005) (US)
Greg Proops (2005-2007) (US)
Marc Silk (2007-2011) (US)
Lee Ingleby (2015) (2015-2018) (UK)
Colin Murdock (2015-2018) (US)
David Holt (Young, 2015 series)
Anthony Ramos (untitled upcoming film)
In-universe information
Full nameBob
NicknamesBob the Builder
Bobby
GenderMale
Occupation General Contractor
Family
  • Robert (father)
  • Dorothy (mother)
  • Tom (brother)
  • Billy (grandfather)
Nationality British

Bob the Builder, also known simply as Bob, is the titular protagonist of the British animated programme of the same name. He is a general contractor with his own construction yard in Bobsville (original series), Sunflower Valley (Project: Build It), Fixham Harbour (Ready, Steady, Build!), or Spring City (2015 reboot) depending on the programme.

Contents

Catchphrase

Bob's catchphrase, "yes we can", is a response to other characters saying "Can we fix it?". "Can we fix it?" is also the name of the theme song, which became a top seller in the UK.

Design

The character's appearance was created by Curtis Jobling. His character sketches initially showed him with a moustache but this made him seem too old for the target audience of preschool children and so he was then restyled as clean-shaven. As stop-motion animation requires frequent repositioning of the models, Bob was given large feet for stability. [2]

When the series was sold internationally, some changes had to be made to make him more acceptable to other cultures. For Japan, the character was shown with all five fingers on each hand, rather than his usual four. This was done because, in that society, a missing finger can indicate membership of the criminal Yakuza clans. [3] [4] However, none of the footage was altered.

In 2014, the toy company Mattel bought the rights to the character and gave him a Hollywood-style makeover, making him seem younger and slimmer and more realistically proportioned. This was not well-received on social media, where the new look was described as creepy and unconvincing. [5] [6] [7] Like in Japan, his 2015 redesign has five fingers on each hand, instead of four.

Episodes

Appearances

Bob has appeared in every episode in the programme and all related media. He officially first appeared in the episode "Scoop Saves the Day" that premiered on 12 April 1999 and has been going ever since 1999.

Bob has five main machines that help him out: Scoop the backhoe loader, Muck the self-loading dump truck, Dizzy the cement mixer, Lofty the mobile crane and Roley the road roller. [8]

Film adaptation

In January 2024, Mattel announced that a film adaptation of the animated character will be produced by Jennifer Lopez and Benny Medina. The plot will follow Bob as he visits Puerto Rico for a construction job. Anthony Ramos will voice the character. [9] [10]

Legacy

Bob has helped to change negative stereotypes of construction workers among preschool children. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Children's television series</span> Television programs designed for and marketed to children

Children's television series are television programs designed specifically for children. They are typically characterised by easy-going content devoid of sensitive or adult themes and are normally broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake, immediately before and after school schedules generally start in the country where they air. Educational themes are also prevalent, as well as the transmission of cautionary tales and narratives that teach problem-solving methods in some fashion or another, such as social disputes.

<i>Bob the Builder</i> British childrens animated television show

Bob the Builder is a British animated children's television series created by Keith Chapman for HIT Entertainment, and ran from 12 April 1999 to 31 December 2011 in the United Kingdom through the CBBC strand and later CBeebies. The series centres on the adventures and escapades of a general contractor named Bob who owns a team of anthropomorphised construction vehicles that go about their day helping out the residents of Bobsville; Sunflower Valley and Fixham Harbour are featured in later seasons. They are also joined by work colleague Wendy, alongside their neighbours and friends.

<i>Dora the Explorer</i> (TV series) American animated TV series

Dora the Explorer is an American children's animated television series in the Dora the Explorer franchise, created by Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh Valdes, and Eric Weiner that premiered on Nickelodeon on August 14, 2000, and ended on August 9, 2019. The series was produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HIT Entertainment</span> British-American entertainment company

HIT Entertainment Limited was a British-American entertainment company founded in 1982 as Henson International Television, the international distribution arm of The Jim Henson Company, by Jim Henson, Peter Orton, and Sophie Turner Laing. Orton alone took over the company in 1989 after learning Henson intended to sell the company to The Walt Disney Company. HIT owned as well as distributed children's television series such as Thomas & Friends, Fireman Sam, Bob the Builder, Pingu, Barney & Friends, and Angelina Ballerina.

<i>Pingu</i> Animated childrens television series

Pingu is an animated children's television series originally produced in Switzerland. It was co-created by Otmar Gutmann and Erika Brueggemann. It centres on the titular anthropomorphic emperor penguin and his family, who live in the South Pole. The series aired on SF DRS for four series from 7 March 1990 to 9 April 2000, and was produced by the Swiss animation studio Pingu Filmstudio; with Swiss toy company Editoy AG, and later on, Pingu BV handling IP ownership of the series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Can We Fix It?</span> Theme song of television programme Bob the Builder

"Can We Fix It?" is the name of the theme song from the British children’s animated television programme Bob the Builder. It was written by Paul K. Joyce and produced by Hot Animation. The song's title is derived from the catchphrase of Scoop the Digger, a character in the show, and the chorus of the song features this phrase prominently, as well as the response, "Yes we can!" Vocals on the song are provided by Neil Morrissey, who voiced Bob at the time of the track's recording. It was released as a single on 4 December 2000 in the United Kingdom.

Handy Manny is an animated preschool children's television series that premiered on September 16, 2006, originally as part of Disney Channel's Playhouse Disney block, and aired until February 14, 2013. Created by Roger Bollen and Marilyn Sadler and developed for TV by Rick Gitelson, its animation was produced by Canada-based animation studio Nelvana. It features the voices of Wilmer Valderrama, Dee Bradley Baker, Tom Kenny, Fred Stoller, Nika Futterman, Kath Soucie, Carlos Alazraqui, Grey DeLisle, and Nancy Truman. The theme song is performed by Los Lobos.

Keith Vincent Chapman is a British television writer and producer, best known as the creator of children's television programmes Bob the Builder, Mighty Express, Fifi and the Flowertots and Paw Patrol.

Douglas Wood is an American author, writer, actor, creative executive, director, producer and professor. He has been a VP of Animation Development and Production for Steven Spielberg at Amblin Entertainment, Turner Pictures, Warner Bros. and Universal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HOT Animation</span> British animation studio

HOT Animation was a British stop-motion animation studio owned by HIT Entertainment that specialised in stop motion animation. The studio was first incorporated in September 1997, and was officially established on 1 April 1998 by Jackie Cockle, Brian Little, and Joe Dembinski.

<i>Fireman Sam</i> British animated childrens television series

Fireman Sam is a British animated children's television series about a fireman named Sam, his fellow firefighters, and other residents in the fictional Welsh rural village of Pontypandy. It was broadcast for the first time in November 1987 on Welsh TV channel S4C and is shown in more than 155 countries across the world.

<i>Timmy Time</i> British stop-motion preschool television programme

Timmy Time is a British stop motion animated television programme for preschoolers created and produced by Bob the Builder producer Jackie Cockle for the BBC's CBeebies and produced by Aardman Animations. It started broadcasting in the United Kingdom on 6 April 2009. It is a spin-off of Shaun the Sheep, itself a spin-off of the Wallace & Gromit film A Close Shave (1995).

Powerhouse Animation Studios, Inc. is an American animation studio based in Austin, Texas. It was founded in April 2001 with a subsidiary called Powerhouse Animation LLC, established in the summer of 2014. The company develops and produces traditional 2D animation, motion comics, motion graphics, art assets, digital paint, illustration for television series, motion pictures, video game cinemas, commercials, advertising campaigns, educational properties, and entertainment companies.

Monster High is an American multimedia-supported fashion doll franchise created by toy designer Garrett Sander and launched by Mattel in 2010. Aimed at children ages 7–14, the franchise features characters inspired by monster movies, sci-fi horror, thriller fiction, folklore, myths and popular culture, centering around the adventures of the teenage children of monsters and other mythical creatures attending a high school of the same name.

<i>Thomas & Friends</i> (franchise) Media franchise started in 1984

Thomas & Friends is a children's media franchise created by Britt Allcroft and currently owned by Mattel. The franchise revolves around an ensemble cast of anthropomorphic steam locomotives and other vehicles, including the main protagonist Thomas the Tank Engine, who work on the Island of Sodor.

<i>Pingu in the City</i> Japanese television series

Pingu in the City is an animated children's television series produced by Mattel Creations, NHK, NHK Enterprises, and Polygon Pictures. It is a spin-off/continuation based on the stop-motion television series Pingu by HIT Entertainment. The series first aired on NHK Educational TV in Japan from October 7, 2017 to March 30, 2019.

<i>Bob the Builder</i> (2015 TV series) 2015 CGI animated childrens television series

Bob the Builder is a British animated children's television series and a reboot of the 1999 animated television series of the same name. It was produced by HIT Entertainment with animation production by Mainframe Studios. Its third and final season was instead produced by Mattel Creations while DHX Media's Halifax studio handled animation production.

References

  1. Official Charts Company (4 November 2012). The Million Sellers. Omnibus Press. ISBN   978-0-85712-882-9.
  2. Paul Wells; Joanna Quinn; Les Mills (2008), Drawing for Animation, AVA Publishing, p. 117, ISBN   9782940373703
  3. "Bob the Builder fixed for Japan". Entertainment. BBC News. 20 April 2000.
  4. Freed, Brianna (2010). Can We Fix It?: Bob the Builder as a Discrusive Resource for Children (PDF) (Master of Arts thesis). Colorado State University.
  5. Telegraph View (15 October 2014). "Bob the Builder's been rebuilt". The Daily Telegraph . London.
  6. John McCarthy (13 October 2014), Bob the Builder: Can Mattel rebuild him? Twitter doesn't think so, The Drum
  7. John Plunkett (13 October 2014), "Bob the Builder reboot on shaky ground", The Guardian
  8. "Win Bob the Builder prizes". Wales on Sunday. Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales. 25 April 1999. p. 31.
  9. "Lopez to co-produce Bob The Builder film". Aberdeen Evening Express: 10. 27 January 2024. ProQuest   2918676255.
  10. Rubin, Rebecca (25 January 2024). "Jennifer Lopez to Produce 'Bob the Builder' Animated Movie at Mattel, Starring Anthony Ramos". Variety Magazine .
  11. Moore, David (20 December 2001), "William of Sen to Bob the Builder: non-cognate cultural perceptions of constructors", Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 8 (3): 177–184, doi:10.1108/eb021180

Further reading