Pumpkin Patch (TV series)

Last updated
Pumpkin Patch
Pumpkin Patch TV series logo.jpg
Pumpkin Patch
Genre Children's television series
Written by Louise Smit
Presented byWilliam Abdul
Laurel McCulloch
Voices ofAdrian Galley
John Rothman
Anton Schmidt
Country of origin South Africa
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerKen Hardy
Original release
Network SABC
Release1987 (1987) 
1991 (1991)

Pumpkin Patch was an English language South African children's television series that combined live-action, sketch comedy, and puppetry that aired on SABC TV1 from 1987 to 1991. [1] [2] The series takes place in the fictional South African town of Pumpkin Patch and features Uncle Bill the town's mayor, presenter Laurel, Woofles the watchdog, and the vegetarian puppet cousins Freckles and Speckles. [2] [3] The cast included William Abdul as Uncil Bill, [3] Laurel McCulloch as Laurel, Adrian Galley as Woofles, John Rothman voiced Speckles and Anton Schmidt voiced Freckles. [4]

It was the first TV1 television show to feature a non-white presenter. [1] The show's featuring of a mixed race cast and vegetarian, possibly homosexual, characters during the socially conservative apartheid period in South African history was noted by South African comedian and commentator Martin Evans. [4]

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References

  1. 1 2 Bevan, C (2008). "TELEVISION COMES TO SOUTH AFRICA, Chapter 7" (PDF). University of Pretoria . p. 173.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. 1 2 Pumpkin Patch (Family), William Abdul, Adrian Galley, Laurel McCulloch, Louise Smit Productions, retrieved 2024-11-28{{citation}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. 1 2 Rensburg, Marzanne Janse van (2024-05-21). "Popular children's TV shows you may have forgotten". The South African. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  4. 1 2 Walker, Heather (2013-11-29). "The top 10 South African children's TV shows from days gone by". The South African. Retrieved 2024-11-28.