Wizadora

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Wizadora
Wizadoratvseries.jpeg
Created by
Starring
ComposersHutt 'N' Thrust
Rod Anderson
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series7 (+ 1 Oxsted)
No. of episodes204 [1]
Production
ProducerJanie Grace
Running time10 (Oxford series)
15 (ITV, series 1)
9 (ITV, series 2-7)
Original release
Network ITV (CITV)
Release15 September (1991-09-15) 
3 November 1991 (1991-11-03)
Release5 January 1993 (1993-01-05) 
26 February 1998 (1998-02-26)

Wizadora is a children's television programme created by Don Arioli and Carolyne Cullum. It was originally broadcast on SWR in 1991 and it was used as an English-language learning tool for non-English speakers. In 1993, the series was picked up by ITV in the United Kingdom.

Contents

Development

The series' pilot starred Fawlty Towers writer and actress Connie Booth, who had been alerted to the character by John Cleese who had taken an interest in the production. The pilot was never broadcast.

The concept was then developed into a language teaching tool for children to learn English as a second language, published by Oxford University Press in 1991. Books, audio, and media were produced alongside the series. The title role of Wizadora was played by Connie Booth in the unaired pilot, before Maria Gough took on the role for Oxford University Press. Cathy Lawday was the writer and editor of the books and media produced for Oxford.

In 1992, Meridian Broadcasting picked up the series for broadcast on television. Considerable changes were made for this series, including the introduction of Wendy van der Plank as Wizadora, who remained as the character from 1993 to 1996. Lizzie McPhee took over the role in 1997 until the series' end. Tatty, who was originally played by a woman (Debbie Cumming), was now played by a man (Joe Greco 1993–94, Steven Ryde 1994–98) and Phoebe, who was originally played by actor Emma Amos, was re-introduced as a "life-sized" model. Many characters were introduced and the original characters were given a makeover. Connie Booth was brought back in to write episodes for the series, among others.

Characters

Wizadora's companions

Other cast and credits

Puppeteers Philip Eason, Francis Wright, Michael Bayliss, Sue Dacre, Jeremy Stockwell, Barnaby Harrison, Don Austen, Brian Herring, Neil Sterenberg, Rebecca Nagan, Debby Cumming, Marie Phillips, Sheila Clark and Victoria Willing worked on the series.

The ITV series was made for Meridian Broadcasting by production companies Workhouse and North Pole Productions at The Fountain Studios in New Malden and directed by David Crozier. Fifteen episodes of Series 3 were directed by Wendy J. Dyer. The theme music was composed by Dave Hutton who was also the Senior Cameraman on the first four series of the show. The theme tune for the ITV series was recorded at Gordon Thrussell's studios at Ashford in Kent and the credits show music by 'Hutt and Thrust'. This was because the director, David Crozier, did not want the same name for two different credits on the programme (i.e.: Snr Cameraman and Music). The other cameramen were Roger Backhouse, and Angus Macmillan and sometimes Steve Leach. The vision mixer was Julie Miller.

Transmission guide

SeriesEpisodesOriginally released
First releasedLast released
Oxford 815 September 1991 (1991-09-15)3 November 1991 (1991-11-03)
1 185 January 1993 (1993-01-05)4 May 1993 (1993-05-04)
2 306 September 1993 (1993-09-06)6 July 1994 (1994-07-06)
3 307 September 1994 (1994-09-07)15 December 1994 (1994-12-15)
4 325 September 1995 (1995-09-05)21 December 1995 (1995-12-21)
5 303 September 1996 (1996-09-03)26 December 1996 (1996-12-26)
6 282 September 1997 (1997-09-02)23 October 1997 (1997-10-23)
7 2928 October 1997 (1997-10-28)26 February 1998 (1998-02-26)

Oxford Series (1991)

  1. Phoebe Calling – 15 September 1991
  2. A Red Banana – 22 September 1991
  3. Happy Birthday – 29 September 1991
  4. The Magic Cloak – 6 October 1991
  5. Can You Fly? – 13 October 1991
  6. Where Is Katie? – 20 October 1991
  7. The Picnic – 27 October 1991
  8. Hangle Is Lost – 3 November 1991

Series 1 (1993)

  1. The Magic Parcel – 5 January 1993
  2. Time for Tidying – 12 January 1993
  3. Hello Filbert – 19 January 1993
  4. A Colourful Day – 26 January 1993
  5. Lovely Weather – 2 February 1993
  6. Picnic Problems – 9 February 1993
  7. Mops & Bicycles – 16 February 1993
  8. Hangle in Charge – 23 February 1993
  9. A Very Special Day – 2 March 1993
  10. Wellingtons & Snails – 9 March 1993
  11. The Purple Powder – 16 March 1993
  12. Tea Time Troubles – 23 March 1993
  13. The Octocleaner – 30 March 1993
  14. Wand & Superwand – 6 April 1993
  15. Eggs & Bicycles – 13 April 1993
  16. Tricky Things Umbrellas – 20 April 1993
  17. Autumn Laughter – 27 April 1993
  18. Firework Party – 4 May 1993

Series 2 (1993–1994)

  1. Poot Saves the Day – 6 September 1993
  2. A Change for Filbert – 13 September 1993
  3. A Good Day for Sun – 20 September 1993
  4. Just Your Imagination – 22 September 1993
  5. The Thingummy Jig – 27 September 1993
  6. Where Was I? – 29 September 1993
  7. I Smell a Smell – 4 October 1993
  8. The Squeaking Door – 6 October 1993
  9. Magical Music – 11 October 1993
  10. To Have and to Have More – 13 October 1993
  11. Rhyme Time – 18 October 1993
  12. I Spy – 20 October 1993
  13. Cheers and Tears – 25 October 1993
  14. Round and Round the Garden – 27 October 1993
  15. Eat Well, Stay Well – 1 November 1993
  16. Look Before You Leap – 3 November 1993
  17. Easy as One Two Three – 8 November 1993
  18. Strangers Among Us – 10 November 1993
  19. Five Carrot Pie – 15 November 1993
  20. Something Old, Something New – 17 November 1993
  21. Be Careful, Wizadora! – 22 November 1993
  22. Soft, Strong, Brittle and Weak – 24 November 1993
  23. Coughs and Sneezes – 29 November 1993
  24. No More Please – 1 December 1993
  25. Who Needs Elbows – 6 December 1993
  26. Mine All Mine – 8 December 1993
  27. A Use for Everything – 13 December 1993
  28. Peace and Quiet – 29 June 1994
  29. A Matter of Size – 30 June 1994
  30. Good Friends – 6 July 1994

Series 3 (1994)

  1. A Message from Max – 7 September 1994
  2. Pips and Plants – 8 September 1994
  3. Sneezeberries – 14 September 1994
  4. Too Big, Too Small – 15 September 1994
  5. Bubble Trouble – 21 September 1994
  6. A Sing-Song for Stan – 22 September 1994
  7. Sixes and Nines – 28 September 1994
  8. All Together Now! – 29 September 1994
  9. I Smell a Lie – 5 October 1994
  10. Pippa's Surprise – 6 October 1994
  11. Cheer Up, Filbert! – 12 October 1994
  12. Let's Dance! – 13 October 1994
  13. The Shopping List – 19 October 1994
  14. Tatty's Tablecloth – 20 October 1994
  15. The Tantrum Spell – 26 October 1994
  16. The Great Flood – 27 October 1994
  17. Buttons and Holes – 2 November 1994
  18. The Litter Spell – 3 November 1994
  19. Fun with Books – 9 November 1994
  20. No Time for Tea Time – 10 November 1994
  21. Hard, Soft, Smooth and Rough – 16 November 1994
  22. The Grabber – 17 November 1994
  23. Pedal Power – 23 November 1994
  24. The Mud Monster – 24 November 1994
  25. Wool Trouble – 30 November 1994
  26. Pots and Spells – 1 December 1994
  27. That's What Friends Are For – 7 December 1994
  28. A Stuck Sticky – 8 December 1994
  29. Use Your Imagination – 14 December 1994
  30. Beginnings and Endings – 15 December 1994

Series 4 (1995)

  1. Who's Afraid of the Dark? – 30 August 1995
  2. Sounds Brilliant – 31 August 1995
  3. Big Uns and Little Uns – 5 September 1995
  4. Mirror, Mirror – 7 September 1995
  5. Filbert's New House – 12 September 1995
  6. Making Pippa Strong – 14 September 1995
  7. Shadow Monsters – 19 September 1995
  8. Sharing Magic – 21 September 1995
  9. Too Full – 26 September 1995
  10. Stan's the Man – 28 September 1995
  11. Good Winners and Bad Losers – 3 October 1995
  12. Follow the Track – 5 October 1995
  13. Snow in July – 10 October 1995
  14. Shape Up – 12 October 1995
  15. Here's One We Made Earlier – 17 October 1995
  16. Bless You – 19 October 1995
  17. It's a Good Job – 24 October 1995
  18. Communication Breakdown – 26 October 1995
  19. Hangle Takes a Trip – 31 October 1995
  20. Glad Rags – 2 November 1995
  21. Top of the List – 7 November 1995
  22. Sticky Moments – 9 November 1995
  23. Fish Alive – 14 November 1995
  24. First Things First – 16 November 1995
  25. Watch Out Below – 21 November 1995
  26. I Spy With My Little Eye – 23 November 1995
  27. Making and Breaking – 28 November 1995
  28. Beside the Seaside – 30 November 1995
  29. Inside Out – 5 December 1995
  30. You Can Count on Poot – 7 December 1995
  31. Tatty's New Boots – 12 December 1995
  32. Boots, Beads and Beards – 14 December 1995

Series 5 (1996)

  1. Tatty Town – 5 September 1996
  2. Wizadora Plays Football – 10 September 1996
  3. Drawer People Behaving Badly – 12 September 1996
  4. Aunt Dora's Parcel – 17 September 1996
  5. Bottom Gets Lost – 19 September 1996
  6. There's No Place Like Home – 24 September 1996
  7. The Music Spell – 26 September 1996
  8. Something Fishy – 1 October 1996
  9. Take Care – 3 October 1996
  10. Wizadora's Bad Dream – 8 October 1996
  11. Sentimental Journey – 10 October 1996
  12. I'm in Charge – 15 October 1996
  13. What's Yours Is Mine – 17 October 1996
  14. What About Me – 22 October 1996
  15. Hurry Up – 24 October 1996
  16. Jungle Fever – 29 October 1996
  17. Roxy's Web – 31 November 1996
  18. What Did You Say – 5 November 1996
  19. Old Habits Die Hard – 7 November 1996
  20. A Moving Story – 12 November 1996
  21. Safety Last – 14 November 1996
  22. Stan's Difficult Day – 19 November 1996
  23. Bending the Rules – 21 November 1996
  24. The Crows – 26 November 1996
  25. A Rainy Day – 28 November 1996
  26. Hangle's Big Day – 5 December 1996
  27. Knit Twit – 10 December 1996
  28. You Are What You Are – 12 December 1996
  29. The Jealous Queen – 17 December 1996
  30. Goodbye, Wizadora – 19 December 1996

Series 6 (1997)

  1. The Paper Chase – 7 January 1997
  2. Crow Overboard – 9 January 1997
  3. If We Could Be Giants – 14 January 1997
  4. The Strange Parcel – 16 January 1997
  5. Anyone for Doubles – 21 January 1997
  6. Cheese Tasting Tuesday – 23 January 1997
  7. Sticking Together – 28 January 1997
  8. The Wish Spell – 30 January 1997
  9. A Night Out – 4 February 1997
  10. The Birthday Surprise – 6 February 1997
  11. The Upside Down Spell – 11 February 1997
  12. The Wrong Cloak – 13 February 1997
  13. No Doughnut for Breakfast – 2 September 1997
  14. The Useful Spell – 4 September 1997
  15. The Mystery Box – 9 September 1997
  16. Rhyme Time – 11 September 1997
  17. The Helpful Spell – 16 September 1997
  18. Dream On – 18 September 1997
  19. A Promise Is a Promise – 23 September 1997
  20. Collecting Crows – 25 September 1997
  21. Welcome Back, Tatty – 30 September 1997
  22. Friends – 2 October 1997
  23. The Old Switcheroo – 7 October 1997
  24. The Strange Spell – 9 October 1997
  25. The Mischievous Spell – 14 October 1997
  26. Tottie Bagel – 16 October 1997
  27. Try It Again Wizadora – 21 October 1997
  28. Temper Temper – 23 October 1997
  29. GGG-Ghosts 28 - October 1997
  30. Arty Party 30 - October 1997
  31. Tiny Troubles - 4 November 1997
  32. We Should Be So Lucky - 6 November 1997

Series 7 (1997–1998)

  1. The Magic Carpet - 11 November 1997
  2. Wizadora's Bad Day - 13 November 1997
  3. No More Miss Mice Wiz – 18 November 1997
  4. Wiz Gives Up – 20 November 1997
  5. Plant Power – 25 November 1997
  6. The Talent Contest – 27 November 1997
  7. A Quick Snack – 2 December 1997
  8. Good Manners – 4 December 1997
  9. Sing Sing Sing – 11 December 1997
  10. Wizadora's Christmas Carol Part 1 – 16 December 1997
  11. Wizadora's Christmas Carol Part 2 – 18 December 1997
  12. The Frightful Creature – 6 January 1998
  13. High Fliers – 8 January 1998
  14. Crow Tamer - 13 January 1998
  15. No Laughing Matter - 15 January 1998
  16. Paper Plastic And Tins - 20 January 1998
  17. The Cave Of Dark - 22 January 1998
  18. If I Only Had A Heart - 27 January 1998
  19. Big Business 29 January 1998
  20. A Barrel Of Trouble - 3 February 1998
  21. A Dragon For Tea - 5 February 1998
  22. Pippa's Bad Hair Day - 10 February 1998
  23. Wizadora Disappears - 12 February 1998
  24. Tatty's Birthday Surprise – 17 February 1998
  25. Double Trouble – 19 February 1998
  26. A Right Pain - 1 September 1998
  27. No Place Like Home - 2 September 1998
  28. One Is Fun - 3 September 1998
  29. Future Shop - 4 September 1998
  30. Good Food Bad Food - 7 September 1998
  31. Exciting Times - 8 September 1998
  32. Who Is Important - 9 September 1998

Reception

One episode of Wizadora starring Lizzie Mcphee was broadcast on CITV on 5 January 2013 (the show's 20th anniversary) as part of a CITV anniversary special. The channel received its highest viewing figures to date: Wizadora attracted 460,000 followed by Danger Mouse , which attracted 578,000 viewers during the "old skool" weekend run. [3] This was the first time the show had been broadcast in the UK since repeats were shown on Living TV in the early 2000s. As of June 2020, episodes from Series One are now showing on BritBox in the UK.

Home video and DVD

The earliest version of the show has been released on DVD (Oxford University Press). However, this is not the ITV version and is instead, an educational package.

Video Collection International

Some VHS cassettes of the show were released in the mid-1990s by Video Collection International Ltd., featuring episodes from Series One to Three.

Cover of one of the Wizadora video releases, showing Tatty Bogle (Steven Ryde) and Wizadora (Wendy van der Plank). Wizadora.jpg
Cover of one of the Wizadora video releases, showing Tatty Bogle (Steven Ryde) and Wizadora (Wendy van der Plank).
  1. Wizadora – The Magic Parcel (14 June 1993) – The Magic Parcel, Time For Tidying, and Hello Filbert.
  2. Wizadora – A Colourful Day (26 July 1993) – A Colourful Day, Lovely Weather and Picnic Problems.
  3. Wizadora – Mops and Bicycles (16 August 1993) – Mops and Bicycles, Hangle In Charge and A Very Special Day.
  4. Wizadora – Wellingtons and Snails (1 August 1994) – Wellingtons and Snails, The Purple Powder and Tea Time Troubles.
  5. My Little Wizadora – The Magic Parcel/Time For Tidying (1 April 1996)
  6. My Little Wizadora – Hello Filbert/A Colourful Day (1 July 1996)
  7. My Little Wizadora – Lovely Weather / Picnic Problems (7 October 1996)
  8. My Little Wizadora – Mops and Bicycles/Hangle In Charge (4 November 1996)

Astrion Video

  1. Wizadora – A Message from Max (3 April 1995) A Message From Max and five other stories
  2. Wizadora – Sneezeberries (3 April 1995) Sneezeberries and five other stories
  3. Wizadora – Too Big, Too Small (18 August 1995) Too Big, Too Small and five other stories
  4. ’’Wizadora – Sixes And Nines’’ (18 August 1995) Sixes and Nines and five other stories
  5. ’’Wizadora – Bubble Trouble’’ (18 August 1995) Bubble Trouble and five other stories

UK VHS releases

VHS TitleRelease DateEpisodes
Wizadora – The Magic Parcel (VC1297)14 June 1993The Magic Parcel, Time For Tidying, Hello Filbert
Wizadora – A Colourful Day (VC1304)26 July 1993A Colourful Day, Lovely Weather, Picnic Problems
Wizadora – Mops and Bicycles (VC1308)16 August 1993Mops and Bicycles, Hangle In Charge, A Very Special Day
Wizadora – Wellingtons and Snails (VC1328)1 August 1994Wellingtons and Snails, The Purple Powder, Tea Time Troubles
My Little Wizadora – The Magic Parcel/Time For Tidying (ML0019)1 April 1996The Magic Parcel, Time For Tidying
My Little Wizadora – Lovely Weather/Picnic Problems (ML0020)1 July 1996Lovely Weather, Picnic Problems
My Little Wizadora – Mops and Bicycles/Hangle In Charge (ML0021)1 July 1996Mops and Bicycles, Hangle In Charge
My Little Wizadora – Hello Filbert/A Colourful Day (ML0031)7 October 1996Hello Filbert, A Colourful Day

DVD releases

  • "Wizadora – Oxford DVD"
  • "Wizadora – A message From Max And Other Stories"
  • Wizadora – Series One, Volume One.

Revamp

In 2003, Entertainment Rights produced a nine-minute pilot for a proposed reboot of the series for Channel 5's Milkshake! children's programming strand with Anne Foy as Wizadora. Although a new version of the original theme tune was used and the overall look of the set generally in keeping with the earlier version, the characters were given varying makeovers, with none of the original models being used, and several new minor characters introduced. CGI and Chroma key effects featured heavily. The proposed new series was not picked up, reportedly due to it being considered too costly.

Although there are no plans for the ITV series to return, the Oxford series is still in production with episodes being repeated on SWR Television. The original Oxford series is still used today as a teaching tool for children to learn English as second language. The DVD, book, and audio tapes are still available to buy online, along with a PC CD-ROM. A free app was produced in 2016. A website was set up in 2015, though it is now defunct as of 2018.[ citation needed ] In 2016, the German SWR Television Educational Programmes set up a website featuring the series to foster use of Wizadora films and educational games in elementary schools in Germany. Free educational games based on the series have been developed since 2016 (apps for Android, iOS, and web-based for desktop computers) and are available on www.wizadora.de.

References

  1. "Wizadora – Nostalgia Central". 23 June 2014.
  2. "Actor Gallery | Joe Greco".
  3. "Sooty, Fun House return for TV birthday". Digital Spy . 19 December 2012.