Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 11, 2005 13:33:41 GMT 12
When I was young I loved the British seris 'Worzel Gummidge', starring the wonderful Jon Pertwee as the scarecrow himself.
So, I was thrilled when it was announced in the New Zealand press that the series was transferring to New Zealand. They were making a new series called "Worzel Gummidge Down Under" according to the newspapers and The Listener, etc.
But then, nothing.
Oh, the series was made all right, in fact two series were. But it has never screened on New Zealand Television as far as I am aware, certainly not when I was a kid or teen.
Anyway, thanks to a kind friend in the UK I now have the first series on tape, ten episodes. For those who were left wondering, like I was, here is a bit about the series.
Worzel Gummidge was a big success for the ITV franchise Southern Television. But in 1981 ITV had a big change around and Southern TV was dissolved. Moves were then made to move the series to another production house, and new scripts were written by the show's normal writers, Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall which would see the show move to Ireland.
At the last minute this fell through. Then it was picked up by another production company and the new setting became New Zealand. So the Irish scripts were adapted to suit, and worked very well considering.
Basically the story is Aunt Sally (Una Stubbs) is sold to an NZ museum (the Piwakawaka Museum) and when she's flown off in a 747, Worzel stows away and goes too.
Once there he has the usual sorts of escapades, and he also brushes with the New Zealand Crowman (originally Geoffrey Bayldon was going to reprise his role but had to pull out last minute, so Bruce Phillips stood in as his Kiwi countrpart, and very successfully.
There is a darker element to this series when Worzel crosses paths with an evil mysterious Travelling Scarecrow Maker, played by the awesome Wi Kuki Kaa (of Utu fame, and the new film River Queen).
He also meets two child sidekicks just like his pommy friends. This time they're not brother and sister, just local village kids Mickey and Manu.
The series was filmed in the Wellington area but has an equally rural feel like the original.
A great quote when Worzel asks Aunt Sally what New Zealand's like, whilst they're in the cargo hold on their way there. She answers, "Quite a nice little town from all I've 'eard. Twice as better as Americi."
I have not seen series two but have heard it was not half as good. One of the writers who worked on this serires was Fran Walsh (of LOTR fame) and another in the credits for Special Effects is none other than Peter Jackson!
The whole lot is on DVD now so Kiwis can get hold of it if they want to.
Here is a cast list of the regulars in the series
Jon Pertwee .... Worzel Gummidge
Una Stubbs .... Aunt Sally
Bruce Phillips .... NZ Crowman
Olivia Ihimaera-Smiler .... Manu
Jonathan Marks .... Mickey
Wi Kuki Kaa .... Travelling Scarecrow Maker
Anne Chamberlain .... Deidre
So, I was thrilled when it was announced in the New Zealand press that the series was transferring to New Zealand. They were making a new series called "Worzel Gummidge Down Under" according to the newspapers and The Listener, etc.
But then, nothing.
Oh, the series was made all right, in fact two series were. But it has never screened on New Zealand Television as far as I am aware, certainly not when I was a kid or teen.
Anyway, thanks to a kind friend in the UK I now have the first series on tape, ten episodes. For those who were left wondering, like I was, here is a bit about the series.
Worzel Gummidge was a big success for the ITV franchise Southern Television. But in 1981 ITV had a big change around and Southern TV was dissolved. Moves were then made to move the series to another production house, and new scripts were written by the show's normal writers, Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall which would see the show move to Ireland.
At the last minute this fell through. Then it was picked up by another production company and the new setting became New Zealand. So the Irish scripts were adapted to suit, and worked very well considering.
Basically the story is Aunt Sally (Una Stubbs) is sold to an NZ museum (the Piwakawaka Museum) and when she's flown off in a 747, Worzel stows away and goes too.
Once there he has the usual sorts of escapades, and he also brushes with the New Zealand Crowman (originally Geoffrey Bayldon was going to reprise his role but had to pull out last minute, so Bruce Phillips stood in as his Kiwi countrpart, and very successfully.
There is a darker element to this series when Worzel crosses paths with an evil mysterious Travelling Scarecrow Maker, played by the awesome Wi Kuki Kaa (of Utu fame, and the new film River Queen).
He also meets two child sidekicks just like his pommy friends. This time they're not brother and sister, just local village kids Mickey and Manu.
The series was filmed in the Wellington area but has an equally rural feel like the original.
A great quote when Worzel asks Aunt Sally what New Zealand's like, whilst they're in the cargo hold on their way there. She answers, "Quite a nice little town from all I've 'eard. Twice as better as Americi."
I have not seen series two but have heard it was not half as good. One of the writers who worked on this serires was Fran Walsh (of LOTR fame) and another in the credits for Special Effects is none other than Peter Jackson!
The whole lot is on DVD now so Kiwis can get hold of it if they want to.
Here is a cast list of the regulars in the series
Jon Pertwee .... Worzel Gummidge
Una Stubbs .... Aunt Sally
Bruce Phillips .... NZ Crowman
Olivia Ihimaera-Smiler .... Manu
Jonathan Marks .... Mickey
Wi Kuki Kaa .... Travelling Scarecrow Maker
Anne Chamberlain .... Deidre