Grasshopper Island

Premise

The series follows three brothers whose real names are never given; they are known only as Toughy, Smarty, and Mouse. Presumably orphaned, they have lived with various people but never found a home they liked. Boisterous and adventurous, they decide to run away to sea. After escaping, they hitch a ride with the Elderly Boy in his converted lifeboat and are abandoned on an apparently uninhabited island. There they meet the eccentric grasshopper expert Cornelius Button and his housekeeper Lupus. Together they defeat the villainous Doctor Hopper, who wants to seize the island. The brothers decide to stay permanently.

Characters

Smarty, the cleverest of three brothers, earned his nickname because he always had answers to any question. Played by Max Whitby, he often comes up with complicated plans, but the others usually go with simpler ones instead. Toughy, played by Timothy Whitby, got his name because he wanted to be a soldier. He reads a lot and is very creative, skilled at painting and drawing. Mouse, played by Nicholas Whitby, was called that because he liked cheese. He has a passion for hats and often wears more than one in each episode.

Cornelius Button, played by Julian Orchard, is an odd grasshopper expert who has lived on Grasshopper Island for many years. He spends all his time studying grasshoppers and trying to avoid being bossed around by Lupus. Long ago, he found a rare grasshopper that was named Button's Blue after him. As a reward, he was given Grasshopper Island. When the villainous Dr Hopper tries to get him kicked off the island, Button must find another Button's Blue to keep his home. Button also has a sister named Amelia, who runs a girls' school and occasionally visits. He hates these visits and will do anything to stop them, even pretending to be a cannibal.

Lupus, played by Patricia Hayes, is Button's tough housekeeper who has lived with him for twenty years. Though she works for him, Button is often scared into doing chores like taking out the rubbish. Still, her brisk manner hides a kind side, and she truly cares for Button and the boys. Dr Hopper, played by Frank Muir, is Button's longtime professional enemy. He comes up with a plan to have Button thrown off Grasshopper Island unless Button finds another Button's Blue, which Hopper does not believe exists. Hopper arrives on the island in the last episode driving a pedalo, but the boys quickly scare him away.

The Elderly Boy, played by Charles Hawtrey, owns a converted lifeboat that gives the boys a ride to the island. He has a pet dove named Cecil. He first wants to stay with the boys but soon leaves because the island is too hot and the ground too rough. The Voices of Authority are all played by Tim Brooke-Taylor.