Rainbow (TV series)
British preschool series featuring Zippy, George, and Bungle.
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Pamela Lonsdale created the British children's television programme Rainbow, which Thames Television produced from 16 October 1972 to 6 March 1992.[1]
Making and release
The pilot had no script, leading Peter Hawkins to rewrite gags that were difficult for a preschool audience.[2] Violet Philpott created Zippy, the know-all character with a zip for a mouth, for the show in 1972.[3] The theme song was co-written by Hugh Fraser, Hugh Portnow, Lady Hornsbrie, and Tim Thomas of the band Telltale.[4] Geoffrey Hayes fronted the show from 1974 to 1993.[5]
The reboot scrapped the presenter role and focused on Zippy, George, and Bungle running a toy shop.[6] Thames Television commissioned Pamela Lonsdale in 1972 to develop a preschool series.[2] Because Zippy's appearances required her to adopt an awkward position through a window, Violet Philpott sustained a back injury that ended her involvement after the first season.[3][7] On 10 January 1994, Tetra Films launched a reboot on Children's ITV.[6]
What the cited sources add
Geoffrey Hayes recalled the sketch included Zippy with a banana.[5] According to the Radio X account, the 1979 Christmas tape was part of Thames Television's bid to win the best Christmas tape of the year.[5]
References
- Wikipedia, "Rainbow (TV series)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Sheridan, "The A-Z of Classic Children's Television: From Alberto Frog to Zebedee", Reynolds & Hearn Ltd, 2004, p. 211–217 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Rainbow (TV series)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Rainbow Web - Programme History", Rainbow Web; Hawkins, "Voices-Voices-Voices!", Doctor Who Magazine, October 2014, p. 66; "Rainbow Web - Programme History", Rainbow Web; Hawkins, "Voices-Voices-Voices!", Doctor Who Magazine, October 2014, p. 66; "Rainbow Web - Roy Skelton interview", Rainbow Web (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- March, "Violet Philpott obituary", The Guardian, 6 January 2013. facts only, no text reused. theguardian.com
- Wikipedia, "Rainbow (TV series)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Good Lord, It’s Captain Hastings – My Interview With Hugh Fraser", Blog About The Box, 2017-02-02 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- "Was There a Banned "Rude" Episode of Rainbow?", Radio X, 1 October 2018. facts only, no text reused. radiox.co.uk
- Wikipedia, "Rainbow (TV series)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Rainbow Web - Ronnie Le Drew interview", Rainbow Web (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Rainbow (TV series)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: March, "Violet Philpott obituary", The Guardian, 6 January 2013 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Rainbow (TV series) (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Rainbow (TV series) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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