Li'l Elvis and the Truckstoppers
A musically gifted boy searches for his identity in outback Australia.
Li'l Elvis and the Truckstoppers is an animated musical children's television series produced as the Australian Children's Television Foundation's first long-form 26-episode animation. It was a joint venture under the Distinctly Australian Program introduced by Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating, with an $11.5 million budget and international co-production partners including France 2 and France Animation.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Musical; Animation
- Creator
- Peter Viska; Esben Storm
- Writer
- Ray Boseley
- Robert Greenberg
- John Armstrong
- Kevin Nemeth
- Pepe Trevor
- Cameron Clarke
- Director
- Peter Viska
- Jan Van Rijsselberge
- Robbert Smit
- Starring
- Stig Wemyss
- Kylie Belling
- Marg Downey
- Bill Ten Eyck
- Michael Veitch
- Lynda Gibson
- David Cotter
- Country
- Australia; France
- Language
- English
- Episodes
- 26
Facts from the source article.
Plot
The series follows a group of children and their adventures in outback Australia. The title character, Li'l Elvis, is a ten-year-old boy with a gift for music and a talent for trouble, who seeks to find out who he really is and become a normal kid again. The opening sequence shows him thrown from a gold Cadillac in a guitar case, hinting that he is the illegitimate child of Elvis Presley. He is raised by foster parents Grace and Len, truck-stop proprietors and fervent Elvis fans, who believe he is Presley's son. Li'l Elvis and his friends Lionel Dexter and Janet Rig form the band The Truckstoppers. Lionel is an Indigenous Australian boy who plays the didgeridoo, and Janet is an Asian Australian girl who plays drums standing up. Their recurring enemy is businessman W.C. Moore, who wants to manage them for commercial gain and turn Little Memphis into a tourist attraction, while also seeking deposits of the mineral Berkonium.
Characters
Li'l Elvis Jones is voiced by Stig Wemyss, with Wendy Stapleton providing his singing voice. Lionel Dexter is voiced by Kylie Belling, with Aboriginal actor Tom E. Lewis providing Lionel's didgeridoo playing and the voice of his grandfather Dex. Janet Rig is voiced by Marg Downey. W.C. Moore is voiced by Bill Ten Eyck, and his limousine driver Duncan is voiced by Michael Veitch. Grace Jones, the mother of the lead singer, is voiced by Lynda Gibson, and Len Jones, the father, is voiced by David Cotter. Other characters include Spike, a juvenile delinquent who picks on Li'l Elvis; Old Man Viska, an elderly European junkyard owner and retired firefighter and miner; and Old Man Izard, a miner whose ghost is said to haunt the closed mines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who created Li'l Elvis and the Truckstoppers?
Li'l Elvis and the Truckstoppers was created by Peter Viska and Esben Storm.
Which network aired Li'l Elvis and the Truckstoppers?
Li'l Elvis and the Truckstoppers aired on ABC Television.
When did Li'l Elvis and the Truckstoppers first air?
Li'l Elvis and the Truckstoppers first aired on 6 March 1997.
When did Li'l Elvis and the Truckstoppers end?
Li'l Elvis and the Truckstoppers last aired on 14 April 1998.
More in French Children's Animated Television Series
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