Sara and Hoppity
A puppet girl and her one-legged toy find adventures.
The series drew from four books she authored, with illustrations by Marion Wilson. Only the first episode and episode 47 are still known to exist; the rest of the series is lost.
Quick Facts
- Creator
- Roberta Leigh
- Director
- Arthur Provis; Bill Palmer (art)
- Voices
- Ysanne Churchman
- Ronnie Stevens
- Dera Cooper
- Composer
- Ronald Hanmer
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- Episodes
- 52 (51 missing)
- Runtime
- 13 mins (approx)
Facts from the source article.
Overview
Sara Brown lives with her parents above their Toy Hospital shop. In the first episode, an old man brings in a broken toy he found in a goblin ring to sell. The toy, called Hoppity, can sing and dance, but its dance is a falling-over dance because it has only one leg. Sara's parents want nothing to do with the toy, but Miss Julie, who lives in the attic and makes clothes for toys, gives Sara the money to buy Hoppity for six pence. Sara washes the dirty toy, her father finds it a new leg that is a little shorter than the other, Miss Julie gives it clothes, and Sara's mother gives Hoppity two shiny glass beads for eyes and cuts off a little of Sara's hair for the doll's head. When wound up, Hoppity dances and sings an annoying song that Sara somehow understands. Hoppity's naughty ideas often lead Sara into trouble; for example, in episode 32 she cuts all the flowers from an expensive hat belonging to her step aunt Matilda to put in a vase.
Production
Roberta Leigh produced the series, also handling the screenplay, music, and lyrics. Arthur Provis directed, Bill Palmer served as art director, and Peter Saunders edited. Jack Whitehead crafted the puppets, which Jane Tyson, Jane Phillips, and Michael Whitehead operated. Ronald Hanmer arranged the music. P. P. Productions of Teddington created the show for Leigh. Unlike many contemporary puppet programs, the strings were nearly invisible.
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