We have a long history in animation to live up to! Producer Jo Marsden (formerly Kemp) wrote the stories for Chorlton and the Wheelies and the Magic Torch, we produced 110 x ten minute episodes of The Raggy Dolls and we’ve made literally hundreds of animated commercials.
Our skill is in selecting the best Director and animation team for each individual production and bringing together all the backup personnel with the associated facilities.
We then add exceptional value in the form of savings on your budget and technical expertise from initial production and character design/modeling to station delivery.
Produced by Yorkshire Television for ITV - 110 x 10 minute animated programmes (4-8 year olds)
- Executive Producer/Director: John Marsden
- Produced by: Jo Kemp & Neil Molyneux.
- Created by: Melvyn Jacobson
- Written and narrated by: Neil Innes
- Music by: Neil Innes
- Featured episode 'Bored'
‘Raggy Dolls’ was the first programme ever to be commissioned by Yorkshire Television from an independent production company and still holds the record for being the longest running children’s series of the genre.
‘Raggy Dolls’ involves Mr. Grimes’ Toy Factory where, unless the doll is perfect, it is thrown into the Reject Bin. When no-one is looking, the dolls come to life and climb out of the Reject Bin and have literally hundreds of adventures.
There are seven principal Raggy Doll characters representing some kind of disability or fault; Back-to-Front who’s head is on the wrong way, Hi-Fi who got dropped and therefore stammers, Sad Sack who, due to his size, was not viable for manufacture, Claude (who’s French) was rejected because one too many were made, Princess who was accidentally dressed in rags as opposed to riches, Lucy who was sewn with faulty thread – so her limbs keep falling off – and finally Dotty who was perfect, except that she then got splashed with paint.
In addition there is Mr. Grimes himself, a host of secondary characters who came along as the years went by and finally Cynthia who married Mr. Grimes. Cynthia was modeled on Jo herself who married her Mr Grimes (John Marsden) after the series had finished.
Raggy Dolls was a delightful and innovative children’s programme designed to help children overcome their own handicaps and/or prejudices as well as teaching kindness, tolerance and humility towards others. Neil Innes (of Monty Python and Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band fame) played a pivotal role by writing great stories, injecting humour and pathos throughout, whilst John Marsden kept the whole thing on the road.
Charactor Model Sheets
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