BBC Children's Christmas Cracker

**BBC Children's Christmas Cracker** is a UK VHS release by BBC Enterprises Ltd on 7th November 1994, and then it got re-released again by BBC Worldwide Ltd with a re-packaged video cover on 6th November 1995. It features 6 fun-packed adventures with Noddy, Pingu, Barney, The Little Polar Bear and Fireman Sam all together on one children's Christmas-themed compilation video.

## Description

6 adventures of special snowy fun with Noddy, Pingu, Barney, The Little Polar Bear and Fireman Sam.

## Episodes Information

1. **Noddy and Father Christmas**Father Christmas is coming to Toyland and he's invited all the toys to a special Christmas party in the market square. Trouble is, those horrid goblins are threatening to spoil everything...
2. **Pingu: Skiing**
*(Previously available on Pingu: Barrel of Fun - BBCV 4653)*
Pingu's learning to ski. The only problems is, when your skis are made from an old barrel, anything can happen...
3. **Barney's Christmas Surprise**
It's Christmas Eve at Barney's house and there's tea and mince pies for everyone. There's even a special surprise in store for his gloomy friend Mr Prophet...
4. **Pingu: Sledging**
*(Previously available on "Pingu 3: Hide and Seek" - BBCV 4868)*
Pingu's sledge is just too slow, until one of his friends suggest that he polishes the blades...
5. **The Little Polar Bear: Snowstorm**
*(Also available on The Little Polar Bear: The Ice Floe - BBCV 5386)*
It has started to snow heavily on the North Pole and little Lars, the Polar Bear, has wandered away from his Mummy and Daddy. How will he find his way home?
6. **Fireman Sam: Snow Business**
*(Previously available on Fireman Sam 4: Snow Business - BBCV 4268)*
It's a snowy Christmas Eve in Pontypandy and James and Sarah are busy sledging - until they find themselves stranded on some cracking ice...

## Credits

Here are the credits to the programmes on this Christmas compilation video of which the credits to the two Pingu episodes on this video are credited on the back of the cover, but don't get shown on screen.

#### **Noddy's Toyland Adventures**

##### ***("Noddy and Father Christmas")***

* Based on the stories by Enid Blyton.
* Story written by Julia and Chris Allen.
* Voices by Susan Sheridan and Jimmy Hibbert.
* Music Composed and Performed by Paul K. Joyce.
* Animated by Sue Pugh, Paul Couvela, Stuart Sutcliffe and Loyd Price.
* Puppet Makers: Peter Saunders, Noel Baker, Stuart Sutcliffe, Bridget Smith,
Ian MacKinnon, Colin Batty, Marcia Pigeon and Peter Bentley.
* Sets and Props by Jeff Spain, Rick Kent, Chris Keogh
Richard Sykes, Paul Simpson and Pippa Greenwood.
* Costumes Made by Clare Elliott and Geraldine Corrigan.
* Art Director: Bridget Appleby.
* Assistant Designer: Graham Maiden.
* Model Camera and Lighting by Joe Dembinski.
* Assistant Camerman: Alistair Davidson.
* Edited by Zyggy Markiewicz and Jane Hicks.
* Dubbing Editor: Zyggy Markiewicz.
* Dubbing Mixer: John Wood.
* Directed by Brian Little.
* Executive Producers: Theresa Plummer-Andrews, Brian Cosgrove and Mark Hall.
* Produced by Jackie Cockle.
* Produced for BBC Children's International by Cosgrove Hall Films Limited.
* Based on the 'NODDY' books by Enid Blyton
* Noddy: © BBC Enterprises 1994.
* Based on the Noddy books: © Darrell Waters 1949-1968.
* Noddy is a registered trademark of Darrell Waters Ltd.

#### ***Pingu***

##### ***("Skiing" and "Sledging")***

* Director and Animator: Trickfilmstudio Otmar Gutmann. Copyrights: SRG/ZDF/TELEPOOL © EDITOY 1991.

#### **Barney**

##### ***("Barney's Christmas Surprise")***

* From an original idea by Shirley-Ann Lewis.
* Characters created by Lisa Kopper.
* Written by Peter Bonnici.
* Directed by Reg Lodge.
* Produced by John Coates.
* With the voices of Tim Brooke-Taylor, Harry Enfield, Jan Ravens and Enn Reitel.
* Music written and arranged by Colin Frechter.
* Music produced by Martin Wyatt.
* Storyboard by Reg Lodge and Loraine Marshall.
* Backgrounds by Loraine Marshall and Milly McMillan.
* Production Co-ordinator: Ian McCue.
* Animation by Stephen Weston, Roger Mainwood, Richard Villenue,
Joanne Harrison, Joan Freestone, Arthur Butten and Reg Lodge.
* Assistant Animation by Isabel Radage, Ian McCarr,
Shelley Macintosh, Margaret Allen, Elaine Koo and Debbie Lilly.
* Color by Technicolor.
* Recorded and dubbed at John Wood Studios.
* Edited by Taylor Grant.
* Assistant Editor: Mark Edwards.
* Colourists: Maggie Butten, Jamie Lynch, Dee Lodge, Chrissy Coates and Ivon Goodrun.
* Xeroxing at Brain Stevens Animation Ltd.
* Camerman: Roger Chandler.
* Executive Producer: David Hamilton.
* Associate Producer: Claire Derry.
* Production by TVC London for Barney Entertainments Ltd. © 1988.

#### **The Little Polar Bear**

##### ***("The Snow Storm")***

* Based on the 'Little Polar Bear' by Hans De Beer.
* Designed by Hans De Beer and Theo Kerp.
* Script by Birgit Quastenberg, Josef Schnelle and Hans De Beer.
* Animated by Sinan Güngör.
* Music by Manfred Schoof.
* Voices by Sue Sheridan and Jimmy Hibbert.
* Executive Producer: Siegmund Grewenig.
* Directed by Theo Kerp.
* Sound by Robert Ash for Kick Production.
* English version produced for BBC Television.
* Executive Producer for the BBC: Theresa Plummer-Andrews.
* A Rothkirch/Kringel Cartoon-Film production in commission for WDR.
A Co-production with SWF, SRG. © 1994.

#### **Fireman Sam**

##### ***("Snow Business")***

* Told by John Alderton.
* Characters and Storylines created by Rob Lee.
* Original Idea by Dave Gingell and Dave Jones.
* Assisted by Mike Young.
* Script by Nia Ceidiog.
* Sets by Beverley Knowlden and Linda Thodesen
* Vehicles by Brian Anderson.
* Puppets by Ian Frampton and Alison Johnston.
* Engineering Consultant: Mel Grigg.
* Assistant Animator: Brian Anderson.
* Edited by William Oswald and Jane Murrell.
* Sound by John Cross and Steve Stockford.
* Music by Ben Heneghan and Ian Lawson.
* Lyrics by Robin Lyons.
* Sung by Maldwyn Pope.
* Produced and Directed by Ian Frampton and John Walker.
* Production by Bumper Films Ltd for S4C and
Prism Art and Design Limited with thanks to the Fire Service.
* Fireman Sam: © 1985 Prism Art and Design Ltd.
* Film: © 1988 S4C - Channel 4 Wales.
* Distributed under license from S4C.

## Release Dates

* Noddy and Father Christmas (4th July 1994)
* Barney's Christmas Surprise (3rd October 1988)
* Fireman Sam: Snow Business (18th November 1988)

## Trivia

* This video contains a special half an hour episode of Noddy's Toyland Adventures that was made by Cosgrove Hall before it made it's television debut on BBC1 on Christmas Day 1994.
* This video contains an exclusive episode of Barney which's the first episode of the series and it's the only episode of the series to have never been released on video before!

## Opening

1. BBC Video Tracking Control Warning (1991-1997)
2. BBC Video Copyright Warning (1991-1997) (1991-1995 Version)
3. BBC Video 1991-1997 Ident (Opening Version)
4. BBC Children’s Christmas Cracker Title Card
5. Noddy's Toyland Adventures Opening Titles
6. Start of Noddy and Father Christmas (1994)

## Closing

1. End of Fireman Sam: Snow Business (1988)
2. Fireman Sam Closing Credits (Snow Business Version)
3. Bumper Films Ident With 1988 Copyright Stamp
4. BBC Video 1991-1997 Ident (Closing Version with 1994 Copyright Stamp)
5. BBC Video Copyright Warning (1991-1997) (1991-1995 Version)