The Happy Birthday Video

**The Happy Birthday Video** was released by Tempo Pre-School on 23rd September 1996, 17th March 1997 and it got re-released on DVD by Universal on 11th August 2003.

## The Happy Birthday Video

### Release Date

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## Plot

Seven animated books that celebrate all the fun and excitement of having a birthday. The stories feature the vocal talents of Joss Ackland, Linda Bellingham, Bernard Cribbins, Alison Steadman and the master of all funny animal voices Johnny Morris.

## Episodes

* **Badger's Bring Something Party** by Hiawyn Oram and Susan Varley *(This is the only story that's not about birthdays.)*

When Badger throws a party, Squirrel brings fairycakes, Owl brings streamers, Rat brings funny hats, and Bat brings an accordion, but Mole brings only himself and feels badly until his friends reassure him.

* **It's My Birthday** by Helen Oxenbury

"It’s my birthday and I’m going to make a cake," a little boy tells his friends. Will they all help? Yes. The chicken gets some eggs; the bear gets some flour; the cat gets butter and milk; the pig gets a pinch of salt.... and they’ll all help to eat the cake too!

* **The Trouble with Jack** by Shirley Hughes

Jack and trouble seem to be inseparable so much so that older sister Nancy's birthday party is almost ruined before it even gets under way - almost but not quite.

* **How Many Days to my Birthday?**by Gus Clarke

Danny's seemingly endless wait for his birthday to come is made worse by knowing that Florence, the girl next door, has already had six birthdays, and even the cat has had more than that.

* **Elephant Pie** by Hilda Offen

Mrs Elephant is making a birthday pie for the sharp-toothed Snipper-Snappers. But as she bakes, baby JoJo disappears and poor mummy is so worried she makes custard with mustard by mistake. Those Snipper-Snappers are in for a few surprises - and mustard custard is only one of them!

* **Bear's Birthday** by Allan Ahlberg and Colin McNaughton

A bear has a noisy birthday party.

* **Surprise! Surprise!** by Michael Foreman

Little Panda is frightened of the dark, so he has a moonlight lamp on at night. But the only thing he can afford to get for Mum's birthday is one very small plant, and it needs light. He has to put it in the attic, as it's the one place Mum won't look, and it's not light up there at all. So Little Panda lets the plant have his special lamp: it needs it more than he does. He finds that soon he gets used to the dark, and doesn't find it frightening any more. And when it's time to show Mum her present, the little plant has grown into an extravaganza of foliage seething with exotic birds!

At the end of the video, all the characters from the books except Jack sing "Happy Birthday" to the viewers.

## Opening (Original 1996 release)

1. Tempo Video Warning Screen (1987-2002)
2. Tempo Pre-School Ident
3. Tempo Pre-School videos approved by the Pre-school Learning Alliance card
4. Party Time at the Fun Song Factory trailer [announced by Karl Woolley]
5. The Happy Birthday Video intro (Short Version)
6. Badger's Bring Something Party title card
7. Start of Bring Bring Something Party (1996)

## Closing (Original 1996 release)

1. End of Surprise Surprise (1996)
2. Happy Birthday To You Song/The Happy Birthday Video closing credits (Long Version)

## Opening (1997 Re-release)

1. Tempo Video Warning Screen (1987-2002)
2. Tempo Pre-School Ident
3. Tempo Pre-School videos approved by the Pre-school Learning Alliance card
4. Party Time at the Fun Song Factory trailer [announced by Karl Woolley]
5. Bedtime Stories trailer [announced by Karl Woolley]
6. The Happy Birthday Video intro (Short Version)
7. Badger's Bring Something Party title card
8. Start of Bring Bring Something Party (1996)

## Closing (1997 Re-release)

1. End of Surprise Surprise (1996)
2. Happy Birthday To You Song/The Happy Birthday Video closing credits (Long Version)

## Trailers and info

### Original 1996 release

1. The "Party Time at the Fun Song Factory" video commercial of 1996.

### 1997 re-release

1. The "Party Time at the Fun Song Factory" video commercial of 1996.
2. The "Bedtime Stories" video commercial of 1996.