Wizadora

Wizadora

Cover of one of the Wizadora video releases, showing Tatty Bogle and Wizadora
Created by Don Arioli
Carolyne Cullum
Starring Cathy Lawday (1991–92)
Wendy van der Plank (1993–96,98)
Lizzie McPhee
(1997)
Steven Ryde (1994–98)
Brian Murphy
Tessa Hatts
Joe Greco (1993–94)
No. of series 8
No. of episodes 204 (18x15mins, 186x9min.)
Production
Producer(s) Janie Grace
Running time 9 (15 minutes for first ITV Series)
Release
Original network SWR (1991) ITV Network (CITV) (1993-1998)
Original release 15 September 1991 - 10 November 1991 (Oxford series) 5 January 1993 – 29 January 1998 (CITV)

Wizadora is a children's television programme originally broadcast on SWR in 1991 and then ITV in the United Kingdom from 5 January 1993 to 29 January 1998. The series was created by Don Arioli and Carolyne Cullum.[1] The title character, Wizadora, is a trainee wizard who is always trying to solve problems using magic. The episodes all took place in or around Wizadora's cottage.

Originally wizadora was used as an English language tool for non English speakers. The title role of wizadora was initially played by Connie Booth for an un aired pilot before Cathy Lawday was commissioned for the series. Wendy van der Plank then took over as 'Wizadora' when the series was picked up by ITV Two years later between 1993 and 1996. From 1997, Lizzie McPhee took over the role, as Wendy was away on maternity leave. Wendy came back for the last set of episodes from 29 January 1998 up to the end of the show's run.

Development

A pilot show starred Fawlty Towers writer and actress Connie Booth, who had been alerted to the character by John Cleese who had taken an interest in the production. The pilot was never broadcast.

The concept was then developed into a language teaching tool for children to learn the English language published by Oxford University Press in 1991. Cathy Lawday starred as the title character in the 1991 series.

Two years later it was taken up by ITV.[1]

Characters

Wizadora's companions included –

Other cast and credits

Puppeteers Phil Eason, Francis Wright, Michael Bayliss, Sue Dacre, Don Austen, Brian Herring, Neil Sterenberg, Rebecca Nagan, Debbie Cumming, and Sheila Clark worked on the series.

The series was made for Meridian Broadcasting by production companies Workhouse and North Pole Productions at The Fountain Studios in New Malden and directed by David Crozier. Fifteen episodes of Series 3 were directed by Wendy J. Dyer. The theme music was composed by Dave Hutton who was also the Senior Cameraman on the first four series of the show. The theme tune was recorded at Gordon Thrussell's studios at Ashford in Kent and the credits show music by 'Hutt and Thrust'. This was because the director, David Crozier, did not want the same name for two different credits on the programme (i.e.: Snr Cameraman and Music). The other cameramen were Roger Backhouse and Angus Macmillan and sometimes Steve Leach. The vision mixer was Julie Miller.

Jill Golick wrote several episodes.

Transmission guide

The programme ran for seven series:

One episode of Wizadora was broadcast on CITV on Saturday, 5 January 2013 (the show's 20th anniversary) as part of a CITV anniversary special.[2] This was the first time the show has been broadcast in the UK since it was shown on Living TV in the early 2000s.

Oxford Series (1991)

Series 1 (1993)

Series 2 (1993)

Series 3 (1994)

1. A Message from Max - 6 September 1994

2. Pips and Plants - 8 September 1994

3. Sneezeberries - 13 September 1994

4. Too Big, Too Small - 15 September 1994

5. Bubble Trouble - 20 September 1994

6. A Sing Song For Stan - 22 September 1994

7. Sixies and Nines - 27 September 1994

8. All Together Now - 29 September 1994

9. I Smell a Lie - 4 October 1994

10. Pippa's Surprise - 6 October 1994

11. Cheer Up, Filbert! - 11 October 1994

12. Let's Dance! - 13 October 1994

13. The Shopping List - 18 October 1994

14. Tatty's Tablecloth - 20 October 1994

15. The Tantrum Spell - 25 October 1994

16. The Great Flood - 27 October 1994

17. Buttons and Holes - 1 November 1994

18. The Litter Spell - 3 November 1994

19. Fun With Books - 8 November 1994

20. No Time for Tea Time - 10 November 1994

21. Hard, Soft, Smooth & Rough - 15 November 1994

22. The Grabber - 17 November 1994

23. Pedal Power - 22 November 1994

24. The Mud Monster - 24 November 1994

25. Wool Trouble - 29 November 1994

26. Pots and Spells - 1 December 1994

27. That's What Friends Are For - 6 December 1994

28. A Stuck Sticky - 8 December 1994

29. Use Your Imagination - 13 December 1994

30. Beginnings and Endings - 15 December 1994

Series 4 (1995)

1. Beside the Seaside - 5 September 1995

2. Sounds Brilliant - 7 September 1995

3. Bless You! - 12 September 1995

4. You Can Count on Poot - 14 September 1995

5. Follow That Track! - 19 September 1995

6. Here's One We Made Earlier - 21 September 1995

7. Who's Afraid of the Dark? - 26 September 1995

8. Good Winners and Bad Losers - 28 September 1995

9. Communication Break Down - 3 October 1995

10. Snow in July - 5 October 1995

11. Making Pippa Strong - 10 October 1995

12. Glad Rags - 12 October 1995

13. Shape Up - 17 October 1995

14. Tatty's New Boots - 19 October 1995

15. Mirror, Mirror - 24 October 1995

16. Hangle Takes a Trip - 26 October 1995

17. Inside Out - 31 October 1995

18. Stan's the Man - 2 November 1995

19. I Spy With My Little Eye - 7 November 1995

20. Filbert's New House - 9 November 1995

21. Top of the List - 14 November 1995

22. It's a Good Job - 16 November 1995

23. Shadow Monsters - 21 November 1995

24. Boots, Beads and Beards - 23 November 1995

25. Watch Out Below - 28 November 1995

26. Sharing Magic - 30 November 1995

27. Big 'Uns and Little 'Uns - 5 December 1995

28. Sticky Moments - 7 December 1995

29. Too Full - 12 December 1995

30. Making and Breaking - 14 December 1995

31. First Things First - 19 December 1995

32. Fish Alive - 21 December 1995

Series 5 (1996)

1. Tatty Town - 3 September 1996

2. Wizadora Plays Football - 5 September 1996

3. Drawer People Behaving Badly - 10 September 1996

4. Aunt Dora's Parcel - 12 September 1996

5. Bottom Gets Lost - 17 September 1996

6. There's No Place like Home - 19 September 1996

7. The Music Spell - 24 September 1996

8. Something Fishy - 26 September 1996

9. Take Care - 1 October 1996

10. Wizadora's Bad Dream - 3 October 1996

11. Sentimental Journey - 8 October 1996

12. I'm in Charge - 10 October 1996

13. What's Yours is Mine - 15 October 1996

14. What about Me? - 17 October 1996

15. Hurry Up! - 22 October 1996

16. Jungle Fever - 24 October 1996

17. Roxy's Web - 29 October 1996

18. What Did You Say? - 31 October 1996

19. Old Habits Die Hard - 5 November 1996

20. A Moving Story - 7 November 1996

21. Safety Last - 12 November 1996

22. Stan's Difficult Day - 14 November 1996

23. Bending the Rules - 19 November 1996

24. The Crows - 21 November 1996

25. You Are What You Are - 26 November 1996

26. A Rainy Day - 28 November 1996

27. Hangle's Big Day - 3 December 1996

28. Bubble Trouble - 5 December 1996

29. Knit Twits - 10 December 1996

30. The Jealous Queen - 12 December 1996

Series 6 (1997)

Series 7 (1997–1998)

Home video and DVD

The earliest version of the show has been on DVD (oxford press). However, this is not the ITV version, and is instead an educational package.

Some VHS cassettes were released in the mid-1990s with episodes from series one and series three are on The Video Collection International.

1. Wizadora – The Magic Parcel (1 March 1993) Includes: The Magic Parcel, Time For Tidying, and Hello Filbert.

2. Wizadora – A Colourful Day (1 March 1993) Includes: A Colourful Day, Lovely Weather and Picnic Problems.

3. Wizadora – Wellingtons and Snails (12 July 1993) Wellingtons and Snails, The Purple Powder and Tea Time Troubles.

4. Wizadora – Mops and Bicycles (12 July 1993) Mops and Bicycles, Hangle In Charge and A Very Special Day.

5. Wizadora - A Message from Max (18 December 1994) Includes: A Message of Max, And More

6. Wizadora – Sneezeberries (9 January 1995) Sneezeberries and 5 other stories

7. Wizadora - Too Big, Too Small (18 August 1995) Too Big, Too Small and 4 other stories

8. My Little Wizadora – The Magic Parcel/Time For Tidying (1996)

9. My Little Wizadora – Hello Filbert/A Colourful Day (1996)

10. My Little Wizadora – Lovely Weather / Picnic Problems (1996)

11. My Little Wizadora – Mops and Bicycles/Hangle In Charge (1996)

UK VHS releases

VHS Title Release Date Episodes
Wizadora – The Magic Parcel (VC1297) 1 March 1993 The Magic Parcel, Time For Tidying, Hello Filbert
Wizadora – A Colourful Day (VC1304) 12 July 1993 A Colourful Day, Lovely Weather, Picnic Problems
Wizadora – Wellingtons and Snails (VC1328) 11 October 1993 Wellingtons and Snails, The Purple Powder, Tea Time Troubles
Wizadora – Mops and Bicycles (VC1308) 11 October 1993 Mops and Bicycles, Hangle In Charge, A Very Special Day
My Little Wizadora – The Magic Parcel/Time For Tidying (ML0019) 1 April 1996 The Magic Parcel, Time For Tidying
My Little Wizadora - Lovely Weather/Picnic Problems (ML0020) 1 July 1996 Lovely Weather, Picnic Problems
My Little Wizadora – Mops and Bicycles/Hangle In Charge (ML0021) 1 July 1996 Mops and Bicycles, Hangle In Charge
My Little Wizadora – Hello Filbert/A Colourful Day (ML0031) 7 October 1996 Hello Filbert, A Colourful Day

DVD Releases

One DVD was released by The Nutter Clutter Productions, A Message from Max. Wizo Productions released the first set of episodes on DVD under the title "Series One- Volume One".

References

  1. 1 2 "Interview". West Pole Wizardy. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  2. ↑ http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a446221/sooty-show-fun-house-press-gang-return-for-citv-30th-birthday.html
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