Make Way for Noddy explained

Make Way for Noddy (stylized make way for NODDY) is an animated television series produced by British studio Chorion in conjunction with American studio SD Entertainment. Based on Enid Blyton's Noddy character, it was originally broadcast on Channel 5 (later known as Five; in twelve minute segments and as part of the Milkshake! programme) from 2 September 2002 to 7 April 2006.^[1] It features music and songs composed by Steven Bernstein and Julie Bernstein, with the musical direction done by Sharon Sampson and Terry Sampson.

Premise

The series changed its format in some ways from previous incarnations of Noddy to take advantage of the CGI medium and to appeal to more contemporary audiences, such as Noddy now also being able to fly a plane as part of his taxi duties and making Master Tubby Bear a more believable character. However it largely stuck to what the franchise established prior-hand. In addition to the franchise's characters, Make Way for Noddy also introduced actual children voicing the younger characters of the series.

Characters

• Noddy (voiced by Martin Skews in the UK and David A. Kaye/Alberto Ghisi in the US) is the protagonist of the series. Noddy is an imaginative wooden boy who lives in Toyland. Although Noddy is characterised as a child, he also serves as the main taxi driver. He sometimes begins nodding uncontrollably, such as after sneezing, and has to physically stop himself from nodding.
• Tessie Bear (voiced by Joanna Ruiz in the UK and Britt McKillip in the US) is a neutral and child-like female teddy bear who is Noddy's best friend, always ready to try something new and help everyone she sees.
• Big Ears (voiced by Pavel Douglas in the UK and Michael Dobson in the US) is a gnome (Although he's a Brownie in the original books) who serves as a father figure to Noddy and the other toys with astute knowledge and a fine sense-of-humour.
• Dinah Doll (voiced by Andrea Harris in the UK and Tabitha St. Germain in the US) is a Toy Town shopkeeper and a big sibling support figure to Noddy.
• Mr. Plod (voiced by Richard Newman in the UK and in the US and Pavel Douglas in the UK and in the US specials and the video game and part of the UK and the US episodes) is Toyland's sole police officer who is persistent for maintaining a certain order but means well and whose catchphrase is "Halt/Stop, in the name of Plod!"
• Bumpy Dog (voiced by Ben Small in the UK and Lee Tockar in the US) is Tessie Bear's extremely playful but loyal and sensitive dog.
• Gobbo and Sly (voiced by Ben Small in the UK and Don Brown and Doug Parker in the US) are two goblins who serve as the series' antagonists. Gobbo is the more conniving and intelligent one while Sly is the more airheaded and curious of the two members.
• Mr. Sparks (voiced by Ben Small in the UK and Lee Tockar in the US) is Toyland's street-smart mechanic.
• Miss Pink Cat (voiced by Tabitha St. Germain in the UK and in the US and Carrie Mullan in the specials and the video game and part of the UK and the US episodes) is the pessimistic and sophisticated owner of Toy Town's ice cream shop. She speaks with a French accent.
• Master Tubby Bear (voiced by Carrie Mullan in the UK and Manny Petruzzelli in the US) is a young teddy bear whose role was changed from a tricky mummy's boy (in previous incarnations) to a moody but lovable anti-idol kid in this series, though this was clearly done as it lent more to having him involved in stories, this time in noticeable contrast as a boy hero to Noddy.
• Martha Monkey (voiced by Joanna Ruiz in the UK and Kathleen Barr in the US) is a stuffed monkey with an energetic but bossy tomboy personality.
• Mr. Jumbo (voiced by Ben Small in the UK and Ian James Corlett in the US) is a mild-mannered stuffed elephant.
• Clockwork Mouse (voiced by Joanna Ruiz in the UK and Kathleen Barr in the US) is a perky wind-up toy mouse who isn't sometimes feeling dwarfed by the other inhabitants of Toyland for his size.
• Mr. Wobblyman (voiced by Ben Small in the UK and Ian James Corlett in the US) is a roly-poly toy who is always diligent about doing the right thing.
• Clockwork Clown (voiced by Ben Small in the UK and Ian James Corlett in the US) is a toy clown.
• The Skittles (voiced by Joanna Ruiz, Carrie Johnston and Ben Small in the UK and Teryl Rothery and Chantal Strand in the US) are a family of orderly bowling pins.
• Harvey (voiced by Ben Small) and Cecilia (voiced by Joanna Ruiz) are two beetles.

Production

Development

The series was first announced to be in production in October 2000, with 100 11-minute episodes and a feature-length Christmas special announced to be in production for a 2001 delivery.^[2] In January 2001, SD Entertainment were announced to be co-producers on the series and they announced it would be their first project.^[3]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack was composed by Steven and Julie Bernstein with additional songs by Larry Grossman and Lorraine Feather, with Terry and Sharon Sampson directing the music and the cast of the TV show Kidsongs performing the theme song and the music video segments for the series.

Distribution

On 14 June 2001, BBC Worldwide pre-sold the series to RTP in Portugal.^[4] Initially, BBC Worldwide planned to distribute the series internationally until Chorion decided to self-distribute on their own. Portuguese licensing instead went over to Biplano and Editorial Verbo.^[5]

On 17 December 2001, Chorion announced additional pre-sales, with TVOntario in Canada, Alter Channel in Greece (Nextworks acquiring home video distribution) and Hop! Channel in Israel (with LDI as the franchise's local licensing representative) acquiring the show. BBC Worldwide's Australian branch^[6] pre-sold the series to Nickelodeon and TVNZ (for 50 episodes) in Australia and New Zealand respectively.^[7] BBC Worldwide also held licensing rights in Indian territories and pre-sold the series to Cartoon Network in 2004.^[8]

Channel 5 acquired the UK broadcast rights to the series in the summer of 2002 for a broadcast within the fall schedule.^[9] In June 2002, Universal Pictures Video acquired UK video rights to the series from Chorion.^[10]

In January 2005, Chorion announced that FUNimation Productions would hold licensing and home video rights to the series in North America.^[11]

Say It with Noddy

A spin-off interstitial series, Say It with Noddy, aired as part of the main show in the US and as a separate program in the UK. It featured Noddy learning various foreign language words (Spanish, French, Swahili, Russian and Mandarin) from a robot named Whizz (voiced by Matt Hill in the US and Justin Fletcher in the UK).

American version

In 2005, the series premiered in the United States on PBS Kids. As PBS lacks commercials, the series was edited to fit a half-hour, gaining a longer format featuring two twelve minute segments, two interstitial programs, a music video and footage of British television presenter Naomi Wilkinson from Milkshake!

PBS acquired US broadcast rights in October 2004.^[12] In the US, the series aired from 11 September 2005 to 15 June 2007, with reruns continuing through June 2010,^[13] and later reran on NBC and PBS Kids Sprout in the US until September 2015., the series is available to stream on Peacock.

Episodes

Specials (2004–2006)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Make Way For Noddy. 2021-03-05. Channel 5. en-UK.
2. Web site: Chorion digitizes Noddy in preparation for next-gen delivery modes. kidscreen.com.
3. Web site: Sabella and Dern form SD. kidscreen.com.
4. Web site: New Noddy show sees first sales in Portugal .
5. Chorion Announces Raft of TV Sales for New CGI Noddy Series. Chorion. 17 December 2001. https://web.archive.org/web/20030403044556/http://66.84.27.8/release/pressreleases/NO171201.pdf. 3 April 2003.
6. Web site: Noddy to make TV return. 14 May 2002. BBC News.
7. Chorion Announces Raft of TV Sales for New CGI Noddy Series. Chorion. 17 December 2001. https://web.archive.org/web/20030403044556/http://66.84.27.8/release/pressreleases/NO171201.pdf. 3 April 2003.
8. Web site: Cartoon Network brings 'Noddy' to India on Tiny TV band . 20 January 2003 .
9. Web site: U.K. kidnets bank on stunts and strong fall commissions. kidscreen.com.
10. Web site: Universal makes way for Noddy . c21media.net.
11. https://www.animationmagazine.net/2005/01/funimation-gets-noddy-for-u-s/
12. Web site: Quick Hits. kidscreen.com.
13. Web site: TV Schedules - AZPM . tv.azpm.org . 3 February 2024 . en.