Cloppa Castle - Childrens TV

Cloppa Castle Cloppa Castle is a 70’s children’s TV puppet show. The idea for the show came from John Read and Mary Turner (click to see our interview with Mary), who had previously been asked by ATV to make 'The Adventures of Rupert Bear' and 'Here Comes Mumfie' programmes, which had originated from existing Books. John and Mary had their own idea for a show called Cloppa Castle and kept submitting their idea to ATV. Eventually ATV gave them the green light to make it. Two series of Cloppa Castle were made, consisting of a total of 52 episodes, each lasting 11 minutes. The characters were all puppets and the crew details can be found here. Although John and Mary submitted another idea after this, ATV decided to revert back to existing books for programme inspiration and so were commissioned to make The Munch Bunch for them. In 1998 Cloppa Castle puppets appeared in a 'Watch with Mother Exhibition' at Dudley in the West Midlands. I would like to thank Mary Turner and John Read for their help with this page. Each episode began with this theme tune - “If you go down to Cloppa Castle be prepared to stay a while The Bygones and the Hasbeenes always doing battle for the oil The wealth they found beneath the ground has made the Bygones free And everyday at three o'clock they all sit down to tea Living in harmony, at Cloppa Castle With the friendly enemy, at Cloppa Castle Living in harmony, at Cloppa Castle At Cloppa Castle From the day the world was born man has had to make a stand Over seas and over mountains battles rage across the land A jolly bunch of chaps they are, the friendly Enemy And everyday at three o'clock they all sit down to tea Living in harmony, at Cloppa Castle With the friendly enemy, at Cloppa Castle Living in harmony, at Cloppa Castle At Cloppa Castle” Story Set in the Dark Ages, Cloppa Castle follows the adventures of groups of people - The Bygones and The Hasbeenes. The Bygones live in Cloppa Castle and the Kingdom is ruled by King Woebegone and Queen Ethelbrudaa. Although the real power is held by Queen Ethelbrudaa, who rules with a rod of iron and the King just does as he's told. The Hasbeenes are a group of rogues led by Beosweyne. Both sides battled each other for the oil that was found under the castle by Cue-ee-Dee (the inventor). It was more like The Bygones defending themselves from The Hasbeenes. There is also her long-suffering husband, King Woebegone. Their children are appropriately named Prince Idelbone and Princess Tizzibel. Other inhabitants are Muldin, the befuddled magician, court jester - Jest-a-Minit, Cue-ee-Dee, the inventor, and Albrite the servantboy. Elbow heads the Queen's Bodyguard, with Osmosis, the pint-sized one always in trouble. Cue-ee-Dee has discovered oil under the castle and invents all sorts of ways of using it. The army of Hasbeenes camped outside the castle are a party of rogues, headed by Beosweyne, whose main aim is to get their hand on the oil. Cloppa Castle Characters Queen Ethelbrudaa She is the Queen of Cloppa Castle and keeps her husband in his place. She likes to drive around her kingdon in the Brudabanga, which is a wooden horse contraption. She even has her initial as part of the Royal Crest! King Woebegone He is the downtrodden King of the kingdom, as his wife rules for him. Princess Tizzibel The Princess. Prince Idlebone The Prince. Cue-ee-Dee He is the Inventor in Cloppa Castle. One of his most successful inventions was the Brudabanga, which the Queen likes. Albrite He is a Servant Boy of the Queen. Osmosis He is one of the most lovable characters in Cloppa Castle. He stands guard at the front of Cloppa Castle. Most of the time he seem to get himself into trouble. Elbow He is head of the Queen's Guard and is always giving Osmosis a hard time. Muldin He is The Bygones Magician. Jest-a-Minit He is The Bygones Jester. Beosweyne He is the head of The Hasbeenes and is always trying to come up with ways to steal the Bygones Oil. Hench He is the second in command to Beosweyne and always seems to look on the bright side of life (NOT!!). The rest of the Hasbeenes Lead by Beosweyne, they always seem to be on the receiving end of all their schemes to get their hand on the oil. They also sit down with The Bygones at 3 O'clock and have tea!! (seems a bit too civilised to me). Cloppa Castle - Plotting

Cloppa Castle Episodes Series 1 (1977) 1. Spring is Sprung 2. It's a Gift 3. The Bruda Banga 4. A Champion for Tizzibell 5. Caught in a Jam 6. A State of Emergency 7. Off Duty! 8. Besieged, Bothered and Bewildered 9. A Cold to Catch a Thief 10. No Laughing Matter 11. Red Herring Chase 12. The Good Ship Ethelbruda 13. Muldin Muddles Through 14. You're Fire Cue-ee-Dee 15. Bees in their Bonnets 16. The Frog Prince Caper 17. White Elephant 18. Ups and Downs 19. Celebration 20. Spellbound 21. Idelbone's Idleness Pays Off 22. It's the Real Thing 23. Sent to Coventry 24. A Cuckoo Cook 25. Sheik's Charade 26. Time for a Change Series 2 (1978) 1. The Blues 2. When You Gotta Grow, You Gotta Grow 3. Squatters Wrongs! 4. Water on the Brain..... 5. It’s a Monster! 6. A Fatal Attack of the Lovee Doves 7. Folkbangas For All! 8. Blow Your Own Trumpet! 9. A Big Heart Beats in a Small Frame 10. To The Victor the Spoils 11. The Call of the Cloppa Clarion 12. A Chain is as Good as a Rest 13. The Crusade That Never Was 14. Go to Blazes! 15. Doughnuts 16. The Pied Piper of Cloppa Castle 17. A Vulture for Culture 18. Operation Facelift 19. The Friendly Enemy 20. Young at Heart 21. Taters in the Mould 22. Clothes Maketh the Man 23. Oil for One and One for Oil 24. What Goes Up Must Come Down 25. Low Treason 26. A Complete Washout!