The Magic Roundabout (1965) - An Introduction by Tom Baker - video Dailymotion

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Transcript

00:00The Magic Roundabout TV series created by Serge Dano was an instant hit when it first aired in

00:12France in 1964. In October 1965 the show crossed the channel and became the UK's most loved children's

00:27show of its time. Hello, hello, hello, they all said. We've got a surprise for you, said Dougal.

00:34The key to this plan was Eric Thompson, the children's presenter entrusted with creating

00:40the voices for the English version of the show. His brief was simple. Go off with the French series

00:46and come up with English words that fit what's happening on the screen.

00:49As Eric didn't speak a word of French, his new stories were a total departure from the

00:58originals. He literally turned down the volume on the French episodes and created new stories

01:03that fitted the visuals. Dougal and Brian were camping. Were you a scout, said Brian. Of course,

01:10said Dougal. I was a brownie, said Brian. A brownie, said Dougal. You couldn't have been a brownie.

01:17You are not a girl. His subtle humour gave the stories a distinctive English feel. Of course,

01:23I realise you lack my delicate sense of smell, but surely you catch a breath of something.

01:28No, said Zebedee. No's not working, said Dougal. Never has worked, said Zebedee. Really, said Dougal.

01:36And he didn't change his voice for individual characters. The whole show was delivered in the

01:40same calm tone. Hello, said Brian. Hello. Hello, said Dougal. Each episode sounded like a surreal

01:48bedtime story. Dylan decided he would go to sleep near the beans. And in case they jumped,

01:54he said, I'll go to sleep with my mouth open, man. A million miles away from the loud French

02:00version. Eric's characters had their own individual quirks. Says Dano's big-haired dog,

02:13Pollux, became Dougal, a bizarre mixture of a doer Scotsman and Tony Hancock. What's all this,

02:21said Dougal. He turned Brian, the slow-moving snail, into a cheerful optimist. Real clever snail,

02:26said Dylan. Should go far. Succeed in life. Florence became a Christopher Robin-type character,

02:32a nod to normality that viewers found it easy to relate to. Couldn't you do some magic,

02:37said Florence. With his re-voicings, Eric gave the magic roundabout the cult reputation it enjoys

02:43today. Place a tune. Mood's gone, man, said Dylan. Mood's gone. With his mild innuendos and quirky

02:52characters, he turned the innovative French animation into an English institution.

02:57Good night.