Suvarna Garge (Editor)

Funnybones

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Written by
  
Jocelyn Stevenson

Music by
  
Ernie Wood

No. of episodes
  
12

Starring
  
Griff Rhys Jones

Country of origin
  
Wales

Created by
  
Janet Ahlberg Allan Ahlberg

Funnybones (Welsh: Y Sgerbyde), was a Welsh/British children's television comedy series which was first aired in Welsh on S4C and in English on BBC1 in 1992. It was based on the eponymous series of 9 storybooks by Janet and Allan Ahlberg which were illustrated by Andre Amstutz, and focused upon the adventures of a gang of skeletons known as the Funnybones. There was Big Funnybone (whose catchphrase was "Good idea."), Little Funnybone, (who was the brains of the outfit), (White, White) Dog ("These Bones") Funnybone (whose catchphrase was "Woof.") and (Black, Black) Cat (whose catchphrase was "Meiow."). Each of 12 episodes was 5 minutes in length. The voices were provided by popular comedian Griff Rhys Jones who also played Moon Man, who served as the narrator in the TV series.

Contents

Characters

  • Big - The big skeleton brother who wears the red bowler hat. He admits "good idea" on every idea he likes from Little.
  • Little - The little skeleton brother who comes up with many ideas for the crew to do on the night.
  • Dog - The pet dog of the skeleton brothers who loves bones, digging holes and finds everything that the skeleton brothers need.
  • Cat - The pet black cat of the skeleton brothers who always gets chased by Dog.
  • Mr. Bonehead - The skeleton owner of the pet shop.
  • Dr. Bones - The doctor skeleton that helps Big and Little to stop them bumping in the night.
  • Episode guide via Storybook comparison

    On the TV Series of Funnybones 6 episodes have the same title based on the storybooks, only 3 of them had different titles of storybooks based on the same episode and the other 3 never had a storybook applicable to the TV episodes. The Final episode of the TV series however was based on the first storybook of Funnybones and the first episode was based on the second storybook.

    A BBC video entitled Funnybones - Bumps in the Night (Cat. No. BBCV 4871) which contained all 12 episodes was released soon after the series ended (but this is now out of print). The VHS tape was also released in Bulgaria and Australia by the companies Proxima Entertainment and ABC Video respectively.

    Credits

  • Based on a series of books by: Janet Ahlberg, Allan Ahlberg
  • Illustrated by: Andre Amstutz
  • Published by: William Heinemann Ltd.
  • Script: Jocelyn Stevenson
  • Voices: Griff Rhys Jones
  • Storyboard: Clive Dawson
  • Layout: Neil Graham
  • Animation: Graham Griffiths, Chris Webster, Steve Hayne, Reg Lodge, Sue Rowe, Bill Tapp, Robert Brown, Zan Light, Michael Price, Steve John, Ken Hayes, Richard Wasilewski, Peter Arthy, Clive Dawson
  • Trace and Paint/Backgrounds by: The Ink 'n' Paint Co.
  • Production Co-Ordinator: Ceri Griffin
  • Filmed by: Rostrum Cameras Ltd., Pineville Films
  • Editor: Robert Francis
  • Assistant Editors: William Oswald, Jane Murrell
  • Sound: Taran
  • Music: Ernie Wood
  • Director: Gary Hurst
  • Producer: Naomi Jones
  • Executive Producers: Theresa Plummer-Andrews, Christopher Grace
  • Made in Wales by Cartwn Cymru for S4C in association with William Heinemann Ltd. and BBC Enterprises Ltd.
  • © S4C/William Heinemann Ltd./BBC Enterprises Ltd. MCMXCII
  • Miscellaneous

    This was one of several cartoons dubbed by the then-new Irish post-production company Telegael, to demonstrate children's programming possibilities for a proposed Irish-language television station. The resulting series, Smior agus Smiortán (translating to the English language as Marrow & Smiortán), was broadcast on Ireland's two national television stations, RTÉ1 and 2, in 1993. The series has also aired on ABC in Australia and on FOX Family Channel in America as part of its show called Mister Moose's Fun Time (a spinoff to The All New Captain Kangaroo).

    References

    Funnybones Wikipedia