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Mop and Smiff

As we are introduced to Mop and Smiff in their opening credits, Mike colours the frames and they become animations

From the Early Stages web-site : Mike is from the Northwest. During the 1980's Mike began writing bible-story songs for a BBC Television programme called "Knock Knock" In 1985 he wrote and presented his own TV series MOP & SMIFF. All the stories written by Mike were based on the antics of his own pet cat and dog. For this series Mike also wrote and produced all the songs and incidental music in his own recording studio. During this time Mike also presented PLAYSCHOOL. During the 1990's Mike wrote and created a farm-based series for pre-school children. It was called FORGET-ME-NOT FARM.

Graduated changes to their expressions as Mop and Smiff enjoy their crazy fun adventures!

From Mike Amatt's own modest website the following - "Mop & Smiff - Written, composed and presented by Mike Amatt. A BBC1 television series for the pre-school child made throughout 1983 and into 1984. First transmitted in April 1984 and then the series was transmitted a further 7 times over the next 5 years. The series has been sold to many countries worldwide. Greece, Pakistan, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, Zimbabwe and others.

All the incidental music and songs were written and performed by Mike Amatt. The title theme, although written and sung by Mike, was played by The Thornsett Brass Band. The programme was produced by David Brown who was then head of Children's Programmes at BBC Manchester, New Broadcasting House. Mop's voice was by Timothy West and Smiff was played by Prunella Scales. The programmes (13 in all) were directed by Sid Waddell. A spin-off series called "MIKE, MOP & THE MOKE" was made in 1986 and was transmitted that year and repeated the following year."

It's so difficult to source decent clean images but this audio recording has the best I can find.

Four titles of a series of books published featuring the lead characters!

Am happy to say this image survived the upgrade by Windows 10 onto the Windows 7 platform to give us an excellent example of the vinyl produced by the BBC and the reverse sleeve below.

ARTIST : Mike Ammat | TITLE : Mop & Smiff | SUBTITLE : Songs from the BBC TV series | FORMAT : LP | CATALOGUE : REC 558 | YEAR : 1985 | STYLE : Childrens

End Credits

The introduction and end credits used in the Pink Panther (a totally fictitious animal) are sometimes the most entertaining part of the film - somebody had a lot of fun creating the end credits for our little friends 'Mop and Smiff.'

Voices provided by husband and wife team Prunella Scales and Timothy West

Mop and Smiff portrayed playing drums and guitar for the Music and Signature Tune credits

Filming and Sound credits show Mop and Smiff with Camera and Sound recording equipment

Editing and Dubbing credits allow Mop and Smiff to play with records and scissors snipping film

Canvas Chairs with (barely visible names) and a clapping board allow Mop and Smiff a little bit of a rest while the production and directing credits roll ......

Garfield

There's no doubting Garfield's love for his little teddy bear Pookie

Bagpuss

BAGPUSS: THE BEST LOVED CHILDREN'S TV CHARACTER OF ALL TIME

The children's TV show Bagpuss was created by Peter Firmin and Oliver Postgate in 1974 but remains one of Britain's best loved programme to this day. Only 13 episodes were ever made, which were broadcast from February 1974 to May that year, but they were repeated on television for the next 13 years.

In 1999, Bagpuss topped a BBC poll for the UK's favourite children's TV programme. Each episode always started with Bagpuss asleep among lost toys displayed in a shop window owned by Emily, played by Firmin's daughter.

Bagpuss now has permanent residence at Canterbury Heritage Museum where the original window display for people's lost belongings featured in the show has been recreated
Image courtesy and © of Caters News Agency

When Emily left the shop, Bagpuss - an 'old, saggy cloth cat, baggy, and a bit loose at the seams' - woke up and would tell a story centred on one of the broken items in the shop window. Various toys in the shop came to life, including Gabriel the toad, a rag doll called Madeleine and mice on the side of the 'mouse organ' (a small mechanical pipe organ that played rolls of music). The toys discussed what the new object was and then the mice, singing in high-pitched squeaky harmony to the tune of Sumer Is Icumen In, mended the broken object. The newly mended thing was then be put in the shop window, so that whoever had lost it would see it as they went past, and could come in and claim it. Then Bagpuss would start yawning again, and the show would end as he fell asleep.

 

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