The charming stop motion animation Pogle's Wood debuted on 7 April 1966. It was created by Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin, who had already succeeded with Ivor the Engine and Noggin the Nog. The stories were written and told by Postgate, while Firmin provided the puppets and settings. Postgate was aided by Olwen Griffiths and Steve Woodman, with atmospheric music from Vernon Elliott.
Viewers came to love Mr and Mrs Pogle as a regular part of the Watch with Mother strand, along with Pippin, his woodland creature friend Tog, and the Plant. Plant was fond of a drop of bilberry wine, but could be relied on to tell a diverting story.
Pogles Wood began its life the previous year as The Pogles, six short films included in the children's show Clapperboard. However its story of a menacing witch who tries to steal the son of the Fairy King from Mr and Mrs Pogle was deemed too frightening. Postgate was asked to rework the show. He added Pippin – the re-imagined fairy child – and Tog, along with a fresh focus on country life, interspersing the animation with live sequences.
Only 26 episodes of Pogles' Wood were made, but the success of the show was such that it spawned its own comic, Pippin, which featured all the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Children’s favourites and lasted until 1986. Postgate and Firmin’s company Smallfilms went on to create Bagpuss.
April anniversaries
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Radiophonic Workshop founded
1 April 1958 -
The Boat Race first televised
2 April 1927 -
The Family first episode
3 April 1974 -
The Good Life
4 April 1975 -
New radio branding
4 April 1970 -
Newsround
4 April 1972 -
The Money Programme
5 April 1966 -
American Half Hour
6 April 1935 -
PM and The World Tonight
6 April 1970 -
Pogle’s Wood
7 April 1966 -
How Does Your Garden Grow?
9 April 1947 -
First episode of The Two Ronnies
10 April 1971 -
Launch of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Networking Club
11 April 1994 -
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue
11 April 1972 -
Blue Peter Royal Safari
11 April 1971 -
Citizen Smith
12 April 1977 -
Animal Magic
13 April 1962 -
Demonstration of VERA Video Recorder on Panorama
14 April 1958 -
After Henry
17 April 1985 -
Hamlet at Elsinore
19 April 1964 -
First night of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two
20 April 1964 -
Play School
21 April 1964 -
First episode of Top Gear
22 April 1977 -
Children's Newsreel
23 April 1950 -
The Sky at Night
24 April 1957 -
An Age of Kings
28 April 1960 -
First Episode of Waggoners' Walk
28 April 1969 -
The FA Cup Final is first televised
30 April 1938