The Magic Roundabout first aired on 18 October 1965, just before the teatime news. Eric Thompson's brilliant and witty reinvention of the French original - Le Manège Enchanté - combined with the timing of the programme to create an instant children's classic.
The first programme featured Zebedee, who came to restore the magic that Mr Rusty's barrel organ and the roundabout had lost, and bring the children back. Subsequent episodes introduced Florence, and the other inhabitants of the garden: Dougal the dog, Brian the snail, Ermintrude the cow, Dylan the rabbit, and Mr McHenry the gardener.
In Thompson's version of the story, Dougal - Pollux in the original - was loosely based on comedian Tony Hancock. Accusations that the character Dylan was inspired by drug culture were always denied by Thompson; he also had to deny that the name Dougal was a dig at the French leader de Gaulle.
The Magic Roundabout ran on the 大象传媒 until 1977, but in 1972 outgrew its origins to become a feature film - Dougal and the Blue Cat. After Thompson's untimely death, Channel 4 made some new episodes in 1992, with Nigel Planer pastiching his style. However, it is Eric Thompson's version that is looked on with most fondness today, by viewers who remember the start of the 6 O'clock News as "time for bed".
October anniversaries
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Winston Churchill's first wartime broadcast
1 October 1939 -
Songs of Praise
1 October 1961 -
Live and Kicking
2 October 1993 -
Points of View
2 October 1961 -
The Trials of Life
3 October 1990 -
Pick of the Pops
4 October 1955 -
Monty Python's Flying Circus
5 October 1969 -
Poldark
5 October 1975 -
You and Yours
6 October 1970 -
Woman's Hour
7 October 1946 -
DIY SOS
7 October 1999 -
Later... with Jools Holland
8 October 1992 -
In Touch
8 October 1961 -
Make Yourself At Home - Programmes for Immigrants
10 October 1965 -
Grandstand
11 October 1958 -
Around the World in 80 Days
11 October 1989 -
On The Move
12 October 1975 -
First edition of Any Questions
12 October 1948 -
First edition of Omnibus
13 October 1967 -
Bombing of Broadcasting House
15 October 1940 -
Play For Today
15 October 1970 -
First televised Party Election Broadcast
15 October 1951 -
Birds of a Feather
16 October 1989 -
Blue Peter first broadcast
16 October 1958 -
The Magic Roundabout
18 October 1965 -
The formation of the 大象传媒
18 October 1922 -
大象传媒 Symphony Orchestra first broadcast
22 October 1930 -
Captain Pugwash
22 October 1957 -
Terry and June
24 October 1979 -
Launch of daytime television
27 October 1986 -
The Wednesday Play first broadcast
28 October 1964 -
First edition of Today
28 October 1957 -
Maida Vale opens
30 October 1934