Captain Pugwash

Captain Pugwash

1957 - United Kingdom

Classic but crudely animated children's series from John Ryan relating the tales of Captain Horatio Pugwash, podgy skipper of The Black Pig. The stories were told over several or more five minute episodes, most of the time Pugwash and his crew were pitted against the notorious, black bearded pirate, Cut Throat Jack. Ryan was later accused of including deliberate sexual innuendo in the scripts, a charge that he strenuously denied. There seems to be something of an urban myth about dubiously named characters such as Master Bate, but closer scrutiny does not bear this out (the character was actually called Master Mate). 

Peter Hawkins supplied the voices for this and several other BBC shows, including Bill and Ben the Flowerpot Men, and perhaps more famously, the Daleks in Doctor Who. Such was the success of Pugwash that a regular cartoon strip appeared in the Radio Times, the original series was colourised and a new set of 26 episodes were created in 1999 at a cost of £1.5 million! 

Published on December 3rd, 2018. Written by Laurence Marcus for Television Heaven.

Read Next...

The Adventures of Tugboat Annie

Anglo-Canadian sitcom about Annie Brennan, the fog-horn voiced captain of the Narcissus, a tugboat based in a harbour on the Pacific North West of America.

Also released in 1957

Have Gun Will Travel

US Western series which chronicled the exploits of the college educated, West Point trained, black clad lone solider of fortune known simply as 'Paladin'

Also released in 1957

Summerton Mill

Down at the bottom a very pretty valley, there's a magical place called Summerton Mill. And when the waterwheel turns at Summerton Mill, a little bit of magic takes place. And, for a little while, everything goes back to how it used to be...

Also tagged Pre School

The Adventures of Long John Silver

Australian series filmed in colour but only available to the UK viewing public of 1957 in black and white, The Adventures of Long John Silver was based very loosely on Robert Louis Stevenson's 1883 novel Treasure Island.

Also released in 1957

Potty Time

Created, written and presented by the multi-talented Michael Bentine, Potty Time was a marvellously madcap puppet series for pre-school children that re-enacted some of the world's greatest historical events and shed new light on mysteries ancient and modern all with a unique Potty slant. Adults loved it too.

Also tagged Pre School

A Charlie Brown Christmas

For Peanuts fans everywhere, it just wouldn't be Christmas without this classic holiday delight.

Also tagged Childrens Animation

Topper's Tales

Illustrated children's story narrated by Julian Orchard.

Also tagged Pre School