Tales of the Riverbank

Tales of the Riverbank

1960 - Canada

Canadian series (also known in North America as Hammy Hamster or Once Upon a Hamster) that was shown in Britain from 1963 as part of the Watch With Mother strand, and repeated until 1971 when a new series of episodes were filmed. 

'Riverbank' told the tales of Hammy The Hamster, Roderick The Rat, GP (a guinea pig) and their assorted animal friends. What made this series different was that there was no animation or puppets involved and the production team of Dave Ellison and Ray Billings used real rodents filmed at high speed, which was then played back slower to make their movements seem more deliberate and natural. The creatures homes were furnished as human homes and they transported themselves around in cars, planes or boats. The stories were dubbed by children's favourite Johnny Morris (Animal Magic) -it was originally narrated by Paul Sutherland, but the BBC did not want Canadian accents for its young British audience. In the 1970's the series was aired by ITV which was then repeated on Channel 4 in 1993 as Further Tales of the Riverbank. The series was eventually sold to 34 countries.


Published on February 6th, 2019. Written by Laurence Marcus for Television Heaven.

Read Next...

The Laughing Policeman

Deryck Guyler with an assortment of musically minded puppets in a fun lunchtime music show aimed at pre-school children from Yorkshire Television

Also tagged Pre School

The Flintstones

Long before The Simpsons took American prime time by storm, a slightly less dysfunctional cartoon family blazed the trial for generation crossing animated antics.

Also released in 1960

Topper's Tales

Illustrated children's story narrated by Julian Orchard.

Also tagged Pre School

Mill of Secrets

Simon and Amanda's holiday in Kent with their Aunt Jo becomes a thrilling adventure when they make a startling discovery in an old barn...

Also released in 1960

The Trap Door animated series 1984

Enter a world inhabited solely by monsters of every imaginable shape and size. Below the trap door there is always something in the dark, waiting to come out...Don't open that trapdoor. You're a fool if you dare!

Also tagged Childrens Animation

Formula for Danger

A young boy is in possession of a secret formula that could spell disaster for the entire world.

Also released in 1960

Whirligig

"The first Children's Variety Magazine Programme."

Also tagged Pre School