Torchy, the Battery Boy (1960 - 1961)

Country of Origin: UK
Date(s) of Broadcast: 23 February 1960 - 14 February 1961
Number of Seasons: 2
Total Number of Episodes: 52 mins
Average Episode Running Times: 15 mins
Format: black and white
Sound:

CREDITS

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: AP Films / Pelham Films (season one only); Associated British-Pathe for Roberta Leigh (season two only)
Producer: Roberta Leigh

SCRIPT
Scripts: Roberta Leigh

DIRECTION
Director: Gerry Anderson (season one only); Vivian Milroy (season two only)

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Arthur Provis
Camera Operator: John Read (uncredited)

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editorial Supervision: David Elliott

MUSIC
Music / Lyrics: Roberta Leigh
Arranger / Conductor: Barry Gray

SOUND
Sound Editors: John Taylor, Jean Taylor (both uncredited)
Sound System: Westrex

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Puppetry: Christine Glanville (season one only); John Wright, Jane Tyson, Jane Phillips (season two only)
Operators: Mary Turner, Sam Kemp, Margaret Carter (uncredited), Murray Clark (uncredited), Buster Stavordale (uncredited) (season one only)

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Art Director: Reginald E. Hill
Assistant Art Director: Bob Bell (uncredited)
Art Assistant: Derek Meddings (uncredited)

MISCELLANEOUS
Continuity: Syvia Thamm (uncredited)

VOICES
Kenneth Connor (Pilliwig / Mr Bumble-Drop / King Dithers / Pollikan Bird / Whirly / Daffy / Gillygolly / Pongo the Pirate)
Olwyn Griffiths (Torchy)
Jill Raymond (Flopsy / Bossy Boots / Sparky / narrator)
Patricia Somerset (Pom-Pom / Squish / Ting-a-Ling Bird / Ena)

SUMMARY

A boy doll travels by rocket to Topsy Turvy Land where toys are alive, animals talk and cream buns grow on trees.

EPISODES

NOTE: Transmission dates are for the London area - other regions may have varied.

SEASON ONE
Pom-Pom and the Toys (23 February 1960)
Topsy Turvy Land (1 March 1960)
Torchy and Squish (8 March 1960)
The Building of Frutown (15 March 1960)
Torchy and the Broken Rocket (22 March 1960)
King Dithers (29 March 1960)
Torchy Goes Back To Earth (5 April 1960)
Bossy Boots Goes To Topsy Turvy Land (12 April 1960)
Bossy Boots Is Taught a Lesson (19 April 1960)
A Bell For a Penny Farthing (26 April 1960)
A Trick On Pom-Pom (3 May 1960)
Torchy Is Stolen (10 May 1960)
King Dithers Loses His Crown (17 May 1960)
Pilliwig Gets a Present (24 May 1960)
Bad Boy Bogey (31 May 1960)
Torchy and the Strange Animal (7 June 1960)
Bossy Boots Forgets To Be Good (14 June 1960)
Hungry Money Box (21 June 1960)
The Naughty Twins (28 June 1960)
The Twins Learn a Lesson (5 July 1960)
King Dithers Goes Down To Earth (12 July 1960)
Torchy Escapes At Last (19 July 1960)
Torchy and the Man In the Moon (26 July 1960)
Bogey and the Statues (2 August 1960)
The Moon Falls Asleep (9 August 1960)
Torchy's Birthday (16 August 1960)

SEASON TWO
Torchy Gets a Surprise (23 August 1960)
Banana Bridge (30 August 1960)
King Dithers and Daffy (6 September 1960)
The Toys Get the Collywobbles (13 September 1960)
Bogey Learns Another Lesson (20 September 1960)
The Pollikan Bird Is Stolen (27 September 1960)
Torchy Has an Accident (4 October 1960)
Sparky the Dragon (11 October 1960)
Bogey Is Naughty Again (18 October 1960)
Pilliwig Cleans the Chimney (25 October 1960)
Pongo the Pirate (1 November 1960)
King Dithers' Birthday (8 November 1960)
Flopsy Goes On a Picnic (15 November 1960)
Washing Day In Topsy Turvy Land (22 November 1960)
The Gluebell Wood (29 November 1960)
Squish Falls Down a Well (6 December 1960)
Flopsy In Trouble (13 December 1960)
Flopsy Makes a Christmas Pudding (20 December 1960)
King Bumble Drop (27 December 1960)
A New Suit For Pilliwig (3 January 1961)
The Big Storm (10 January 1961)
Daffy's Birthday (17 January 1961)
Gilly Golly In Trouble (24 January 1961)
Pom-Pom Gets The Hiccups (31 January 1961)
Pongo In the Goldmine (7 February 1961)
The Obstinate Donkey (14 February 1961)

REFERENCES

MAGAZINES

TV Times vol.18 no.225 (19 February 1960) p.19 (UK)
illustrated article (Fantasy For Strings by Molly Douglas)

BOOKS

The Complete Gerry Anderson: The Authorised Episode Guide by Chris Bentley pp.21-27 (Richmond: Reynolds and Hearn (2003) ISBN: 1 903111 41 2)
credits, article, episode guide

KEYWORDS

puppets

Last Updated: 1 January, 2009