Jackanory

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Information

  • BBC children’s television series that was designed to stimulate an interest in reading, aired between 1965 and 1996
  • What Dahl Did: wrote several children’s books that were adapted for the program
  • Program Information:
    • “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”
      • Originally aired from February 5-9, 1968
      • Cast and crew:
        • Read by Bernard Cribbins
        • Pictures by Faith Jaques and Mina Martinez
        • Adapted for television and directed by Paul Ciani
        • Produced by Anna Home
      • Episodes:
        • Part 1: “Golden Tickets”
        • Part 2: “Fudgemallow Delight”
        • Part 3: “The Chocolate Room”
        • Part 4: “A Shock for Veruca and Violet”
        • Part 5: “A Surprise for Charlie”
    • “James and the Giant Peach”
      • Originally aired from September 30-October 4, 1968
      • Cast and crew:
        • Read by Bernard Cribbins
        • Pictures by Michel Simeon
        • Adapted for television and directed by Angela Beeching
        • Produced by Anna Home
      • Episodes:
        • Part 1: “The Mysterious Peach”
        • Part 2: “Strange Creatures”
        • Part 3: “Danger — Sharks!”
        • Part 4: “Adventures in the Air”
        • Part 5: “Down to Earth”
    • “Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator”
      • Originally aired from May 19-23, 1975
      • Cast and crew:
        • Read by Elaine Stritch
        • Pictures by Jan Brychta
        • Adapted for television and directed by Jeremy Swan
        • Produced by Angela Beeching
        • Executive producer: Anna Home
      • Episodes:
        • Part 1: “Mr Wonka goes too far”
        • Part 2: “Men from Mars”
        • Part 3: “The Vermicious Knids”
        • Part 4: “Back to the Chocolate Factory”
        • Part 5: “How to Get Someone Out of Bed”
    • “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”
      • Originally aired from October 15-19, 1979
      • Cast and crew:
        • Read by Elaine Stritch
        • Pictures by Jan Brychta
        • Adapted for television and directed by Nel Romano
        • Produced by Angela Beeching
        • Executive producer: Anna Home
    • “The BFG”
      • Originally aired from November 14-18, 1983
      • Cast and crew:
        • Read by Bill Oddle
        • With the voices of Emma Guidotti, Bernard Bresslaw, Miriam Margolyes, Clifford Norgate, and Edward Kelsey
        • Pictures by Jan Brychta
        • Designed by Nick Somerville
        • Adapted for television and directed by David Bell
        • Executive producer: Angela Beeching
      • Episodes:
        • Part 1: “The Snatch”
        • Part 2: “Snozzcumbers and the Bloodbottler”
        • Part 3: “Dream-catching”
        • Part 4: “The Queen”
        • Part 5: “Capture”
    • “George’s Marvellous Medicine”
      • Originally aired from January 6-10, 1986
      • Cast and crew:
        • Read by Rik Mayall
        • Pictures by Frances Cony
        • Designed by Bruce Macadie
        • Adapted for television and directed by David Bell
        • Produced by Angela Beeching
      • Episodes:
        • Part 1: “The Marvellous Plan”
        • Part 2: “The Cook-up”
        • Part 3: “Grandma Gets the Medicine”
        • Part 4: “The Pig, the Bullocks, the Sheep, the Pony and the Nanny-goat”
        • Part 5: “Marvellous Medicine Nos Two, Three and Four”
      • Trivia:
        • After the initial airing, the BBC was inundated with mail claiming both Rik’s presentation and the story were dangerous and offensive. It remains a highlight for many viewers.
    • “James and the Giant Peach”
      • Originally aired from February 10-13, 1986
      • Cast and crew:
        • Read by Kenneth Williams
      • Episodes:
        • Part 1
        • Part 2: “James meets the Creatures in the Peach”
        • Part 3: “James Makes the Peach Fly”
        • Part 4: “The Peach and the Cloud-men”
    • “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”
      • Originally aired from March 17-21, 1986
      • Cast and crew:
        • Read by Michael Palin
        • Pictures by Jan Brychta
        • Designed by Chris Seagers
        • Adapted for television and directed by Marilyn Fox
        • Produced by Angela Beeching
      • Episodes:
        • Part 1: “Mr Wonka ‘s Mystery Workers”
        • Part 2: “The Golden Tickets”
        • Part 3: “Inside the Gates”
        • Part 4: “Goodbye Veruca and Violet”
        • Part 5: “The Great Glass Lift”
    • “Danny the Champion of the World”
      • Originally aired from January 26-30, 1987
      • Cast and crew:
        • Read by Joss Ackland
        • Pictures by Gavin Rowe
        • Designed by Donal Woods
        • Adapted for television and directed by David Bell
        • Produced by Angela Beeching
      • Episodes:
        • Part 1: “My Father’s Deep, Dark Secret”
        • Part 2: “The Secret Methods”
        • Part 3: “The Sleeping Beauty”
        • Part 4: “Into the Wood”
        • Part 5: “Goodbye Mr Hazell”
    • “Matilda”
      • Originally aired from February 20-24, 1989
      • Cast and crew:
        • Read by Victoria Wood
        • Designed by Jackie Jackson
        • Adapted for television and directed by Nigel Douglas
        • Produced by Angela Beeching
      • Episodes:
        • Part 1: “The Reader of Books”
        • Part 2: “Miss Honey”
        • Part 3: “The First Miracle”
        • Part 4: “The Mystery”
        • Part 5: “The Final Miracle”
    • “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”
      • Originally aired from January 7-11, 1991
      • Cast and crew:
        • Read by Sylvester McCoy
        • Adapted for television and directed by Nigel Douglas
        • Produced by Angela Beeching
      • Episodes:
        • Part 1: “Here Comes Charlie”
        • Part 2: “The Miracle”
        • Part 3: “Down the Chocolate River”
        • Part 4: “The Great Glass Lift”
        • Part 5: “Charlie’s Chocolate Factory”
    • “Esio Trot”
      • Originally aired on March 18-19, 1991
      • Cast and crew:
        • Read by Jean Boht
    • “The Twits”
      • Originally aired on March 7-8, 1995
      • Cast and crew:
        • Read by Kathy Burke
    • “Fantastic Mr. Fox”
      • Originally aired on February 11 & 18, 1996
      • Cast and crew:
        • Read by Martin Jarvis

Description

Jackanory was a long-running BBC children’s television series that was designed to stimulate an interest in reading. The show was first transmitted on 13 December 1965, and the first story was the fairy-tale “Cap-o’-Rushes” read by Lee Montague. Jackanory continued to be broadcast until 1996, with around 3,500 episodes in its 30-year run.


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