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Make Way for Noddy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Gobbo (character))
| Make Way For Noddy | |
|---|---|
| Format | Computer-animated children's series |
| Created by | Chorion (company); Enid Blyton (Noddy character) |
| Starring | Many different actors |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Production | |
| Running time | 15 minutes (Five); 30 minutes (PBS Kids Sprout) |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Five; PBS |
| Original run | 2 September 2002 – present |
Make Way for Noddy is an animated series for children, produced by Chorion of the United Kingdom in conjunction with SD Entertainment in the United States. Based on Enid Blyton's Noddy character, it originally aired in 12-minute segments as part of the Milkshake program on Britain's Five, starting on September 2, 2002.
On January 5, 2004, an Americanized version of the series, with "Noddy and The New Taxi" as its first episode, was launched in the United States on PBS in a half-hour version. This version, although it retained the name "Make Way for Noddy", was a longer format; it combined two of the 12-minute segments with new material. Along with the story episodes featuring Noddy and his friends, the PBS format included two interstitals, a music video, and footage from a live-action host named Naomi. The Say it With Noddy interstitials featured Noddy learning various foreign-language words from a robot named Whizz. Although most of the Noddy characters had been redubbed to remove their British accents, Naomi spoke with a strong British accent and used British-English words and phrases in conversation.
The theme tune of the show was released as a single in the UK in December 2003, reaching number 29 in the chart.
- Noddy is the main character, a small toy bobble-head boy who lives in Toyland. Although he is characterized as a child, with a child's imagination and fears, in Toyland he also serves as the town taxi-driver. He often finds himself in difficult situations due to his childlike impulsiveness and energy, but his Toy Town friends always help him set things right.
- Big-Ears is a wise old gnome, who lives in a toadstool house in the forest. He is a father-figure to Noddy and the other toys, often helping them out of trouble with his years of wisdom and good advice.
- Tessie Bear is Noddy's best friend, always ready to help everyone she sees. She lives in a pink house in Toy Town with Bumpy Dog, her faithful and rambunctious pet.
- Bumpy Dog is Tessie Bear's dog, whose bumping and jumping cause trouble for all the toys. Even though some of the toys complain about his leaping, in several stories Bumpy's energy has saved the day.
- Sly and Gobbo are the "villians" of Toyland, always hatching another evil plot to steal ice cream, coins, or Noddy's yellow taxi. They live in a hollow tree in the forest, when their schemes haven't landed them in Mr. Plod's jail. They always apologize for their mischief in the end, and seem truly sorry...til the next time.
- Mr. Plod is Toy Town's sole police officer. Armed with his trusty whistle and his all-purpose problem-solving phrase--"HALT! In the name of Plod!"--he brings law and order to Toyland, keeps Sly and Gobbo out of the way, and makes the streets safe for all the toys. Although Mr. Plod's no-nonsense ways keep Toyland safe, they sometimes make him seem cold or unfeeling, but the Toyland toys always bring out his compassionate side in the end.
- Mr. Sparks is Toy Town's mechanic, fix-it man, and jack-of-all-trades. Faced with a clock without a spring, a rocket without an engine, or a problem without a solution, he brings out his tools and his famous catch phrase: "A challenge?...I like it!". He speaks with a slight Spanish accent, and is always shown as an ingenious and helpful friend.
- Ms. Pink Cat owns Toy Town's ice cream shop. She is portrayed as very fussy and neat, with a French accent and no patience for foolishness, even her own.
- Dinah Doll is a toy plastic doll, the Toy Town shopkeeper. Her stall, though small, contains everything a Toyland resident could ever possibly want. From toy trains and kite strings to googleberry muffins, she greets every request with her favorite promise: "I know I have it--I just have to find it!" She is portrayed as a down-to-earth "older sister" figure, kindly guiding the more impulsive toys into doing the right thing.
- Master Tubby Bear, a stuffed teddy bear, is one of the more mischievious residents of Toyland. He's impatient, greedy and thoughtless, until one of the older, wiser Toy Town toys shows him the error of his ways. He's good friends with Martha Monkey.
- Martha Monkey is a monkey doll whose personality makes her a bit of an outcast in Toyland. She seems to want to be everyone's friend, but her boisterous behavior and prankster ways often get in the way. Like Master Tubby Bear, her best friend, she'll quickly see the light when her bad behavior is corrected by a caring friend.
- Mr. Jumbo is a friendly stuffed elephant. He uses his size to help smaller toys, like his best friend Clockwork Mouse.
- Clockwork Mouse is a wind-up toy mouse, Mr Jumbo's best friend.
- Mr. Wobbly Man wobbles and tips wherever he goes--he has a ball where his legs should be! He's very self-conscious about his clumsiness, especially when his wobbling attracts teasing.
- The Skittles are a family of bowling-pin-like toys who love nothing more than to be knocked over--whether by each other, a Bouncing Ball, or Bumpy Dog. Ma Skittle can often be seen in Toy Town, trying to keep all the little Skittles in sight.
- Harvey and Cecilia are two beetles who are often overlooked because of their small size.
- Tiny Ball is one of a large family of Bouncing Balls whose energetic bounces really make a big impression whenever they come to Toy Town. Tiny, though the smallest of all the Ball family, is also known to all the toys as the best bouncer in Toyland.
- Noddy's car is the Toy Town taxi. It listens to Noddy, and answers with a "beep! beep!" Though Car, as Noddy calls him, generally needs a driver, at times he can move on his own, especially when Noddy needs help.