The Raggy Dolls

Raggy Dolls

Title card
Genre Fantasy
Children and family series
Comedy-drama
Adventure
Created by Melvyn Jacobson
Developed by John Walker
Written by Neil Innes
Starring Neil Innes
Narrated by Neil Innes
Theme music composer Neil Innes
Opening theme Raggy Dolls, Dolls like you and me
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of series 9
No. of episodes 112
Production
Executive producer(s) John Marsden
Producer(s) Jo Kemp / Neil Molyneux / Joy Whitby
Running time 10 minutes
Production company(s) Yorkshire Television (1986–1994)
Orchid Productions (1987–1994)
Distributor ITV Studios
Release
Original network ITV Network / CITV
Picture format 4:3
Original release 3 April 1986 – 20 December 1994

The Raggy Dolls is a 1980s British cartoon series which originally aired on ITV from 1986 until 1994. The series is set in Mr. Grimes' Toy Factory, where imperfect dolls are thrown into a reject bin. While unobserved by human eyes, the dolls come to life and climb out of the reject bin to have adventures. The series was designed to encourage children to think positively about physical disabilities, as well as teaching kindness, tolerance and humility towards others.

The series was produced for Yorkshire Television from 3 April 1986 to 20 December 1994. It was created by Melvyn Jacobson, with scripts, narration and music by Neil Innes. Yorkshire Television produced the first two series of The Raggy Dolls before awarding the commission to Orchid Productions Limited in 1987. This was the first programme Yorkshire Television commissioned from an independent production company, and Orchid Productions went on to produce over 100 more episodes of the series. The initial animator for Yorkshire TV was Roy Evans, and consequently after the move to Orchid Productions Mark Mason took over the role, animating and storyboarding 26 episodes, and storyboarding and directing other animators on a further 26 episodes before moving onto work on other children's shows and being replaced by Peter Hale from the 7th series onwards.

Characters

The Raggy Dolls

Friends

Humans

Episodes

Season 1
# Prod Air Date Title Summary
1 101 03/04/1986 The Flying Machine The very first episode of the series, in which the Raggy Dolls find a lost R.C. Aeroplane, and decide to fix it up and fly in it.
2 102 10/04/1986 The Big Top The Raggy Dolls wind up inside a circus tent and perform stunts as they try to make their way out.
3 103 17/04/1986 The Pigeon Race Whilst Hi Fi and Back-to-Front are out for a walk, they meet a homing pigeon that has become injured whilst tangled on some electric wires and they go to help him, with the help of the other dolls.
4 104 24/04/1986 The War of the Wizards With Back-to-Front's magic tricks being out of practice, Hi-Fi uses his metal detector to uncover a chest that has a real magic book in it, in which Back-to-Front uses to fix his head, but the book soon causes problems.
5 105 01/05/1986 The Special Offer The Raggy Dolls were taken to a toy shop in London, and were made as special offers to anyone who buys a video game. However, despite this new life, they did not want to give up their friendship when being bought individually, that what happens when Lucy had been bought by a rich girl.
6 106 08/05/1986 The Litter Bugs After Sad Sack gets chased by a duckling, the Raggy Dolls discover that the peaceful area of a field they are in is being littered by an irresponsible family on a picnic.
7 201 20/11/1986 The Dark Wood When visiting the Dark Wood, the Raggy Dolls come to realise that the wood is in threat because of a poacher.
8 202 27/11/1986 The Funfair A man called Toby Martin came and took the Raggy Dolls to a Fun Fair; they were then put on hooks as prizes for the coconut shy. However, as they saw the coconuts get hit by the balls, they soon see that there is something funny about Toby Martin?
9 203 04/12/1986 Too Many Cooks Claude is a very good cook for the Raggy Dolls, but when he saw Florrie Fosdyke bake a cake for the factory competition, he was then disgusted with her poor efforts. So the gang decide to help her out by replacing it with an even better cake.
10 204 11/12/1986 After the Storm After a storm has passed, the Raggy Dolls go to see Pumpernickle, but find him on the ground. They also notice that Farmer Brown is not around to help the animals, and with the help of Rufus the sheepdog, they find him stuck in an old mineshaft and help to rescue him.
11 205 18/12/1986 Christmas Dolls One snowy Christmas Eve, the Raggy Dolls decided to go tobogganing in the snow, but poor Sad Sack meanwhile wished he was still back in bed. And they end up crashing into the doors of a children's hospital, where they become temporary Christmas presents to sick children.
12 206 19/02/1987 The Trouble with Claude After hearing about a French Week being held in Bunce's Emporium, the Raggy Dolls decided to go there to have a look, but as they did, Claude got into a lot of trouble when he'd wandered off! From which he gets lost and meets another French doll called Babette.
13 207 26/02/1987 Happy Binday It is Princess's binday, and she feels that she's being ignored as her friends get the preparations ready in secret. She decides to award them with a flight on Owl.
Season 2
# Prod Air Date Title Summary
14 301 13/11/1987 The Genius An American artist, Andre G. Hamburger needs inspiration for his new work, and takes Dotty and Back-to-Front. Only when Hi-Fi rescues them, do they end up making his art even more famous.
15 302 20/11/1987 Speaking French Claude teaches the Raggy Dolls French. At first Princess tries, then the rest of the Raggy Dolls except Sad Sack, who thought it's silly, until he comes across a troubled French doll in an apple tree.
16 303 27/11/1987 The Winter Swan The Raggy Dolls find a Swan in distress one cold winter's night, and decide to help it.
17 304 04/12/1987 The Terrible Twins Mr Grime's nephews come to visit him for the weekend, and cause problems not just for him, but for the Raggy Dolls as well.
18 305 11/12/1987 Sports Day The Raggy Dolls were having a Sports Day, and everyone is enjoying it, except for poor Sad Sack.
19 306 08/01/1988 To the Rescue The Raggy Dolls help to repair a doll that they find thrown away at the dump.
20 401 19/08/1988 Spring Toys Mr Grimes is running out of ideas, and it is up to the Raggy Dolls to find some more, in order to keep his business running.
21 402 26/08/1988 A Trip to the Sea Mr Grimes goes to the seaside for his holiday, and the Raggy Dolls follow.
22 403 02/09/1988 The Royal Tour Princess feels like she is not royal enough, so the Raggy Dolls dress her up in royalty and give her a royal tour around the countryside, but things don't go according to plan when her coronet is stolen by a magpie and an fierce bull sees her red dress...
23 404 07/09/1988 Onion Soup Claude gets himself into a pickle, when he went after Onion soup, made by Florrie, and ends up being put inside a saucepan.
24 405 14/09/1988 Moving House Dotty decides that the dolls should move to a new home. But when night falls and a storm takes place, she climbs inside a tree to shelter. When the other Raggy Dolls hear she is in trouble, they build a raft and set off to the rescue.
25 406 21/09/1988 Factory Mice After giving a baby mouse some of their picnic food, the Raggy Dolls tell it of where they got it. The next day, the factory is overtaken by a huge hoard of mice, and they now have to find a way on getting rid of them.
26 407 28/09/1988 A Trip to France The Raggy Dolls sail on a toy boat and end up lost at sea. They reach a beach which Claude thinks is France, and camp there before sailing back home. In the end, Dotty discovers they were on an island in the middle of the sea.
Season 3
# Prod Air Date Title Summary
27 501 16/11/1988 Hot Air Balloon One day, The Raggy Dolls were having a great time of watching clouds, in which was then disturbed when a hot air balloon landed in the big field. Whilst the pilot left a boy in charge, whilst he went for help, the boy accidentally clambered in and got unconscious as the balloon took off by high winds, and it's up to them to save the boy.
28 502 23/11/1988 Ghosts One night, Lucy wanted to be brave for once, in which she managed to succeed when she and the other Raggy Dolls met up with some spooky skeleton Raggy Dolls.
29 503 30/11/1988 The Tree House The Raggy Dolls decided to build a Tree House as their hang out place, but whilst they were building, they noticed that a Magpie had been stealing jewelry from Mr. Grimes’ Toy Factory.
30 504 07/12/1988 The Memory Machine Claude had come up with an idea for all The Raggy Dolls to dance for the evenings, and whilst they were planning to do that, they then found in the reject bin a Memory Machine with faulty answers. They managed to fix it up, in return of it lighting up the disco.
31 505 14/12/1988 Doll Overboard The Raggy Dolls decided to go for a sail, only for them to have a rough time with speed boats.
32 506 21/12/1988 The Unlucky Hedgehog One autumn, The Raggy Dolls decided to camouflage their tree house, but as they were gathering things together, they eventually came to find a stubborn hedgehog, living in a bonfire in which would soon be alight!
33 601 19/07/1989 Easter Bunny What do you get if you find a greedy bunny, and a pile of too many chocolate eggs, a huge stomach ache of trouble, in which The Raggy Dolls soon find out!
34 602 26/07/1989 In Days of Old Sad Sack was having trouble drawing a picture, so he decided to read a book about a magic sword, in which then caused him to have the most amazing dream of his life!
35 603 02/08/1989 The Old Clock Lady Grimes Soft Toys are having a clear out. The Raggy Dolls find themselves thrown in a skip and taken to the town dump. A poor old lady visits the dump looking for scrap items to sell so that she can make some money to buy herself food and drink. She spots the Raggy Dolls in the skip and takes them home with her.

In return for her kindness the Raggy Dolls help the old lady by repairing all the broken clocks that she has so that she can sell them.

36 604 09/08/1989 Peace and Quiet It was a peaceful day in their new treehouse well except they were soon interrupted by jets and aeroplanes.
37 605 16/08/1989 We are Not Amused The Raggy Dolls have found an amusement park but they soon discovered that it isn't much fun at all.
38 606 23/08/1989 The Lost Puppy Mr Grimes was looking after his sister's naughty pet puppy as the Raggy Dolls had soon spotted him getting into all kinds of trouble and gets lost.
39 607 30/08/1989 Horse Sense One day, The Raggy Dolls found something strange in the Big Field, in which turns out to be Horse Jumps for a Welsh Pony, belonging to Farmer Brown's daughter that then had an accident. Raggy Dolls to the Rescue, once again!
Season 4
# Prod Air Date Title Summary
40 608 06/09/1989 The Terrible Storm After the terrible storm was brewing, the Raggy Dolls must fix their new treehouse.
41 609 13/09/1989 The Stolen Parrot The Raggy Dolls must help a parrot who had been birdnapped by poachers.
42 610 20/09/1989 Crazy Golf Mr.Grimes had found a game of golf, so the Raggy Dolls must make a crazy golf for themselves.
43 701 28/06/1990 Pumpernickle's Party The Raggy Dolls tries to help Pumpernickle by scaring all the crows away.
44 702 05/07/1990 So Safari Mr.Grimes's terrible twin nephews were on a trip to the zoo as the Raggy Dolls followed with the help of the other animals.
45 703 12/07/1990 Making Faces Deciding to cheer Sad sack up, the Raggy Dolls had made a puppet show to make him believe himself.
46 704 19/07/1990 The Old Windmill The Raggy Dolls had found an old windmill as they soon discovered it.
47 705 26/07/1990 The Little Carthorse The Raggy Dolls who have met a little carthorse who doesn't know who he is with a little help of Hercules the farmhorse.
48 706 02/08/1990 Making Jam The Raggy Dolls were all harvesting crabapples and blackberries and they decide to make jam with them.
49 707 09/08/1990 The Teddy Bear's Picnic While the Raggy Dolls were having a picnic lunch, they've met Mr.Grime's long lost teddy bear named Old Edward who had been lost for a long time as they tried to help him out.
50 708 16/08/1990 Mr Marmalade The Raggy Dolls had quite enough of Mr Marmalade's tricks after he had scared them, as they made they're way to the factory, they were terrified by a rat so Mr Marmalade tries to rescue them by scaring the rat away.
51 709 23/08/1990 The Treasure Hunt Mr Marmalade and the Raggy Dolls had given them clues as they were on search to find a hidden treasure.
52 710 30/08/1990 Rupert the Roo Sad Sack had met a toy kangaroo Rupert the Roo who had been mailed from Australia, so the Raggy Dolls tries to help him out before heading back to Australia.
Season 5
# Prod Air Date Title Summary
53 711 06/09/1990 Witch is Which? When a witch tries to spoil their Halloween Party the other Raggy Dolls think her magic is the surprise laser show promised by Back-To-Front and Hi-Fi, and their laughter drives the witch away. When the boys explain their show didn't work, the Raggy Dolls make sure to laugh all the way home!
54 712 13/09/1990 Bonfire Night The Raggy Dolls explain the significance of 5 November to Claude, and set out to watch the firework display. Claude is captured by some boys who are planning their own bonfire in an abandoned paint factory. They tie Claude to a rocket, and light their bonfire, oblivious of the sparks, which set the factory alight. Hi-Fi calls the Fire Brigade, but before they arrive a spark sets off the boys' box of fireworks and drives them away. In the commotion, the Raggy Dolls free Claude, just before a spark ignites the rocket.
55 713 20/09/1990 Rainbow's End Princess learns that good friends are worth more than a whole pot of gold.
56 714 27/09/1990 Lost in Space The Raggy Dolls were being kidnapped by some aliens and Hi-Fi befriends an alien who stammers just like him.
57 715 04/10/1990 Roman Ramblers The Raggy Dolls go hiking, but get lost in the hot sun. Luckily, the Romans have left handy signposts to help them find their way again. Sad Sack dreams that they are all back in Roman times.
58 716 11/10/1990 The Great Expedition The Raggy Dolls were at the jungle and meets a lonely gorilla.
59 717 18/10/1990 The Twitcher The Raggy Dolls finds out who is the Twitcher.
60 718 25/10/1990 Too Bossy Dotty learns a valuable lesson about being bossy today.
61 719 01/11/1990 The Toy Fair The Raggy Dolls were at the toy fair and the monkey causes chaos and taking over the store.
62 720 08/11/1990 Ragamuffin The Raggy Dolls meets Ragamuffin who is a wandering traveller doll who'd lost his owner and decided to spend his life taking in new sights and experiences of his adventures.
63 721 15/11/1990 Grand Prix Dolls Ragamuffin and the Raggy Dolls were playing Grand Prix games.
64 722 22/11/1990 Fond Farewells The Raggy Dolls gives Ragamuffin a teary farewell.
65 723 20/12/1990 Doctor Dolls The Raggy Dolls were playing doctor and nurses game.
Season 6
# Prod Air Date Title Summary
66 801 06/09/1991 Old Fashioned Dolls The Raggy Dolls teach Old Edward about old fashioned stuff from the past.
67 802 13/09/1991 Lady Luck The Raggy Dolls meets a mysterious woman called Lady Luck who takes them on an adventure they're never forget.
68 803 20/09/1991 Invisible Dolls The Raggy Dolls are invisible today.
69 804 27/09/1991 The Great Outdoors The Raggy Dolls decide to hitch a ride with Mr Grimes when he goes camping. After setting up their home made tents and sleeping bags, they notice that a rock climber is in trouble. Raggy Dolls to the rescue!
70 805 18/10/1991 The Lonely Echo While staying at the countryside, the Raggy Dolls meets a lonely cliff.
71 806 25/10/1991 Homeward Bound The Raggy Dolls learns that there is no place like home.
72 807 01/11/1991 Railway Dolls The Raggy Dolls are having a lovely time at the railway station.
73 808 08/11/1991 Windy Weather The wind blows a young crow out of its nest. With the help of Back-To-Front's kite, and a helpful cow, the Raggy Dolls manage to return him to the treetop.
74 809 15/11/1991 Purple Diamonds When the Raggy Dolls dig up a troublesome rock they think they have discovered valuable purple diamonds. They dream of what they would do with their riches, until Mr. Marmalade, the factory cat, explains that is only amethyst, and worth very little.
75 810 22/11/1991 The Giant Bumblebee Mr. Grimes' sister leaves the terrible twins Oz and Boz with Mr. Grimes. He suggests they collect insects to study, but when the Raggy Dolls find that they have trapped the insects in a jar without airholes they dress up Sad Sack as a giant bumblebee to teach the twins a lesson.
76 811 29/11/1991 The Return of the Roo The Raggy Dolls were excited when Rupert returns from Australia.
77 812 06/12/1991 The Boomerang Games Rupert teaches the Raggy Dolls how to use a boomerang.
78 813 13/12/1991 Down on the Farm The Raggy Dolls and Rupert the Roo were having a jolly good time on One Pin Farm.
Season 7
# Prod Air Date Title Summary
80 901 08/09/1992 The Royal County Show The Raggy Dolls and Rupert the Roo are at the Royal County Show.
81 902 15/09/1992 Open Day The Raggy Dolls and Rupert the Roo were at Open Day with great results.
82 903 22/09/1992 The Town Carnival The Raggy Dolls are at the town carnival with over the top results.
83 904 29/09/1992 Cave Dolls The Raggy Dolls dreams they were in Stone Age.
84 905 06/10/1992 Barbeque Ball The Raggy Dolls were having a barbecue ball and Sad Sack is looking forward to it!
85 906 13/10/1992 High and Dry Sad Sack accidentally steers 'The Spirit of Adventure' into a sandbank, but this leads him to discover a secret cave on the beach.
86 907 27/10/1992 Smugglers Cave Sad Sack befriends a ghost of the fisherman who tells stories of the seven seas.
87 908 03/11/1992 William the Conker The Raggy Dolls play a game about conkers.
88 909 10/11/1992 Bonnie Scotland The Raggy Dolls travel to Scotland.
89 910 17/11/1992 On the Town The Raggy Dolls were going to London with Ragamuffin.
90 911 24/11/1992 Danger, Men at Work While holidaying in London, there's trouble for the Raggy Dolls and the workmen.
91 912 01/12/1992 Sight Seeing Dolls The Raggy Dolls tour to London with their friend Ragamuffin.
92 913 08/12/1992 Dolls on Wheels Hi Fi and Back to Front build a skateboard, but have trouble finding the right wheels for the job. Rupert the Roo brings them the wheels from Mr Grimes's tea trolley. Sad Sack doubts that these are the best wheels for a skateboard, and it looks like he may be right...
Season 8
# Prod Air Date Title Summary
93 1001 28/09/1993 Robot Canteen After Florrie had gone to do some shopping, Mr.Grimes had hired a robot to do the hard work as the Raggy Dolls tries to have a plan to get Florrie back.
94 1002 05/10/1993 Mister Mole The Raggy Dolls have met a mole while having their picnic lunch together.
95 1003 12/10/1993 The Empty House While testing on an aeroplane until it had landed on an empty house, when the Raggy Dolls tries to find it before heading back home with a flight of an owl.
96 1004 19/10/1993 Mon Repose Mr.Grimes were having a holiday near the seaside, but it doesn't work at all when the Raggy Dolls tries to help people from getting washed away by the sea.
97 1005 26/10/1993 The Runaway Monkey The monkey was into some kind of mischief as the Raggy Dolls have made their plans to catch the monkey.
98 1006 02/11/1993 Lucy's Greenhouse When slugs eat the cabbages in Lucy's garden the Raggy Dolls make a greenhouse for her. Overcome by the heat she dreams she shrinks in size and meets many strange plants and insects. The Raggy Dolls rescue her, but she realises even pests have to eat.
99 1007 09/11/1993 The Horrible Princesses Three haughty princess dolls make fun of Princess, but the Raggy Dolls convince them that a terrible wizard is on their trail so they could teach them all a lesson.
100 1008 16/11/1993 The Town Gala The Raggy Dolls watch Cynthia and Mr.Grimes doing a skydive in the town gala.
101 1009 23/11/1993 Mr Grimes in Love The Raggy Dolls decide to write a love letter to Mr. Grimes thinking it was from Cynthia Popplethwaite.
102 1010 07/12/1993 Wedding Bells Mr. Grimes is too shy to declare his feelings to Cynthia Popplethwaite, so the Raggy Dolls play cupid. When Mr. Grimes and Cynthia get married, she brings the Raggy Dolls with her to the cottage so they can all live happily ever after.
Season 9
# Prod Air Date Title Summary
103 1101 11/10/1994 Off on a Honeymoon The Raggy Dolls were very proud of Mr.Grimes after he got married with Mrs.Grimes until they have decided to go on a honeymoon as the Raggy Dolls have followed them inside their suitcase.
104 1102 18/10/1994 A Mediterranean Cruise When they have made to Spain by a Cruise Liner, Princess was being captured by a monkey so it was up to the Raggy Dolls to save her before heading back to the Cruise Liner with some help of the seagulls.
105 1103 25/10/1994 Stormy Weather The Raggy Dolls decided to make a paddling pool to swim in it as the great big weather came and it worked out very well for the Raggy Dolls.
106 1104 01/11/1994 When in Rome When they have made it to Italy, the Raggy Dolls tries to help the Italian alleycat by finding the lost kitten for them.
107 1105 08/11/1994 Just a Minotaur While inside the secret Temple leaving crisps and peanuts for a trail until they have find a lizard who knew the way out until the Minotaur was only just Mr.Grimes carrying a bicycle thanks to one of Back-to-Front's funny pranks on them.
108 1106 15/11/1994 The Eyes of Rami When they've went to Egypt, the Raggy Dolls were being tricked by a Scorpion until they have met an Egyptian princess doll named Shehabi who helped them find the emeralds for the eyes of the Princess Rami statue before it had magically heading them back home in the Reject bin.
109 1107 22/11/1994 Elephants do Forget The Raggy Dolls and Mr.Marmalade tries to help the baby elephant by trying to remember everything by scaring it with a help of a little mouse that Mr.Marmalade had caught.
110 1108 06/12/1994 What's the Time? The Raggy Dolls tries to help Sad Sack try to remember the time has come.
111 1109 13/12/1994 The Russian Doll Natasha, a Russian Doll of seven in the care of Mrs. Grimes, gets friendly with the Raggy Dolls, Rupert the Roo and Old Edward.
112 1110 20/12/1994 Bored The final episode of the series when Rupert the Roo was bored of Natasha and Old Edward, so he decide to join the Raggy Dolls with a ride on a boat until they have discovered some famous actresses and actors were filming on the bridge of the water pond as they seen him, the actor threw him out over the bridge and Rupert finds out that he wasn't bored anymore.

Transmission guide

Merchandise

Three videos (with 5 programmes each) were released during the early 90s by Castle Communications Plc, each featuring a selection of 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991 episodes narrated by Neil Innes.

in the Spring of 1993 4 Front Video released one cassette under 'Pocket Money Video' range (Cat No. 0867323) with six episodes- The Flying Machine, The Pigeon Race, The Fun Fair, Spring Toys, A Trip to the Sea, A Royal Tour

The complete first series of The Raggy Dolls was released on DVD on 21 June 2010 through Revelation Films. The complete second series is available after being released on 18 October 2010. The complete third series is available after its release on 7 February 2011, the complete fourth series has been released for availability on 6 June 2011, but the complete fifth series (next in line) is of yet unknown for availability.

Books

A series of at least 10 books were published in 1990 by both Boxtree Limited (in association with Yorkshire Television Limited) and ABC Enterprises (for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation). The books were written or adapted by Neil Innes and illustrated by Steve Smallman. Titles include:

References

  1. ↑ "Raggy Dolls". 80scartoons.co.uk. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  2. ↑ "Raggy Dolls 2 [VHS]". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
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