Bosco (TV series): Difference between revisions

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Bosco was an Irish children's television programme produced during the late 1970s and early 1980s. It was produced by the Lambert Puppet Theatre. Bosco was voiced by Miriam Lambert initially; in later years Paula Lambert took over the character.

The main character in the programme was Bosco, a small red-haired puppet with bright red cheeks. Bosco lived in a box, which he only left to go on excursions to places such as Dublin Zoo.

Each episode was hosted by two presenters. The roster of presenters included Jonathan (Ryan), Marian (Richardson), Frank (Twomey), Gráinne, Philip & Susie.

Any guests to the show would enter and exit through the 'Magic Door'. This was also used to exit the shot to any inserts in the show. The Magic Door told viewers where people (or the camera shot) were going for the day's adventure.

There were various short animations, usually stop-motion, as part of the show. The plonksters were plasticine critters, which were continually engaged in fights or schemes against each other. Flaherty was a dog, plagued by an amateur crow magician in a series of shorts featuring stop-motion models. Benedetta was a horse who would occasionally attend the show. Everytime she came on, Bosco would try to ride her. Although he tried his hardest, he would always wind up rejected. Her appearances became less and less frequent because her attendance would make Bosco cry. Freddy the Fox featured a host of well-modelled characters each with distinctive traits, such as Fiachra the Frog. There was also a cartoon featuring a potato family, The McSpuds, that lived in a supermarket (Savers). At night, the potato children, Sheila and Seamus, would run amok.

Occasionally, characters from the Lambert Theatre's other children's series, Wanderly Wagon, would be introduced into the show.

The show featured arts and crafts segments, in the style of the BBC's children's programme Blue Peter. Another prominent part of the show was story-time. A shared cultural experience for children in Ireland at the time, it ran for at least 300 episodes, but was repeated before (and later during) The Den daily until 1998.

• "Knock knock, open wide, see what's on the other side, Knock knock, any more, come with me through the Magic Door." - the Magic Door Rhyme

• In 2000, the Bosco puppet was stolen in a burglary of the Lambert Puppet Theatre's museum, and photos of it in various places around the world were sent to the media.

• A DVD containing episodes of Bosco was officially released in November 2005. This was followed up by a second DVD which was released in the run-up to Christmas 2006.

• Satirical site 'watching Bosco's movements'
• 'Bring Back Bosco! Petition'

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