Oscar The Rabbit - childrens tv programme

[AndyGranda]

Anyone watch 'Oscar' - a children's programme on in the late seventies usually came on at lunchtime or afterwards?? I only remember this (honestly!), ...not because I watched myself, but I sometimes would leave my school at lunchtime and go up to my eldest sister's house for lunch, and I remember 'Oscar' the rabbit would come on and my neice who was about two at the time, used to cry with fear when this puppet-crocodile, with big eyes and sharp white teeth would appear. Maybe that was another programme altogether, ...but it was always turned over if that croc appeared. But anyone remember 'Oscar' though??

[romf]

Re: Oscar The Rabbit - childrens tv programme

Yes! I remember but information is scarce and images or VT are elusive..

You can find fond reminiscences here:TV Cream: THE ORGANISATION to THE OXFORD ROAD SHOW and an episode listing at BFI | Film & TV Database | OSCAR

but if you find an episode or images anywhere please let me know!

[scottydogdiamondgeezer]

Re: Oscar The Rabbit - childrens tv programme

I bought this! been asking folk about programme for years! loved it! very little info on net

oscar the rabbit in rubbidge 30 piece jigsaw puzzle on eBay (end time 09-Sep-09 19:39:54 BST)

[ludwig11]

Re: Oscar The Rabbit - childrens tv programme

Hi there, yes i remember Oscar the rabbitt, many few do you know. My sister's can't remember this one, which is quite unusual. I used to watch it on sunday mornings after sleeping over at my Grandparents house, which was always exciting. I remember Oscar as a loving soft rabbitt dressed in dungarees or something of that type, bopping around innocently, then all of a sudden the crocodile appeared & chased oscar away, trying to catch him in his jaws. I think the crocodile was called "Nashers", as he always returned back to his home, foiled again by oscar, where he had a washing line full of false teeth, and he would pick out a different set to put in his mouth , and then set about chasing oscar again. Just simple fun & effective entertainment for the younger viewer back in the mid seventies, they certainly don't make them like this anymore. Take care - ludwig11

[darryl1666]

Re: Oscar The Rabbit - childrens tv programme

I have been trying to find out about it, all I could remember was Lance Percival and Gnashers. It was made by Tyne Tees Televison between 1977 and 1979. Found a web site ftvdb.bfi.org.uk listing the episodes but not much else. Does anyone else think Gnashers was modelled on Lance, as he had a fair set of Gnashers?

[TooSoonTom]

Re: Oscar The Rabbit - childrens tv programme

I remember that Oscar fell into a dustbin and discovered a world where all the rubbish ends up. Characters include a patchwork dragon, rag doll, a knight(whos armour was pots and pans?) and a Pterodactyl(not a crocodile) called Gnasher. He lived in a cave and kept his spare teeth on a washing line, they all spoke as well!

[AndyGranda]

Re: Oscar The Rabbit - childrens tv programme

Hi there! I haven't been on for a while, ...but welcome! It's funny catching up with these updates as it puts lots of different peices of the jigsaw back together. Indeed you are right Tom! It was a pterodactyl, ...NOW, I remember! Cheers everyone!

AndyGranda

[Paulos]

Re: Oscar The Rabbit - childrens tv programme

I used to love this programme and remember Gnasher the pterodactyl the most.
The characters were foam puppets with I think a black back round to hide the puppeteers.
I can't find any clips of this on the internet, all I can find is that the film is not held by the TV companies any more but is in storage at the BFI national archive.
It also has the episode names:

Children's animated series about Oscar the rabbit. GB, Tyne-Tees 1977-

Episodes

IF THE HAT FITS (03/12/1979)
BIG CHIEF GNASHERS (06/08/1979)
The SPOOK (11/01/1979)
HYPNOSIS (10/01/1979)
TOOTH CLEANING MACHINE (09/01/1979)
SUPER MEMORY (20/12/1978)
NO ESCAPE (12/12/1978)
DAMSEL IN DISTRESS (05/12/1978)
PRESENTS (04/06/1978)
GNASHERS THE WIZARD (13/04/1978)
CLEANING UP (12/04/1978)
DRESSING UP (10/04/1978)
NO CORK (07/04/1978)
The CIRCUS (06/04/1978)
PLAY IT AGAIN GNASHER (22/03/1978)
GNASHERS' DIRTY TRICKS (21/03/1978)
POOR OLD GNASHERS (04/03/1978)
NO ESCAPE (17/08/1977)
DRAGON HUNT (10/08/1977)
GNASHER'S BIRTHDAY (08/1977)
MAGIC JUNK FLUTE (24/07/1977)
PARTY GAMES (20/07/1977)
ZAGGY DISAPPEARS (22/04/1977)
WHOPPER STOPPER (21/04/1977)
HIDE AND SEEK (20/04/1977)
PACKAGE HOLIDAY (19/04/1977)
The STICK UP (18/04/1977)
SNAP DRAGON (15/04/1977)
CARROTS (14/04/1977)
HOT AIR BALLOON (12/04/1977)
FLYING KETTLES (11/04/1977)
AMNESIA (08/04/1977)
CARROT NIGHTMARE (06/04/1977)
TOOTHACHE (04/04/1977)
The CLOWN (01/04/1977)
FLYING CARPET (31/03/1977)
INTRO TO RUBBIDGE (28/03/1977)

[Paulos]

Re: Oscar The Rabbit - childrens tv programme

INFO FROM THE MAIN DYR WEBSITE

Deinitely!!!!!, we used to get it in Scotland about mid-late afternoon, I can remember him swinging about on a tyre at the either beginning or the end of the programme, It was called something like Oscar and the great Wooferoo, I remember the tune vividly and Karen O you are right about the sort of fairground style music and yes it was very screechy in places, Gnashers was the Pterodactyl and the Dragon was called Zaggy and did involve the Washing Line of Death, I think Gnashers may have also appeared in a very similar type of programme called The Dinosaur Show and it was set to a black background but you could sometimes see the movements of the persons controlling the puppets in the background. I reckon this was out about 1977ish,same time as Jamie and The Magic Torch
mark welsh 17-Sep-2008, 02:49:08 PM

Oscar, Ganshers and the Great Wooferoo! I have been trying to track this down for years, even contacted Tyne TV and tried to contact Lance Percival who did the voices but to no avail. The land they all lived in was at the bottom of a dustbin and every now and then a piece of trash would fall out of the sky, like an old tin can or a fish skeleton, the whole thing was completely weird and nightmarish and I have never forgotten it. The BFI own the reels and the rights and we are unlikely to ever see it again unless someone wins the lottery and buys it off them, I would!
JudgeAnderson 18-Apr-2009, 07:26:23 PM

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[mandamushkin]

Re: Oscar The Rabbit - childrens tv programme

Hi there, yes i remember Oscar the rabbitt, many few do you know. My sister's can't remember this one, which is quite unusual. I used to watch it on sunday mornings after sleeping over at my Grandparents house, which was always exciting. I remember Oscar as a loving soft rabbitt dressed in dungarees or something of that type, bopping around innocently, then all of a sudden the crocodile appeared & chased oscar away, trying to catch him in his jaws. I think the crocodile was called "Nashers", as he always returned back to his home, foiled again by oscar, where he had a washing line full of false teeth, and he would pick out a different set to put in his mouth , and then set about chasing oscar again. Just simple fun & effective entertainment for the younger viewer back in the mid seventies, they certainly don't make them like this anymore. Take care - ludwig11

I too remember Oscar, but none of my friends who are the same age or even slightly older have never heard of it. Both myself and my mum have desperately been trying to find out more. All I can remember is being absolutely terrified everytime it came on and hiding behind the sofa (even though I insisted on watching it!) Was knashers a crocodile? I always had it in my head that he was a brown terradactyl but I was extremely young. Thank you for brininging back memories - delightful x

[Trilobite]

Re: Oscar The Rabbit - childrens tv programme

I vaguely remember "Oscar the Rabbit" too. I had forgotten about the pteradactyl thing!

My sister and I used to spend our Easter holidays at our grandparents and they received Border Television (ITV). Oscar the Rabbit seemed to be shown at midday, or slightly earlier (it couldn't have been later as ITN's 'The World at One' news was at 1 O' Clock and 'Emmerdale Farm' was around 2PM).

We stayed in the Scottish Television region, and I can't remember if it was shown there - if it was, we would have been at school anyway.

What a pity it is locked away in the archives.

[scottydogdiamondgeezer]

Re: Oscar The Rabbit - childrens tv programme

WE ARE NOT ALONE

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=16657234770&ref=ts

[Paulos]

Re: Oscar The Rabbit - childrens tv programme

I'm still searching for internet for anything.
The facebook site above has a couple of jigsaw pics, which is the first internet related pics I've ever seen, they don't quite do it for me though.
Let's start a petition to get the tapes out of storage!!!

[Paulos]

Re: Oscar The Rabbit - childrens tv programme

At last my searching has come up with something!
It would seem that Oscar was originally South African and dubbed by ITV!
There are a number of the original clips on you tube.
Haven't been able to hear what it sounds like yet as I'm meant to be working!!!!!

[TooSoonTom]

Re: Oscar The Rabbit - childrens tv programme

WARNING FALSE MEMORY SYNDROME!

I used to love this but have no recollection of the dog character or the 'red riding hood' girl. The jigsaw image contains another doll character which is the one i remember and the knight! I also remember it being set on a light blue background and not the black(except Gnashers cave). Am I going mad?, false memory or was it remade foe UK audiences(though i doubt it).