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Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings

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Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings
GenreChildren's television
Narrated byBernard Cribbins
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
Production
Running time5 minutes
Production companyFilmFair
Original release
NetworkThames Television
Release1974 –
1976

Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings is a British children's animated series about the adventures of a young child named Simon, who has a magic chalkboard. Things that Simon draws on the chalkboard become real in the Land of Chalk Drawings, which Simon can enter by climbing over a fence near his home with a ladder. The stories often revolve around the unintended effects that Simon's drawings have on the Land of Chalk Drawings, such as when an upset Simon draws a picture of his angry self, which goes on a rampage.

The programme is based upon the writings of Edward McLachlan. It was produced in the mid 1970s[1] by FilmFair Productions in London for Thames Television, and was originally a 5-minute programme, broadcast around tea time in Britain. The programme also became familiar to American audiences in the mid-1970s when it was featured on Captain Kangaroo (where it was narrated by Bob Keeshan instead of Bernard Cribbins), later on Pinwheel, and after that, on Romper Room[clarification needed]. In Canada it was narrated by Ernie Coombs and shown on CBC Television.

Original episodes

Series one

2

Season two

2

New series

Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings
GenreChildren's television
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
Production
Running time5 minutes
Original release
NetworkTeletoon
Release2002 –
2003

A new series premiered in 2002 on Teletoon in Canada, with a new theme song, an updated outfit for Simon, and a different colour scheme. Simon's friend Henry is replaced with a girl named Lily. In this new version, Simon wears a striped T-shirt, shorts and sneakers.

The series was later parodied on NBC's Saturday Night Live by Mike Myers. However, unlike the British series, the SNL sketches took place in Simon's bathtub, in which Simon shows, and discusses, drawings that correlate with his life.

Simon is also an award users can build on the popular internet game BrokenPictureTelephone. It is awarded to users by other users who feel that the artist has the drawing skills of a 4 year old.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Any copyright notice of the actual Simon shorts: e.g. this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki7jJgL6hDY from 1974

References

  • Sheridan, Simon (2004). The A to Z of Classic Children's Television. Reynolds & Hearn.
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