Mr.Squiggle and friends
Mr. Squiggle, a dearly loved kids TV puppet show in Australia for many years, has an exhibition as part of the Unima 2008 puppetry festival in Perth. Although its regarded as iconic, I have to admit running against the flow; I never really loved it either as a kid or an adult. I do like the puppets and their characters, though, and it was interesting to see how simply made they were made. Blackboard for instance is a piece of cardboard, with little (sand?)bags for feet, and the reason one of his eyes isn’t animated is that it was made so quickly they didn’t get that far. Of course, it gave him more character! Blackboard and Gus the cantankerous snail were always my favourites.
Mr.Squiggle’s creator, Norman Hetherington, and his wife Margaret, who scripted the shows, are both here at the festival.
- The photos below are licensed under a Creative Commons license. Please use them within the terms of the license or make special arrangements to use them, and list the photo credit as “Hilary Talbot” and link the credit to Spiritsdancing.com.
Mr. Squiggle
Bill Steamshovel. His neck and catapillar tracks are plain foam.
Gus
Update: my own squiggle.
My attendence at Unima 2008 is supported by the ACT Government
[...] get a lot of interest in my photos of Mr. Squiggle and friends, so I thought people might like to see the squiggle that Mr. Squiggle (aka Norman Heatherington) [...]
Mr Squiggle always kept me happy or cheered me up when i was young his love to our generation meant the world.
I was one of those kid’s that was always picket on. But
Mr Squiggle always made me happy again whit his kind voice.
it was allot better than the show today.
thank you Mr Squiggle for happiness when i was young. Love you Mr Squiggle keep real for other children.
[...] those unacquainted with Bill Steamshovel, he was a character in a very popular children’s television show in Australia called, Mr [...]
Mr. Squiggle you made me giggle! Where is this exhibition today? I’d love to see it!
It was a year ago in Perth, unfortunately.
Long live Mr Squiggle, you rock.
From an avid follower from the 60′s.
P.S. now that’s showing my age.