- ZZZap!
-
ZZZap! Genre Children's
Slapstick
ComedyStarring Richard Waites
Neil Buchanan
Sarah Pickthall
Deborah McCallum
Sophie Aldred
Claire MacaulayVoices of Neil Buchanan
Sophie Aldred
Richard Waites
Claire MacualayTheme music composer Ron Aspery Country of origin United Kingdom
Language(s) English text only, aimed at the hearing impaired No. of series 10 No. of episodes 131 (List of episodes) Production Executive producer(s) Dan Maddicott
Richard Morse
Janie GraceProducer(s) Neil Buchanan
Tim Edmunds
Driana JonesEditor(s) Jim Lownie
Chris Jackson
Simon CruseRunning time 15 minutes Broadcast Original channel ITV Network (CITV) Original run 8 January 1993 – 21 September 2001 Zzzap (rendered ZZZap!) was a British children's television comedy programme. The concept of the show was a giant comic that has been brought to life. The show ran from 8 January 1993 until 21 September 2001[1], and was produced by The Media Merchants and Meridian Broadcasting. A spin-off titled 'Cuthbert's Diary' was also produced.
Contents
Format
The programme follows the same format throughout its run. A Title Intro is shown consisting of a couple of short clips for Each character from the season. It is then followed by a series of short two or three minute long segments, followed by the credits. Each segment is introduced by the camera zooming in on a corresponding panel on a giant comic, shot in reverse (e.g: The Camera starting at the Panel, and pulling back) and then played in reverse. This giant comic has a set of nine frames on it, some of which contain a character representing their segments.
Episodes
Season Eps. Year Originally aired 1 10 1993 8th January - 12th March 2 10 1994 7th January - 11th March 3 10 1995 6th January - 10th March 4 16 1996 5th January - 14th May 5 15 1997 4th January - 12th May 6 16 1998 10th January - 26th April 7 16 1998 1st September - 14th December 8 13 1999 7th September - 30th November 9 13 2000 9th September - 3rd December 10 15 2001 3rd September - 21st September Syndication
The series was repeated throughout 2002-2003 on the CITV on ITV1. The series was more recently broadcast on the CITV Channel in 2006, 2007 and 2009. ITV currently have no plans for any future repeats, as of 2011.
The Smart Arty elements and The Handymen were repeated in the USA as part of 'It's Itsy Bitsy Time on Fox Family, as Art Arty and The Handymen respectably, from 1999 until 2001.
Cast
Main
Actor(s) Character Series Richard Waites Cuthbert Lilly/Tricky Dicky series 1 All Neil Buchanan Smart Arty 1 - 7 Sarah Pickthall The Handymen All Deborah McCallum
Claire MacaulayDaisy Dares 2 - 10 Sophie Aldred Minnie the Mini Magician 8 - 10 Recurring
Actor(s) Character Series Barry Lee-Thomas Mr. Snooty All Series Anita Reynolds Old Lady All Series Background Voices
Actor(s) Character Series Richard Waites Cuthbert Lilly and various male co-stars 10 Neil Buchanan Cuthbert Lilly, Smart Arty, Daisy Dare and various others 1 - 9 Clare Macaulay Daisy Dare and various female co-stars 9 - 10 Sophie Aldred Minnie The Mini Magician 8 - 10 Crew
Job Crew Member Series Producers Neil Buchanan
Tim EdmundsProducer Driana Jones Executive Producers for Meridian Broadcasting Richard Morse
Janie GraceExecutive Producer for United Productions Dan Maddicott Directors Alistair Clarke
Adrian Hedley
Simon Pearce
Ian BoltVTR Editors Kevin Harrison
Simon Cruse
Jim Lownie
Chris JacksonProduction Supervisor Nicky Tasker Media Releases
- ZZZap! The Bumper Video Comic (VHS).
- ZZZap! Vol. 2 - Holiday Special (VHS).
- ZZZap! Vol. 3 - Goes Bonkers (VHS).
- ZZZap! Vol. 4 - Goes Completely Crazy (VHS).
- The Wildest Ever ZZZap! Video (VHS).
References
- ^ http://www.tv.com/show/31198/summary.html. Retrieved on 28 November 2007.
External links
- ZZZap! at the Internet Movie Database
- ZZZap! at TV.com
Categories:- 1990s British television series
- 2000s British television series
- 1993 in British television
- 1993 television series debuts
- 2001 television series endings
- Children's ITV television programmes
- Fictional comics
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.