Woof!

"Woof!" is a Children's ITV television series produced by Central Independent Television about the adventures of a boy who turns into a dog. It was based on the book by Allan Ahlberg. It was directed by David Cobham ("Tarka the Otter"). It was written by Richard Fegen and Andrew Norriss. The show was later repeated on The Disney Channel in 1998.

The show was first broadcast in 1989. It starred Liza Goddard as teacher Mrs Jessop. Edward Fidoe played Eric Banks, the boy who turned into a dog (played by Pippin) of the same name. It also starred Thomas Aldwinckle as Eric's friend Roy Ackerman and later Sarah Smart as his tomboy best friend Rachel Hobbs. Filming was interrupted for a while when Smart broke her leg.

The show ran for several years, until it was finally axed in 1997 By the end of the series, Liza Goddard became the single remaining original cast member. Later episodes featured the adventures of Rex Thomas (played by Adam Roper) and his best friend Michael Tully (Monty Allan). Rex inherits Eric's "condition", and later becomes Mrs Jessop's stepson after she marries his father, Ken (Owen Brenman). Lionel Jeffries also guest-starred as Eric's Grandfather.

The show generally featured weekly escapades to do with the dog power. Late in Eric's run of episodes, a start at a plot arc was developed, with Eric discovering the transition is caused by adrenaline, and meeting up with an adult (played by Anthony Stewart Head) who has the same affliction.

There have been 4 dogs used over the years. Pippin was the first, and she also starred in Childrens' BBC programme "Come Outside", and a number of educational schools films. She was the offspring of one of the dogs who played Benji. Tich was the second dog to play Eric. Punch, a small white dog, was the third. Tinka was the final dog. Pippin was owned and trained by Ann Head.Fact|date=November 2007

Leslie Grantham appeared in some of the later episodes featuring Rex as Mr Garrett, a ruthless dogcatcher from the local dog pound. Stephen Fry appeared in one episode, as a cartoonist whose work is disrupted by Grandad and Rex.

The series was filmed in and around West Bridgford, a suburb just south of Nottingham.

eries guide

*Series 1: 4 episodes - 18 February 1989 - 11 March 1989
*Series 2: 7 episodes - 23 November 1989 - 11 January 1990
*Series 3: 8 episodes - 20 February 1991 - 17 April 1991
*Series 4: 7 episodes - 10 January 1992 - 21 February 1992
*Series 5: 6 episodes - 7 October 1992 - 11 November 1992
*Series 6: 10 episodes - 13 October 1993 - 15 December 1993
*Series 7: 9 episodes - 12 October 1994 - 07 December 1994
*Series 8: 10 episodes - 05 October 1995 - 14 December 1995
*Series 9: 7 episodes - 08 January 1997 - 19 February 1997

External links

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* [http://www.kabeleins.de/serien_shows/serienlexikon/ergebnisse/?serienid=4904| Episode Guide (in German)]