Miś Uszatek

Miś Uszatek
Main character of the show, Miś Uszatek
Format	Children's television series
Written by	Czesław Janczarski
Narrated by	Mieczysław Czechowicz
Theme music composer	Janusz Galewicz (lyrics) Piotr Hertel (music) Mieczysław Czechowicz (vocals)
Country of origin	Poland
No. of episodes	104
Production
Producer(s)	Se-ma-for
Broadcast
Original channel	Telewizja Polska
Original run	1975 – 1987

Miś Uszatek (Teddy Floppy-ear) is a Polish character from the stop motion-animated TV series of the same name. He was created jointly by Polish writer Czesław Janczarski and cartoonist Zbigniew Rychlicki.^[1]

The sculpture of Miś Uszatek in Łódź.

Miś Uszatek's first appearance was in a Polish comic magazine for children, "Miś", on 6 March 1957. Later, he was the main character of several children's books, which were translated into many languages. However, it became very popular in 1975, when Łódź' Animated Forms Studio (Studio Malych Form Filmowych), Se-ma-for, created a series of cartoons for the Polish TV network, featuring actor Mieczysław Czechowicz, who voiced the characters.^[2] In all-time Polish ranks of animated programs, it usually comes second only to Bolek i Lolek.^{[citation needed]}

Miś Uszatek and his friends - Prosiaczek (Piglet), Króliczki (Little Rabbits) and Zajączek (Little Hare), as well as Kruczek the Puppy - were loved by pre-teen kids. At the same time, Uszatek, a teddy bear, played the role of a friend from kindergarten. He was also liked by parents, as he would always go to bed at appropriate hour, singing the goodnight song:

“

Pora na dobranoc, bo już księżyc świeci. Dzieci lubią misie, misie lubią dzieci. (It's time to go to bed, as the moon is shining. Kids like teddy bears, teddy bears like kids.)[2]

”

Altogether, Se-ma-for created 104 episodes of the cartoon; the last one was made in 1987.^[1] In the 1960s, two theatrical movies about the friendly bear were made.^[3] Also, in the fall of 2007, the Se-ma-for studio announced that it was planning to make more episodes,^[1] but later these plans changed in favor of a possible full-length movie, to be created with help from the Japanese company Eden Entertainment. As of 2008, Mis Uszatek airs on Polish TV every Thursday.

Miś Uszatek Abroad

The cartoon is also popular in other countries; it is one of the best-selling exports of Polish television.^[3] Altogether, Polish TV sold it to 22 countries, including Canada, Iran and African nations.^[2] In Finland it is known as Nalle Luppakorva, and in Slovenia as Medvedek Uhec; both nations still play it on a regular basis. Also, in Hungary it is known as Füles Mackó, in Catalonia (Spain) as Les històries de l'osset Faluc, in Macedonia as Мечето Ушко (Mecheto Ushko), in the Netherlands as Teddy Hangoor and in Japan as Oyasumi Kuma-chan. In Finland, it was so popular that dolls featuring the series' characters were once stolen from an exhibition.^[3]

In July 2007, local authorities in Łódź decided to construct a fountain dedicated to Mis Uszatek, to be placed along Łódź's main street, Piotrkowska.

In June 2010, Mennica Polska S.A. on behalf of government of Niue had minted 8000 silver 1 dollar coins ^[4]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} (Polish) Muzeum Zabawek w Kielcach: Miś Uszatek
2. ^ ^{a b c} (Polish) Nostalgia: Miś Uszatek
3. ^ ^{a b c} (Polish) Historia polskich dobranocek, polska.pl
4. ^ Miś Uszatek (Teddy Floppy Ears) 1 Dollar, Series: Cartoon Characters, http://www.mennica.com.pl/en/products-and-services/mint-products/coins-of-other-issuers/product/zobacz/mis-uszatek-teddy-floppy-ears-1-dollar-series-cartoon-characters.html, retrieved 2011-01-19 

External links

• (Polish) Virtual museum of Polish cartoons, with photos of Uszatek and his friends
• (Polish) MIŚ USZATEK on nostalgia.pl
• (Polish) Misuszatek.pl
• (Japanese) Mis Uszatek's official Japanese page
• (Portuguese) O Ursinho Teddy