Nancy Cato opened the first 18 months from behind a tree-stump lectern, reading from a magic book to launch the inhabitants of Diddley-Dum-Diddley into their latest scrape. When injury forced her out, Sue Donovan took over and the entrance became a chat with a talking house before the book appeared. Either way the pattern held: Monday set the trap, Tuesday thickened it, Wednesday looked hopeless, Thursday offered a clue, Friday delivered justice and a song.
The ABC's first co-production with an outside company, shot five weeks ahead at Ripponlea on videotape that was later wiped in a cost-saving purge, left only a handful of episodes intact. What survives shows a monochrome panto pitched somewhere between Victorian harlequinade and early Sesame Street: original songs pressed to acetate on Thursday, sawdust-brained Clown spotting disguises adults missed, and a weekly promise that "it always turns out all right on Fridays". Puppeteers worked rods under mechanical birds and mice, while John-Michael Howson, who wrote most scripts, played Clown and Golden Harp and still found time to turn out four storybooks now lodged in the National Library.
When ABC replaced the series with the American import Sesame Street in 1972, MPs took to Parliament and 200,000 letters of protest arrived, but the kingdom closed anyway after 1,175 episodes. The costume for Percy Panda later reappeared on The Late Show as Shirty the homicidal bear, reportedly occupied inside by Russell Crowe.
Production Details
ABC TV / 7 Seasons / 1 Episode / 1967
Main Cast
Sue Donovan as Host (1968–72)
Liz Harris as Liza / Princess
John-Michael Howson as Clown / Golden Harp
Brian Crossley as Mrs Flower Potts & Gracie Galah
Jack Manuel as Percy Panda
Carole Walker as Betty Bruin
Ernie Bourne as Fester Fumble, Crispian Cockatoo, Captain Crook, Samson (cat), Maxie Mouse & Mister House / Serendipity House
Jack Manuel as Mister House / Serendipity House
Colin McEwan as Miser Meanie & Gussie Galah
**[Robert Essex
Peter Homewood](/tag/robert-essex-peter-homewood)** as Giggles Goblin
Burt Cooper as Squire Squeezum
**[Lindsay Edwards
Marion Edward](/tag/lindsay-edwards-marion-edward)** as Dodo Panda & Matilda Mouse (2 episodes)
