When I was child this used to be one of my most favourite children's television programmes, and I still watch it even now because it is great fun for all the family, whatever age you are, based on the popular books. Basically the series brings us the adventures of a walking talking scarecrow, Worzel Hedgerow Gummidge (Jon Pertwee), who is supposed to scare crows on Scatterbrook Farm in Ten Acre Field, but he instead roams the countryside and villages having adventures. The humans who know of his existence are the Peters children living on the farm, John (Jeremy Austin) and Sue (Charlotte Coleman), and of course the man who brought him to life, his creator The Crowman (Geoffrey Bayldon) who commands all the scarecrows he makes. The humans that don't know he comes to life, but very often come into contact with him, living and not, are the children's' father Mr. Peters (Mike Berry), the farm owners Mr. Jack Braithwaite (Norman Bird) and Mrs. Betty Braithwaite (Megs Jenkins), easily angered P.C. Parsons (Norman Mitchell) and the seemingly wealthy but tight with money Mrs. Bloomsbury-Barton (Carry On's Joan Sims). Many of the adventures Worzel has involve him pursuing large wooden doll Aunt Sally (Una Stubbs), who is always getting away from her easily stressed owner Mr. Shepherd (Michael Ripper) and used in fairs to have wooden balls thrown at her for prizes, and even though she is greedy and cruel-hearted to him, Worzel continues trying to make her happy in his own poor meaningful ways. Also many of the adventures he have involve him using his many interchangeable heads, made of turnips, mangel wurzel or swedes, all with particular traits and uses, e.g. Reading Head, Thinking Head, Wangling (fishing) Head, Singing Head, Posh Head, Jolly Uncle Head and many more. In the series Worzel has his own language, "Worzelese" - where you will put a "wor" after each short word with "dip" and each long word with "Worzel", and his catchphrases were "Bozzy McCoo", "Well I'll be bum-swizzled", and of course, his favourite food and drink, "A cup o' tea an' a slice o' cake". Also starring, throughout the four series, Denis Gilmore as Harry, Sarah Thomas as Enid Simmons, Thorley Walters as Colonel Bloodstock, Carry On's Barbara Windsor as Saucy Nancy, Heartbeat's Bill Maynard as Sergeant Beetroot, Wayne Norman as Pickles Bramble, Lorraine Chase as Dolly Clothes-Peg, Mike Reid as Fairground Owner, A Clockwork Orange's Anthony Sharp as Mr. Stanley, Billy Connolly as Bogle McNeep, Bernard Cribbins as Jolly Jack and Fawlty Towers' Connie Booth as Aunt Sally II. Pertwee, who was Doctor Who a few years before, is wonderful as the lovable scarecrow with his tragic go nowhere love and his hilarious antics, Stubbs gives a good performance where you both love and hate her, Bayldon is a wonderful supporting character with his wise nature, the children do their parts nicely, and the other characters that occasionally pop up are good fun too. It is a simple format, it will make you laugh, it will make you cry, the music is great, the special effects make up is marvellous, and the overall feel of it is sweet and fun, you will probably say to yourself that they don't make children's television like this anymore, a wonderful family comedy series. It was nominated the BAFTAs for the 'Harlequin' (Drama/Light Entertainment) (twice), Best Make Up (twice), Best Costume Design and Best Film Cameraman. It was number 20 on The 100 Greatest Kids' TV Shows. Outstanding!
Review of Worzel Gummidge
