The Family-Ness | |
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Created by | Peter Maddocks |
Starring |
Peter Hawkins Susan Sheridan |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
No. of episodes | 25 |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) | Maddocks Animation |
Running time | 5 mins |
Production company(s) | Maddocks Animation |
Release | |
Original network | BBC One |
Original release | 5 October 1984 – 25 March 1985 |
Chronology | |
Related shows |
The Family-Ness is a British cartoon series produced in 1983. It was first broadcast on BBC One from 5 October 1984 to 5 April 1985, with repeats airing on CBeebies on BBC Two for a very short time in early 2002. It was created by Peter Maddocks of Maddocks Cartoon Productions. Maddocks later went on to produce Penny Crayon and Jimbo and the Jet Set in a similar style. Family-Ness was about the adventures of a family of Loch Ness Monsters and the MacTout family, particularly siblings Elspeth and Angus. The 'Nessies' could be called from the loch by the two children by means of their "thistle whistles". The series was followed with a large collection of merchandising including annuals, story books, character models and even a record. The single "You'll Never Find a Nessie in the Zoo" was written by Roger and Gavin Greenaway, but never made it into the Top 40.
Most of the Nessies are named after their main trait, like the Mr. Men, the Smurfs and the dwarfs from Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. With one exception, the Nessies bear little likeness to the stereotypical plesiosaurus/serpent appearance; most of them appear as very fat, yellow dinosaurs with bulbous noses.
In the middle of 1985 after the final episode of The Family Ness was broadcast. BBC Video released one video with 14 episodes of the entire show.
In the mid-1990s Hallmark and Carlton Home Entertainment released one video with the first 9 episodes of 1984.
In 2002 Right Entertainment (distributed through Universal Pictures (UK)) released two videos with eight episodes on each one and then in Summer 2004 they were both re-released on 2 DVD releases.