A brilliantly creative man. My first memory of Postgate's work was the now almost forgotten Pogle's Wood, which I loved.
Still stunned.
Of course, I knew Postgate was an old man. And I know we - he - won't live forever.
But there's something inextricably linked to my childhood just disappeared. The TV entered the household the same week I did, and I watched a ridiculous amouint of the idiot-lantern when young. But the highlights were disproportionately from Postgate.
Clangers, Ivor the Engine, Noggin the Nog, even Alexander the Mouse, and, especially, the weird and wonderful Pogle's Wood.
Postgate, with the brilliantly inventive Peter Firmin as illustrator/animator, put together these great highlights of TV history in a garage near Canterbury.
The loving, but not over-sentimental, view of the world from a child's perspective of curiosity and wonder, informed my own approach to other people in society.
I'm generally very sceptical about the possibilities of TV, and children's TV in particular, as a force for good, but Postgate stands alongside Jim Henson and a select band of others in giving me hope.
I remember Ivor the Engine and Pogle's Wood with great fondness. I loved the Clangers but was a little too old for Bagpuss. Loved the Mouse Organ though! ;DNonsense! I'd say you are almost ready!
Ollie Postgate's melifluous tones will always take me back to my childhood.
RIP :'(
...They were such wonderful programmes, slow in pace but never boring, rich in detail, beautiful to look at. :'(
Warning! Bad taste alert!(click to show/hide)
Apologies for that. Blame Dez. :-[
Professor Yaffle is a role model. I can do pompous! ;D
Professor Yaffle is a role model. I can do pompous! ;D
Apparently Prof. Yaffle was based on Bertrand Russell!
Oliver Postgate - Creator of Bagpuss, The Clangers, Ivor the Engine and other Childrens TV classics (http://www.oliverpostgate.co.uk/) is a pretty compelling website.
So does it matter?
Yes it does! The Head of Acquisitions at the BBC outlined the Corporation's policy in a recent radio programme. She told us:
"The children of today are more used to the up-market, faster-moving things" and that "in today's hugely competitive schedule we are up against about another twelve to fourteen children's channels and we have got to stand out."
As a policy that is, in my considered view, almost criminally preposterous.
Firstly because it isn't true. There is no such thing as 'the children of today'. Children are not 'of today'. They come afresh into this world in a steady stream and, apart from a few in-built instincts, they are blank pages happily waiting to be written on.
Secondly because it simply isn't true that children have to have what they are 'used to'. They do want programmes that are new to them, programmes that are original and mind-stretching. They just aren't being offered them.
Let me give you an example. As part of the same radio programme one of our old film series: Noggin and the Firecake, was shown to a primary school. It was heavy stuff, clumsy and slow by 'today's standards', but my goodness how eagerly the children followed and enjoyed it! At the end they could gleefully recount whole sections of the story, and when asked if they would like more they shouted with one voice: "YES!"
Lastly, the policy is tragically preposterous because there is simply no need or reason for the BBC to 'compete and stand out'. It is a publicly funded body and it should know that feeding the minds of young people is a seriousloving responsibility. We ourselves have passed this responsibility on to the BBC and it has no business leaving it to the mercies of a money-grubbing market.
But Bagpuss & Ivor are simply delightful, even if nothing ever happens much.
Why did he stop doing stuff ages ago?
Raymond (yes, the Raymond) Postgate
Oh yeah, and Charlie Brooker's tribute to Oliver Postgate on Screenwipe this week made me cry. The bastard.
d.
Raymond (yes, the Raymond) Postgate
Crikey! I didn't realise that. I can't think of many father-son combos who are both heroes of mine, but Raymond and Oliver would definitely be top of the list.
...
Check the post-midnight schedule?
EDIT:
Wed 23 Dec 2009
02:35
"Oh sod it! The bloody thing's stuck again!"
So said a Clanger, and got Mr. Postgate into BBC hot water apparently.