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being screened twice a day at around 10am and then 2:30pm. For a brief period in 1986, the programme was recorded at TVNZ's
Christchurch studios. The final edition, recorded in March 1989 was number 440, presented by Pauline Durning and John Mann. The last series screened on television in 1990.
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The founding presenters were Waric
Slyfield and Janet (née Chaafe) Milne. They presented most of the programmes made in the first year of production (1972), with some presented by Ken Rea and Val Lamond. Waric and Janet were joined the following year by Jan Johnstone,
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was first broadcast in New
Zealand on Tuesday 22 March 1972 for a 26-week trial period, with a group of six hosts chosen, one pair for each week. Series one and two continued to be broadcast twice weekly, Tuesday and Thursday at around 4.30pm.
241:, New Zealand. The museum also has a large collection of clothing and props from the show. Little Ted's head was blown from his body by the film crew after the completion of the final series. The body can be seen at the
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who has been on the show since 2000, though the
Australian version is significantly different from the New Zealand version, which was similar to the British format of the 70s and 80s.
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Play School, an adaptation from a
British show by the same name, kept thousands of New Zealand children entertained when it aired from 1972 to 1990.
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The show was provided by the BBC in "kitset" form. They supplied scripts and also short filmed items for showing "through the windows".
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The show starred five toys, which are famously nostalgic for New
Zealanders who watched the programme as children. They are:
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in
Dunedin while the head remains in private ownership. The original clock from the series was discovered at a library in
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It was originally recorded at AKTV2's
Shortland Street studios in Auckland, and in January 1975 moved to
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Its first producer was David
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during the 1960s. He later returned to the UK and worked as a production assistant on
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Play School items in the collection of Museum of New
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Today, Big Ted, Manu, Jemima, and Humpty are part of a collection at the
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184:(1985) and in the mid-80s worked at BBC TV Training at Elstree Studios.
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Murray Wood (deceased in CTV building, Canterbury Earthquake)
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Pauline Durning (née Nitis-Cooper) (1975–78; 1982; 1987–89)
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show. The series first aired in 1972, and ended in 1990.
536:"Shocking Truth Behind Te Papa Play School's Little..."
657:"Dunedin turned rock'n'roller into TV entrepreneur"
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208:Little Ted: Identical to Big Ted, but much smaller
749:New Zealand television shows featuring puppetry
358:Laugharne (née Stockham) Laughananda (1975–76)
769:New Zealand English-language television shows
211:Manu: A very human-looking plastic doll with
202:Big Ted: A traditional-style golden coloured
8:
225:Humpty: A round green fabric toy resembling
729:1990s preschool education television series
724:1980s preschool education television series
719:1970s preschool education television series
156:(1980) and then as a production manager on
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759:1972 New Zealand television series debuts
714:New Zealand children's television series
630:"TV treasure unearthed at city library"
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235:Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
18:1972 New Zealand TV series or program
7:
264:. It features New Zealand presenter
215:features, such as dark skin and hair
744:1990s New Zealand television series
739:1980s New Zealand television series
734:1970s New Zealand television series
697:"Remembering a childhood favourite"
575:"Remembering a childhood favourite"
284:Pianists included Ossie Cheesman.
110:for children. It was based on the
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604:"The hunt for Little Ted's head"
602:Donnell, Hayden (21 June 2021).
373:Eilish (née Moran) Wahren (1986)
628:Morgan, Jared (7 August 2009).
314:Jeremy Brownbrook (née Brookes)
317:Winsome Dacker Aroha (1980–82)
294:Wayne/Gabriel Alston (1975–76)
1:
169:All Creatures Great and Small
502:Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
379:Jayashree Panjabi (1980–81)
341:Kristen Gillespie (1986–88)
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391:Kathryn Rawlings (1975–77)
754:TVNZ original programming
695:ONE News (25 June 2005).
774:Sentient toys in fiction
352:Campbell Hegan (1974–76)
222:with orange woollen hair
326:Barry Dorking (1976–82)
287:Other presenters were:
455:(Australian TV series)
364:Michael McGrath (1976)
344:Doris Gieson (1975–76)
303:Janine Barry (1975–77)
281:and Elizabeth Rogers.
256:started to screen the
189:TVNZ's Dunedin studios
138:, as well as comedies
361:Kerry McCammon (1986)
332:Ray Edkins/Steven Ray
243:Otago Settlers Museum
429:Ian (Eli) Gray-Smith
400:Russell Smith (1987)
388:Katy Platt (1975–76)
291:Colin Francis (1979)
659:. 30 December 2011.
635:The Southland Times
397:Tania Robins (1987)
367:John Mann (1987–89)
355:Ian Kingsford-Smith
141:All Gas and Gaiters
376:Margot Nash (1975)
370:Shaquelle Maybury
338:Nick Farra (1988)
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685:Play School
674:Play School
608:The Spinoff
539:stuff.co.nz
461:Play School
453:Play School
438:Mary Ruston
321:Jacqui Dean
262:Play School
260:version of
136:Play School
128:Play School
116:Play School
104:New Zealand
99:Play School
35:New Zealand
25:Play School
708:Categories
641:3 November
587:3 November
545:21 January
523:References
490:Tikkabilla
416:Greg Wells
404:Ian Taylor
258:Australian
239:Wellington
218:Jemima: A
204:teddy bear
41:Production
483:Play Away
421:Musicians
394:Mike Rehu
385:(1980–82)
335:Deb Faith
323:(née Hay)
300:(1987–89)
279:Ray Woolf
252:In 2005,
175:Malestrom
580:One News
476:Playdays
446:See also
220:rag doll
172:(1983),
159:Bergerac
123:Synopsis
613:21 June
112:British
86: (
82: –
76: (
71:Release
61:Network
541:. 2012
102:was a
213:Māori
679:IMDb
643:2011
615:2021
589:2011
547:2012
496:Zoom
272:Cast
178:and
144:and
88:1990
84:1990
78:1972
74:1972
65:TVNZ
690:TV2
688:at
677:on
254:TV2
237:in
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