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Towards the end of the TV series' run, stories were serialized across only four days, with the Friday program dedicated to a separate story, told by Liz Harris, about toys which come to life in a toyshop when the owner was absent. Liz, herself, played a rag doll, Max
Bartlett was a tin soldier, and
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artist (Gael Dixon), from their circus, and taken away Clocko's smile. Appearing on stage with Max, Curley and Nancy were Fredd, Fee Fee, Mother
Hubbard, Crystal Ball, Hep Cat, Montmorency, Cassius and Leonardo, all played by the regular TV cast. This production was stage managed by Sue Nattras,
472:
Storylines were typically serialized across five days, with the Friday program usually wrapping up the week's adventure. Each episode finished up with the hostess sitting on a large mushroom, with Fredd crouched beside her (usually after dusting off the stool with a handkerchief), while the pair
539:
Gabrielle
Hartley was severely burned when her cloak brushed over a hot "flash pot" used in a live, on-stage, special effect, and her role had to be assumed by her understudy. Hartley never returned to her TV role, the character of Crystal Ball being written out.
595:, as did actor Colin McEwan and newsreader Michael McCarthy. Fee Fee, now mute without Howson's unique vocal contribution, was often played by Michael's wife, Caroline McCarthy. Max Bartlett continued to work in television production, moving to
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Recorded in black and white, the program was repeated prior to the official introduction of colour TV in 1975. John-Michael Howson had wanted to produce the show in colour for overseas sales, but management baulked at the added cost.
456:, characters the pair had played previously in a pantomime. Max Bartlett often played additional guest characters, including Harley Quin, a harlequin performer, King Size of nearby Enchantmentland, wicked innkeeper Simon Sneak of the
460:, or Mother Hubbard's accident-prone great-nephew, Claude Clumsy. Ernie Bourne and Colin McEwan often doubled up roles to play guest villains. Even Nancy Cato played a chambermaid, Sweet Nelly, in a
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507:(voice of Fred Tupper). The IKAN educational segment was eventually dropped, and Leonardo would present his limerick segment from a tree stump in the Magic Forest.
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Recurring guest characters included BoBo the clown (Charles "Hal" Turner), Montmorency James Rabbit (Ernie Bourne), Sebastian Bear (Gael Dixon), and Aunty Vale (
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from 27 December 1965. In this adventure, Sir Jasper and Gaspar had banished Clocko the chief clown (Max
Bartlett, again playing a dual role), and Spangles the
421:); beautiful enchantress Crystal Ball (Gabrielle Hartley) and her pet, Hep Cat (Nola Finn); Marlena DeWitch (Marion Weir); and villainous Sir Jasper Crookly (
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TV director and costume designer Tedd Dunn stayed with
Melbourne's Channel 0. He played the Fredd Bear character (Channel 0's answer to the
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next to Mother
Hubbard's cupboard in The Magic Cottage, and Leonardo lived inside the IKAN (Instantaneous Knowledge Accumulation Network)
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Regular characters were denizens of the Magic Forest: mute Fredd Bear (Tedd Dunn, also the costume designer); shrill Fee Fee Bear (
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A specially written Magic Circle Club episode, "The Stolen Smile", was performed live on stage at the
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After producing 555 thirty-minute episodes, ATV axed the show for cost reasons. Competitor
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was an award-winning
Australian children's television show, produced at ATV Channel 0 (now
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wanted to buy it, but ATV refused, which led to the start up of the similar program
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John-Michael Howson played a glum clown, a portrayal which would inspire his
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for restoration and safe storage. Cassius and
Leonardo also appeared on
830:(1st ed.). Sydney, Australia: Tivoli/Playbill. 1965. pp. 6–7.
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In 2004, Nancy Cato appeared on the "Kids' TV" episode of Bob Downe's
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was the producer and director, with many scripts and song lyrics by
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with
Leonardo de Funbird. These characters were wood and felt bird
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analog Curley
Dimples (played by adult Gael Dixon, also the show's
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413:(Fred Tupper, a former radio star); sensible Max (Max Bartlett);
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with Cassius Cuckoo, during "Cassius Cuckoo's Corn Corner", and
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The show was hosted by Nancy Cato, cousin of the author of the
440:). Twoddle & Boddle (Laurie Allen and Bobby Bright, aka
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on the ABC, with many of the same cast and writers from
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has preserved 198 episodes of The Magic Circle Club.
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The Channel '0' Magic Circle Club: The Stolen Smile
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395:Outstanding Contribution To Children's Television
1100:Australian preschool education television series
1085:Australian television shows featuring puppetry
8:
1095:Australian English-language television shows
714:"THE 8TH ANNUAL TV WEEK LOGIE AWARDS (1966)"
382:. A later addition to the regular cast was
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1070:1967 Australian television series endings
587:. His suit has since been donated to the
1090:Television shows set in Victoria (state)
1065:1965 Australian television series debuts
999:"Search results for "magic circle club""
1080:Australian children's television series
643:
976:. Season 1. Episode 1. 10 July 2004.
857:from the original on 21 November 2023
473:shared viewers' letters and artwork.
389:In 1966, the TV series won the first
7:
917:from the original on 1 February 2023
393:presented to a children's show, for
29:1965 Australian TV series or program
345:The program's style came from live
950:from the original on 9 August 2020
758:from the original on 12 April 2020
694:from the original on 24 March 2023
25:
877:"Thursday 9 July 1970 – VICTORIA"
589:National Film & Sound Archive
476:Daily features included viewers'
409:, billed as John Howson); feisty
887:from the original on 13 May 2014
577:) two years after the demise of
342:) from 23 January 1965 to 1967.
1075:Network 10 original programming
1050:National Film and Sound Archive
1004:National Film and Sound Archive
943:National Film and Sound Archive
813:. 20 February 1965. p. 14.
751:National Film and Sound Archive
584:Fredd Bear's Breakfast-A-Go-Go
219:
208:
1:
782:Bonnie’s Laurie Allen Tribute
599:, where he helped to develop
841:McLean, Ian (25 June 2008).
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608:The Underground Video Show
847:Have Phasers, Will Travel
313:
907:"Magic Circle Club, The"
682:"0, those were the days"
778:"The Magic Circle Club"
544:Cancellation and beyond
496:). Cassius inhabited a
371:and scenery designs by
411:Mother Matilda Hubbard
1046:The Magic Circle Club
656:Kennedy's TV SF Guide
652:"Magical Circle Club"
618:, briefly discussing
335:The Magic Circle Club
187:Hip, Hooray and Hello
46:Children's television
18:The Magic Circle Club
938:"Fredd Bear Costume"
807:"For polio: PIANO".
662:on 12 September 2005
515:character of Clown.
174:Theme music composer
843:"Magic Circle WOW!"
602:Fat Cat and Friends
407:John-Michael Howson
365:John-Michael Howson
318:The Children's Show
251:Production location
936:Barnett, Bronwyn.
690:. 19 August 2004.
464:pirate storyline.
448:) were analogs of
442:Bobby & Laurie
235:Executive producer
1030:Magic Circle Club
911:Nostalgia Central
626:Archival remnants
620:Magic Circle Club
597:Western Australia
593:Breakfast-A-Go-Go
579:Magic Circle Club
573:'s more enduring
560:Magic Circle Club
536:and Jim McElroy.
331:
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200:Original language
192:Country of origin
150:Gabrielle Hartley
36:Magic Circle Club
16:(Redirected from
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784:. Archived from
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746:"Bobo The Clown"
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658:. Archived from
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534:Simon Wincer
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501:cuckoo clock
494:Colin McEwan
492:; voiced by
490:Axel Axelrad
488:(created by
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431:Colin McEwan
423:Ernie Bourne
404:
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349:and classic
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332:
278:0–10 Network
261:Running time
159:Colin McEwan
131:Ernie Bourne
127:Max Bartlett
100:Presented by
74:Max Bartlett
35:
26:
391:Logie Award
351:fairy tales
222:of episodes
166:Marion Weir
163:Fred Tupper
154:John Howson
83:Directed by
69:John Howson
1059:Categories
1010:31 January
983:1 February
970:"Kids' TV"
921:1 February
861:1 February
792:1 February
698:31 January
666:1 February
638:References
454:Tweedledum
450:Tweedledee
425:) and his
401:Characters
384:Liz Harris
291:1965-01-23
264:30 minutes
246:Rob Weekes
230:Production
211:of seasons
147:Liz Harris
138:Gael Dixon
135:Nancy Cato
112:Liz Harris
107:Nancy Cato
92:Rob Weekes
62:Written by
52:Created by
482:limericks
380:same name
347:pantomime
297:July 1967
255:Melbourne
195:Australia
144:Nola Finn
141:Tedd Dunn
948:Archived
915:Archived
885:Archived
855:Archived
851:Blogspot
756:Archived
692:Archived
505:computer
498:longcase
427:henchman
243:Producer
121:Starring
1048:at the
891:21 July
810:TV Week
730:14 July
719:TV Week
687:The Age
529:trapeze
486:puppets
478:riddles
357:style.
309:Related
301:1967-07
299: (
295: –
289: (
284:Release
274:Network
203:English
1037:
954:18 May
762:17 May
550:ABC TV
468:Format
452:&
340:ATV-10
42:Genre
1035:IMDb
1012:2024
985:2024
956:2020
923:2024
893:2009
863:2024
794:2024
764:2020
732:2009
700:2024
668:2024
632:NFSA
630:The
605:and
1033:at
444:of
433:).
225:555
220:No.
209:No.
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214:3
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