Added: 5 years ago
From: AlanHilter
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  • God bless LSD for making this!

  • Im still convinced the one that plays Dillon was high at that point!!

  • I guess clockman isn't here. Ill keep looking. And ill find that sick fuck.

  • I lived in England for three years in the early 70's when I was a very little child, and I have very fond memories of the Magic Roundabout. I still have a wind-up Magic Roundabout which plays the theme song (which would probably be quite valuable now, particularly since it still works!) -- I also remember having a Magic Roundabout children's cookbook and eating Magic Roundabout biscuits (similar to animal crackers). I even had a big Zebedee sticker on my toybox!

  • THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE FTW

  • lol what's with the random wheelies that's hilarious :)

  • I used to watch this when i was younger

  • 'No wonder she was nationalised'. Can't believe they managed to slip that in there. Lol.

  • Haha it must be said it would be un-PC today... I mean one of the characters smoked weed!!

  • Whenever this version of the show came on Cartoon Network or even Boomerang, I would change the channel or turn the TV off. The CGI series is WAY better.

  • I loved the Magic Roundabout when I was a kid- I seem to remember talking over the TV broadcast of the moon landing about it much to my parents annoyance!

  • You can never bet the originals, I'm going to save all these programs to my favorites to remind me of my childhood. Thanks for posting.

  • You can buy dougal and the blue cat on dvd if thats any good,it was made in 1970 so should bring back a lot of old memories(as it did for me ha ha !!)

  • It does make a lot of sense when you know they're on drugs: Dougal;crack, Dylan; weed and ermentrude; magic mushrooms

  • The French creators were offended by the English translation. They claimed that the stupid dog had deliberatley been named Dougal because it sounded exactly like De Gaulle to their ears.

    Haha, as if the English would ever do that to the French......eh? oh

  • love france and this is by far the best thing to come pout of it lol

  • this takes me back, not that new version narated by neil of the young ones, now i know what smoking weed, eatin magic mushroom is all about, im off for a fat bob marley lol........now where did i put my skins!!!.

  • this takes me back, now i know what smoking weed, eatin magic mushroom is all about, im off for a fat bob marley lol........now where did i put my skins!!!

  • magic indeed. what a brilliant series!

  • ah! this is the magic roundabout i remember! at thirteen now, i'm so happy to see this stuff again =D

  • Oh i so LOVE THIS

  • as a child of the 70s I demand a DVD release of the entire series NOW!!!!!!!!!!!

  • this is banned cus it resembles taking drugs

  • Sorry to break this to you but this is Nigel Planer narrating, not Eric Thompson.

  • @loaflord no it's not...

  • @arabelladream They chose Nigel Planer because he could do an Eric Thompson-like voice very well. The differences are subtle but Nigel's narration occasionally has those 'upper class twit' overtones that he uses with a character he plays in Blackadder III, whereas Eric's RP was much more natural. Listen to the classic black and white clips of Eric and compare them to this. e.g. the way he pronounces 'Dougal'.

  • @loaflord I own the Eric Thompson narrated episodes on VHS - BBC videos bought long before Nigel Planer started narrating the show. Nigel Planer narrated when it was on channel 4 in the early nineties. I watched my Magic Roundabout videos enough times as a child to be able to tell the difference, which is not at all subtle. The Fruit Party episode on YouTube is narrated by Nigel Planer. Very different voice.

  • @arabelladream I agree that The Fruit Party is narrated by Nigel Planer. Not the end of the world if we disagree about this episode, eh?

  • @loaflord I suppose not.... -____- *plots ways to kill you*

  • this is a cute little thing my dad watched when he was young

  • No, of course they weren't on drugs...

  • thats nuts and bloody funny.

  • The Beatles used to watch this while on breaks from recording at Abbey Road. They declared it 'trippy'. For me it was one of the touchstones of childhood.

  • Why can't this be shown on BBC1 just before the news just like the 70s ?

  • whenever this came on cartoon network, i would fucking turn the TV off.

    i hated this show so much when i was younger.

  • "No wonder the countries going to the doggs" LMFAO!

  • Wow, I never realised there was political commentary in The Magic Roundabout.

    Guess it was something to give the adults something to laugh about while the kids watched the cow & train!

  • what r the names of the other children on the roundabout?

  • @barbersb1 one was paull one was sue one was flonance and i dont remember the rest

  • Does anybody have any idea what this story really is?

  • @HyperWolfTiger I believe it's a social commentary on just how nationalised rail is about as reliable as a cow on a skateboard.

  • @Mannynub Really? That's what the French version was trying to get across?

  • @HyperWolfTiger Apparently the original French narrative was purely for kids, but the English narrative added a political undertone to the dialogue.

  • @Jarren202 Hmm thanks :D

  • @HyperWolfTiger I honestly have no idea. That was my take on it haha

  • my old man used to watch magic roundabout with me and would laugh his head off. same with sesame street. he used to love the kids programmes. i am the same now.

  • this is absolutely wonderful

  • I'm currently restoring these, Frame by frame.

    Don't have this one though!

  • LOL I love watch this as a child, and now its still being aired on TV YAH

  • why pay?

    im a bus now get of

  • The number 12 goes down Whitehall but not the strand .... had to say it!

  • Dillion looks so spaced out

  • I use to love this as a kid wow brings back memories I wonder if they would put it out on DVD

  • there's a new version of this out running on spanish children's TV it's actually not bad!

  • i would never of thought as a child that the rabbit was stoned lol

  • I'm King Buxton the blue cat !

  • As a young child I remembered that there were four children on that merry go round: Florence, Basil, Rosalee and Paul. You never saw any of these children, except Florence in any of the magic roundabout programs. magic Roundabout was one of my favorite programs. Today our children and grandchildren are regularly exposed to ultra hardcore violence courtesy of our 300 channel flat screen cable TVs.

  • @PammyBileck So, Margotte became Florence in the English version...

  • LOL! How camp was Ermentrude!

  • So this is what doogal is from

  • "No wonder the country's going to the dogs". It certainly did Dougal, it certainly did.

  • You can see where those old Tales of the Blode episodes from RatherGood got his influences.

  • I loved seeing Dougal again. Zeppedee is such a powerful memory too. Loved it as a 5 year old.

  • Takes me right back, enjoying this for 5 minutes knowing the news would be on straight after.

    

  • i had nightmares when this show was once on cartoon network a a kid, this show was scary as hell, looked scary

  • Was this one of the first episodes because it looks really old

  • Possibly one of my child hood favourite programs

  • Wonderful!

    Who needed drugs in the 70's?

    Hold on time for the news now - miners on strike again....

    Thanks for posting

  • mad cow thinks shes a bus, LOL

  • we had mad cows 20 years on.oh the foresight.

  • FACT: This was first a show in France. and the person who brought it over didn't know French so he just made up his own story of what he was seeing.

  • @TheJamesAnimations yeah I heard that as well. They used to watch the visuals and then make up a story and some dialogue to go with it.

    I always thought it was a Dutch animation though (???)

  • My mum says i used to bounce up and down in my pram whenever this came on.

  • i always loved the way dougal runs

  • I used to the Magic Roundabout on BBC1 at 5.35 before the National Evening News at 5.40.

  • The hell's wrong with their heads?!

  • Classic stuff....pure memories.

  • this is so much better than the one they've got on the air now... ruddy CGI puppets being treated like every other character on television... for some reason executives dont think this kind of television is going to entertain kids anymore - dvd's and vhs has got 'em dead wrong, though. just like old doctor who, kids are mesmerized.

  • randomly epic :D

  • i was born in 89, but this is fantastic!

    i love seeing classics endure through time.

  • "I have right of way!"

    "Oh, hoity-toity!"

    Hahahahaha

  • Oh, so this is what the Chemical Brothers were watching as kids...

  • druggggs

  • Always made sure I was well stoned before I watched this, when I was about 17. Used to be on just as I got in from work. They put it on at that time cos they knew children didn't really watch it. It was mainly freaks & weekend hippies that watched it after work. Far out man.

  • I grew up with this in the 90's man in the really early morning.

  • @kandiisuicide As far as I remember I used to watch it as a child, in mid 90s on ZDF or RTL(?). Never understood a word, loved it anyway.

  • trippy

  • The train went off in a huff.

    "Oh dear. No wonder she was nationalised!"

    :)

  • Eric Thompson was the Magic Roundabout was never the same after he past away and Nigel Planer did it!

  • I am 57 now and recall this show with great affection. BTW - The writer/narrator Eric Thompson was Emma Thompson's Father. Little wonder she grew up to be an amazing human being and actor

  • Yes, I'm the same age ~ all these shows bring back so many memories...it's almost like we were living in a different world. I remember racing home from school to watch "Picture Book", The Woodentops and Andy Pandy. So wonderful to see them again! I never realized Eric Thompson was Emma's dad, you're right no wonder she is so talented!

  • 36 people didn't have a wonderful 1970's British childhood. I feel so sorry for them :(

  • @MrShannonite

    Thank the Catholic priests for that.

  • @aproctor1 Oh, the real life Zebedee's that told the kids it was time for bed :(

  • @MrShannonite 36 is probably a little conservative

  • @MrShannonite dont have to have been british to have seen this show in your childhood... bertha for instance, was my favourite puppet show in the mid 80s. ruddy brilliant.. and i'm not british.. close enough, though.

  • @MrShannonite 38 now, stupid people :)

  • @yorkiespoo Dude, 38 people went full retard, lol

  • @MrShannonite i wish i was born in the old days but oh no i have to be born in 2001

  • @TheJamesAnimations You are very well educated for a 10 year old, hope you don't get the ban hammer for being under 13 years old on here, lol

  • @MrShannonite They used to show this in New Zealand many many years ago!

  • @Tiwaking I love those Kiwi's. Know their tv and know how to serve a great British pind in any given London pub. Bless you New Zealand, you make me cry with pride.....Oh, I love the lamb as well, just try not to give into temptation.

    I was never confused.

  • So this is what it's like to take drugs. O_O

  • Hello Le Manège enchanté fans.

    Does anyone here know where to get 'Le Manège enchanté' theme tune mp3 download online? I really need it for my new Youtube videos. Reply as soon as possible, thank you french-people! ha ha Le Manège enchanté is the best show ever

  • the opening tune always creeped me out.

  • I used to hate this fcking shit so much I would cry when it came on :-/ I think it was just a little before my time...

  • @TheMintyMuffin pity your gutter mouth didnt stay young

  • @endracismguy

    It is a goddamn fcking pity :(

  • Brilliant. They were all on drugs.

  • oh wow oh wow. i remember watching this as a child. i grew up in the 80s though

  • Doogle?

  • Compared to the original series the movie is rubbish!

  • the guy who made this is emma thompson the british movie actor's dad.

    creativity at its best. have to say its better than shaun the sheep and thats saying something cuz shaun the sheep it quality tv!

  • Ermintrude was such a cow sometimes.

  • héhe_ÁÑyÓñé_wÀñnã_chÁt_wïth_mè­_î_fëel_sô_lõñËlY_tódÂY▼

  • @StinkingHobo I felt the exact same as a child! This show was really disturbed me!

  • For some reason this show used to freak me out when i was a kid. I used to have nightmares!

  • @MyDarkMuse983 I was terrified of Dougal. He was a huge, hairy slug! Who was addicted to Sugar!! But, I still loved it - and still do.

  • Psycho S.I.S. !

    

  • @StinkingHobo I know what you mean, that Dougal frighten the s#@t out of me moving about and all with no bloody legs! Thank God we're all grown up eh? I mean, how daft would it be if you were a grown man and still dreadfully afraid of a stop motion wig with eyes after all these years? That just be silly yeah? I could watch this again and it wouldn't bother me a bit. God I hate bloody Eric bloody Thompson so bloody much! I mean, what sort of sick bastard comes up with this sort of thing? :o)o:

  • @StinkingHobo

    lol well it is French originally, so it was obviously a plot to mentally scar British youth :)

  • drug addicts!

  • gosh! That was so long time ago!!!! xD love this!

  • Its not even a roundabout its a carousel

  • classic

  • As Basssics rightly says...the English narration didn't match the original French script. It was a bit like pantomime where there are things which small children will find amusing and enough satirical humour to keep the parents engaged as well! It was a family ritual before the 6 o'clock news and no-one would miss it. I particularly loved Dylan the rabbit who always appeared as if he'd just smoked a joint...it was wonderful to have this gentle subversion enshrined as a National Institution..

  • @mamafunk38 in the new CGI version the rabbit also sounds like he's OD'ed on crack WAAY too many times...

  • As Basssics rightly says...the English narration didn't match the original French script. It was a bit like pantomime where there are things which small children will find amusing and enough satirical humour to keep the parents engaged as well! It was a family ritual before the 6 o'clock news and no-one would miss it. I particularly loved Dylan the rabbit who always appeared as if he'd just smoked a joint...it was wonderful to have this gentle subversion enshrined as a National Institution.

  • Love The Magic Roundabout, it's a classic! Discover and tweet about your favourite childhood tv shows @childhoodtv on twitter.

  • it's hilariously funny and classic

  • this reminds me of when i was a child :)

  • I adored Dougal, never realising this was French which now makes sense! I made a very reasonable Dougal dog out of a bit of foam rubber cut off, tan knitting wool and buttons.

  • 34 people are buses

  • As a young adult in the late 60s and early 70s, my mates and I would rush home to watch this iconic show.The English voice over of the French cartoon was what made it so successful. It was not quite the "South Park" of its day, but the adult messages were not lost on us.Thank you for sharing it.

  • The Magic Roundabout is a true classic

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  • Funny

  • Absolutely FANTASTIC. We were weaned on this & did us no harm. Why can't it be reintroduced along with Willow the Whisp????

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  • Eric Thompson was an incredibly talented man.

  • "oh no man, why pay?"

    "im a bus. now get off!" ahahahahahaha!

  • @mishabruml I loved this as a kid.Still do!;-)

  • I remember some years ago that Channel 4 used to show this at gone 5am. It can have both a wonderful and alarming affect upon the soul at that hour.

    In the right (or wrong) frame of mind, simply pondering the significance of the (more than likely innocent) unoccupied horse on the roundabout during the opening sequence can lead you down a very deep rabbit hole.

  • It would be interesting to compare the boring French original dialogue with the English improv dialogue.

    I love this show!!!

  • Ahhhh that theme tune. Brings back memories.

  • @biggayal1992 It was "The Magic Roundabout". Tricky to work it out. Oh aside from the title of the video. And the title on screen. And the fact that it was The Magic Roundabout. Otherwise a very valid point you make.

  • @mrclassickids Originally in French, but a different story. Eric would watch them, silently, and make up a story as he watched the pictures (foot operated telecine machine!). He'd then refine his script and record them in Cont.1 at TV Centre. If you watch the original French eps and compare them to the English the stories are totally different. That's why it's entitled Original BBC episode I would assume.

  • @mrclassickids sure was mate 1960's French made as you said - there are loads of great french kids stuff - hectors house was and others

  • Ermyntrude: the original mad cow! ;-)

  • i hate it

    

  • @MegaAlynch I hate you!!!!!! 

  • i loved this show when i was achild

  • The Makers of this were CLEARLY stoned out of there heads to think of this

  • @TheMizukiKidd Nope. All a Myth!!!

  • @kennedyskop Probably lol, i love it though, its very Creative, But i do Art and Animation and when im stoned i think of weird shizz like this XD

  • This was on just before the 6pm BBC news in the UK. So as people tuned in for the news they got to see it, so it had one of the highest audiences on British TV in its day. Adults liked Eric Thompson's dry knowing humour when he rescripted these shows. The line I best remember is Dougal turning to the audience at the end of the show and saying "I'll give em Wombles".

  • That cow is so camp!

  • good god, nostalgia

  • We british soldiers took it on as our street patrol amusement, much to the non perseverance of the British residents of Belfast & Londonderry....

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  • Ah, happy memories! Maybe someone else will remember that the introduction music changed pace; originally it was slow and kind of melancholy, which contrasted nicely with the action and Eric Thompson's words. Anybody have the original music recorded?

  • Im 47 and still have all the figures I collected from rice krispies. Dylan was so cool, so high! Didnt know that back then!

  • omg i remember watching this when i was 8 and i remembered really hating it back then.. but watching it now it seems not so bad.

  • @SplitBullets yes. it was taken from this show, but it was never broadcast in america. then when the movie was made it was called The Magic Roundabout, but the title was changed for america cause it was never broadcast there. plus it was originally made in france then rewritten in english. this is better than the movie though

  • Hey wait!Was the Doogal movie taken from this show??

  • i'm 13 and yet i still think this is awesome

    i hated the film it was too modernised

    I used to watch this when i was about 4 but it was really on late on the sky childrens channels.

    thats another thing destroyed my modern childrens tv.

    its criminal really

  • i'm 13 and yet i still think this is awesome

    i hated the film it was too modernised

  • Eric Thompson (Emma's dad) wrote the whole English script and the French just provided the pictures. We had French Students staying with us they could not beleive what they were seeing.

  • So, this is effectively a version of the plot of 'The Titfield Thunderbolt', just on drugs.

  • Great stuff, Brian is genius

  • I wonder what the plot of the original french version was.

  • Love that opening music. Doesn't half bring back some memories :-) At the tender young age of 8 or 9, being sent to the Off Sales with 4 or 5 shillings and an empty pop bottle to have filled up with beer and to buy some fags for my mum and dad. Imagine..... Mum used to go Bingo with my Nan on Thursday night so Dad and I would watch TOTPs and then Star Trek. Brilliant.

    Off Sales. Little side room in a pub for selling takeout booze. Before Bargain Booze shops etc.

  • train stopped talking after the movie!

  • I was talking about the design style the other day, but couldn't remember the name, after 35 years. Having run across a reference to Dougal on a blog, found this.

    I had a photo storybook and never saw the show. Thanks so much for posting this! Wouldn't I kill if I could go back to the 70's too!

  • Fabulous! I still say 'Time for bed, said Zebedee' to my daughter, and she's 18now!

  • I was born in 1965, i was 5 years old in 1970. I remember all of the 1970's. I remember this very well. I loved those times. I know it is impossible, but i would go back to being 5 years old again in 1970 in an instant if i could.

  • @Davewise1965 So would I. And I was born in 1969.

    TV programmes were made back then by people who really cared about their product and their audience.