Hattytown Tales

Hattytown Tales is a 39-episode stop motion children's television series produced by FilmFair for Thames Television. It aired in the United Kingdom between 1969 and 1973. Creator and writer Keith Chatfield narrated the series, and Ivor Wood directed it. Books were published by World Distributors and it was featured in the Playland Comic (offshoot of Pippin) published by Polystyle Publications and in children's annuals for 10 years.

Hattytown Tales
Some residents of Hattytown
GenreChildren's television
Created byKeith Chatfield
Written byKeith Chatfield
Directed byIvor Wood
Voices ofKeith Chatfield
Narrated byKeith Chatfield
Country of originEngland
Original languageEnglish
No. of series3
No. of episodes39
Production
Running time10 minutes
Production companyFilmFair
Release
Original networkATV
Audio formatMonaural
Original release1969 (1969) –
1973 (1973)

The residents of Hattytown were anthropomorphic hats. The style of hat each character was indicated its ethnicity, attitude, and role in Hattytown society. For instance, Bobby, the constable, resembles the hat of a constable. Buildings in the town are also hat-shaped; each building's form suggests either its primary function or resident.

The main character, Sancho, is a Mexican sombrero with legs and eyes. Carrots, his best friend, is a donkey with a carrot dangling in front of his face. In one episode, an angry bird makes its nest in Sancho's car. Every time the Hattytown residents try to move the bird, it snaps at them. At the end of the episode, the car door opens to reveal a nest of eggs that eventually hatch.

Episodes

Series 1 (1969)

  1. Mr Wimple's Breakfast Rolls
  2. Bobby's Flower Garden
  3. Carrot's Carrot
  4. King Ethelbert
  5. Milko's Day Off
  6. Simon's Magnifying Glass
  7. Going Fishing
  8. The Statue
  9. Sancho's Camera
  10. Posty's Old Boots
  11. You Cannot Please Everyone
  12. Wash Day
  13. The King's Portrait

Series 2 (1970)

  1. Saving Time
  2. Up and Away
  3. Creatures of Outer Space
  4. Almost Magic
  5. The Pillar Box
  6. The Royal Hattytown Guards
  7. Friendship
  8. The Picnic
  9. The Cannon
  10. Carrots for the Mayor
  11. Too Much of a Good Thing
  12. Hiccup Buns
  13. Bookworms

Series 3 (1973)

  1. Bobby's Security Patrol
  2. Mr. Bun the Master Baker
  3. The Walking Pillar Box
  4. The Fete
  5. A Note for the Milkman
  6. Sneezy Cheese
  7. Mrs. Bagwash and the King
  8. The Secret Tunnel
  9. It Pays to Advertise
  10. The Auction
  11. The Telephone Box
  12. A Taxi for Hire
  13. Mustafer the Hedgehog

International broadcast

In the United States, Hattytown Tales was also often featured during the television programme Pinwheel (which was widely broadcast on the U.S. television network Nickelodeon during the 1980s).

VHS Releases

On 17 July 1995, Castle Communications released three videos with five episodes on each one. The copyright year on the back cover and the label is mistakenly printed as 1981 even though all 13 Series 1 episodes of Hattytown Tales were broadcast on ATV in 1969 and the first two Series 2 episodes of Hattytown Tales were broadcast on ATV in 1970.

VHS Title Catalogue
Number		 Episodes
Hatty Town:
5 Classic Adventures		 CVS 4054 Mr Wimple's Breakfast Rolls, Bobby's Flower Garden, Carrot's Carrot, King Elthelbert,
Milko's Day Off
Hatty Town:
5 Exciting Episodes		 CVS 4055 Simon's Magnifying Glass, Going Fishing, The Statue, Sancho's Camera,
Posty's Old Boots
Hatty Town: 5 Fun Episodes CVS 4056 You Cannot Please Anyone, Wash Day, The King's Portrait, Saving Time, Up and Away

On 14 May 2001, Contender Entertainment Group released a single video it with the first three episodes on it in its 'kult kidz' range of classic children's shows from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s that were released on video.

VHS Title Catalogue Number Episodes
Hattytown Tales Mr Wimple's Breakfast Rolls, Bobby's Flower Garden, Carrot's Carrot

DVD Releases
DVD Title Catalogue
Number		 Release Date Episodes
Hattytown Tales -
Mr Wimple's Breakfast Rolls		2006TBA
Hattytown Tales -
Going Fishing		AHEDVD 32182007Going Fishing, The Statue, Sancho's Camera, Posty's Old Boots,
You Cannot Please Everyone, Wash Day
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