Tribute to Oliver Postgate

The genius that was Oliver Postgate died today.



Anyone my age or older will know the creator of some of the best loved children's television programmes ever made, Bagpuss and The Clangers being favourites of mine. In this Nintendo age Postgate's programmes were a very different affairs to the fast edit, flashy efforts of today. His career in television started in the 1950's, working for both the BBC and ITV. They mainly were made in a barn by Smallfilms, the company he set up with Peter Firmin.

His shows were a lot gentler and story based than that of modern programmes. Here's a list of his work, which he not only created but often directed, produced, voiced and even physically made the characters and sets:

• Pinny's House (1986) (producer, director)
• Tottie: The Story of a Dolls' House (1984) (director, voiceover)
• Noggin the Nog colour version (1979) (writer, producer, director, voiceover)
• Ivor the Engine colour version (1975) (writer, producer, director, voiceover)
• Bagpuss (1974) (writer, producer, director, voiceover)
• The Clangers (1969) (writer, producer, director, voiceover)
• Little Laura (1968) (producer)
• Pogles' Wood (1965) (writer, producer, director, voiceover)
• The Seal of Neptune (1963) (creator)
• The Pingwings (1961) (writer, director, voiceover)
• Noggin the Nog (1959) (writer, producer, director, voiceover)
• Ivor the Engine (1958) (writer, producer, director, voiceover)