Information AboutMr Benn |
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Additionally, scenes before and after his adventure usually have some connection to it, such as the games the children are playing in the street as he passes, thus creating the common ambiguity as to whether the adventures were real or imagined. THE BOOKS Several of Mr Benn's adventures are available to buy in book-form, four were published originally and further books in the 1990s were based on the television series. The original four books were ''Mr Benn Red-Knight'', ''Big Game Benn'', ''123456789 Benn'' and ''Big Top Benn''. There were in fact six original books planned, the fifth and sixth were never published. The fifth was called ''Mr Benn Rides Again'', the story of which was used to make the television episode ''The Cowboy''. The sixth, never completed, was ''Superbenn'', in which the superhero Benn sets out on an Environmental adventure. There is one book for which no corresponding television episode has ( Yet ) been made. ''123456789 Benn'' was published in 1970 (ISBN 0234773618) and tells the story of Benn as a convict (hence the number) inspiring his jail-mates to brighten up their cells. A new story was published in 2001, the first Mr Benn story that David McKee had written in thirty years, and is called ''Mr Benn, Gladiator'' (ISBN 1842700243). McKee has indicated {Link without Title} that he may write more Mr Benn stories in the future. 2001 also saw the publication of ''Mr Benn's Little Book of Life'' (ISBN 0099436493) by Tess Read and David McKee, which explores the lessons of Mr Benn's adventures. THE TELEVISION SERIES McKee wrote and (with Ian Lawless ) animated thirteen ''Mr Benn'' episodes for the BBC in the early 1970s. These episodes were repeated many times over the years, and many people retain fond memories of him. The episodes were narrated by Ray Brooks , and the music composed by Don Warren . McKee has not benefited financially to the extent he might have: "I signed a contract where I only got a one-off payment and no repeat fees but I've done quite well from a number of other things and I'm still exhibiting paintings." {Link without Title} The titles of the thirteen episodes (in alphabetical order) are: ''The Balloonist'', ''The Caveman'', ''The Clown'', ''The Cook'', ''The Cowboy'', ''The Diver'', ''The Hunter'', ''The Magic Carpet'', ''The Pirate'', ''The Red Knight'', ''The Spaceman'', ''The Wizard'', and ''The Zookeeper''. After over thirty years, a brand new Mr Benn episode was screened for the first time on 1 January 2005 , on the UK channel Noggin . The episode was based on McKee's 2001 book ''Mr Benn, Gladiator''. TRIVIA Mr Benn lives in of the shopkeeper and Mr Benn in his suit, and dressed as a spaceman and wizard. McKee cites one of his influences as Dartmoor , Devon , home to a famous British prison in the somewhat bleak surrounding Moorland . The only long-term friend of Mr Benn who appears several times, apart of course for the shopkeeper, is Smasher Lagru. Smasher first appears as an inmate in ''123456789 Benn'', and then after his release in ''Big-Top Benn'' and the new ''Mr Benn, Gladiator''. Mr Benn never buys anything in the fancy-dress shop. Coupled with the fact that there are clues to his coming adventures before Mr Benn reaches the shop, many people speculate that his adventures may take place only in his imagination. ''Mr Benn'' was voted the sixth most popular children's television programme in the 2001 Channel 4 poll '' 100 Greatest Kids' TV Shows ''. SOURCES [http://www.mrbenn.co.uk/news.html Mr Benn News - Official site [http://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/archive/display.var.22639.0.0.html "Mr Benn's Back In Town" - Wandsworth Guardian SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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