A scarecrow is a decoy or mannequin that is often in the shape of a human . Humanoid scarecrows are usually dressed in old clothes and placed in open fields to discourage birds from disturbing and feeding on recently cast seed and growing crops. Scarecrows are used around the world by farmers , and are a notable symbol of farms and the countryside in popular culture.
21-636: Worzel Gummidge is a scarecrow in British children's fiction, who originally appeared in a series of books by the English novelist Barbara Euphan Todd . It was the first story book published by Puffin Books . The books have been adapted for radio and television a number of times. Frank Atkinson was the first person to play the role in the 1953 BBC children's television series Worzel Gummidge Turns Detective . Former Doctor Who actor Jon Pertwee took
42-501: A few years later. A version of Jackanory for younger children—called Jackanory Junior —was shown on CBeebies between 2007 and 2009. The CBeebies Bedtime Stories strand continues the tradition of well-known actors and personalities reading stories directly to camera. See List of Jackanory episodes for the stories broadcast from 13 December 1965 to 9 March 1984. Subsequent stories included: Philip Glenister , in character as Gene Hunt , made an appearance on Jackanory as
63-552: A four-part series starring Frank Atkinson in the title role. In July 1967 five Worzel Gummidge stories were read on Jackanory by Gordon Rollings . Worzel Gummidge Again was read in November 1974 (with one story tying in with Guy Fawkes Night ) by Geoffrey Bayldon , later to appear in the 1979-81 TV series. Southern Television 's production for ITV was written by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall , and starred Jon Pertwee as Worzel, with Una Stubbs as Aunt Sally ,
84-444: A life-size fairground doll and Worzel's femme fatale . This was a significant change from the original books, where Aunt Sally is, in fact, Worzel's aunt. The Crowman, who made Worzel and some of his other scarecrow friends, was played by Geoffrey Bayldon (who read Worzel Gummidge Again in November 1974 on BBC1's Jackanory ), better known for his starring role as the title character of Catweazle . Bill Maynard also appeared as
105-449: A normal lifeless scarecrow. This leads others to blame the two children for the trouble he causes. The Worzel Gummidge books differ from the television adaption, one difference being that in the books Worzel is married to Earthy Mangold. In the first book, Aunt Sally (his femme fatale in the TV series) is only mentioned in one chapter and the character is an antagonistic bully to Worzel. For
126-514: A scarecrow called Sergeant Beetroot. Television New Zealand and Channel 4 collaborated on a follow-up programme that ran for two series in 1987 and 1989, with Worzel Gummidge and Aunt Sally, still played by Pertwee and Stubbs, relocated to New Zealand. Worzel Gummidge is a 2019 British TV fantasy miniseries, and an adaptation of the Worzel Gummidge series by Barbara Euphan Todd. It stars Mackenzie Crook , who also wrote and directed
147-558: The effectiveness lessens as animals become familiar with the structures. Since the invention of the humanoid scarecrow, more effective methods have been developed. On California farmland, highly-reflective aluminized PET film ribbons are tied to the plants to produce shimmers from the sun. Another approach is using automatic noise guns powered by propane gas . One winery in New York has even used inflatable tube men or airdancers to scare away birds. Bodach-rocais (lit. "old man of
168-662: The guest reader in the Ashes to Ashes series 2 finale, set in 1982, which Alex Drake ( Keeley Hawes ) imagines being transmitted to her television set. "Jackanory, jackanory" said by someone in the sing-song tones of the theme tune indicates that they think that someone else is making up or "stretching" a story, i.e. lying. In 2013 the UK TV Network Dave launched Crackanory as an adult version of Jackanory. Each Crackanory episode features two 15-minute tales narrated by contemporary comedians and actors, containing
189-646: The late comedian John Sessions as the revived programme's first narrator reading the Lord of the Rings parody Muddle Earth , written by Paul Stewart (and illustrator Chris Riddell ). The second narrator was Sir Ben Kingsley , reading The Magician of Samarkand by Alan Temperley . They were broadcast in three 15-minute slots on CBBC and BBC One and later repeated in their entirety on BBC One on consecutive Sundays. The readings of Muddle Earth were heavily accompanied by animation and featured John Sessions speaking
210-582: The lead role from 1979 to 1981 in Worzel Gummidge , produced by Southern Television for ITV in the UK. Pertwee reprised the role later in a New Zealand version (1987–1989). For the Pertwee series, the character had a set of interchangeable turnip , mangelwurzel and swede heads, each of which suited a particular occasion or endowed him with a specific skill. In 2019 the character returned to
231-448: The lines of all the animated characters (and occasionally reading those of Joe whenever he was not on-screen), leading to criticism that the spirit of the original programme, a single voice telling a tale with minimal distractions, had been lost. (The original series had occasionally included dramatised material, in e.g. 1984's Starstormers by Nicholas Fisk and increasingly so towards the end of its run in 1996). The Magician of Samarkand
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#1732791604776252-556: The live broadcast of the Apollo 8 mission in 1968 was interrupted so Jackanory could be shown. The programme's title comes from an old English nursery rhyme : I'll tell you a story About Jack a Nory, And now my story's begun; I'll tell you another Of Jack and his brother, And now my story is done. The rhyme was first recorded in the publication The Top Book of All, for little Masters and Misses , which appeared about 1760. In November 2006 Jackanory briefly returned with
273-417: The rooks"). Scarecrow Fact and Fable , Peter Haining , 1986 [REDACTED] Media related to Scarecrows at Wikimedia Commons [REDACTED] Media related to Scarecrow festivals at Wikimedia Commons Jackanory Jackanory is a BBC children's television series which was originally broadcast between 1965 and 1996. It was designed to stimulate an interest in reading . The programme
294-525: The screen in the BBC series Worzel Gummidge starring Mackenzie Crook in the title role. Worzel Gummidge is a scarecrow that can come to life on Scatterbrook Farm. He stands in a ten-acre field, and befriends John and Susan who came to stay during the school holidays on the Braithwaites' farm. Worzel normally lands John and Susan in trouble when he is being mischievous, as he goes into a sulk and becomes
315-586: The series, as the magical scarecrow. It was produced by Leopard Pictures (part of the Argonon Group ) and was broadcast by BBC One on 26 and 27 December 2019. A further four episodes followed in 2020 and 2021. Scarecrow The common form of a scarecrow is a humanoid figure dressed in old clothes and placed in open fields to discourage birds such as crows or sparrows from disturbing and feeding on recently cast seed and growing crops. Machinery such as windmills have been employed as scarecrows, but
336-466: The television adaptation, Worzel has a collection of interchangeable heads. In the books, the maker of Worzel Gummidge and other scarecrows is not named the Crowman, but is described as a mysterious figure. The first paperback version of the first book, released in 1941, has the distinction of being the first story book published by the famous children's imprint Puffin . The first broadcast with Worzel
357-496: Was a similar production, albeit without the actors speaking additional lines; Ben Kingsley read both the story and the lines of all the characters. Both of these stories were produced and directed by Nick Willing . Both stories were released in their entirety on DVD later that year, with added bonus features (galleries with images from the stories and a behind-the-scenes film for Muddle Earth ). While no further stories were made, Muddle Earth would be adapted for television again
378-459: Was before World War II on the BBC 's Children's Hour . By 1946, Worzel was played by veteran radio actor Philip Wade , John by John Clark , Susan by Rosamund Barnes, and Earthy Mangold by Mabel Constanduros . Later, Worzel was played by Denis Folwell , who went on to play Jack Archer in the long-running BBC radio 4 soap opera The Archers . The character first appeared on television in 1953 in
399-407: Was commissioned to provide illustrations for one Jackanory story. Usually a single book would occupy five daily fifteen-minute episodes, from Monday to Friday. A spin-off series was Jackanory Playhouse (1972–85), which was a series of thirty-minute dramatisations. These included a dramatisation by Philip Glassborow of the comical A. A. Milne story "The Princess Who Couldn't Laugh". Coverage of
420-423: Was first transmitted on 13 December 1965, and the first story was the fairy-tale " Cap-o'-Rushes " read by Lee Montague . Jackanory was broadcast until 1996, with around 3,500 episodes in its 30-year run. The final story, The House at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne , was read by Alan Bennett and broadcast on 24 March 1996. The programme was briefly revived on 27 November 2006 for two one-off stories. The format
441-452: Was revived as Jackanory Junior , airing on CBeebies between 2007 and 2009. The programme's format, which varied little over the decades, featured an actor reading from children's novels or folk tales , usually while seated in an armchair. From time to time the scene being read would be illustrated by a specially commissioned still drawing, often by Quentin Blake . In 1983, Malou Bonicos
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