Rosie and Jim

Rosie and Jim
Format	Children's television series
Created by	Anne Wood Robin Stevens
Presented by	John Cunliffe
Starring	Rebecca Nagan Robin Stevens John Cunliffe Pat Hutchins Neil Brewer
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Language(s)	English
No. of seasons	8
No. of episodes	175
Production
Running time	11/15 minutes
Production company(s)	Ragdoll Productions (1990-2000) Central Independent Television (1990-1991)
Broadcast
Original channel	ITV Network (CITV) TCC - Tiny TCC (1995-1996) Tiny Living (1997-2002) Disney Channel UK (1998-1999)
Original run	3 September 1990 (1990-09-03) – 11 December 2000 (2000-12-11)
External links
Website

Rosie and Jim (sometimes written as Rosie & Jim) is a British children's television programme which appeared, on and off, on CITV (the ITV Children's Programming Section) since the early 1990s. The programme was the creation of Anne Wood and Robin Stevens, The series was authored by Robin Stevens who also played the character Jim. It is produced by Ragdoll Productions who produced Tots TV, Pob's Programme, Brum, Teletubbies "and now "In the Night Garden"

The programme features two ragdolls, Rosie and Jim, in a narrowboat called the Ragdoll. In this boat they would travel along the waterways of Central England with their friend Duck and the Ragdoll's owner. The owner is convinced that Rosie and Jim are just ordinary ragdolls; however, each time the boat is moored and the owner visits the town or village, Duck gives the signal by quacking and Rosie and Jim magically come to life and secretly follow the owner, often causing mishaps and hijinks that leave the boat owner and the person or people he/she visits quite bemused.

The programme's popularity with children resides in the amiable joviality of the boat owner and the humour derived from Rosie and Jim's antics. Parents find the programme appealing as it allows children to see parts of Britain that they might not have a chance to in real life, thus educating, informing and entertaining the young audience^{[original research?]}.

Rosie and Jim enjoyed 175 episodes on TV and video. Towards the end of the show's run, the logo, the theme tune and even the ragdolls themselves had been revamped. After a 10-year-run, production on the children's programme came to an end in 2000. Consequently, the Ragdoll boat is no longer on display for the public. Ragdoll Productions launched an official website for Rosie and Jim in 2000 and is still available online today.

Rosie & Jim was last repeated in the UK on CITV on July 2004 and hasn't been shown since.

Contents 1 Boat owners 1.1 Series 1 & 2 1.2 Series 3 & 4 1.3 Series 5, 6, 7 & 8 2 Characters 2.1 Rosie 2.2 Jim 2.3 Duck 2.4 Scowly the Goldfish 3 Episode guide 4 Series 1 (1990) 5 Series 2 (1991) 6 Series 3 (1994) 7 Series 4 (1995-1996) 8 Series 5 (1997) 9 Series 6 (1998) 10 Series 7 (1999) 11 Series 8 (2000) 12 Video and DVD releases 12.1 DVD 13 UK and USA DVD & Video History 14 External links

Boat owners

Series 1 & 2

Postman Pat creator John Cunliffe (nicknamed Fizzgog by the ragdolls), a British author and presenter, was the first owner of the narrowboat, and also wrote the scripts of these two series. In each episode John would finish by writing a short story following inspiration from the places he visited, imagining what Rosie and Jim would have done "if only they could come to life", unaware that they have in fact done so. These stories would be narrated by John and shown as animated cartoon stories at the end of each episode done by the Pigeon Street creators Alan Rogers and Peter Lang. However, Cunliffe retired at the end of the second series, and it was decided that instead of cancelling the series, a new owner would be introduced.

Cunliffe did 50 episodes.

Series 3 & 4

Titch creator Pat Hutchins (nicknamed Loopy Lobes), a notable British illustrator, took the helm for the following three series. Pat was always inspired to paint a picture or do some form of complex drawing at the end of each episode, which the Ragdolls would admire, while trying to find duck in her drawings, at the end of each episode.

Hutchins did 45 episodes.

Series 5, 6, 7 & 8

Neil Brewer (nicknamed Tootle), a British songwriter, was the boat owner for the most recent series. Neil wrote a short song (typically consisting of a verse and two choruses) inspired by his travels in the episode and typically performed this at the end of each episode, with Rosie and Jim (unbeknown to Neil) enjoying the music and dancing. Neil was the only owner to have made a live stage show in the late 1990s - mid 2000s. These series' were also released on DVD.

Brewer did 80 episodes.

Characters

Rosie

A joyful doll who loves Jim and Duck. She is very sure of herself and tends to take the initiative. However, Rosie is never seen without her collecting bag which she keeps around her neck, as it contains items that come in useful during her adventures with Jim. Her trademark word is 'Noggin' (occasionally 'gobbin'), meaning "idiot" and often playfully applied as a nickname for Jim. Rosie was played by Rebecca Nagan.

Jim

A curious doll who always questions things around him, constantly asking Rosie "Why?" something is. Jim tends to follow Rosie's lead on their adventures. He always appears happy and relaxed, and is content with taking his time. He is gentle and affectionate, and loves Rosie and Duck. Jim enjoys drawing and is always seen with three crayons in his pocket.

Jim was played by Robin Stevens.

Duck

A carved wooden boat decoration that cannot leave the narrowboat unaided. He is a faithful companion to Rosie and Jim, and a conspirator to their mischief by quacking when the coast is clear or as a warning that the owner is coming back. He also quacks at the beginning of each episode to 'wake up' Rosie and Jim before they begin their adventures. Robin Stevens also played Duck in the series. The character of Duck was based on Richard 'Richy' Watts. 

Scowly the Goldfish

He only appears in the Learning to Read and Write episodes.

Episode guide

176 episodes

• Series 1 26x15m with John Cunliffe "Fizzgog" First shown from 3 September 1990
• Series 2 25x15m with John Cunliffe "Fizzgog" First shown from 4 November 1991
• Series 3 25x11m with Pat Hutchins "Loopy Lobes" First shown from 5 January 1994
• Series 4 20x11m with Pat Hutchins "Loopy Lobes" First shown from 10 January 1995
• Series 5 20x11m with Neil Brewer "Tootle" First shown from 5 January 1997
• Series 6 20x11m with Neil Brewer "Tootle" First shown from 2 January 1998
• Series 7 20x11m with Neil Brewer "Tootle" First shown from 5 January 1999
• Series 8 20x11m with Neil Brewer "Tootle" First shown from 4 January 2000

Series 1 (1990)

1. Locks - 3 September 1990

2. Painting - 4 September 1990

3. Tunnel - 5 September 1990

4. Supermarket - 6 September 1990

5. Coal - 7 September 1990

6. Bread - 10 September 1990

7. Shopping - 11 September 1990

8. Horse Towing - 13 September 1990

9. Glass - 14 September 1990

10. Boat Building - 17 September 1990

11. Washing - 18 September 1990

12. Pottery - 19 September 1990

13. Finding The Way - 20 September 1990

14. Letters - 21 September 1990

15. Fairground - 24 September 1990

16. Abbey - 25 September 1990

17. Falcons - 26 September 1990

18. Steam - 12 September 1990

19. Sailing - 27 September 1990

20. Weaving - 28 September 1990

21. Milking - 1 October 1990

22. Breakdown - 2 October 1990

23. Woollen Mill - 3 October 1990

24. Ferry - 4 October 1990

25. Clipping - 5 October 1990

26. Dredging - unknown

Series 2 (1991)

26. Automata - 4 November 1991

27. Butterflies - 5 November 1991

28. Houses - 6 November 1991

29. Hair - 7 November 1991

30. Small Animals - 8 November 1991

31. School - 11 November 1991

32. Bricks - 12 November 1991

33. Hats - 13 November 1991

34. Trees - 14 November 1991

35. Hospital - 15 November 1991

36. Boat Painting - 18 November 1991

37. Sheepdog - 19 November 1991

38. Waterworks - 20 November 1991

39. Rope - 21 November 1991

40. Boat Festival - 22 November 1991

41. Coracle - 25 November 1991

42. Flying - 26 November 1991

43. Blacksmith - 27 November 1991

44. Brass - 28 November 1991

45. Shire Horses - 29 November 1991

46. Puppet Show - 2 December 1991

47. Eggs - 3 December 1991

48. Library - 4 December 1991

49. Shoes - 5 December 1991

50. Dredging - 6 December 1991

Series 3 (1994)

51. Radio Station - 5 January 1994

52. Babies - 12 January 1994

53. Steam Train - 19 January 1994

54. Barn Owl - 26 January 1994

55. Gingerbread Man - 2 February 1994

56. Musical Instruments - 9 February 1994

57. Flower Baskets - 16 February 1994

58. Duck Gets Lost - 23 February 1994

59. Ten Pin Bowling - 1 March 1994

60. Sneezes - 8 March 1994

61. Digging For Potatoes - 15 March 1994

62. Pony Riding - 22 March 1994

63. Lovely Bananas - 29 March 1994

64. Splish Splash Splosh - 5 April 1994

65. Down on the Farm - 12 April 1994

66. The Hat Factory - 19 April 1994

67. The Disappearing Sausages - 26 April 1994

68. Bouncy Castles - 3 May 1994

69. A Special Dance 10 May 1994

70. Flood On The Boat - 17 May 1994

71. Soapy Duck - 24 May 1994

72. Scarecrow - 31 May 1994

73. Roller Skating - 4 November 1994

74. The Shoemaker - 11 November 1994

75. Stars At Night - 18 November 1994

Series 4 (1995-1996)

76. Circus - 10 January 1995

77. Earring - 17 January 1995

78. Gondola - 24 January 1995

79. Mouse - 31 January 1995

80. Restaurant - 7 February 1995

81. On Safari - 14 February 1995

82. Exercise - 21 February 1995

83. Little Lost Kitten - 28 February 1995

84. Stripes - 9 March 1995

85. Making Pizza - 16 March 1995

86. Lights - 23 March 1995

87. Window Dressing - 30 March 1995

88. Vet - 7 April 1995

89. Bus - 14 April 1995

90. Dog Agility Training - 21 April 1995

91. Race - 28 April 1995

92. Milk Float - 30 June 1995

93. Ballroom Dancing - 14 July 1995

94. Umbrella - 21 July 1995

95. Sleepy Baby - 28 July 1995

Series 5 (1997)

96. Harmonica - 5 January 1997

97. Oodles of Noodles - 10 January 1997

98. Spring Cleaning - 13 January 1997

99. Molly The Parrot - 17 January 1997

100. Hot Air Balloon - 20 January 1997

101. Sing Song - 24 January 1997

102. Cake - 27 January 1997

103. Pony And Trap - 31 January 1997

104. Bouncy Mattress - 3 February 1997

105. Chimney Sweep - 7 February 1997

106. Football - 10 February 1997

107. Merry-Go-Round - 14 February 1997

108. Water Skiing - 17 February 1997

109. Bike Ride - 21 February 1997

110. Gymnastic Jim - 24 February 1997

111. Down The Waterslide - 28 February 1997

112. Disco - 3 March 1997

113. Duck and the Ducklings - 7 March 1997

114. Windy Day - 10 March 1997

115. A New Chair - 14 March 1997

116. A Jacket For Neil - 17 March 1997

117. A Duck Kite - 21 March 1997

118. Tailor - 24 March 1997

119. Beach - 28 March 1997

120. Theatre - 31 March 1997

Series 6 (1998)

121. Naughty Little Frog - 2 January 1998

122. Amazing Teddy - 5 January 1998

123. Camping - 9 January 1998

124. Big Ben Boing - 12 January 1998

125. Squeegy Weegy Windows - 16 January 1998

126. Raising The Road - 19 January 1998

127. Quacks in the Tower - 23 January 1998

128. Shining Armour - 26 January 1998

129. Feeding The Pigeons - 30 January 1998

130. Golf - 2 February 1998

131. Newspaper - 6 February 1998

132. Fish Face - 9 February 1998

133. Stilts - 13 February 1998

134. Diy - 16 Flebruary 1998

135. Tomato Ketchup - 20 February 1998

136. Tower Bridge - 23 February 1998

137. Lullaby - 27 February 1998

138. Driftwood - 2 March 1998

139. Music Boat - 6 March 1998

140. Brass Band - 9 March 1998

141. Chinese Lion Dance - 13 March 1998

142. Recording Studio - 16 March 1998

143. Music Party - 20 March 1998

Series 7 (1999)

143. Sticky Honey - 5 January 1999

144. Radio Control - 8 January 1999

145. Reeds On The Roof - 12 January 1999

146. Mothers Day - 15 January 1999

147. A New Chair - 19 January 1999

148. Runaway Roller Blades - 22 January 1999

149. Rosie's Rocks - 26 January 1999

150. Where's The Wedding Ring - 29 January 1999

151. Artist At Work - 2 February 1999

152. Chainmaking - 5 February 1999

153. Thatching - 9 February 1999

154. Sailing Boat - 12 February 1999

155. Keep Fit - 16 February 1999

156. Dry Walling - 19 February 1999

157. Baby Elephant's Bathtime - 23 February 1999

158. Washing Day - 26 February 1999

159. Floating Duck - 2 March 1999

160. Knitting Factory - 6 March 1999

161. Road Boat - 9 March 1999

162. Quackin' Duck Boogie - 13 March 1999

163. Wallpaper - 16 March 1999

164. Riding Lesson - 20 March 1999

Series 8 (2000)

165. Disappearing Duck - 4 January 2000

166. Upside Down - 8 January 2000

167. Steel RASPO Bubbles - 20 December 1999

168. Disappearing Trousers - 15 January 2000

169. Jumble Duck - 18 January 2000

170. Flour Trail - 22 January 2000

171. Birthday Party - 25 January 2000

172. Lots Of Knots - 29 January 2000

173. Flashing Fire Engine - 1 February 2000

174. Sticky Stuck up - 5 February 2000

175. Water, Water Everywhere - 8 February 2000

176. Anchor and Chain - 12 February 2000

177. Lifeboat Rescue - 15 February 2000

178. Hop To The Hospital - 19 February 2000

179. Lazy Day - 22 February 2000

180. Little Ducklings - 29 February 2000

181. The Magic Show - 4 December 2000

182. One Last Goodbye - 8 December 2000

183. Rescue The Rubbish - 11 December 2000

Video and DVD releases

UK

• Rosie And Jim - Volume 1 (December 9, 1990)
• Rosie And Jim - Volume 2 (December 9, 1990)
• Rosie And Jim - Butterflies And Other Stories (November 11, 1991)
• Rosie And Jim - Washing And Other Stories (December 2, 1990)
• Rosie And Jim - Small Animals And Other Stories (December 9, 1991)
• Rosie And Jim - Trees And Other Stories (December 16, 1991)
• Rosie And Jim - Waterworks And Other Stories (January 6, 1992)
• Rosie And Jim - Flying And Other Stories (January 13, 1992)
• Rosie And Jim - Sailing And Other Stories (July 21, 1991)
• Rosie And Jim - Puppet Show And Other Stories (December 16, 1991)
• Rosie And Jim - Wollen Mill And Other Stories (December 23, 1991)
• Rosie And Jim - Bumper Special (Locks And Other Stories)
• Rosie and Jim - Bumper Special (Painting And Other Stories)
• Rosie And Jim - Bumper Special (Fairground And Other Stories)
• Rosie And Jim - Bumper Special (Hats And Other Stories)
• Rosie And Jim - Bumper Special (Sticky Honey And Other Stories)
• Rosie And Jim - Duck Gets Lost And Other Stories (February 6, 1995)
• Learn to Read and Write with Rosie and Jim (April 20, 1992)

Games and Songs - Stories and Rhymes (May 4, 1992)

• My Little Rosie And Jim - Christmas Lights
• My Little Rosie And Jim 1995-2001
• Rosie and Jim - On Sarfari (October 7, 1996)
• Rosie and Jim - Acrobats (October 7, 1996)
• Rosie and Jim - Water Skiing (April 20, 1999)
• Rosie And Jim - Music Party (July 13, 1999)
• Rosie And Jim - Quackin Duck Boogie and Christmas Lights [Double VHS Set] (November 20, 1995)
• Rosie And Jim - Splish, Splash, Splosh (May 18, 1998)
• Rosie And Jim - Flashing Fire Engine (November 27, 2000)
• Rosie And Jim - Splash (February 19, 2001)
• Rosie And Jim - Up And Away (August 6, 2001)
• Rosie And Jim - Summer Fun And Other Stories (September 24, 2001)
• Rosie And Jim - Fish Face And Other Animal Stories (November 1, 1999)
• Rosie And Jim - Gingerbread Man And Other Stories (February 6, 1995)
• Rosie and Jim - The Biggest Messes Ever (September 21, 1999)

DVD

• Rosie And Jim - Sticky Honey And Other Stories
• Rosie And Jim - Flashing Fire Engine and other urgent adventures
• Rosie And Jim - Up,Up And Away and Other stories

UK and USA DVD & Video History

   *USA
         PBS Home Video (1990-Present)
         PBS Kids Video (1993-2001)   
         Strand VCI Entertainment (1990-1992)
         Strand Home Video (1992-1994)
         Video Treasures (1994-1998)
         Anchor Bay (1997-2004)
   * UK
         o Carlton Video
         o Video Collection International (1990-2002)

• British Waterways use Rosie & Jim and the Ragdoll to convey their 'Safety near Water' message round the canal network.^{[citation needed]}
• Rosie & Jim was awarded the international TV Ontario Award in 1992.
• Rosie & Jim have been shown in nine different countries.
• Jim is taller than Rosie
• Jim's puppeteer, Robin Stevens, was also the voice of "Tom" from Tots TV
• Rosie's puppeteer, Rebecca Nagan, was also the voice of "Woolie" from Hotch Potch House

v t e PBS Kids shows Current shows Barney & Friends Caillou The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! Curious George Dinosaur Train Franny's Feet Martha Speaks Sesame Street Super Why! Sid the Science Kid Thomas and Friends Wild Animal Baby Explorers PBS Kids Go! Arthur Cyberchase The Electric Company (2009–) Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman WordGirl Wild Kratts See also PBS network shows Educational television PBS Kids Sprout

External links

• Rosie and Jim website
• Ragdoll Productions website