Bananas in Pyjamas
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| Bananas in Pyjamas | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Children's Television |
| Starring | Ken Radley Nicholas Opolski |
| Narrated by | Karina Kelly |
| Opening theme | Bananas In Pyjama performed by Monica Trapaga |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| No. of series | 6+ |
| No. of episodes | 304+ |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Virginia Lumsden |
| Executive producer(s) | Mark Barnard |
| Running time | 5 min |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | ABC |
| Original run | January 1, 1992 – |
| Links | |
| Official website | |
| IMDb profile | |
| TV.com summary | |
Bananas in Pyjamas is an Australian children's television show which premiered in 1992 on the ABC. It has since become syndicated in many different countries, and dubbed into those languages. In the United States, the "Pyjamas" in the title was modified to reflect the American spelling pajamas, thus the US title "Bananas In Pajamas".
The main characters are two bananas named B1 and B2. Other characters include three Teddy Bears named Amy, Lulu and Morgan, and Rat in a Hat. The Bananas, the Teddies and Rat in a Hat all live in the same neighbourhood, a cul-de-sac called "Cuddles Avenue" at the end of a street.
The characters were inspired by a 1967 song written for children by British composer Carey Blyton (nephew of renowned children's author Enid Blyton). The jaunty song describes (an unspecified number of) bananas in pyjamas chasing teddy bears, with a slight twist at the end where a musical sting emphasises that the bananas like to "catch them unawares".
The song was shown on the Australian version of Play School for many years accompanied by an animation depicting a pair of bananas in blue-and-white striped pyjamas, and the number and physical appearance of B1 and B2 are based on this animation.
Given the preschooler audience, chasing and scaring teddy bears is not a plotline for the show itself, the bananas being more interested in singing, dancing, and playing with the bears and other characters, and bantering with each other.
The show is performed using human actors in elaborate costumes, in the style of the British Teletubbies or Tweenies. In the show's early days, the voices of the bananas were provided by the same actors as were inside the costume, but the original actors have given up that aspect of the show and substitutes now man the hot, stuffy costumes. The show aired new episodes from its 1992 debut to its eventual run in syndication in 2000. The show aired 299 episodes and 4 specials. Its debut in the United States was in 1995. It made videos and other media from 1995 to 1999. A toy line, developed by TOMY, debuted in 1996.
The show was spoofed in the Filipino series, Super Laff-In as a skit known as "The Very Corny Family". It features two corn characters named C1 and C2.
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[edit] See also
[edit] Bananas In Pajamas
This television series, Bananas in Pajamas, is about two giant, child-like bananas, B1 and B2. They are good friends and companions. Together they live on Cuddles Lane, with their friends, the Teddy Bears: Amy, Morgan, and Lulu, the Rat-in-a-Hat, and various other critters. The bananas are constantly teasing the Teddy Bears (the bears know that it is all in fun), but those silly bananas are always able foil the Rat's sly tricks. B1 and B2 are typically mischievous; however, they are always ready to fight for a good cause.
[edit] Theme Song Lyrics
Bananas in pajamas are coming down the stairs,
Bananas in pajamas are coming down in pairs,
Bananas in pajamas are chasing teddy bears,
'Cause on Tuesdays they all try to catch them unawares!
[edit] Cast
»Duncan Wass - B-1 (1992-1993) Ken Radley - B-1 (1993- ) Nicholas Opolski - B-2 (1992- ) Shane McNamara - Rat-in-a-Hat (1992- ) Mal Heap - Various Farm Puppets (2001) Emma de Vries - Maggie (1994- )/Tolstoy (1994 - ) Sandie Lillingston - Amy (1992-1993) Mary-Anne Henshaw - Lulu (1992-1993) Taylor Owyns - Lulu (1993- ) Jeremy Scrivener - Morgan (1992- )
