Miś Uszatek

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Miś Uszatek
Main character of the show, Miś Uszatek
Format	Children's television series
Written by	Czesław Janczarski
Narrated by	Mieczysław Czechowicz
Theme music composer	Janusz Galewicz (words) Piotr Hertel (music) Mieczysław Czechowicz (vocals)
Country of origin	Poland
No. of episodes	104
Production
Producer(s)	Se-ma-for
Broadcast
Original channel	Telewizja Polska
Original run	1975 – 1987

Miś Uszatek (loosely translated as An Earflap Teddy Bear) is a Polish cartoon character from the stop motion-animated TV series of the same name. It was created jointly by Polish writer Czesław Janczarski and cartoonist Zbigniew Rychlicki.^[1]

Miś Uszatek's first appearance was in a Polish comic magazine for kids, "Miś", on March 6, 1957. Later, he was the main character of several books for kids, which were translated into many languages. However, it became very popular in 1975, when Łódź' Animated Forms Studio (Studio Malych Form Filmowych), Se-ma-for, created a series of cartoons for the Polish TV network, featuring popular actor Mieczysław Czechowicz, who voiced the title character.^[2] In all-time Polish ranks of kids' cartoons, it usually comes second only to Bolek i Lolek.^{[citation needed]}

Miś Uszatek and his friends - Prosiaczek (Piglet), Kroliczki (Little Rabbits) and Zajaczek (Little Hare), as well as Kruczek the Puppy - were loved by pre-teen kids. At the same time, Uszatek, a teddy bear, played the role of a friend from kindergarten. He was also liked by parents, as he would always go to bed at appropriate hour, singing the popular goodnight song:

“

Pora na dobranoc, bo juz ksiezyc swieci. Dzieci lubia misie, misie lubia dzieci (It is time to go to bed, as the moon is shining. Kids like teddy bears, teddy bears like kids).^[2]

”

Altogether, Se-ma-for created 104 episodes of the cartoon; the last one was made in 1987.^[1] In the 1960s, two theatrical movies about the friendly bear were made.^[3]

The cartoon is also appreciated in other countries; it is one of the best-selling exports of the Polish television industry.^[3] Altogether, Polish TV sold it to 22 countries, including Canada, Iran and African nations.^[2] In Finland it is known as Nalle Luppakorva, and in Slovenia as Medvedek Uhec; both nations still play it on a regular basis. Also, in Hungary it is known as Füles Mackó, in Catalonia (Spain) as Les històries de l'osset Faluc, in Macedonia as Mečeto Uško, in the Netherlands as Teddy Hangoor and in Japan as Oyasumi Kuma-chan. In Finland, it was so popular that dolls featuring the series' characters were once stolen from an exhibition.^[3]

In July 2007, local authorities in Łódź decided to construct a monument fountain, dedicated to Mis Uszatek, which will be placed along Łódź's main street, Piotrkowska. Also, in the fall of 2007, the Se-ma-for studio announced that it was planning to make more episodes,^[1] but later these plans were changed and most probably, a full-length movie will be created, with help from Japanese company Eden Entertainment. As of 2008, Mis Uszatek airs on Polish TV every Thursday.