Count Duckula (Cosgrove Hall Productions for Thames Television, 1988 – 1993)

Count Duckula was a children’s animation, made by Cosgrove Hall Productions. It ran for four series totalling sixty-five episodes.

ON THE AIR	6th September 1988 – 18th December 2009
ORIGINAL CHANNEL	ITV
PRODUCTION COMPANY	Cosgrove Hall Productions for Thames Television
NUMBER OF EPISODES	65
PRODUCTION LOCATIONS
MISSING BELIEVED WIPED	n/a – all episodes survive
ARCHIVE HOLDER	Boat Rocker Studios 44 Whitfield Street London, UK W1T 2RH 0203 746 0850 https://boatrockercontentsales.com/
THEME TUNE	OPENING {spoken} Castle Duckula, Home for many centuries to a dreadful dynasty of vicious vampire ducks… the Counts of Duckula! Legend has it that these foul beings can be destroyed by a stake through the heart, or exposure to sunlight. This does not suffice, however, for they may be brought back to life by means of a sacred rite that can be performed once a century when the moon is in the eighth house of Aquarius… (bat wings…blood) (I’ll get it!) The latest reincarnation did not run according to plan… (Ooh…) {sung} In the heart of Transylvania In the vampire hall of fang, yeah There’s not a vampire zanier than DUCKULA! He won’t bite beast or man, ’cause he’s a vegetarian (Aah!) And things never run to plan for DUCKULA! If you’re looking for some fun, you can always count upon The wild and wacky one they call DUCKULA! Count Duckula CLOSING If you’re feeling…(Screams) Or you kind of…(Ghoulish Laughter) Could be you’ve met up with… (Duckula) If your knees go…(Knock Knock) And your teeth go…(Chatter Chatter) Maybe you’ve bumped into… (Duckula) He flies through the night Looking for a bite But he’s back home by Daylight DUCKULA! If you’re sort of… (Boing Boing) Or you’re a little.. (Cuckoo) It’s certain you’ve ran into… DUCKULA! If your heart goes… (Boom Boom) And your mind goes… (Gibber Gibber) Man you’ve had a brush with… DUCKULA! So watch out for the…(Roar) Beware of the…(Hysterical Giggling) And pray you’ll never meet with DUCKULA! COUNT DUCKULA!
HELD IN THE BRITSET ARCHIVES	Episode #1.1 – No Sax Please – We're Egyptian (TX 6th September 1988) Episode #3.7 – The Great Ducktective (TX 3rd December 1990)

Count Duckula is the story of how a dreadful dynasty of vampire ducks got turned around one day. As everyone knows, a vampire can be killed by a stake through the heart or exposure to sunlight however they are able to be bought back to life using a secret rite. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) the rite was messed up and instead of adding blood, tomato ketchup was used instead. The result was a vegetarian vampire duck whose favourite food was broccoli sandwiches

The show was a spin off from Danger Mouse, the Count Duckula character having been a recurring villain in that show, albeit it not a vegetarian and with a different sounding voice.

The count was very vain and was not interested in the usual vampire stuff, instead all he was concerned about was being famous and rich. Often stories are based around the count trying to find fame by travelling different locations across the world – thanks to the fact that the castle can teleport across space and time.

Duckula is joined by a butler called Igor who was the one who accidently added the tomato ketchup. Igor is unimpressed in how Duckula has turned out and desperately wants him to drink blood so that he can go back to being a vampire.

They both live with Nanny, a large overbearing hen who is rather dim, she fails to understand how doors work and walks through the walls instead. Nanny wants to wrap her little duckiepoos in cotton wall and will not hear a bad word said against him, often defending him against Igor.

There were sixty-five episodes of Count Duckula across four series. All episodes exist and were released on DVD although it can be difficult to get your hands on it now

CAST

• Narrator – Barry Clayton
• Dr. Quackbrain – Barry Clayton (voice)

Voices by Brian Trueman

• Bandit
• World’s First Vampire
• Peapod
• Radish
• Turnip
• Peas
• Norm
• Captain Penguin
• Viking
• Crew Penguin
• Bruce
• Nigel’s Dad
• Rory McDuckula
• Peasant at bar
• Peasant in booth
• Local #1
• Mrs. Grab
• Doorman #1
• Charlie the Clown
• Man in crowd
• Auntie Lucrezia
• Cuthbert
• Random cinema-goers
• Random cave-man
• Man with raincoat
• Crouch
• Aunt Rose Madders
• Mr. Chestnut-Brown
• Court Voice #1
• Duke of Mallardbough
• Man in Bar
• Gunman
• Actors (off-screen)
• Sir Francis Drake
• Mr Shooshboomer
• Tarquin Paintbrush
• Pirate Cap’n
• The Phantom
• Charlie the Clown
• Husband

Voices by Jimmy Hibbert

• Don Diego
• Juan
• Creature
• Dr. Fazakerley Tyme
• Sweetcorn
• Swede
• Carrot
• French Woman
• Revolutionary
• Peas
• Mr. Roberto
• Mr. Mate
• Viking Queen
• Bill Platypus
• Nigel
• Chinese and American tourists
• Loch Ness Monster #1
• Scott
• Myrtle
• Tremendous Terrance
• Cute Bunny #3
• Oid #1
• Adorable Amy
• Quasimodo
• Gaston
• Dr Von Gosling
• Mrs. Nouveau-Riche
• Major
• Villager #3
• Conchbow
• Information Receptionist
• Secretary
• Mr. Stracietella
• Mrs. Giant
• Uncle Vlad
• Ghostly Cashier
• Ghostly Prospector
• Ghostly Barkeep
• Denzel
• Announcer
• Fat lady
• Pilot
• 1st customs officer
• Custom Lady’s scream
• Stewardess
• Amazon
• Jives the Penguin Butler
• Judge
• Mr. Compost
• Willoughby Stane
• Mr. Snatchett
• Usher
• Lavinia Lavender
• Court Voice #4
• Court Voice #5
• Jazz Singer
• Captain Colonel Theseus Q. Clockhammer
• Bar Patron #1
• Bar Patron #2
• Band Leader
• Alligator #1
• Deckhand #2
• Sheriff
• Various gangsters
• Slave
• Quiet Earp
• Old Man
• Man #1
• Man #2
• Nasty Collins
• Queen Elizebeth 1
• Pet bat
• Store Manager
• Mrs. Paintbrush
• Old Lady
• Cab driver
• Neil
• Fan Club Girl
• Miss Danglegoggle
• Tannoy Voice
• Mr. Mate
• Cruel
• The Egg
• Wife
• Morpheous

Voices by David Jason

• Statue
• Potato
• Norm
• Onion
• Cucumber
• Peas
• Den
• Crow’s Nest Penguin
• Loch Ness Monster #2
• Landlord
• Peasant
• Belvadere
• Cute Bunny #1
• Cute Bunny #2
• Oid #2
• Pierre
• Police Chief
• Pub Landlord
• Mr Nouveau-Riche
• Commodore
• Towser
• Villager #1
• TownHall Chairman
• Morris the Strongman
• Boy
• Shopkeeper
• Monsieur Hercules Parrot
• Wimpy Lawyer
• Bar Patron #3
• Deckhand #1
• Bystander #2
• Deputy
• Wilberforce
• Junior
• Servant
• Count Duckula’s Previous Incarnations
• Mrs. Shooshboomer
• Oddbeak
• Morris the Strongman

Voices by Jack May

• Carrot
• Peas
• Hook-Handed Penguin
• Ghost
• Peasant
• Inspector Migraine
• Rheinfeld
• Local #2
• Tarzan
• Timothy
• Villager #2
• Doorman #2
• Man in crowd
• Giant
• Ghostly Mule
• 2nd Customs Officer
• Pilot
• Colonel Willoughby
• Colonel Damson
• Mr. Bloggam
• Court Voice #2
• Alligator #2
• Bartender
• Igorth

Voiced by Ruby Wax

• Girl (uncredited)
• Laura
• Gloria
• Rent a Butler Receptionist
• Airport check-in assistant
• Bettina Bott
• Miss Von Boodle
• Femme Fatale-type
• ZeeZee LaMoure
• Princess
• Luscious Lulabelle
• Sandy
• Fan Club Girl

COUNT DUCKULA [INTRO]

VIDEO CLIP

COUNT DUCKULA [OUTRO]

VIDEO CLIP

EXTERNAL LINKS

These links are to external website – we are not responsible for the content on these sites, the links are added to provide additional, background information.

Jed’s Paradise – Count Duckula

Television Heaven – Count Duckula

COPYRIGHT DETAILS

Count Duckula © Boat Rocker Studios