The Magic House (TV series) explained

Genre:	Children's
Creator:	Joe Austen
Director:	Simon Staffurth Adrian Edwards
Starring:	Peter Forbes Symon Macintyre Colin Purves Julie Westwood Brian Herring Heather Fraser Dave Murden Michael Bayliss Marie Phillips
Theme Music Composer:	Kim Goody Alan Coates
Opentheme:	"We're So Happy to See You in the Magic House"
Endtheme:	"We're So Happy to See You in the Magic House" (Instrumental)
Composer:	Kim Goody Alan Coates
Country:	United Kingdom
Language:	English
Executive Producer:	Sandy Ross Rhoda MacDonald
Producer:	Adrian Edwards John Price
Editor:	Robert Scott
Runtime:	10 minutes
Company:	Scottish Television
Channel:	ITV (CITV)

The Magic House is a British children's television animation puppet show created by Joe Austen, that was broadcast on Scottish Television from 7 January 1994 to 30 July 1996. The television programme was adapted from a series of children's books written and illustrated by Austen in the early 1980s. The show's 52 10-minute episodes were aired across the ITV Network between 1994 and 1996.^[1] As well as the television episodes, a spin-off series of books was also produced, written and illustrated by Joe Austen.^[2] The show, which featured Uncle Teapot, Kitty Kettle, Barney Bin and other characters based on household items, proved a success with the characters appearing in adverts for the Trustee Savings Bank for children's savings accounts.^[3] The show’s theme music is a pastiche of the Beatles song "It's All Too Much".

Characters

• Barney Bin
• Bessy Brush
• Grandpa Clock
• HG Well
• Kitty Kettle
• PC Pot
• Soapy Bubbles
• Uncle Teapot
• Teddy Chair
• The Eggcups
• Jack Salt
• Paddy Pepper
• Sam Spade
• Waffle
• Peek, Gobble and Fluff

Production and ownership

In 2001 the Dundee-based Austen bought back the rights to The Magic House and other shows produced by his Storyland company.^[4] Ownership of Storyland where previously in the hands of Carlton Television and Scottish Media Group in 2003.^[5]

Plans for a revival

In 2005, a new television series, as well as various types of books for the series, were planned to be developed.^[6]

Episodes

Series	First air date	Last air date	Episodes
1			26
2			13
3			13

Series 1

1. Moving Pictures - 7 January 1994
2. Air Fare - 14 January 1994
3. Apple Pie Bed - 21 January 1994
4. Ups & Downs - 28 January 1994
5. Down in the Dumps - 4 February 1994
6. Mirror Mirror - 11 February 1994
7. A Drop in the Bucket - 18 February 1994
8. Whats in the Box - 25 February 1994
9. Cat & Dog - 4 March 1994
10. Blind Mans Buff - 11 March 1994
11. Curious Cases - 18 March 1994
12. The Runaway Trees - 25 March 1994
13. Exercising - 1 April 1994
14. Sticking Together - 8 April 1994
15. Sound Asleep - 15 April 1994
16. Kind Hearts & Juicy Pies - 22 April 1994
17. Full Moon - 29 April 1994
18. Now You See Her - 6 May 1994
19. Big Blowout - 13 May 1994
20. Fast & Tight - 20 May 1994
21. Pig Business - 27 May 1994
22. Absent Friends - 3 June 1994
23. Ready Teddy Go - 10 June 1994
24. What A Balloon - 17 June 1994
25. Blowing Hot & Cold - 24 June 1994
26. Musical Chairs - 1 July 1994

Series 2

1. The New Arrival (A.K.A Meet Waffle) - 7 February 1995
2. Colours and Painting - 14 February 1995
3. Soapy Bubble’s Little Troubles - 21 February 1995
4. Football on the Beach - 28 February 1995
5. The Waffle Cycle - 7 March 1995
6. Cloud Animals - 14 March 1995
7. Peek a Boo PC Pot - 21 March 1995
8. The Magic Watch - 28 March 1995
9. Trip to the Seaside - 2 May 1995
10. PC Pot’s Long Lost Relative - 9 May 1995
11. Barney Bin’s 5 Wishes - 16 May 1995
12. Food Marvellous Food - 23 May 1995
13. The Pantomime - 30 May 1995

Series 3

1. Gobble, Peek and Fluff - 2 January 1996
2. The New Wonder Hat - 9 January 1996
3. The Wishing Tree - 16 January 1996
4. Dreamland - 23 January 1996
5. Follow the Leader - 30 January 1996
6. Winter Wonderland - 27 February 1996
7. Wibbly Wobbly - 5 March 1996
8. Guess The Music Instruments - 12 March 1996
9. Toys Everywhere - 19 March 1996
10. X Marks The Spot - 9 July 1996
11. Copies - 16 July 1996
12. Kitty's Birthday - 23 July 1996
13. It’s a Wonderful Life of Pc Pot - 30 July 1996

UK VHS releases

The show was released as 3 VHS tapes in the mid 90s.

VHS Title	Release Date	Episodes
The Magic House Moving Pictures and other Stories (VC1363)	6 June 1994	Moving Pictures, Air Fare, Apple Pie Bed, Ups and Downs, Down in the Dumps
The Magic House Cat and Dog and other Stories (VC1366)	6 June 1994	Mirror Mirror, A Drop in the Bucket, What's in the Box, Cat and Dog, Blind Man's Buff

External links

• The Magic House page at Storyland (archive.org)
• Joe Austen, Uncle Teapot and the Foodwood, Storyland — one of the Magic House books (archive.org)
• Joe Austen, Soapy Bubbles' Little Troubles, Storyland — a preview of the book

Notes and References

1. Web site: Joe Austen . Blake Friedmann Literary Agency . 2010 . 20 July 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110725194627/http://www.blakefriedmann.co.uk/filmClients/_209/ . 25 July 2011 .
2. Web site: Magic House . Storyland . 1996 . 20 July 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20050901130726/http://www.storyland.co.uk/mh_index.htm . 1 September 2005.
3. Web site: Storyland . Interactive Tayside . Mike Woodcock . 13 December 2004 . 20 July 2010.
4. News: Storyland buys back ownership . . Kristy Dorsey . 18 December 2001 . 20 July 2010.
5. News: Two deals help put Storyland on road to flotation Dundee company aims for more success . . Ron Clark . 10 November 2003 . 20 July 2010.
6. Web site: Storyland — Magic House . 2010-07-20 . dead . https://archive.today/20050901130726/http://www.storyland.co.uk/mh_index.htm . 1 September 2005 . dmy-all .