The series also had a memorable Don Warren theme tune and Ray Brooks’ reassuring narration, which made the endlessly repeated programmes essential viewing for generations of children not yet ready for the giddy, confusing heights of Blue Peter or, for true rebels, Magpie. As a person of that certain age, I was looking forward to seeing the episodes again, so I was very pleased to find the test disc in the bottom of my regular Reviewer jiffy bag. In 2001 Mr Benn's Little Book of Life was published by Tess Read, which explores the lessons of Mr Benn's adventures. [7]

Mr Benn is dressed as a hunter, in keeping with the pet shop and the garden centre he passed on his way to a shop. He does not behave like a hunter however. He is apprenticed to another hunter, who claims to be the greatest hunter in the world, and prevents him from killing any of the animals, by claiming they are not enough of a challenge for him. They finally stumble upon a herd of elephants. Mr Benn gets them to jump up and down, throwing the hunter off balance. He convinces the hunter to sell his rifle, buy a camera, and become a wildlife photographer instead. I remember stories of Scotland and, although I didn't use any of them directly, things that happened might have come from them. There is great speculation as to whether Mr Benn actually does travel through space and time or whether he is simply imagining these extraordinary places as an antidote to his sedate and rather ordinary existence. On returning from each adventure however, he always finds a small memento of his trip (a clown’s red nose, a parrot’s feather, a stone hammer etc.) that he has retained, which implies he really was there. Often the street scene on his way to and from the shop will also reflect an aspect of his experience as well, so in the episode where Mr Benn becomes a frogman and dives under the sea to help King Neptune, the children playing near his house are holding shells to their ears to listen for the sound of waves. Factory acquired the long-established Rollo Rights catalogue in a move that further underpins its ambition to develop a rights ownership arm that supports its studio production business and with an experienced Factory Rights team is managing and building this new division.Mr Benn's adventures are available to buy in book-form: four were published originally, and further books in the 1990s were based on the television series. The original four books were: Mr Benn – Red Knight, Big Game Benn, 123456789 Benn, and Big Top Benn. There were six original books planned, but the fifth and sixth were never published. The fifth was called Mr Benn Rides Again, the story of which was used to make the television episode The Cowboy. The sixth, never completed, was Superbenn, in which the superhero Mr Benn sets out on an environmental adventure. [4] The fez-wearing moustachioed owner would offer him an outfit to try and he'd go through a magic door and become a cowboy, spaceman, wizard or some other magical being. In 2013 Mr Benn appeared in an advert for 'Mr Porter.com', an on line clothing retailer. The advert was called Mr Benn at Christmas' [17] Mr Benn is best remembered from the 13-episode BBC TV children’s series. Each programme followed the bowler-hatted character as he set off from his terrace house for a wander before stopping at a local fancy dress shop.

Mr Benn is transported to Ancient Rome, where he meets his friend Smasher Lagru. But he has forgotten that prisoners are made to fight gladiators in the arena, and those who are not beaten will end up facing the lions. Launching in April, the 50p coins will be available as a variety of bespoke Mr Benn Coin Collections. Starting with a single Mr Benn Anniversary logo designed 50p, up to a collection of 5 Silver coins with stunning colour print, in a presentation case. Mr Benn is watching children playing with balloons and clouds drifting across the sky. As usual, he walks to the costume shop, where the magic door leads him to a crowd of people watching six colourful balloons ready to race. Most of them have extra means of propulsion (like propellers and oars) but two do not: one belonging to the villainous Baron Burtrum and the other to a man who asks Mr Benn to become his co-pilot. When the race begins it becomes apparent that Baron Burtrum has sabotaged all the other balloons, including Mr Benn's, which he has tied to a drain pipe. Mr Benn pulls it free and the two balloons drift across the sky. Mr Benn has an idea to let out some of the gas, diverting it horizontally with the drain pipe to provide a form of jet propulsion. This causes the balloon to sink but they nevertheless overtake Baron Burtrum. The Baron cheats again by having a man on a horse tow his balloon, but the animal becomes frightened and runs in the wrong direction. Mr Benn's balloon wins and he receives a medal. David, said of his grandfather: "He came from Dunfermline and worked at Rosyth before he moved south. My dad spent his youth in Scotland, too.Andersen Press stated: "David died surrounded by his family, following a short illness in the South of France, where he has spent a lot of time in recent years. He continues: “I often say your characters are like your children, you potty train them and look after them and point them in a good direction, but they go off do things you don’t expect – Mr Benn is living his own life and I’m excited to see what people make of the new products that are coming – and hope a new generation of children enjoy them as much as me!”