.
When I was a kid one of my dream jobs was to be the host of Play School. Or, the host of any kids show really. Humphrey and Romper Room (why didn’t they ever see Amity in the looking glass?) would have been fine too. Because let’s face it, it would be a cool job and how hard could it be to have fun, act like a kid and get paid for it?
So, back in 2002, when I heard Play School was casting new hosts I was on the phone before you could say, ‘There’s a bear in there.’ I was convinced this was the job for me and before I even had an audition was considering which colourful, but comfortable outfit I would wear each day. After my audition was confirmed I was sent the script and eagerly tore open the package. Sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Hah, I could do that in my sleep! Read a short story to the camera. Easy, peasy! Then do half a page of dialogue, which I presume they have autocue for anyway. It is in the bag!
On the day I chose an outfit that was sensible and not too showy and nervously drove to the iconic ABC studios, to realise my fate as a Play School presenter. Walking in to the studio it felt like I was like stepping back into my childhood. All the toys I’d grown up with were there, Beg Ted, Little Ted, Jemima and Humpty, alongside the arch window and the Play School clock. I was given a few instructions and as I took my place on set I politely asked where to look for the autocue. After all this was TV, that’s what they do! However the director chuckled and informed me there was no autocue. Not only that, there were no re-takes, they did every episode live to tape. Which means it’s performed as though it’s live and you carry on regardless of any stuff ups, despite the fact that no one is there watching. All of a sudden it dawned on me that those moments when the presenters get the giggles aren’t left in for the parents’ entertainment, it’s because they can’t stop. Right…now it doesn’t seem quite so easy.
Play School
Twenty minutes later I walked out of the studio with a whole new respect for Play School presenters past and present. It’s not easy at all! There is a reason most of them are NIDA graduates and accomplished actors and that they make it look easy is a skill in itself.
A group of those actors recently got together to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Play School, an iconic Australian production that has played a huge role in most of our childhoods. Ask most people who their favourite hosts were and they’re sure to give you a name without a second thought. For me it was Benita and Noni, I still remember seeing Noni in an adult TV show and it not feeling right to see her act so differently!
These days we all know too much TV isn’t great for our kids, but there are some quality kids shows that are wonderful for their learning and development and Play School is certainly one of them. It is also nice that in a world so different from the one we grew up in, some things are still the same.
Needless to say I didn’t get the part that day and have yet to fulfil my ambition of being a Play School host. However, these days I get to live out that fantasy every day in my own home. I am just yet to find anyone to pay me to do it.
This post originally appeared on Essential Baby.
What were your favourite kids TV shows as a child? Have you ever auditioned to be a TV host? Who were or are your favourite presenters?
Comments
106 Comments so far
Oh I loved Play School – John & Benita were totally my favourite, Noni came a very close second place…
This article from their 40th anniversary brought a tear to my eye:
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/07/12/1152383751575.html?page=fullpage
loading...
Thanks for that link, what a gorgeous article. This line by Noni broke my heart..
‘Because of Play School, I work with many under-privileged children. For some, Play School presenters are the kindest adults they know.’
What a wonderful job that they get to be that person for so many children.
loading...
John and Benita were my favorites too! And Warren who played the piano. Now I watch w my 2 yr old and love Alex and Justine together
Play School never gets old, does it!
loading...
I think I’ve only gone through a short “Play School is for babies” disdainful period for a few out of my 36 years. It’s one show I’ll happily sit and watch episodes of, any time. I LOVE it.
Mum and I were talking about Noni doing “Go The Fuck To Sleep” and I said how funny it was when we went to see Billy Connolly years ago, and Noni and John Jarratt were there. Everyone vaguely my age was so excited “Look! It’s NONI!!!!” and managing to sound like excited little kids.
Mum said she was always happy to watch Play School with us as she got to perve on the Johns while we were happily lapping up and returning the Play School love. I always loved Benita and Noni. She also loves Rhys Muldoon on it too, and will still happily watch it with her grandkids now.
I watch it with Katharine and get a bit teary that the old animations are still there, and I know the songs! Pretty damn stoked to see the Ning Nang Nong with John Hamblin singing…
Like others of a certain age, I get a giggle out of Justine and Alex on it together too! LOL
I also loved Sesame Street (still do) – it was the hour of power with Play School! And was super jealous when Mum’s besty’s daughter got to go on Romper Room with Miss Helena. Bitch.
I wikied Play School – check out the awesome list of presenters!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play_School_%28Australian_TV_series%29#Presenters
loading...
I remember watching an episode when I was little, when John (can’t remember which but he had white hair – he was on a lot) bent down to pick something up and a cigarette box fell out of his pocket!
He just popped it back in and kept going – ‘ooh, woopsy – put that away’!
loading...
Hahaha! That’s hilarious!
loading...
I loved loved loved the sound of the sticky tape and scissors cutting through card board on play school. My 14 month old is just showing the inkling of interest. He will leave to play blocks or something and I’ll still be there waiting for the craft segment hoping for some scissor action. As a child I used to try and guess which window the story would be in. Play school feels like comfy trackies to me now. Even though I don’t know the latest presenters it still feels so familiar. Sometimes bub has to come to my office and I play him you tube videos of old school play school. Love them!
loading...
I love playschool still, even though my kids are too old for it. Love the skill of the presenters, especially the way they can act out a story about riding in a rocket to a picnic on a distant planet, using just a pipecleaner and a couple of rubber bands as props.
One time I saw a really old episode on video, hosted by a very young Noni. She was absolutely gorgeous – took my breath away.
I think Justine and Jai are my favourites now. They are both so loveable and cuddly.
loading...
I’m a high school teacher, and Jay came to our school today. Within an hour he had my Year 10,11 and 12s singing along to the Playschool theme song
Such a lovely guy!
loading...
I thought playschool was a bit boring, though I used to watch the entire thing to see the rocket clock – and felt terribly let down if it was the flower clock instead.
I don’t think I was really into any kids shows come to think of it, and much preferred cartoons. I was obsessed with Voltron and was also in love with Mysterious Cities of Gold and Ulysses.
loading...
THE ROCKET CLOCK! Me too! I’m so disappointed they’ve retired it – it was my absolute favourite, can still remember the music as it spun around!
loading...
Same! I loved those shows! I had the princess figurine from Voltron and my brother had the castle and Voltron (which came apart into the 5 Lions). He had all the figurines and used to let me borrow the blue lion for the princess. Memories
loading...
Loved all those shows too
loading...
I loved this show and have rediscovered it since having my own child. My faves were John Hamblin (naughty man), John Waters (hot man), Peter Sumner, Jan Kingsbury, Benita (remember her wearing a see through top at the Logies a few years back!), Don Spencer and Merridy Eastman. Merridy wrote a book about how she went from working in a brothel to Play School titled “There’s a Bear in there (And he wants Swedish)”
Anyone remember the name of the piano player on the show?
loading...
I think Warren – there have probably been more than one though
loading...
Here we go…
http://tommixmusic.blogspot.com/2009/10/download-no260-warren-carr.html
I assume this is the one you mean as our faves are from the same era
loading...
Yep that is him! Thank you!
loading...
I LOVED Playschool when I was a kid. Love, love, loved Benita and John (and was horrified when he was a psycho killer in Wolf Creek!)
I teach Special Ed now, but began teaching high school English. Now get to be a ‘play school’ presenter every day-singing (with my awful voice!!), art, stories, lots of fun.
loading...
John Jarratt was on Play School???
loading...
My daughter LOVES play school. It is her favourite show…and I am so glad because I loved it as well. My faves were Benita and John, while she loves Justine, Abi and Teo. We went to the play school concert recently and my husband, daughter and I all had a great time. I am a Kindergarten teacher and whilst I don’t like the idea of children watching too much television, I think play school is wonderful because of the rich language that it has. It really is like the presenters are right there in the same room with the children. The language that they model is fantastic and I really believe children get a lot out of watching the show. I love the fact that the formula has remained
the same, but they have also updated ideas for the show which reflect today’s society. I wish I was a play school presenter!
loading...
That was my dream job too! I’m a teacher now, which probably suits me better as I can’t sing to save my life. And I would probably laugh too much.
loading...
Yep, loved it as a kid, love watching it with my kids now. SO glad there are other people doing the Dino Stomp – what is it about that song that sticks in kids heads.
I love that my Miss 3 sings “one grey elephant balancing … step by step on a piece of string …” and on Play School it still has the same animation thing to go with it, the paper cut out elephant puppet things 30 years later! The Teddy Bear Teddy Bear, turn around … animation is the same too, and so is the Old MacDonald Had A Farm claymation. I love that its moved with the times, but stayed the same. Also shows how well they did it the first time!
Loved Benita – furious when I heard in High School they’d sacked her for being too old!!
My funny Play School moment in childhood was when John’s cigarettes fell out of his top pocket while playing with the toys “whoops, we’ll just put those back in there …”
Love Matt Passmore and Justine Clarke now, and Jai and Karen are pretty good. I REALLY don’t like Joelene – she’s stiff and she doesn’t seem to enjoy it like the others.
loading...
Love, love, love Karen!
loading...
Thinking about Playschool has set me off. I’m wiggly-wooing as I type. Why am I getting funny looks, Big Ted ?
loading...
My hubby laughed as one day I had a PS song in my head and it would not go away. Lay awake all night singing “Going on a helicopter, the rotor blades go WOCKA WOCKA WOCKA” I swear I lost a small piece of me that night that just curled up and died lol
loading...
Been there … that songs stays for DAYS!!
loading...
Where do former Playschool hosts go to die ? “Home & Away”.
Where do old “Home & Away” stars go to die ? “Playschool” !
loading...
OH, and like most mums in the 1970′s, I think my mum watched it for John Waters lol. Personally, I like a little Matt Passmore with my afternoon TV viewing lol. He is way too cute on this show, you can see him chuckling to himself.
My 4 yo is, I believe, officially registered as a stalker of Justine and Jay. Her photo is pinned up at the concerts, as a warning, we believe LOL
loading...
Play School was always my favorite growing up, and Noni and John are still my favorites. Who else could do true justice the the masterpiece Ning Nang Nong and We’re Going on a Bear Hunt!!!!! Both my girls were/are also PS fanatics. And why not? If you are a parent without a craft box full of loo paper rolls, glue and newspaper then yo are not a child of the 70′s and 80′s lol.
Other favorites were Romper Room, I can remember the daughter of my Year 6 teacher being on it and actually watching the episode on TV in the classroom. I was also. HUGE Simon Townsends Wonder World fan and, thanks to an older brother, was tortured daily by Dr Who (hated it) and Catweazel (loved it).
But……….ultimate childhood favourite was The Lost Islands!!!!!!! Anyone??? My friends and I can still sing the theme song…….”hiding in the bushes, was a watchful pair of eyes, and living on the island, were people lost in time, ruled over by a tyrant, who face was in a mask, they had to escape him, something something something, on the Loooossssttt Isssllaaaannnnndssss”.
TV Brilliance lol
loading...
This reminds me of a joke I used to tell my kids when they were little.
Why is Play School dangerous? Because there’s a bear in there!
Anyhows, my favourite Play School memory is the one where Benita did the whole episode in a sheer blouse with no bra so you could see her nipples for the entire show! (Sorry if this has already been mentioned below). Why didn’t someone tell her?!!
loading...
Merridy Eastman was a Play School presenter for a short stint in the 90′s. Afterwards, and between acting jobs, she worked as a receptionist in a brothel. She wrote a book about it called “There’s a Bear In There (And He Wants Swedish)”.
loading...
I LOVE Play School. I was so sad when my 4 year old son decided that Play School was for “little kids”
Thankfully, I now have my 3 week old baby girl to enjoy it with when she is older 
loading...
Oh I loved Playschool, and as a parent now, I ADORE it and the guaranteed peace it brings. Miss C now runs around singing songs. Last night we sung the dinosaur stomp among others. Delightful.
But times have changed. Last week, Karen was organising a party and needed some tradespeople to fix things. So she googled them. Then printed stuff out on her (wireless) printer. And used her mobile to call them up. I feel old just watching that.
Oh and I never realised that John made so many jokes. I guess they did go over our heads
Every now and then someone will say something that is a bit grown up but definitely not rude.
loading...
Saw that too! Man, I felt ancient lol
loading...
OMG do you know how many times I’ve sung the Donosaur Stomp in my house!! I’m so glad someone else has to, too!!
loading...
Do you wiggle your head? And swish your tail?
(and I bet you also did the do-do-do-do bits in your head)
loading...
God, I love Playschool. I watched it until I was far too old to still be watching. I also have siblings who are 9 years and 15 years younger than me, so I got to legitamtely watch it in my teens.
Then I had my own kids and get to watch it still – even in Singapore!
My Miss 4 adores Andrew Macfarlane and gets a bit pouty when he’s not on. I still have a chuckle when Justine and Alex are hosting and see them in their H&A roles of Frank and Roo.
I had an old video of some John Hamblin episodes and it’s a shame there’s no cheekiness in the current Playschool, but it’s probably not PC anymore to do that!
I remember reading an article in the Good Weekend about Alex Papps’ Playschool audition and how one of the toughest parts was doing all the craft upside down so that it appears the right way around to camera. When Miss 8 was smaller she used to give instructions as she was doing craft at home, jsut like a Playschool presenter.
And, whatever happened to Hambel? Where did she go? She was always my favourite doll…..
loading...
You read my mind! I was just thinking about Frank & Roo. I wonder how Bobby feels about all this????
And I’ve often wondered about Hambel too. Was she replaced by Meeka?
loading...
And Warren, the piano player! Where’d he go?
loading...
Warren was a fabulous jazz pianist. He’s dead now, I think.
loading...
I thought he may have passed away.
loading...
I wonder about Hambel too – where is she?!
loading...
I’m bored, so I googled and found the same question posed on the ABC’s question, where an ABC staffer answered -
“The original English Hamble was named by a BBC Play School producer after passing through a railway station of that name. The Australian Hamble has actually been a succession of similar looking dolls. When the most recent Hamble’s eyes failed and the Dolls’ Hospital could no longer repair them, she was retired and replaced by Meeka. She now has an honoured place at the back of a tin cupboard, still wearing the silver space-suit in which she last appeared in public.”
Mystery solved.
loading...
Thank you! I am so glad our old Play School friends have a special cupboard to go to:)))) I remembered Hamble and also wondering who Meeka was and when did she first arrive when I started re watching it with my first child 11 years ago lol
loading...
Hahahah… poor old Hamble!
I’d love a staffer to go and sneak a photo of her, sitting patiently in the dark, wearing her space suit and wondering why Jemima won’t take her calls
loading...
Bravo Flotsam, excellent detective work! Hamble is no longer a ‘cold case’ we can close the books on the mystery!
Thank you
loading...
I pretty much learnt how to speak English from watching Play School. When we first moved to Australia we lived with my aunt for 6months before we moved into our own house and my cousins and my sisters and I would watch Play School all the time. All I knew coming in was yes and no but Play School and of course actual school allowed me to pick up English fast and now I’m a teacher and teach ESL to kids and think its a great show for them to follow!
loading...
I’ve heard of tons of people learning English in exactly that way, Anon. I went to a school with a massive migrant population, and I’m pretty sure the ESL kids used to watch Play School when they went off to their ESL classes. I definitely remember kids saying their grandparents watched it and learnt from it.
loading...
My husband would be fabulous on Play School
He plays the piano and every so often will visit our son’s preschool to sing Play School songs with the kids. They go OFF!
loading...
I LOVED playschool as a child, everything about it, the singing, dancing, stories and crafts. I’m SO glad it’s still going strong so my kids will have the opportunity to watch it too! I remember my younger brother was obsessed with the rocket clock and he’d to do a little dance around in circles every time!
My one year old son hasn’t watched any episodes yet, I’ll leave tv til he’s a little older, but I have a playschool cd that we love listening too! He always starts dancing when i put it on and the other day when played the dinosaur stomp song, he did the shaking head actions too, so cute! Long live playschool!
loading...
Haven’t watched it in years, but well into high school I’d still be watching story time on Playschool!
Benita and Noni were my favourites, though I never liked John much as a kid because I always felt like I didn’t quite know what he was saying (he’s much funnier now that I’m older).
loading...
Bonita (sp?) and John (not Jon English, there was another one, a blonde guy wasn’t there?) oh I LOVED them so much!
My mum had a salt and pepper curly perm in the 80′s and was a kindergarten teacher – on their first day of kindy, all the kids would be awestruck, thinking thet Bonita was their teacher. She didn’t have much trouble with kids crying and not wanting to stay with her because they felt they knew her already.
Now that I think about it, I wonder if that’s why she had that hairstyle LONG after the fashion had changed
I’ve always been told I would be a great kid’s TV host…
loading...
John Hamblin? He was my fave.
loading...
John Hamblin. He was the master of the double entendre that sailed over the kiddies heads.
loading...
i loved play school and with my neice we love to still watch it..
looking through the windows, the rocket clock.. Benita, John, the wobbly walk, there’s a spot over there… big ted, jemima.. love it!
loading...
Just wantted to share a Playschool moment from last week…
They showed a littl girl at home with her mum and aunties and they were doing henna tattoos in preparation for a wedding (I think). Anyway, half an hour later, I am in the kitchen and look over to see Misses 4 and 2 drawing with brown texta all over their hands!
loading...
We had the same issue with our Miss 4… *sigh
loading...
My 13yo was walking home with her friend a few weeks ago, and made the comment (as they shuffled through dry leaves) “I love the sound that leaves make when you step on them.”
Her friend replied: You know what sound I love? The sound the sticky tape makes on Play School.
I had to hug her for that when they told me!
loading...
It always was, and still is my favourite show.
And yes – STILL my dream job!
loading...
Catherine, I was going to email this post to you as I know it’s your dream job too. Guess you are already way ahead of me!
loading...
Watching PlaySchool is and was a fave for me. It is the memory I have of when I realised I could READ! I was watching Play School, listening to the story, and with the camera on the page of the story some of the words were in shot. I was reading them as they were being read aloud! It may well be that I was reading well before then, but THAT is my “I can read!” memory.
Was thrilled to find “The Yellow Book” in an op shop recently, a Play School book from the late 70s or early 80s, beautifully done, and my (then) toddler just loved it.
Along with Benita, John Waters was my fave as a kid. I think I had a bit of a crush on him, even at 4…
loading...
I loved that book! It was a hot favourite at the school library and I always felt so lucky if I got to borrow it!
loading...
I had a few favourites Benita and Noni of course, but John was so funny. Mum was a kinder teacher, so she used to watch Playschool with us on her days off for ideas and we had quite a few Playschool books.
Mum also made my sister and I our very own ‘useful box’ which would keep us entertained for hours as we tried to recreate the masterpieces created on the show.
loading...
i had a ‘useful box’ growing up too! it was even labelled as such!
loading...
Ooh! We had a useful box too! There were never quite enough toilet rolls to go around…
loading...
We did too! And we used to use the lids from cigarette boxes as little couches… filled them cotton wool. God, mum and dad would be mortified if they knew I remember using cigarette boxes for craft! Imagine that nowadays?!
loading...
so funny, i remember making dad an ‘ashtray’ in prep!!
loading...
I want to see Eddie Perfect on playschool. Think of the songs he could make up – it would be brilliant.
loading...
Eddie Perfect would be awesome on Play School!
I laughed when I heard he’s engaged and his fiancee didn’t want to take his last name because she’d be called Mrs Perfect. But hey, he’s Mr Perfect! Isn’t he ever
loading...
Awesome idea!… Actually, him and Kat Stewert, they certainly have the chemistry!
loading...
Couldn’t agree more! He’d be FABULOUS!
loading...
I love Playschool. My Mr2 loves Playschool. I encourage my kids to watch it. I love that the presenters speak to the kids as if they are actually in the room with them. I love that the characters are the same ones that were on the show when I was a kid. It’s just a classic tv show.
loading...
I was on Romper Room – anyone remember that? Life long most embarresing moment was when Miss Kim said ‘Drink your milk now dear’ and I loud and clear into her microphone “I’m not drinking milk, I must have juice and your tray is very old and dirty you need a new one” – what a spoilt brat!!!! I did get to zoom around in the cardboard cars though, and do punch, punch, punch a ball, punching is so fun…(those in the know will remember it well!)
loading...
“use your hands, your wrists, your fists, and keep it on the run……”
loading...
I remember screaming frenzy like- mum mum refreshment time.
loading...
When my step-sister was on Romper Room she complained that the cup was only half full!
My high school History teacher was one of Miss Kim’s predecessors, Miss Louise. she only lasted 12 months and said it was the worst job she ever had!
loading...
My cousin got to go on Romper Room and I was so jealous!
loading...
As much fun as it was for children, it was a whole other ball game to watch the peerless John Hamblin at his cheekiest best especially when working with Benita. My children were 22 months and 2 months old when they started watching – now really, who do you think was really watching it?
I’ll never forget the time that John and Benita were acting out a car getting serviced with Benita the car ‘backing up’ and making appropriate broom-broom noises over John the mechanic, who was lying on his back on the floor and who casually turned to the camera and said “I think her Big End is broken”.
Not to be outdone, George was also a wonderful presenter, and when the children were about 2 and 4, we went along to see a live Play School show nearby. It was filmed and later shown on TV. My children got the shock of their lives to see themselves dancing away well over seven years later, during one of the repeats.
To see George acting the goat in humid forty degree temperatures in front of 200 children and keeping it all going for a full thirty minute show was really special. There was even Russell the pianist up the back of the hall, a particularly gifted musician and also with a great facility to keeping on going no matter what.
They should all be made National Living Treasures.
loading...
I distinctly remember John singing ’1 2 3 4 5 Once I caught a fish alive’, and when it came time for ‘this little finger on my right’ he held up his middle finger. I must have been at primary school, because I remember that I knew it was the Rude Finger, but my little sister didn’t.
loading...
Jeez – i’m so old.
My favourite kids show was Adventure Island. Miser Meanie – Fester Fumble…obviously i had a thing for bad guys even then.
And i still think to myself during a bad week that “everything works out by Friday”
loading...
me too! I can remember that John Michael Howson was in it and there was a girl who I thought was just beautiful (Liza????) I also loved Play School and all my kids have watched it. My eldest is 21 and the youngest is 7, so I have been reciting “On the Ning Nang Nong” for many years. John was my favourite too. A cup of tea, John and 30 mins of peace was heaven when my eldest was little.
loading...
My favourite was John (Hammond?) he was so funny! My daughter hasn’t seen him but she loves the song “yucky mucky nappy” that he sings and we have on CD.
Of course I also liked Noni and Benita! I read a few years ago how hard it actually is to get onto Play School.
I’ve been looking out for Hugh Sheridan too….but never seen him
loading...
I loved Play School. The old ones anyway. I still giggle when I think about Benita and John singing about a lion and crawling around on the floor roaring.
John, Monica and Don outdoors at the beach with John and Monica acting the parts of a fairy tale while Don sang the narration. That episode was hilarious!
loading...
Yeah, Benita and John were the best! He was very droll, wasn’t he? And Don Spencer outside around the river, and not to mention John Waters. And, later there was Jay Laga’aia, he was great too! Somewhat different to Star Wars and Water Rats!
loading...
Playschool was my favourite show as a child in the 70′s. We even used to watch it at school in prep class! These days I love watching it just as much with my kids. It’s a superb show.
Love all the songs and the craft they do. I get lots of good ideas from their craft sessions on what to do at home with my girls.
As a child I loved Noni and John Hamblin (and I remember that he was the one that used to make all the mums laugh).
Today I love, well almost all of them. There are only a couple that I don’t really warm to and feel they lake that essential quality that the other presenters have.
We have also gone to the live shows and they are terrific. Alex was one of the presenters this year and he was brilliant, had all the parents in stitches and my girls were smitten with him.
I love Playschool because at the time as sticking with the old favourite formula, they do adapt some things to current times like having computers and mobile phones made out of cardboard boxes. There is one episode where they are texting each other on pretend mobiles about meeting up at a picnic, very funny.
loading...
Of COURSE my favourite was Benita because we share the same name and there aren’t too many of us around!! Amity I too wanted to be a play school presenter, maybe it’s not too late….my other favourite was Noni, which is why I spent most of Friday night giggling uncontrollably at her reading “Go The F*ck To Sleep”….
I love that my own 3 kids watch and love playschool more than any other kids show…there really is something special and iconic about it.
loading...
I love watching Play School with my daughter! It is one show she loves and begs to watch more and more – the only time her attention wanders is when they are readng the story.
I always get a kick out of seeing animations or a clip that was around when I was a kid – like the Ning Nang Nong, and there’s a cartoon clip of a man walking in the wind and his hat blows off and eventually ends up back on his head. We went to one of the concerts earlier this year and I was slightly star-struck seeing Big Ted, Little Ted and Jemima in real life (never mind the presenters!!).
As a kid I loved George, and he was then on Neighbours for a while and that freaked me out! Noni and Benita were also awesome.
These days I love Karen, she always comes across as genuinely having fun and being sincere. I’m always on the lookout for the guy from Packed to the Rafters (is it Hugh?), I’ve only caught him at the very end of one show.
Growing up in the mid 80s I loved both Play School and Sesame Street, Super Ted, T-Bag, Sooty, Gumby… the list goes on!!
loading...
Before George was on Playschool he was in a show called Sweet and Sour, with David Reyne. It freaked me out seeing him on Playschool as I was used to him in another role.
loading...
I also loved that cartoon where the wind blows the man’s hat off! I used to get so excited when they’d play it!
loading...
It’s the only show that has my children’s undivided attention the entire time. My oldest was particularly obsessed and I had heaps of episodes recorded, she’d watch episode after episode if I let her. She’s now 8 and although she now claims Playschool is for babies, if her 3 year old sister is watching when she’s around, you can be sure she’s there right along side watching too (and the 6 year old!).
We also LOVE the live shows. We go along every year, the tickets are so cheap, and the shows are always local. Just like a live play school episode but with audience participation.
It’s certainly not luck the show has been running so long and spanning generations. Happy Birthday Playschool! I hope you’re around for a long while yet.
loading...
i have always thought i would be a really good playschool presenter – i know all the songs!. all my years teaching kindergarten and performing in childrens theatre (no re-takes or auto cue in either of those). im sure it is much harder without there being any actual children to perform to though. unfortunatly i dont live in the right state or i would SO give it a go if i had the chance.
loading...
I love playschool, and so do my kids, but I never understood why they only ever do one take?
loading...
Apparently it’s because it models ressilience, even when things don’t go to plan you can keep going
loading...
I would have thought it was because each take costs more money – of which the ABC does not have much!
loading...
Ha! that could be the actual reason, and they just use the “It’s a good example for the kids” line to make it sound better
loading...
I loved Play School, and I agree about seeing Noni in anything else is just plain weird! I also loved Humphrey, and was quite the Barney fan. Bananas in Pyjamas was always a favourite in our house and when we were really little, the Wiggles were the bomb.
I find it really interesting watching TV with my little cousins and how different some of the shows are now. For example, I was thoroughly disappointed (OK, I was completely gutted) to see that Bananas in Pyjamas is now animated!! What is that about?? And to me, Greg will always be the yellow Wiggle.
I have never auditioned to be a TV host, although I imagine it would be a pretty awesome job. Unfortunately, my inability to be photogenic in any way means I probably won’t be learning scripts any time soon!!
loading...
Bananas in Pyjamas has only just become animated… I wondered why they did that too! The generational gap is funny… The Wiggles weren’t around when I was a kid and since having my own, Sam is the only yellow Wiggle we know
loading...
I know! I was also disappointed to see that shows like Brum have been replaced by shows starring freaky looking lawnmowers.
But even at the ripe old age of 20 I still thoroughly enjoy a good kid’s show. For example, my children will watch all three Toy Story movies…whether they like it or not. I loved it as a kid, and still do as an adult thanks to the subtle and well-placed jokes that went way over my head years ago.
loading...
See, I’ve by-passed a whole generation of kids shows – I don’t even know who/what Brum is!
loading...
Ha, well Brum was this awesome little old fashioned car who always saved the day. It was narrated by a British guy and was quite the popular show in my day. I don’t think it’s on at all now.
loading...
Love Playschool! Love the way it is natural, and whilst clearly the audition process is hard, they are obviously doing something right (sorry). As its a rare a presenter that gets past that I don’t like. (And they will remain nameless)
Just this week end I bought the Dinosaur Playschool dvd for my 2 year old. 7 year old can’t help watching it, and… neither can I!
Dance dino, dance dino… stomp, stomp, stomp!
loading...
“they shook their heads, swished their tails and did the dino stomp!”
sorry, couldnt resist!
loading...
I love that Jay is wearing a sleeping bag as his dinosaur costume on that DVD. And how many other mums have a little soft spot for Matt, especially when he ‘swishes his tail’?
loading...
to be honest i havent seen it – i just know all the songs *blush* – i blame all the years of teaching!
loading...
too funny! My 4 year old daughter loves Matt – she says he has ‘smiley eyes’
loading...
No one swishes their tales, quite as well as Matt does.
loading...