Button Moon

Button Moon
Promotional poster
Genre	Children's television series
Created by	Ian Allen
Narrated by	Robin Parkinson
Theme music composer	Peter Davison and Sandra Dickinson
Composer(s)	Peter Goslin
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Language(s)	English, Czech, and Spanish
No. of series	7
No. of episodes	91
Production
Executive producer(s)	Charles Warren
Producer(s)	Stan Woodward
Running time	10 mins
Broadcast
Original channel	ITV Network (CITV), BBC One (CBBC), Nick Jr./Nick Jr. 2, Telemundo
Original run	December 8, 1980 – December 1, 1988

Button Moon is a quirky, popular children's television programme broadcast in the United Kingdom in the 1980s on the ITV Network. Thames Television produced each episode, which lasted ten minutes and featured the adventures of Mr. Spoon who, in each episode, travels to Button Moon in his homemade rocket-ship. All of the characters within the show are based on kitchen utensils, as well as many of the props.

Once on Button Moon, which hangs in "blanket sky", they have an adventure, and look through Mr. Spoon's telescope at someone else such as the Hare and the Tortoise, before heading back to their home on 'Junk Planet'. Episodes also include Mr. Spoon's wife, "Mrs. Spoon", their daughter, "Tina Tea-Spoon" and her friend "Eggbert". The series ended in 1988 after 91 episodes.

Production

Button Moon was originally conceived by Ian Allen as a stage show for Playboard Puppets in 1978. Allen adapted it into a TV series for Thames two years later. The first series of 13 programmes was transmitted in 1980. A further 6 series of 13 programmes followed, making a total of ninety-one different Button Moon adventures. The series was repeated on a yearly basis for Thames TV up until 1988. All 91 episodes have been shown on satellite channel UK Gold since spring 1993.

Narration was by Robin Parkinson. Puppeteers included Ian Allen, John Thirtle, Alistair Fullarton, Sue Dacre, Chris Leith, Judith Bucklow, Ian Brown, Tony Holthamand, and others. The incidental music for the series was written by Peter Goslin.

The show had a typically 80s synthetic, catchy & melancholy theme tune that was composed and performed by Peter Davison and Sandra Dickinson, who were married at the time. They are best known for their roles as the Doctor (from Doctor Who), and Trillian (from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), respectively.

There was also a live stage show which ran during the late 1980s and the early 1990s. The stage show was popular at many theatres including the Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury, King George's Hall in Blackburn,The Hexagon in Reading,and the Wyvern Theatre in Swindon.

The song's full lyrics were:

(opening credits)^[1]

We're off to Button Moon, we'll follow Mr. Spoon,

Button Moon, Button Moon.

(closing credits)

We've been to Button Moon, we've followed Mr. Spoon,

Button Moon, Button Moon. We've been to Button Moon,

Button Moon x 4, Be back soon! Button Moon.

Series 1 (1980–1981)

Episode	Title	Original airdate
1	"Three Little Pigs"	8 December 1980 (1980-12-08)
Mrs. Spoon gives Mr. Spoon a present. It's a spaceship, so now he can fly to Button Moon.
2	"The Witch's Toast"	15 December 1980 (1980-12-15)
Mr. Spoon flies from Junk Planet, through Blanket Sky to shining Button Moon. There he meets Captain Large and the Bottle Army. Through his telescope he spies a witch's magic.
3	"Billy Goat's Gruff"	22 December 1980 (1980-12-22)
Mr. Spoon flies from his home on Junk Planet to Button Moon.
4	"Sid and Baby"	29 December 1980 (1980-12-29)
Mr. Spoon lives with his family on Junk Planet. He has seen Button Moon shining in Blanket Sky and travels there in his spaceship.
5	"The Three Wishes"	1 January 1981 (1981-01-01)
Mr. Spoon goes to see Captain Large and his army. He also meets Bertie and Gertie, who have three wishes.
6	"Storks"	12 January 1981 (1981-01-12)
Mr. Spoon sees the stars playing a game. He also sees two strange birds and a camel who help to bring happiness to a sad princess.
7	"The Duck Who Forgot What He Was"	12 January 1981 (1981-01-12)
Mr. Spoon meets a kitchen dresser and helps some cups that have lost their saucers. Through his telescope he sees a duck with a lost memory.
8	"Scruffy and the Bone"	26 January 1981 (1981-01-26)
Mr. Spoon helps a pair of scissors which have accidentally cut a thread holding Button Moon in Blanket Sky. Through his telescope he sees two unusual dancers and Scruffy and Basil, two dogs whch play hunt the bone.
9	"The Grasshopper and the Ants"	2 February 1981 (1981-02-02)
Mr. Spoon sees a lazy grasshopper and some busy ants preparing for the winter.
10	"The Magic Totem"	9 February 1981 (1981-02-09)
Mr. Spoon sees some very brightly coloured birds.
11	"The Hare and the Tortoise"	16 February 1981 (1981-02-16)
Mr. Spoon, who lives with his family on Junk Planet, takes his daughter, Tina Teaspoon, to Button Moon. They find some talking umbrellas there and through a telescope see a hare and a tortoise having a race.
12	"The Fox and the Hen"	23 February 1981 (1981-02-23)
Mr. Spoon travels to Button Moon where he finds a wardrobe and helps to make a sad dress happy.
13	"House For Sale"	2 March 1981 (1981-03-02)
Mr. Spoon and his family watch a performance of the Paper Circus. Then through their telescope they see Scruffy the dog, whose best friend is moving away.

Series 2 (1981-1982)

Episode	Title	Original airdate
14	"Episode 14"	2 December 1981 (1981-12-02)
Mrs. Spoon gives Mr. Spoon a present. It's a spaceship, so now he can fly to Button Moon.
15	"Episode 15"	9 December 1981 (1981-12-09)
Mrs. Spoon gives Mr. Spoon a present. It's a spaceship, so now he can fly to Button Moon.
16	"Episode 16"	16 December 1981 (1981-12-16)
Mrs. Spoon gives Mr. Spoon a present. It's a spaceship, so now he can fly to Button Moon.
17	"Episode 17"	23 December 1981 (1981-12-23)
Mrs. Spoon gives Mr. Spoon a present. It's a spaceship, so now he can fly to Button Moon.

Series 3 (1982-1983)

Series 4 (1983-1984)

Series 5 (1984-1985)

Series 6 (1985-1986)

Series 7 (1986-1987)

91. Three And One Last Goodbye (12/1/1988)

Series 8 (1987-1988)

VHS and DVD releases

Title	Release Date	Notes
Picnic on Button Moon	July 9, 1987	Includes: Picnic on Button Moon, Happy Birthday Mrs. Spoon, The Cake Fairy Goes Skating, and Tooti-Frooti Ice Cream.
Touchdown on Button Moon	April 9, 1988	Includes: Hose On Charlie's Nose, Planet Doughnut, Rag Doll Has A Cold, Mrs Spoon's Jumble Sale, and Bobbing Bottle.
Paperchase on Button Moon	January 12, 1989	Includes: Paperchase on Button Moon, Honeymoon, and Ding-A-Ling Ice Cream.
Tallent Show On Button Moon	March 8, 1989	Includes: Talent Show On Button Moon and A Hole In Blanket Sky
Crazy Games on Button Moon	April 12, 1989	Includes: Egbert Wants To Help, Rain Stopped Play, Granny Spoon and the Missing Apple Pie, and Missing Martha Muggins.
Animals on Button Moon	January 12, 1990	The Three Pigs, Billy Goay's Gruff, The Fox and the Hen, Scruffy and the Bone, and The Hare and the Tortoise
Mice Play On Button Moon	May 20, 1990
Favorite Stories on Button Moon	July 14, 1990	Includes 9 Stories
Unaired Episode	1990

• "Button Moon - Boat Race" was released on 6 July 2009 in the UK. It comprised 10 episodes:

(Series 1): The Good Luck Bird; The Persian Market; Barn Dance; Music in the Air; Cinders and the Magic Beans

(Other series): Button Hole Pond; Cows on Button Moon; Buttonhole Pond; Boat Race; and Buttonhole Pond

(iTunes): You can now buy season 6 of Button Moon on Itunes UK.

See also

Button Moon was also the name of a band with Bloc Party's drummer Matt Tong, along with his brother Ben. Matt Tong played bass in the band.

References

1. ^ Button Moon - 80s Cartoons

External links

• Button Moon Theme Tune at themesfromtv.com
• Button Moon at Toonhound.com
• Character list
• Button Moon at the Internet Movie Database
• Button Moon at TV.com