Superted ( TV Series 1982 - 1986 )





 

Plot



SuperTed is a Welsh animated television series about a teddy bear with magical super powers. It first aired on 1 November 1982. It was produced by Siriol Animation for Welsh television channel S4C where it was aired in the Welsh language, and later aired dubbed in English throughout the whole of the United Kingdom on BBC1, and dubbed into Irish for RTE. The series won numerous awards, including the 1987 BAFTA for best animation.



 

Every episode starts with the tale of how SuperTed came to life: He was a teddy bear found to be defective in the toy factory where he was made, and "threw him away like a piece of rubbish! Into an old dark storeroom." A Spotty man found him there and brought him to life with his "cosmic dust". He was later taken to Mother Nature and given magical powers that enabled him to fight evil. This evil invariably takes the form of Texas Pete (an evil cowboy, the antagonist of the series) and his gang; Bulk (an overweight, bumbling fool) and Skeleton (an undead, outrageously camp, cowardly skeleton with pink slippers). Texas Pete's plots are generally aimed at advancing his own wealth, ruling the world and the power or the destruction of SuperTed, his nemesis.



SuperTed's powers are activated by his "secret magic word", which (as the name suggests) remains a secret. SuperTed whispers it every time he or someone else is in peril and he transforms into a Superman-like red suit with rockets built in to the boots. These allow him to fly. In one episode, Bulk overhears the secret magic word and also whispers it, briefly acquiring identical powers to SuperTed. However, he subsequently forgets the word.



 

The episodes take place all over the world (but quite often in Wales) and even in space (SuperTed is the owner of his own space station). He also has a tree house in an unspecified wood.





Characters



 

​SuperTed - A teddy bear brought to life by "cosmic dust", and given special powers by Mother Nature. Superted's friends are Spotty, Mother Nature, Mr & Mrs. Spot, Blotch, Polka face, Dr. Livings with his son Billy, The boy of Sleepless Nights, Slim, Hoppy and Kitty from Olkahoma, Kiki and her pet Whale, The space beavers & Prince Rajeash and Superted's enemies are Texas Pete, Bulk, Skeleton, Polka face, Bubbles the Clown, The space beavers, Dr. Frost, Pengy, the dreaded Sleepless Knight, Prince pyjamarama & Mufti. He is voiced by Derek Griffiths.

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Spotty - SuperTed's bumbling companion and best friend, a yellow alien covered in green spots, from planet Spot. He is voiced by Jon Pertwee.
Blotch - Spotty's sister. She is voiced by Shelia Steafel.

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Texas Pete - An evil cowboy. Superted's nemesis, the main villain of the series. He is voiced by Victor Spinetti.-Texas Pete's friends are Bulk & Skeleton and Texas Pete's enemies are Superted, Spotty & Bubbles the Clown
Skeleton - A very cowardly, outrageously camp skeleton. He is voiced by Melvyn Hayes.-Skeleton's friends are Texas Pete, Bulk & Formaly, Bubbles the Clown and Skeleton's enemies are Superted, Spotty & Bubbles the Clown.

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Bulk - An overweight fool with intense stupidity. He is voiced by Roy Kinnear in the original Superted series of 1982 and Frank Welker in the Further Adventures version of Superted from 1989. Bulk's friends are Texas Pete, Skeleton & Formaly, Bubbles the Clown and Bulk's enemies are Superted, Spotty & Bubbles the Clown

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Mother Nature - Mother Nature, portrayed as a fairy that grants SuperTed magical powers. Mother Nature's friends are Superted & Spotty and Mother Nature's enemies are Texas Pete, Bulk & Skeleton, she is voiced by Shelia Steafel