Torchy the Battery Boy (1960)
Synopsis
Torchy the Battery Boy was the second television series produced by AP Films and Gerry Anderson, running from 1960 to 1961. It was another collaboration with author Roberta Leigh and was directed by Anderson, with music scored by Barry Gray, art direction from Reg Hill and special effects by Derek Meddings. The second series of 26 episodes was produced by Associated British-Pathé without the involvement of Anderson and AP Films. Both series have been released on DVD. The series followed adventures of the eponymous boy doll with a battery inside him and a lamp in his head, and his master Mr Bumbledrop, voiced by Kenneth Connor, who also voiced a number of other characters.
First Air Date: 1960-02-23
Last Air Date: 1961-02-14
Number of Seasons: 2
Number of Episodes: 52
Created By: Roberta Leigh
Networks: ITV1, Rediffusion London, ABC Weekend TV
Seasons
Season 1 (1960)
A mechanical boy with a magical flashlight on his head has adventures on earth and in Topsy Turvy Land, which is located on a distant star.
Episodes:
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Ep. 1: Pom-Pom and the Toys
After his poodle and the neighborhood kids' toys are blown into outer space on kites, Mr. Bumble-Drop builds a robotic boy and a rocket ship for the lad to retrieve the lost playthings and pooch from a distant star.
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Ep. 2: Topsy Turvy Land
Torchy arrives in Topsy Turvy Land, where he learns the toys have sprung to life, and Pom-Pom, the poodle, can speak. He helps Flopsy the ragdoll by replacing some of her lost stuffing with the puppy's fur.
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Ep. 3: Torchy and Squish
Torchy meets Squish, an American space boy who's been stranded in Topsy Turvy Land. The boy decides to fly Torchy's rocket but promptly destroys it. Meanwhile, Pom-Pom bemoans the loss of her fur.
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Ep. 4: The Building of Frutown
Torchy and his friends decide to hollow out the large fruit that grows in Topsy Turvy Land to make homes for themselves.
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Ep. 5: Torchy and the Broken Rocket
While searching for cardboard to repair his rocket, Torchy meets Ting-a-Ling the bird, who tries to offer assistance.
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Ep. 6: King Dithers
Torchy meets the daffy King Dithers, who offers a tube of cardboard to repair the boy's rocket but promptly gets rolled up in it.
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Ep. 7: Torchy Returns to Earth
No one wants to return to Earth with Torchy, but when his battery dies, Pom-Pom comes to the rescue and brings the boy home to Mr. Bumble-Drop.
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Ep. 8: Bossy Boots Goes to Topsy Turvy Land
Mr. Bumble-Drop tricks Bossy Boots into flying to Topsy Turvy Land with Torchy, and she quickly becomes irritated, realizing that in this strange world, Flopsy the ragdoll has become her equal.
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Ep. 9: Bossy Boots Is Taught a Lesson
Torchy and the toys treat Bossy Boots as badly as she's treated them.
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Ep. 10: A Bell for a Penny Farthing
After a mishap, Pilliwig the Clown insists Torchy can't ride his bicycle again until he outfits it with a bell.
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Ep. 11: A Trick on Pom-Pom
Pom-Pom becomes absorbed with her own vanity, so the toys decide to teach her a lesson.
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Ep. 12: Torchy Is Stolen
Soon after arriving back on earth, Torchy's battery runs down. He's discovered by Mrs. Meanie-Mouth, who takes him home as a gift for her rotten son, Bogey.
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Ep. 13: King Dithers Loses His Crown
The hunt is on for King Dithers' crown, which is discovered in the possession of Pollikan, a strange bird with a penchant for shiny objects.
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Ep. 14: Pilliwig Gets A Present
Pilliwig the Clown is depressed because everyone's grown weary of his jokes, so Torchy introduces him to Ena, a giggling hyena who resides in Topsy Turvy Land.
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Ep. 15: Bad Boy Bogey
Torchy brings Bogey to Topsy Turvy Land to teach him to behave, but the brat brings along his toy pirate, Pongo, who steadfastly refuses to return to Earth.
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Ep. 16: Torchy and the Strange Animal
When Torchy learns that the other toys are terrified of a ferocious monster in the caves, he investigates and discovers Sparky, a mild-mannered, lonesome dragon.
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Ep. 17: Bossy Boots Forgets to be Good
When Torchy learns that Bossy Boots has reverted to her former ways, he lures her back to Topsy Turvy Land with the promise of a party in her honor, but instead, he forces her to feed Clinker, the money box she's been starving.
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Ep. 18: The Hungry Money Box
After discovering King Dithers does not need cash, Pongo the pirate decides to steal Clinker the money box's private reserve. Clinker complains of hunger, so Torchy uses his magic light and eventually finds a fruitful money tree.
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Ep. 19: The Naughty Twins
When Torchy returns home to visit Mr. Bumble-Drop, his battery dies, so terrible twins Bobby and Babs take him home and lock him in a chicken pen. To get even, Mr. Bumble-Drop lures them into Torchy's rocket with a bag of candy.
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Ep. 20: The Twins Learn a Lesson
Torchy instructs King Dithers to lock Bobby and Babs in the dungeon, but when his highness proves to be unfit for the simple task, it's up to Pollikan to dole out punishment.
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Ep. 21: King Dithers Goes Down to Earth
Torchy gets stranded on Earth, so King Dithers agrees to retrieve him, but he takes a wrong turn and faces the man on the moon, who's decided to go on strike.
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Ep. 22: Torchy Is Saved at Last
King Dithers and Polliken bid farewell to the Man on the Moon by fitting him with sunglasses so he can sleep through the day. Meanwhile, Mr. Bumbledrop and Torchy plan to reward Bossy Boots for her exemplary behavior by bringing the girl along to Topsy Turvy Land. Unfortunately, they learn that she's been in bed for a week, playing sick to keep from going to school.
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Ep. 23: Torchy and the Man on the Moon
Torchy decides to stop on the moon for cheese when he takes Mr. Bumbledrop home.
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Ep. 24: Bogey and the Statues
Torchy visits Mrs. Meaniemouth to get medicine for Mr. Bumbledrop. Her son, Bogey, takes Torchy captive and forces him to watch as he destroys the park statues.
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Ep. 25: The Moon Falls Asleep
When darkness envelops Topsy Turvy Land, Torchy and Flopsy discover the man on the moon has overslept.
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Ep. 26: Torchy's Birthday
Torchy feels left out as all of the toys secretively make plans for his birthday.
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