Little Gems

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by John Ryan

Click here for the intro narration and music (mp3)

Click here for the end music (mp3)

Mary, Mungo & Midge was first shown on British television in early 1970s and rapidly achieved cult status. Each story concerned the adventures of a little girl called Mary, her dog called Mungo and the little mouse Midge. They lived in a large tower block, the pinnacle of 1970s architecture. Unlike most adventures, the stories all took place in the inner city where Mary and her parents lived. Using your browsers image view command you can see larger versions of the image files shown below.

This wonderful children's animated adventure still remains a classic flat cut type animation.

Each 15 minute episode was narrated by Richard Baker and he introduced each one with:

"A town is full of buildings, some tall, some short, some wide and some narrow.

The buildings are flats, and houses and factories and shops. They are built in streets."

"The streets have cars, buses and lorries driving along them. Do you live in a town?"

"Mary, Mungo and Midge live in this town."

"They live with Mary's mother and father in this tall block of flats."

"They live right at the top.

There are 8 flats built on top of each other.

Mary, Mungo and Midge live in the flat with the flowers growing in the window box.

There's Mary, there's Mungo and there's Midge."

"Mary, Mungo and Midge have a large, sunny room to play in."

"A room full of games and toys and picture books."

Click here to hear the rest of the narration

Episode Guide:

Thirteen episdoes were made and first shown on BBC television (thanks to John Archbold for the information).

1. The Crane – 7/10/69

2. The Letter – 14/10/69

3. The Boat – 21/10/69

4. Printing 28/10/69

5. Clocks – 4/11/69

6. Mungo Lost – 11/11/69

7. Automatic Machines – 18/11/69

8. The Toy Shop – 25/11/69

9. At The Fairground – 2/12/69

10. Flying – 9/12/69

11. The Garage – 16/12/69

12. The Hospital – 23/12/69

13. The Seaside – 30/12/69

• Episode 1. "Toyshop"Mary, Mungo and Midge are in their playroom. Mungo tries to help Mary repair her doll that has a broken arm. Midge would like to help but this would only make Mungo "cross" so instead Midge plays "soothing music" on his flute. Midge only knows one tune-three blind mice (click hear to listen to Midge). Mungo suggests that the doll could be repaired at the toy shop and a visit is arranged with Mary's mum. Midge is requested to stay at home but decides that he too would like to visit the toy shop. He hides unseen in the body of the doll and watches out of the arm socket as Mary, her mum and Mungo use the lift.

Mungo and Midge in the lift

Mungo, as he leaves, must always make sure that the lift door shuts.

• Upon reaching the toy shop, the assistant says that he can repair the doll whilst Mary, her mum and Mungo finish their shopping. Midge emerges from his hiding place and plays with a wide range of toys, crashing a train and playing a piano before falling asleep in the bedroom of a doll's house. Mungo's barking wakes Midge up and he clambers into the shopping basket where he promptly falls asleep again. He is discovered in the holdall at home, but Mungo had already seen him in the toyshop. Midge promises to be a good mouse in future, well he says, "at least I'll try".

• Episode 2. "Painting". Today Mary is painting patterns in her painting book and Mungo is making paw prints. Midge looks at the paint pots before playing on his flute the only tune he knows, "Three blind mice". They discuss the difference between painting and printing and make a potato cut. Mungo and Midge are sent to the green grocers with a note and money when it is discovered that the household has run out of potatoes. Sitting on Mungo's nose, Midge presses the lift call button. Upon exiting the lift, Mungo waits to make sure that the lift door closes, but Midge is in too much of a hurry and leaves. He hitches a lift on the back of a bicycle and is soon at the green grocers. At the grocers he plays amongst the vegetables and finds the potatoes. Mungo arrives and purchases the vegetables whilst Midge looks in the shop window next door. Here he sees many birthday cards with a black cat on the front. Although he doesn't like cats, he decides to investigate further. Inside the shop, he sees the printing presses being operated. "Out of the way, Mouse", instructs a gruff voice as the cards are printed. During his visit he is increasingly covered in black printer's ink. When Midge hears Mungo's bark he quickly leaves the shop, but not before spilling more ink. Back at home, Mary, Mungo and Midge each get a potato with which to make prints but not before Midge accidently leaves mouse prints all over Mary's best drawing book.

• Episode 3. "The Fair" Mary, Mungo and Midge visit the park and children's playground. Mary plays on the swings, Mungo has several shots on the slide and Midge sits on the seesaw playing "Three blind mice". Here he sees Gypsy caravans arriving and Mary explains that they are setting up a fair. The following day, Mary's parents take them to see the attractions. Mary rides on a duck and plays on the bumper cars with her dad. Midge visits a coconut shy and is very nearly hit by one of the balls. He finds that he has lost sight of Mary and Mungo and sets off between the shoes to find them. He hears a man shouting "Hot dogs" but discovers that it doesn't refer to Mungo. Mary, meanwhile, is trying to catch goldfish in a bowl on the hoopla stand but catches instead a surprised Midge who is asking the fish if it has seen them. Mary declares that Midge is the best prize she could have wished for. Later at home, Midge throws rings at Mungo's tail while he eats his supper. Mary tells Midge not to disturb a dog when it is eating it's food. Mary, Mungo and Midge then go to the window to watch the fair at the sun sets.

• Episode 4. Help required for the remaining episodes, email us please!

Program Credits

Help from viewers:

Does anyone else remember when Mary broke her leg (can't remember how) and had to go the the hospital to get it xrayed. When the film was developed, Midge's skeleton was also seen - the little imp had climbed onto the couch with Mary - how's that for a caring NHS? Mary's leg was put in plaster and she limped around the flat on crutches; Midge also limped but can't remember him having crutches.

Many people have written in with their memories about Mary Mungo and Midge posting a letter/parcel. Midge either becomes stuck within this item or follows it through on a mail sorting carriage on the train. This item is then delivered, perhaps to Mary's Grandmother? What about Midge flying on a kite? Or remember Mary ending up looking "spotty". Another episode features Midge who uses his nose to operate a lever the coin lever inside a milk vending machine. Mungo becomes upset at watching his antics as lots of milk cartons are delivered.