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Bunch of Spitting Image puppets.
Spitting Image was a British satirical puppet comedy show that ran from 1984 to 1996. The series was notorious for featuring caricatured puppets of numerous celebrities and politicians who were famous during the 1980s and 1990s.
The Spitting Image credits mention the show was "based on an original lunch with Martin Lambie-Nairn". Lambie-Nairn was a graphic illustrator who originally proposed the idea of a satire show that featured puppets to BBC producer John Lloyd, although the show itself eventually aired on it's rival broadcasting network, ITV.
Peter Fluck and Roger Law were fairly famous artists that had worked alongside Lambie-Nairn before, but they specialised in clay caricatures intended for political magazines. They helped develop the series.
Muppet Mentions
- In Season 20 Spitting Image parodied Sesame Street as "Tory Downing Street". John Major played as Kermit the Frog, Douglas Hurd as Big Herd and Kenneth Clarke as Money Monster.
- On episode 9 from series 3 (1986) Douglas Hurd addresses Margaret Thatcher as "Miss Piggy"
References
- In Episode 110: Secrets of the Muppets of The Jim Henson Hour, Jim Henson gives a tour of the Muppet Workshop in New York. One of the walls has a Queen Elizabeth II Spitting Image toy.
- In 1991, Comic Relief made a music video for the CBBC (Children's BBC) called "Helping Hand" with well known UK TV puppet personalities including Spitting Image puppets. Also featured were the Muppets Bean Bunny, Travelling Matt, Red Fraggle and Sprocket. (YouTube)
Connections
Nigel Plaskitt with the Spitting Image of John Major.
Anthony Asbury with Margaret Thatcher puppet.
Marty Robinson's cameo
All persons are performers unless otherwise stated.
- Anthony Asbury
- Don Austen
- Michael Bayliss
- Kevin Bradshaw
- Simon Buckley
- Philip Casson has directed 2 episodes in 1984.
- Patrick Comerford
- Richard Coombs
- Craig Crane
- Sue Dacre
- Phil Eason
- Alistair Fullarton
- Louise Gold was puppet captain in 1984 and one of the impressionists
- Peter Harris has directed 20 episodes
- Lenny Henry impressionist on U.S. special The Ron and Nancy Show
- Brian Herring
- Richard Holloway was associate producer in 1984
- Mark Jefferis
- William Todd Jones
- Chris Langham was one of the writers in 1984
- Terry Lee
- Howie Mandel hosted Live! From London Alternative Comedy Special in 1988 which featuring the Spitting Image puppets and Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders and Rowan Atkinson
- Steve Nallon was puppeteer and impressionist
- Nigel Plaskitt
- Martin P. Robinson
- Tim Rose
- John Sessions impressionist from 1986 to 1987
- Harry Shearer impressionist in three U.S. specials from 1986 to 1987
- Malcolm Stone puppet maker in 1984
- John Thirtle
- Ian Thom
- Mark Alexander Todd
- Rob Tygner
- Frank Welker impressionist in three U.S. specials from 1986 to 1987
- Mak Wilson
- Francis Wright