About this season
Michael Bentine's Potty Time was a long-running British children's show, starring Michael Bentine, and directed and produced by Leon Thau for Thames Television on ITV. It ran from 1973 to 1980. The episodes consisted largely of distinctive, bearded puppets, comically re-enacting famous historical situations. The Potties' faces were always obscured by facial hair, with only their noses protruding. They were operated from beneath and had two distinct sizes - approximately two feet and one foot tall. All of the Potty characters were designed by Bentine, who also provided all of their voices. Their operators were from The Barry Smith Theatre of Puppets. In 2001, it was voted into 71st place in Channel 4's 100 Greatest Kids' TV shows poll. Several Region 2 DVDs of the series have been released by Network DVD.
Episodes (13)
1. The Three Musketeers / Where Eagles Daren't
Aired 8 January 1975 • 25 min
2. Robinson Crusoe / The Great Potsby
Aired 15 January 1975 • 25 min
3. Christopher Columbus / Ghost Hunters
Aired 22 January 1975 • 25 min
4. Holidays / Gunfight - Potty City
Aired 29 January 1975 • 25 min
5. Fu Manchu / The Great Train Robbery
Aired 5 February 1975 • 25 min
6. Inventions / Hastings 1066
Aired 12 February 1975 • 25 min
7. Dick Turpin / Waterloo
Aired 19 February 1975 • 25 min
8. Viva Zapotti / Horatius
Aired 26 February 1975 • 25 min
9. Cavaliers vs Roundheads / Wagons West
Aired 5 March 1975 • 25 min
10. Craftsmen / 55 Days Peking
Aired 12 March 1975 • 25 min
11. Explorers / Olympics
Aired 19 March 1975 • 25 min
12. Postmen / Japanese
Aired 26 March 1975 • 25 min
13. Prisoner of Potzenda / Troy
Aired 2 April 1975 • 25 min