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. Ancient Britain / 20,000 Potty Leagues Under the Sea
Aired 4 January 1977 • 25 min
2. China / Jason and the Argonauts
Aired 11 January 1977 • 25 min
3. Mysteries of the Mighty Thames / Seven Wonders of the World
Aired 18 January 1977 • 25 min
4. Potty Marsh Under-The-Wall / Age of Chivalry
Aired 25 January 1977 • 25 min
5. The Conquistadores / Gulliver in Lilliput
Aired 1 February 1977 • 25 min
6. The Industrial Revolution / The Faeries
Aired 8 February 1977 • 25 min
7. The Great Climb / Salamis
Aired 15 February 1977 • 25 min
8. The Pilgrims / The Blotting Paper Bomb
Aired 22 February 1977 • 25 min
9. The Foam Fighters / The Great Transcontinental Rail Road
Aired 1 March 1977 • 25 min
10. The Gardeners / Hannibal the Great
Aired 8 March 1977 • 25 min
11. The Mighty Rig / Ye Gods
Aired 15 March 1977 • 25 min
12. The Mighty Press / Camouflage Corps
Aired 29 March 1977 • 25 min
13. Ali Baba / Acacia Avenue Triangle
Aired 5 April 1977 • 25 min