Mr Benn

1971 (UK)

Incredible as it might seem there were only 13 episodes of Mr Benn ever made (15 minutes each), despite the fact that it's been repeated every year on TV, probably since they were first produced.

Mr Benn lived at 52 Festive Lane and the premise of each story revolved around a visit to the local fancy dress shop. The shop keeper would appear "as if by magic" and invite Mr Benn to try on a new costume.

In the changing room there were two doors, one that led back into the shop and one that led to an adventure (appropriate to the outfit selected).

The ensuing adventure always involved a nice moral story and inevitably ended, just as Mr Benn saved the day, with the shop keeper appearing once again "as if by magic" to show him the doorway back to the shop.

The series was created by David McKee and narated by Ray Brooks. The fancy dress outfits for all the episodes were as follows:

• Red Knight
• Hunter
• Frogman
• Magic Carpet Bloke
• Astronaut
• Chef
• Caveman
• Wizard
• Cowboy
• Clown
• Zoo Keeper
• Pirate
• Balloonist

David McKee fans might have noticed a similarity in the eighties show King Rollo, to Mr Benn... You guessed it, that's his creation too.