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'''Bananas in Pyjamas''' is an Australian children's television show which premiered in 1992 on the ABC. It has since become syndicated in many different countries, and dubbed into those languages. In the United States, the "Pyjamas" in the title was modified to reflect the American spelling ''pajamas'', thus the US title '"Bananas In Pajamas"'.
The main characters are two bananas named B1 and B2. Other characters include three Teddy Bears named Amy, Lulu and Morgan, and Rat in a Hat. Rat in a Hat is famous for his catch phrases "Cheese and Whiskers!", which he usually states when he has not succeeded at a task, and also "I'm a rat, I'm a rat, I'm a very clever rat" which he says when he thinks of a good idea. The Bananas, the Teddies and Rat in a Hat (dubbed as doding daga in the Filipino dub) all live in the same neighbourhood, a cul-de-sac called "Cuddles Avenue" at the end of a street.
The characters were inspired by a 1967 song written for children by British composer Carey Blyton (nephew of renowned children's author Enid Blyton). The jaunty song describes (an unspecified number of) bananas in pyjamas chasing teddy bears, with a slight twist at the end where a musical sting emphasises that the bananas like to "catch them unawares".
The song was shown on the Australian version of ''Play School'' for many years accompanied by an animation depicting a pair of bananas in blue-and-white striped pyjamas, and the number and physical appearance of B1 and B2 are based on this animation.
Given the preschooler audience, chasing and scaring teddy bears is not a plotline for the show itself, the bananas being more interested in singing, dancing, and playing with the bears and other characters, and bantering with each other.
The show is performed using human actors in elaborate costumes, in the style of the British ''Teletubbies'' or ''Tweenies''. In the show's early days, the voices of the bananas were provided by the same actors as were inside the costume, but the original actors have given up that aspect of the show and substitutes now man the hot, stuffy costumes. The show aired new episodes from its 1992 debut to its eventual run in syndication in 2000. The show aired 299 episodes and 4 specials. Its debut in the United States was in 1995. It made videos and other media from 1995 to 1999. A toy line, developed by TOMY, debuted in 1996.
The show was spoofed in the Filipino series, Super Laff-In as a skit known as "The Very Corny Family". It features two corn characters named C1 and C2.

Contents

Theme Song Lyrics

Cast

See also

External links

Theme Song Lyrics

Bananas in pyjamas are coming down the stairs,

Bananas in pyjamas are coming down in pairs,

Bananas in pyjamas are chasing teddy bears,

'Cause on Tuesdays they all try to catch them unawares!'

Cast

★ Duncan Wass - B-1 (1992-1993) (costume), (1993-present) (voice)

★ Ken Radley - B-1 (1993- ) (costume only)

★ Nicholas Opolski - B-2 (1992- )

★ Shane McNamara - Rat-in-a-Hat (1992- )

★ Mal Heap - Various Farm Puppets (2001)

★ Emma de Vries - Maggie (1994- )/Tolstoy (1994 - )

★ Sandie Lillingston - Amy (1992-1993)

★ Mary-Anne Henshaw - Lulu (1992-1993)

★ Taylor Owyns - Lulu (1993- )

★ Jeremy Scrivener - Morgan (1992- )

See also

★ List of Australian television series

★ List of Australian Broadcasting Corporation programs

External links

★ Official website

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