Fingerbobs (BBC-1 1972, Rick Jones)

Fingerbobs was a children’s pre-school series that aired on the BBC One network in 1972. Rick Jones played storyteller Yoffy.

“Yoffy lifts a finger and a mouse is there
Puts his hands together and a seagull takes the air
Yoffy lifts a finger and a scampi darts about
Puts his hands together and a tortoise head peeps out
His hands were made for making
And making they must do!

I am a mouse called Fingermouse,
A mouse with guts and verve.
I get past cats so easily with my famous bodyswerve…”

The song which introduced the adventures of paper puppets Fingermouse, Scampi, Gulliver the Seagull and Flush the Tortoise.

Created by “Yoffy” (Rick Jones) who sat at a wooden table in front of a blue background and talked with the various characters he created from gloves and pieces of card, ping-pong balls, etc.

Like all great 1970’s pre-school series this was repeated many times but then in 1985 a new series was made called Fingermouse and featuring Ian Lauchlan as the host. In a great bit of TV Trivia Rick Jones was also the keyboard/vocalist in rock band Meal Ticket, they provided the excellent music used in cult classic The Flipside of Dominick Hyde.

UK / BBC / 13×15 minute episodes / Broadcast from 14 February 1972

Story and Design by Joanne and Michael Cole / Music: Michael Jessett / Director: Michael Grafton-Robinson.