Fireman Sam
Encyclopedia
Fireman Sam is a Welsh
animated children's television series
about a fireman called Sam, his fellow firefighters, and other townspeople in the Welsh town of Pontypandy (a portmanteau of two real towns, Pontypridd
and Tonypandy
, which are situated approximately 5 miles apart in the South Wales valleys
). The original idea for the show came from two ex-firemen from Kent
. They took their idea to artist/writer Rob Lee
who developed the concept for them. The finished concept was then presented to S4C
who saw the potential in the series and commissioned it.
Fireman Sam first appeared in Welsh
on S4C
in 1985 and later in English
throughout the United Kingdom
on BBC1
in 1987. The series finished in 1994 but remains popular well over a decade after the last episode was aired. The series was also shown in Gaelic in Scotland
, where it was known as Sam Smalaidh. The series has been sold to over 40 countries, from Australia
to Norway
and is used across the UK
to promote fire safety
.
In 1996, a stage production was turned into a feature, Fireman Sam In Action
and released on BBC Video.
Fireman Sam has recently been adapted into a Live musical theatre show, which will begin touring the UK in June 2011.
The new series airs on The Fluffy Club and Cartoonito (Sky 619).
The show was broadcast in English and Welsh at the same time, but on two different channels – in English on the BBC, in Welsh on S4C. The show's Welsh title is "Sam Tân", which just literally means "Sam Fire". The theme tune (excluding the lyrics) and characters are the same.
The show's production companies were Bumper Films and Siriol Productions (2002–), and its distributors were British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and Sianel 4 Cymru (S4C).
In 2009, Fireman Sam teamed up with over 100 animated characters, such as Big Chris (from Roary the Racing Car
), Bagpuss
, Postman Pat
, Peppa Pig
, Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps
, Ben 10
, and SpongeBob SquarePants
for a Children In Need
single. The single was put together by Peter Kay
.
In 1988, the series was nominated for a BAFTA TV Award for Best Short Animated Film. The potential recipients were Ian Frampton and John Walker.
, which had achieved success in the UK and worldwide. The characters and storylines were created by Rob Lee, an illustrator from Cardiff, and the program was produced using stop-motion. It could take up to 4 days to produce 1 minute of this form of puppet animation. Fireman Sam has to this day been translated into over 25 different languages including Mandarin. on CBeebies
.
Sam is the protagonist in the show, and interacts with both colleagues at the fire station
and local townspeople. He is seen as somewhat of a hero in the village. Being so small, and with so little activity, it sees its fair share of fires, in which Sam and his team can easily handle.
In the original television series produced by Bumper Films
between 1985 and 1996, the firefighters had yellow and black uniforms, whereas in the new CGI
television series produced by HIT Entertainment
and Hibbert Ralph, the firefighters had yellow and blue uniforms.
Trivia
Wooly is a lamb in the 2003 season but a proper sheep in the 2008 season.
And Also appears in Fireman Sam in Action.
The shop contains seldom-seen rooms:
Bella and Rosa end up getting stuck in the lift and have to be rescued by Fireman Sam, Elvis and Station Officer Steele. A mock floor directory can be seen in the lift and on the walls and it indicates that the store has 4 levels in total. It also has a basement level which is used as a storage area(Rosa runs off and is found here surrounded by cat food). Additionally the Fire Exit signs read IREF EIXT(Fire Exit in Welsh)
Most of the original episodes have been made available on VHS previously (in the United Kingdom by BBC Video in 1988-2001 and in the United States and Canada by Family Home Entertainment
), but apart from a VHS version of Action Stations, these are all now out of print. And it was available on DVD by Hit Entertainment
in the United Kingdom since 2004. Here is a list of the UK releases.
Unlike the original series, in which all of the characters were voiced by one person, the new series employed three principal voice artists; however, original voice-actor John Alderton was not one of them. In the new series, the voice of Sam and other male characters was provided by comedian John Sparkes
. The other voice artists were Joanna Ruiz and Sarah Hadland.
and Spider.
Pontypandy is now a seaside town instead of a village set deep in the hills as in the early series. Another change in this series is that the twins' parents appear for the first time; their new-age mother, Bronwyn, and fisherman father Charlie, Sam's brother, who run a cafe/fish-and-chip shop – The Whole Fish Cafe.
Many characters also had aspects of their personalities made more apparent. Norman Price is far more mischievous and inconsiderate than in the 2004 series, where his pranks were often planned out and his accidents were due to badly planned ideas rather than outrageous schemes. For example, in the episode Pontypandy Extreme, Norman gets trapped down a wishing well after attempting to climb down in order to retrieve the coins that have been thrown down there. Additionally, in the episode "Floating Cart", Norman constructs an unsafe Go-Kart without proper brakes and ends up falling into the quay.
Other examples are Station Officer Steele's strictness and maturity and Elvis's decrease in general competence. For example, in one episode where a first aid training exercise is taking place, Elvis is told off by Steele for dancing with the dummy that is being used.
Other changes include the removal of Bella, although her cafe can still be seen opposite Dilys' shop, now a 7-Eleven
-esque convenience store called the "Cut Price Supermarket". It seems the Whole Fish Cafe and Bronwyn and Charlie have replaced them. Penny also now has another string to her bow, as she is a trained lifeguard and the driver of Neptune (the town's lifeboat). Also Rosa and Dusty have been replaced by Lion and Radar.
To follow up the series, the show saw its first feature length episode, The Great Fire of Pontypandy
, released straight to DVD and shown in select cinemas during 2010. It was also released on the UK iTunes Store
on 6 April 2010.
Screenshots:
The 2009 series was written by Matthew Kane and Jack Anders.
. A full-length version was also released on BBC Records.
The verse of the song alternates between notes a fifth apart – the intention being to suggest the sound of a fire engine siren.
The same composers wrote a new arrangement of the theme tune for the 2005 remake, although this time in straight quavers rather than the 'swung' twelve-eight of the original theme. Robin Lyons also updated the lyrics. This version was sung by Cameron Stewart
, singer and lead guitarist with the Cardiff-based band Session.
The theme song from the 2003 version was re-used for the CGI Series, albeit shortened.
Ben Heneghan and Ian Lawson also wrote a number of other Fireman Sam-related songs that were released on a cassette by BBC Records. These songs were later used in the touring stage show.
started that 2 more CGI seasons of "Fireman Sam" will be made. Soon to be shown in 2012.
's weekly children's slot Children's BBC. When production was put on hold for many years, the series continued to be repeated on the same slot and later on dedicated pre-school digital channel Cbeebies
, which later aired the fifth series.
As of 2008, the rights to broadcast Fireman Sam (Series 1 to 5) was sold to Milkshake!
, the children's slot on Channel 5. Since 2009, Series 6 has regularly aired on Mini CITV (as part of ITV Breakfast
, which was previously GMTV
).
In Australia
Fireman Sam was a massive success in the country when the show first premiered on ABC1
in 1989 as it aired on every weekday in the 1990s, even when the show was put on hold.
In the USA, the show airs at 8:00 AM PST on PBS Kids Sprout
. Currently, only Series 6 is broadcast, although Series 5 was broadcast. In Norway it is known as Brannmann Sam. It is also translated into Danish as Brandmand Sam.
In Finland it is known as Palomies Sami which means Firefighter Sami.
Broadcasters are Jim Jam and C5.
At IMDb, the 2004 version of Fireman Sam was given an overall rating of 6.7/10, based on 22 votes, 2 user reviews and 3 critic reviews.
At IMDb, the 1987–1991 version of Fireman Sam was given an overall rating of 7.1/10 based on 89 votes and 4 user reviews.
The Entertainment Store Group described the show as, "The ultimate rescue show for preschoolers [that] has been on-air for over 16 years and can be seen in over 80 countries worldwide in 31 different languages. Particularly strong with boys aged two to six years, Fireman Sam promotes responsibility, respect for others and a can-do attitude." They added that "Entertainment Store Group is proud to represent Fireman Sam exclusively in Australia!"
Fireman Sam: The Great Fire of Pontypandy was given a critical analysis on the website Raising Children Network
. The film was rated G, and was advised for children aged 5 and up. The genre was children's animated adventure, the length was 63 minutes and the release date was 28/10/2010. It commented on the prevalent themes, namely "the threat of fire; accidents and rescues". The review continued by stating some of the scenes which could potentially scare or disturb children under 5, such as when "Mike falls off the roof of a house into the harbour, and struggles to stay afloat". The review concluded by stating some discussion points for parents with their children: "The main messages from this movie are about helping people in need and pulling together as a community. The movie also looks at the bad things that happen when you do the wrong thing. Values in this movie that you could reinforce with your children include selflessness, and care and concern for others. This movie could also give you the chance to talk with your children about real-life issues such as stealing, lighting fires, and ignoring safety instructions."
Fireman Sam (2004) was given an analysis at commonsensemedia. It was advised for ages 3 and up, and was given a rating of 4/5 stars. The show was given a "The Good Stuff" rating of 3/5, which the site stating, "Sam shows how to stay calm in a crisis. He also relies on his team to help him solve problems." Under the section entitled "violence & scariness", the site comments that "Some of the fires and other crises that Sam faces may frighten the youngest viewers, but everyone is always safe in the end." The site explains that parents need to know that "Young viewers will be delighted by the stop-motion animation (which creates soft visuals), the colorful backdrops of the charming Welsh village, and the funny dialogue. Sensitive viewers may need a parent nearby to help them understand that all of the characters are safe in the end." On a potential language barrier, the site comments, "The distinctly Welsh characters, community, accents, and expressions may pose some minor comprehension problems for kids on this side of the pond, but overall it's good exposure to another part of the world."
FIREMAN SAM: Cat Magic was given a negative review at website Trick or Treat Tales, "Cat Magic, from the last season, sees the stop-motion replaced with generic, poorly-executed CGI animation, and the series loses all interest (the stop-motion was the main draw of the series in the first place). The new voice work is particularly grating, as well. And worst of all: this story has zero to do with Halloween or trick-or-treat...You can skip Trick or Treat Tales."
The 1987 set Fireman Sam To the Rescue! (released on DVD on 1 July 2008 by HIT Entertainment) was given a review at DVDTOWN.com, summarised with "If you have a toddler or preschooler who likes Bob the Builder, there's a chance this one will also be a hit. Though there are less vehicles, there are more children, and the plots are just as rescue-based." The DVD was assessed on 4 qualities: Video (7), Audio (7), Extras (1) and Film value (7).
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
animated children's television series
Children's television series
Children's television series, are commercial television programs designed for, and marketed to children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run in the early evening, for the children that go to school...
about a fireman called Sam, his fellow firefighters, and other townspeople in the Welsh town of Pontypandy (a portmanteau of two real towns, Pontypridd
Pontypridd
Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff...
and Tonypandy
Tonypandy
Tonypandy is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying in the Rhondda Fawr Valley. A former industrial coal mining town, today Tonypandy is best known as the site of the Tonypandy Riots....
, which are situated approximately 5 miles apart in the South Wales valleys
South Wales Valleys
The South Wales Valleys are a number of industrialised valleys in South Wales, stretching from eastern Carmarthenshire in the west to western Monmouthshire in the east and from the Heads of the Valleys in the north to the lower-lying, pastoral country of the Vale of Glamorgan and the coastal plain...
). The original idea for the show came from two ex-firemen from Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. They took their idea to artist/writer Rob Lee
Rob Lee
Robert Martin "Rob" Lee is a retired English footballer who played the majority of his career for Charlton Athletic and Newcastle United.-Charlton Athletic:...
who developed the concept for them. The finished concept was then presented to S4C
S4C
S4C , currently branded as S4/C, is a Welsh television channel broadcast from the capital, Cardiff. The first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking audience, it is the fifth oldest British television channel .The channel - initially broadcast on...
who saw the potential in the series and commissioned it.
Fireman Sam first appeared in Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
on S4C
S4C
S4C , currently branded as S4/C, is a Welsh television channel broadcast from the capital, Cardiff. The first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking audience, it is the fifth oldest British television channel .The channel - initially broadcast on...
in 1985 and later in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
throughout the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on BBC1
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
in 1987. The series finished in 1994 but remains popular well over a decade after the last episode was aired. The series was also shown in Gaelic in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, where it was known as Sam Smalaidh. The series has been sold to over 40 countries, from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and is used across the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to promote fire safety
Fire safety
Fire safety refers to precautions that are taken to prevent or reduce the likelihood of a fire that may result in death, injury, or property damage, alert those in a structure to the presence of a fire in the event one occurs, better enable those threatened by a fire to survive, or to reduce the...
.
In 1996, a stage production was turned into a feature, Fireman Sam In Action
Fireman Sam In Action
Fireman Sam In Action is a 1996 live-action stage play and a 61-minute film featuring three stories, Fire Station Flood Alert, Dilys’ Attic Fire and Pontypandy Fireworks Party. It was especially filmed for video, based on the Welsh stop-motion TV series, Fireman Sam. The film was released on 1...
and released on BBC Video.
Fireman Sam has recently been adapted into a Live musical theatre show, which will begin touring the UK in June 2011.
The new series airs on The Fluffy Club and Cartoonito (Sky 619).
The show was broadcast in English and Welsh at the same time, but on two different channels – in English on the BBC, in Welsh on S4C. The show's Welsh title is "Sam Tân", which just literally means "Sam Fire". The theme tune (excluding the lyrics) and characters are the same.
The show's production companies were Bumper Films and Siriol Productions (2002–), and its distributors were British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and Sianel 4 Cymru (S4C).
In 2009, Fireman Sam teamed up with over 100 animated characters, such as Big Chris (from Roary the Racing Car
Roary the Racing Car
Roary the Racing Car is an animated children's television show that currently airs on Milkshake! on Five and Nick Jr. in the United Kingdom, PBS Kids Sprout in the United States, Treehouse TV in Canada, Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Nick Jr. and ABC2 in Australia...
), Bagpuss
Bagpuss
Bagpuss is a 1974 UK children's television series, made by Peter Firmin and Oliver Postgate through their company Smallfilms. The title character is "an old, saggy cloth cat, baggy, and a bit loose at the seams"...
, Postman Pat
Postman Pat
Postman Pat is a British stop-motion animated children's television series first produced by Woodland Animations. It is aimed at pre-school children, and concerns the adventures of Pat Clifton, a postman in the fictional village of Greendale .Postman Pat's first 13-episode season was screened on...
, Peppa Pig
Peppa Pig
Peppa Pig is a British animated television series created directed and produced by Astley Baker Davies and distributed by eOne Entertainment. To date, three series have been aired. It is shown in 180 territories.-Background:...
, Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps
Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps
Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps is a British and American CGI animated television series premiered on September 5, 2009, Nick Jr. in 2009, and Discovery Kids Latin America in 2010. A continuation of the Angelina Ballerina series of children's books by Katharine Holabird, the author and Helen...
, Ben 10
Ben 10
The Omnitrix was originally created by a Galvan named Azmuth. The Omnitrix was intended to allow beings to experience life as other species in order to bring understanding and foster peace in the universe....
, and SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"...
for a Children In Need
Children in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
single. The single was put together by Peter Kay
Peter Kay
Peter John Kay is an English comedian, writer, actor, director and producer. His work includes That Peter Kay Thing , Phoenix Nights , Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere , Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and other independent productions which have included two sell out tours.-Early career:Peter Kay...
.
In 1988, the series was nominated for a BAFTA TV Award for Best Short Animated Film. The potential recipients were Ian Frampton and John Walker.
Development
The original idea for Fireman Sam came about from two ex-firemen from Kent, UK – Dave Gingell and Dave Jones. They approached Mike Young, creator of Superted in Barry, Wales and asked them to futhur develop their concept. The idea was then brought to S4C's Director of Animation, Chris Grace, who saw potential in the idea and commissioned the series. Grace had previously commissioned SupertedSuperTed
SuperTed is a Welsh teddy bear who has magical super powers. He along with his friend Spotty try to do good. SuperTed was a series of stories created by Mike Young who eventually created a television series based on those stories.-Creation:...
, which had achieved success in the UK and worldwide. The characters and storylines were created by Rob Lee, an illustrator from Cardiff, and the program was produced using stop-motion. It could take up to 4 days to produce 1 minute of this form of puppet animation. Fireman Sam has to this day been translated into over 25 different languages including Mandarin. on CBeebies
English-language version of series one to four
The series originally comprised 32 ten-minute episodes and a 20-minute Christmas special. The narration and character voices were done by John AldertonJohn Alderton
John Alderton is an English actor who is best known for his roles in Upstairs, Downstairs, Thomas & Sarah and Please Sir!. Alderton has often starred alongside his wife, Pauline Collins.-Early life:...
.
Sam is the protagonist in the show, and interacts with both colleagues at the fire station
Fire station
A fire station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus , personal protective equipment, fire hose, fire extinguishers, and other fire extinguishing equipment...
and local townspeople. He is seen as somewhat of a hero in the village. Being so small, and with so little activity, it sees its fair share of fires, in which Sam and his team can easily handle.
In the original television series produced by Bumper Films
Bumper Films
Bumper Films was a children's stop-motion production company founded by John Walker and Ian Frampton in 1982. It is best known for creating Fireman Sam in 1987-1994. It also created Joshua Jones in 1991-1992, Starhill Ponies in 1998-2001 and Rocky Hollow in 1983. The company was also used for S4C...
between 1985 and 1996, the firefighters had yellow and black uniforms, whereas in the new CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
television series produced by HIT Entertainment
HIT Entertainment
Hit Entertainment is a British-American entertainment distribution company established in 1989, and originally the international distribution arm of Jim Henson Productions called Henson International Television...
and Hibbert Ralph, the firefighters had yellow and blue uniforms.
Firefighters
- Fireman Sammuel "Sam" Peyton-Jones is referred to as the "hero next door", Charlie's older brother and Bronwyn's brother-in-law. He is the archetypal firemanFirefighterFirefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
, who remains composed in an emergency and unfailingly offers assistance to all those in need. Sam is single, but maintains a close relationship with his nephew, James, and niece, Sarah. He lives at 3 Vale Road next to Trevor Evans. Sam spends his spare time in his "inventing shed", in which he makes devices ranging from a potato picker made from old bicycle parts to a machine capable of replacing the town band. On occasion his inventive streak can undermine his emphasis on fire safetyFire safetyFire safety refers to precautions that are taken to prevent or reduce the likelihood of a fire that may result in death, injury, or property damage, alert those in a structure to the presence of a fire in the event one occurs, better enable those threatened by a fire to survive, or to reduce the...
. His catchphrase is "Great fires of London!Great Fire of LondonThe Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through the central parts of the English city of London, from Sunday, 2 September to Wednesday, 5 September 1666. The fire gutted the medieval City of London inside the old Roman City Wall...
" - Fireman Elvis Cridlington provides a stark contrast to Sam in both competency and demeanour. His catchphrase is "Great balls of fire!" (2008–present season). Elvis holds aspirations of being a rock star, and his mind is often up in the clouds, dreaming of such an idea, something of which usually gets him into trouble from Steele. He is also notorious for being a bad cook. He is named for the Elvis Presley hairstyle he wears.
- Station Officer Basil Steele is the chief of Pontypandy Fire Station. As a former army officer, he insists upon a high standard of both hygiene and efficiency in the station. His catchphrase in the old series was "Now who needs the fire service?" but in the new series it is "Action stations men!", which fell out of use in the CGI series. Basil may be married to Doris, a character who does not appear but whom Basil mentions in "Telly Trouble" and "Barn Fire" (Series 1). His first name, however, is changed to "Norris" in the feature length "Great Fire of Pontypandy".
- Firefighter Penny Morris is the only female member of the Pontypandy fire brigade. In the original series, she only visited occasionally (hailing from Newtown fire station), although in the new series, she seems to work at Pontypandy full time. Penny doubles as a mechanicMechanicA mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
. Her ideas are often unconventional and at odds with her male colleagues, but she usually turns out to have been right. Penny is often known to go on adventures with the town's children – James and Sarah, Norman Price and Mandy Flood. A relationship between her & Elvis has been hinted more the once. - Auxiliary Fireman Trevor Evans is a West Indian auxiliary fireman with the brigade. His other job is the town's bus driverBus driverA bus driver, bus operator or omnibus driver is a person who drives buses professionally. Bus drivers typically drive their vehicles between bus stations or stops. They often drop off and pick up passengers on a predetermined route schedule. In British English a different term, coach drivers, is...
. He is known for his fondness of cricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, his awkward manner and general bad luck streak, but nonetheless exhibits a great devotion to the welfare of others (especially Dilys). In the 2005 and 2008 seasons, Trevor is no longer an auxiliary firefighter but is still the bus driver, and the spark between him and Dilys still holds strong.
Townspeople
- Dilys Price runs the town grocery storeGrocery storeA grocery store is a store that retails food. A grocer, the owner of a grocery store, stocks different kinds of foods from assorted places and cultures, and sells these "groceries" to customers. Large grocery stores that stock products other than food, such as clothing or household items, are...
. She is a well known gossipGossipGossip is idle talk or rumour, especially about the personal or private affairs of others, It is one of the oldest and most common means of sharing facts and views, but also has a reputation for the introduction of errors and variations into the information transmitted...
, and has great affection for Trevor, the bus driver (something of which poor Trevor is too shy to act upon). Dilys is the mother of town mischief-maker Norman Price, but is frequently blind to her son's troublesome ways. She dotes on her only child, or "Mummy's Little Treasure" as she sometimes calls him. - Bella Lasagne is the absent-minded town cafe owner, hailing from ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. She is not in the 2008 season, although her cafe is still visible. Bella appears to be based on the real Welsh ItaliansWelsh ItaliansWelsh Italians are British citizens residing in Wales whose ancestry wholly or partly originates in Italy. Most Italian immigration to Wales took place in the 19th and early 20th centuries, with the largest number of migrants settling in Glamorgan and Newport.-Migration history:Italian immigrants...
who ran cafes known as "Bracchis" in South Wales Valleys. - Helen Flood, Caribbean born nurse and mother of Mandy Flood. (2005 season)
- Mike Flood, accident-prone handymanHandymanA handyman is a person skilled at a wide range of repairs, typically around the home. These tasks include trade skills, repair work, maintenance work, both interior and exterior, and are sometimes described as "odd jobs", "fix-up tasks", and include light plumbing jobs such as fixing a leaky toilet...
husband of Helen and father of Mandy. He becomes a reserve fireman in the 2008 series. (2005 season) - Tom Thomas, a mountain rescueMountain rescueMountain rescue refers to search and rescue activities that occur in a mountainous environment, although the term is sometimes also used to apply to search and rescue in other wilderness environments. The difficult and remote nature of the terrain in which mountain rescue often occurs has resulted...
worker who hails from Australia. Tom is most often seen flying to the rescue in his helicopterHelicopterA helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
or driving his SUV. He is one of few characters who does not have a Welsh accent. (2005 season). - Charlie "Charles" Jones, a fishermanFishermanA fisherman or fisher is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishermen and fish farmers. The term can also be applied to recreational fishermen and may be used to describe both men...
, husband of Bronwyn, Sam's brother, father of Sarah and James. He is also accident-prone, especially in "Poorly Penny" when he caused every single emergency except one. He also becomes a reserve fireman. (2008 season). - Bronwyn McShell-Jones, runs the fish and chip shop/cafe, wife of Charlie, mother of Sarah and James, sister-in-law of Sam. (2008 season).
- Mr. Price – Dilys' brother, Norman's uncle, Derek's father.
Price Family
Jones Family (2008 season)
Children
- Sarah and James Jones are the relatively well-behaved five-year-old daughter and son twins of Charlie, niece and nephew of Fireman Sam. They are often more sensible in an emergency than Norman. When they grow up they want to be firefighters like their uncle Sam. They started acting more like stereotypical twins in the 2008 (i.e. insulting each other, having argument and sometimes being the cause of an emergency, but it is made clear they still care for each other).
- Norman Stanley Price is a seven-year-old boy with a love of practical jokes and skateboardingSkateboardingSkateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard.Skateboarding can be a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation. Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2002 report...
. Unfortunately, Norman regularly fails to set appropriate limits on his own behaviour, and has been known to cause mischief and sometimes causes havoc at the fire station, and for many of Pontypandy's residents. He has shown interest in becoming a firefighter himself one day. In the 2008 series, his intelligence went down. In the same series, he received a palette-swap cousin, Derek (see below). - Mandy Flood, Norman's best friend. She is sort of a bridge between naughty Norman and the well behaved Sarah and James. She received a radical redesign for the 2008 series. (2005 season)
- Derek Price, Norman's cousin, Mr. Price's son. He is a palette-swap of Norman, minus the glasses & with an English accent. While he seems to be well behaved, he is actually a great joker. His only appearance to date is the 2008 Series episodes "Double Trouble" & "Derek's Grotto", as well as the movies "Great Fire Of Pontypandy" (2008 Series) & "Lifeboat Rescue". (2011 Series)
Vehicles
- Jupiter is a bright red fire engine driven by Fireman Sam and based on a 1974 Bedford TKBedford TKThe Bedford TK is a truck that was produced by the Vauxhall Motors-owned Bedford Vehicles company.-History and use:The TK range replaced the S type in 1959, and served as the basis for a variety of derivatives, including fire engines, military, horse boxes, tippers, flatbed trucks, and other...
(Registration J 999) (1987 to 1994 season), and also based on a 1990 Bedford 6x4 (2005 to 2008 season). It is always taken to rescues. - Venus is a rescue tenderFire apparatusA fire apparatus, fire engine, fire truck, or fire appliance is a vehicle designed to assist in fighting fires by transporting firefighters to the scene and providing them with access to the fire, along with water or other equipment...
driven by Penny Morris based on a 1982 Range RoverRange RoverThe Range Rover is a large luxury four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle produced by British car maker Land Rover. The model, launched in 1970, is now in its third generation...
(Registration V 666). - Nurse Flood's car is driven by Nurse Helen Flood. (2005 to 2008 season)
- Mike Flood's truck is driven by Mike Flood based on a Dodge Astro (2008 season)
- Wallaby One is a helicopter flown by Tom Thomas and based on a 1980 Bell 222Bell 222The Bell 222 is a twin-engined light helicopter built by Bell Helicopter. The Bell 230 is an improved development with different engines and other minor changes. A cosmetically modified version of the 222 was used as the titular aircraft in the US television series Airwolf.-Development:In the late...
. (2005 to 2008 season) - Rescue Jeep is also driven and owned by Tom Thomas and based on a 1976 Range RoverRange RoverThe Range Rover is a large luxury four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle produced by British car maker Land Rover. The model, launched in 1970, is now in its third generation...
4x4. (2005 to 2008 season) - The Bus is driven by Trevor Evans and based on a 1975 Ford Transit(Registration BWS 493T) DormobileBedford DormobileThe Bedford Dormobile is a 1960s-era campervan conversion, based on the Bedford CA van, and subsequently on the Bedford CF. It was manufactured in Folkestone in Kent, southern England, by Martin Walter....
. - Neptune is driven by Penny, and is a rigid inflatable lifeboat powerful enough to tow a fishing trawler & sailing boat. (2008 season)
- Charlie's boat is a fishing trawler that belongs to Charlie Jones. (2008 season)
Animals
- Rosa is Bella's temperamental catCatThe cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
. - Dusty is a stray dog, usually found hanging around the fire station. (2005 season only)
- Woolly is a lamb who Norman Price adopts after they were rescued from a mountainside. Rather bouncy and playful. (2005 to 2008 season)
- Lion is Bronwyn's pet cat who seems to have replaced Rosa. (2008 season)
- Radar The fire station's own fire dog, a dalmatian. He is very fond of Mandy. (2008 season)
- Nipper The dog of Bronwyn's sister (who has yet to appear on-screen). (2008 season)
- Lambykins Woolly's little lamb. (2008 season)
- Gerud Nipper's twin brother. (2010 season)
- Skip Lion's twin brother. (2011 season)
Trivia
Wooly is a lamb in the 2003 season but a proper sheep in the 2008 season.
Other
- Bentley the Robot is one of Fireman Sam's inventions that appears in the episode of the name. At one point, Norman Price swaps his control cassette for a video game cassette, discarding the former and causing Bentley to act out the game while grabbing and throwing objects within reach; one such object is a can of paraffinParaffinIn chemistry, paraffin is a term that can be used synonymously with "alkane", indicating hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH2n+2. Paraffin wax refers to a mixture of alkanes that falls within the 20 ≤ n ≤ 40 range; they are found in the solid state at room temperature and begin to enter the...
which rolls into the fire station and starts leaking. Eventually, the flow reaches Penny Morris, who is busy weldingWeldingWelding is a fabrication or sculptural process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by causing coalescence. This is often done by melting the workpieces and adding a filler material to form a pool of molten material that cools to become a strong joint, with pressure sometimes...
a lockerLocker (cabinet)A locker is a small, usually narrow storage compartment. They are commonly found in dedicated cabinets, very often in large numbers, in various public places such as locker rooms, work places, schools, transport centres, and the like...
; as she finishes, sparks from her blow torchBlow torchA blowtorch , blow torch , or blowlamp is a tool for applying lower-intensity and more diffuse flame and heat for various applications, than the oxyacetylene torch. Before aerosol cans and pressurized gas cylinders, fuel was pressurized by a syringe or pump...
ignite the paraffin. Meanwhile, Sarah and James find Bentley's genuine control cassette and give it to Fireman Sam, who reactivates Bentley and orders him to go inside to save Penny, who has passed out from the heat. Sarah and James receive certificates for their actions and Bentley receives a medal, who is so pleased that he malfunctions, his head spinning around while repeating the line "Delighted, I'm sure".
And Also appears in Fireman Sam in Action.
Fireman Sam's residence
Sam lives in a two-story house with several windows, a red door and the small bell at outside. It is at 3 Vale Road and contains seldom seen rooms:- Hall: The hall has a big shelf, a very large hanger, and a big mirror on the wall. The walls are yellow. There are also the stairs, which connect the ground floor with first floor.
- Dining room: This room has a big table with several chairs, a shelf with photos and a phone, and the big clock.
- Kitchen: The small kitchen has a very big refrigerator, several shelves and a modern oven. There is also the big table with several chairs.
- Bathroom: The bathroom contains a big washing machine, a small shelf, a vane, a toilet, and a big mirror in the wall.
- Sam's Bedroom: Sam has a large bedroom of his own. The walls are white. Sam's bed lies underneath the window. Next to the bed, there are several shelves. The first shelf contains a black and white photograph, and a large red alarm clock with two blue lighters on the bells, which light when it rings. On the second shelf there is a big night lamp. The last shelf holds Sam's civilian clothes. The wood-framed bed is covered by white sheets and two pillows, and has an orange-red blanket with squares on it and white edging. Sam's room is seen during the introductory sequence of the show (1987-1996 season).
Dilys' shop "N.W Price"
Dilys Price runs the local grocery and general store, N.W Price (although in the 2008 series called Cut Price Supermarket), with its stocks of canned goods, outdoor displays of fruits and vegetables, and various treats and snacks.The shop contains seldom-seen rooms:
- Dilys's bedroom: Dilys's room contains a shelf with a big mirror and photo, a shelf an electrical alarm clock and night lamp, a shelf with Dilys' clothes, and the wood-framed bed with pillows and a yellow blanket with white edging.
- Norman's room: Norman's room has several shelves, toys, computer and a wood-framed bed with pillows. The bed also has an orange-pink blanket with white edging.
Bella's café
Bella's restaurant contains a large pizza oven, which is the source of at least one fire due to inadequate chimney sweeping (a birds' nest falls into the oven from the chimney and catches fire on the day the oven is installed). Bella's restaurant serves mostly Italian food, along with pastries and desserts. Bella's café was only seen in the 1987-1996 season and the 2003-2005 season. Bella's café and Bella herself were abandoned a year after the 2003-2005 season.Whole Fish Cafe
Bronwyn and Charlie's fish and chip shop cafe, which is the source of at least one fire due to Sarah placing her wet coat over an electric fire. The cafe also has a basement, where was seen thrice in the 2008 season, once when it was flooded, when the heater broke, and another time when Mike Flood fell down with a freezer.Fire station
Sam, Trevor (only in the classic series), Penny, Station Officer Steele, and Elvis (who also does the cooking) work in the fire station. It contains the following rooms:- Main room: This room contains the big oven and gas range, a table with several chairs, TV and a shelf with firefighters' clothes. On the wall there is the fire bell.
- Steele's office: Officer Steele has a big office. It contains several shelves, a big table with papers and a phone on it, a chair, and a small table with a teleprinter. On the wall is the fire bell. In the 2008 season, a picture of the whole crew with Jupiter (really a promotional shot for the 2003 season) is visible.
- The Garage: This is where Jupiter & Venus are parked between missions. There is a turntable for Jupiter to avoid complex backup manoeuvers.
The Floods' residence
Mandy, Helen and Mike Flood live in a two-story house. It contains seldom seen rooms:- Kitchen: Seen most often, has a toaster, old radio and a couple of chairs next to the counter, where the Floods have breakfast.
- Living Room: Seen at least once, when Mike Flood injures his hand, and Radar rescues him. Also when Norman price set light to the cutains on halloween.
- Workshop: This is where Mike Flood does much of his work.
Mountain Rescue
This is where Tom Thomas works, it has a radio, and stairs that go to a 2nd floor balcony, where Tom can see PontyPandy Mountain from. It has the helicopter on the attached landing zone, and SUV parked outside.Bingles Department Store
This is seen in the episode Home From Rome(1994 season) and according to an announcement on the shop's loudspeaker, is located in Cardiff.Bella and Rosa end up getting stuck in the lift and have to be rescued by Fireman Sam, Elvis and Station Officer Steele. A mock floor directory can be seen in the lift and on the walls and it indicates that the store has 4 levels in total. It also has a basement level which is used as a storage area(Rosa runs off and is found here surrounded by cat food). Additionally the Fire Exit signs read IREF EIXT(Fire Exit in Welsh)
Commercial availability
The entire classic series was released on DVD in April 2007. Prior to that, only two other DVDs were available: Action Stations, containing what are believed to be some of the better episodes, and Snow Business, containing the Christmas special (which was noticeably absent in the classic series boxed set) and two other episodes: "Safe with Sam", which emphasizes fire safety and which has not been shown by the BBC since November 1990, and "Rich and Famous". A further DVD of original episodes was available from the newspaper The Sunday Mirror in 2006, but only contained two episodes. The majority of the 2005 season has been released in several DVD's.Most of the original episodes have been made available on VHS previously (in the United Kingdom by BBC Video in 1988-2001 and in the United States and Canada by Family Home Entertainment
Family Home Entertainment
Family Home Entertainment was an American home video company founded in 1980 by Noel C. Bloom. It was a division of International Video Entertainment, which had its headquarters in Newbury Park, California.-General information:...
), but apart from a VHS version of Action Stations, these are all now out of print. And it was available on DVD by Hit Entertainment
HIT Entertainment
Hit Entertainment is a British-American entertainment distribution company established in 1989, and originally the international distribution arm of Jim Henson Productions called Henson International Television...
in the United Kingdom since 2004. Here is a list of the UK releases.
| VHS video title | Year of release | Episodes |
|---|---|---|
| Fireman Sam – The Hero Next Door (BBCV 4101) | 1987 | The Kite, Flat Tyre, Trevor's Training, Norman's Tricky Day |
| Fireman Sam 2 – Lost Cat (BBCV 4137) | 1988 | Lost Cat, Telly Trouble, Camping, Barn Fire |
| Fireman Sam 3 – Sam's Day Off (BBCV 4197) | 1988 | Sam's Day Off, Treasure Hunt, Thief in Pontypandy, Chemistry Set |
| Fireman Sam 4 – Snow Business (BBCV 4268) | 1989 | Snow Business, The Great Inventor, The Wishing Well |
| Fireman Sam 5 – Norman's Pitfall (BBCV 4428) | 1990 | Norman's Pitfall, Dilys' Forgetful Day, Lost Ring, A Spot Of Bother. |
| Fireman Sam 6 – All in a Good Cause (BBCV 4470) | 1991 | All In A Good Cause, Brass Band, Lost In The Fog, Bentley The Robot |
| The Very Best of Fireman Sam (BBCV 4870) | 1992 | Chemistry Set, Flat Tyre, Dilys' Forgetful Day, Camping, Norman's Tricky Day, Treasure Hunt, Halloween |
| The Very Best of Fireman Sam 2 (BBCV 5278) | 1994 | The Kite, Lost Cat, Barnfire, Sam's Day Off, The Wishing Well, Lost Ring, Bentley the Robot |
| Fireman Sam – Treasure Hunt (BBCV 5464) | 1994 | Treasure Hunt, Thief in Pontypandy, Trevor's Training, Sam's Day Off, Kite, Chemistry Set |
| Fireman Sam – Norman's Tricky Day (BBCV 5465) | 1994 | Norman's Tricky Day, The Wishing Well, Flat Tyre, The Great Inventor, Snow Business |
| Fireman Sam – Spot of Bother (BBCV 5466) | 1994 | Dilys' Forgetful Day, Spot of Bother, Telly Trouble, Lost Ring, Norman's Pitfall, Lost Cat |
| Fireman Sam – Bentley the Robot (BBCV 5467) | 1994 | Bentley the Robot, Barnfire, Lost in the Fog, All in a Good Cause, Camping, Brass Band |
| The New Adventures of Fireman Sam (BBCV 5404) | 1994 | Deep Trouble for Sam, Quarry Rescue, Rich and Famous, Home from Rome |
| The New Adventures of Fireman Sam – Disaster for Dinner (BBCV 5625) | 1995 | Disaster for Dinner, Steele Under Par, Trevor's Bus Boot Sale, What Goes Up |
| Fireman Sam – 2 on 1 (BBCV 5787) | 1996 | Contains the episodes from "The Hero Next Door" and "Lost Cat", as shown above: Kite, Flat Tyre, Trevor's Training, Norman's Tricky Day, Lost Cat, Telly Trouble, Camping, Barn Fire |
| Fireman Sam In Action (BBCV 5807) | 1996 | Video of the film, Fireman Sam In Action Fireman Sam In Action Fireman Sam In Action is a 1996 live-action stage play and a 61-minute film featuring three stories, Fire Station Flood Alert, Dilys’ Attic Fire and Pontypandy Fireworks Party. It was especially filmed for video, based on the Welsh stop-motion TV series, Fireman Sam. The film was released on 1... |
| Fireman Sam – Fireman Sam's Bumper Video (BBCV 6225) | 1997 | All in a Good Cause, Norman's Pitfall, The Great Inventor, What Goes Up, Deep Trouble for Sam, Thief in Pontypandy, Rich and Famous |
| Fireman Sam – 2 on 1 – Tales from Pontypandy (BBCV 6354) | 1998 | Contains the episodes from "Sam's Day Off" and "Snow Business", as shown above: Sam's Day Off, Treasure Hunt, Thief in Pontypandy, Chemistry Set, Snow Business, The Great Inventor, The Wishing Well |
| Fireman Sam's Big Video (BBCV 6771) | 1999 | Quarry Rescue, Home from Rome, Steele Under Par, Trevor's Bus Boot Sale, Brass Band, Lost Ring |
| Fireman Sam's Bumper Video (BBCV 6917) | 2000 | Telly Trouble, Dilys' Forgetful Day, Disaster for Dinner, Deep Trouble for Sam, Lost in the Fog, Bentley the Robot, Trevor's Training |
| Fireman Sam – Biggest Video Ever (BBCV 7135) | 2001 | The Kite, Norman's Tricky Day, Barnfire, Norman's Pitfall, Spot of Bother, Lost in the Fog, All in a Good Cause, Rich and Famous, What Goes Up |
2003–2005 series
Between 2003 and 2005, a new "Fireman Sam" series was produced by Siriol Productions (now known as Calon TV), comprising twenty-six episodes, each ten minutes in length. These episodes used more modern techniques of stop-motion animation including mouths that move with the dialogue. The new series features all the original characters, but also adds some new faces, such as Tom Thomas, the Australian pilot of rescue helicopter Wallaby One. The series premiered on 1 November 2004 and was also known as "Sam, o pyrosvestis" in Greece (the transliterated ISO-LATIN-1 title). The aspect ratio was 1.85 : 1.Unlike the original series, in which all of the characters were voiced by one person, the new series employed three principal voice artists; however, original voice-actor John Alderton was not one of them. In the new series, the voice of Sam and other male characters was provided by comedian John Sparkes
John Sparkes
John Sparkes is a Welsh comedian born in Swansea and is more commonly known on Welsh television as Barry Welsh, in the award-winning series Barry Welsh is Coming....
. The other voice artists were Joanna Ruiz and Sarah Hadland.
2008–2009 series
In 2008, a new computer-generated series was produced by Hibbert Ralph Entertainment, creators of Tractor TomTractor Tom
Tractor Tom is an animated TV program, produced by Contender Entertainment and Hibbert Ralph Entertainment. There are two series of 26 eleven minute episodes produced in 2003 and 2004. There was also a stage show....
and Spider.
Pontypandy is now a seaside town instead of a village set deep in the hills as in the early series. Another change in this series is that the twins' parents appear for the first time; their new-age mother, Bronwyn, and fisherman father Charlie, Sam's brother, who run a cafe/fish-and-chip shop – The Whole Fish Cafe.
Many characters also had aspects of their personalities made more apparent. Norman Price is far more mischievous and inconsiderate than in the 2004 series, where his pranks were often planned out and his accidents were due to badly planned ideas rather than outrageous schemes. For example, in the episode Pontypandy Extreme, Norman gets trapped down a wishing well after attempting to climb down in order to retrieve the coins that have been thrown down there. Additionally, in the episode "Floating Cart", Norman constructs an unsafe Go-Kart without proper brakes and ends up falling into the quay.
Other examples are Station Officer Steele's strictness and maturity and Elvis's decrease in general competence. For example, in one episode where a first aid training exercise is taking place, Elvis is told off by Steele for dancing with the dummy that is being used.
Other changes include the removal of Bella, although her cafe can still be seen opposite Dilys' shop, now a 7-Eleven
7-Eleven
7-Eleven is part of an international chain of convenience stores, operating under Seven-Eleven Japan Co. Ltd, which in turn is owned by Seven & I Holdings Co...
-esque convenience store called the "Cut Price Supermarket". It seems the Whole Fish Cafe and Bronwyn and Charlie have replaced them. Penny also now has another string to her bow, as she is a trained lifeguard and the driver of Neptune (the town's lifeboat). Also Rosa and Dusty have been replaced by Lion and Radar.
To follow up the series, the show saw its first feature length episode, The Great Fire of Pontypandy
Fireman Sam: The Great Fire of Pontypandy
Fireman Sam: The Great Fire of Pontypandy is a 2010 animated film, based on the Welsh stop-motion television series, Fireman Sam. It stars the voices Steven Kynman, David Carling, Su Douglas and Tegwen Tucker. Norman, Derek, Sarah & James and Dilys go pioneering with Trevor Evans in the forest...
, released straight to DVD and shown in select cinemas during 2010. It was also released on the UK iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
on 6 April 2010.
Screenshots:
The 2009 series was written by Matthew Kane and Jack Anders.
Theme tune
The series had a theme tune composed by Ben Heneghan and Ian Lawson. The lyrics were written by Robin Lyons, and sung by Maldwyn PopeMal Pope
Mal Pope , is a Welsh musician and composer, who is especially notable for his contribution to music theatre portraying Welsh national identities and themes...
. A full-length version was also released on BBC Records.
The verse of the song alternates between notes a fifth apart – the intention being to suggest the sound of a fire engine siren.
The same composers wrote a new arrangement of the theme tune for the 2005 remake, although this time in straight quavers rather than the 'swung' twelve-eight of the original theme. Robin Lyons also updated the lyrics. This version was sung by Cameron Stewart
Cameron Stewart
Cameron Stewart is an Eisner Award and Shuster Award-winning and Eagle Award and Harvey Award-nominated Canadian comic book artist who has worked for DC, Marvel, and Dark Horse Comics.-Biography:...
, singer and lead guitarist with the Cardiff-based band Session.
The theme song from the 2003 version was re-used for the CGI Series, albeit shortened.
Ben Heneghan and Ian Lawson also wrote a number of other Fireman Sam-related songs that were released on a cassette by BBC Records. These songs were later used in the touring stage show.
2003
The DVDs do not contain a large amount of characters. In the episode Norman's Invisible Friend, there is no sign of Owyn. Norman just made him up.| Episode | Description | Fire Emergency | DVD Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fun Run | The kids were having a fun run. Norman kept chnging the signs. The winner got a piece of Bella's chocolate cake. There were three winners - Sarah, Mandy and James. The runner-up was Norman. He got a plate of Elvis' cupcakes. | Search party to the woodcutter's shed. | Fun Run | First appearance of Sam, Elvis, Norman, Sarah, Tom, Mandy, Steele, Bella, James, Dilys, Nurse Flood and Woolly. |
| Trouble & Squeak | Norman got a mouse called Squeaky. He named it The Great Squeakendo. He and Mandy made a maze for Squeaky called The Maze of Mystery. He took 25 rolls of toilet paper and Rosa chased Squeaky in Bella Lasangue's café. | Rosa and Squeaky were chased up the chimney. Tried with the new bean picker. | Fun Run | First appearance of Mike, Rosa and Trevor and the only appearance of Squeaky. |
| Carnival Of Junk | Mandy was ill, so she didn't go to the carnival in Jamaica. When the emergancy was solved, the carnival was taken to Wales, in Pontypandy. First was Jupiter, then it was Venus, then Tom's rescue van and last but not least, Mike's carnival truck. | James is stuck under a boiler. | Fun Run | Everybody is seen in the episode. |
| Birthday Surprise | Today was Sam's birthday. Sam was having a party. The |
Series 1 (Welsh: 1985), (English: 1987)
| Title of Episode | English broadcast date | Welsh broadcast date | Summary about the episode |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Kite | 17 November 1987 | 26 December 1985 | Strong winds bring telegraph poles down and take Sarah and James' kite high up, but a little higher than they intended. |
| Barn Fire | 19 November 1987 | 2 January 1986 | On a very hot day, Sarah and James are picking potatoes for Bella. Sam wonders if he can help, but first he has to deal with a barn fire at Pandy Lane Farm. |
| Trevor's Training | 24 November 1987 | 9 January 1986 | It's routine drill for Trevor on his first day in the fire service, until a message comes over the radio. |
| Flat Tyre | 26 November 1987 | 16 January 1986 | After going to a boot-sale, Trevor's tyre goes flat and invades Pontypandy causing loads of delays, luckily Sam comes to the rescue. |
| Camping | 1 December 1987 | 23 January 1986 | What have a frog and an oily rag got to do with camping? Sam, Sarah, and James soon find out. |
| Norman's Tricky Day | 3 December 1987 | 30 January 1986 | Norman is up to his old tricks as usual, but this time he plays one too many. |
| Lost Cat | 8 December 1987 | 15 December 1987 | Saturdays are busy enough for Bella, without having to deal with chip pan fires and lost cats. |
| Telly Trouble | 10 December 1987 | 22 December 1987 | TV stardom comes to Station Officer Steele and everyone in Pontypandy is tuning in. |
Series 2 (1988)
| Title of Episode | English broadcast date | Summary about the episode |
|---|---|---|
| Treasure Hunt | 1 September 1988 | Sam introduces Sarah and James to his new metal detector, and they get hooked on looking for treasure. Unfortunately, they manage to burst a water pipe in the park while searching for Bella's keys. Meanwhile, Norman's game of "Knights of the Round Table" backfires when his saucepan helmet gets stuck on his head. Overall, it's a busy day for Fireman Sam and the crew. |
| Sam's Day Off | 8 September 1988 | Sam's popcorn machine is just the ticket for the cinemas, until it suffers from a touch of flumbustication. |
| Thief in Pontypandy | 15 September 1988 | Sam's mislaid his watch, Bella's necklace has disappeared, and Dilys' earrings have gone missing. Can Fireman Sam solve the mystery? |
| Chemistry Set | 22 September 1988 | Norman's dream of making the pongiest stink bomb in the world backfires when Dilys walks into the laboratory. |
| The Wishing Well | 29 September 1988 | Trevor organises a search party when Norman doesn't come back from picking strawberries. |
| The Great Inventor | 6 October 1988 | Sam is all set to win the Best Inventor in Wales competition, until Norman plays around with one of his inventions. |
Specials (Welsh and English: 1988)
| Title of Episode | English broadcast date | Welsh broadcast date | Summary about the episode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safe with Sam | 19 December 1988 | 9 February 1988 | There is a fireworks display being held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the opening of Pontypandy's fire station. But there are many valuable lessons to be learned about safety. |
| Snow Business | 22 December 1988 | 14 December 1988 | All Christmas preparations stop when the crew are called out to rescue Sarah and James who are trapped on ice. |
Series 3 (Both Welsh and English: 1990)
| Title of Episode | English broadcast date | Welsh broadcast date | Summary about the episode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dilys' Forgetful Day | 15 October 1990 | 3 May 1990 | When Dilys falls off the ladder and loses her memory, Norman's got a lot of explaining to do. |
| Spot of Bother | 22 October 1990 | 10 May 1990 | Norman's double bluff backfires when chicken pox hits Pontypandy. |
| Halloween | 29 October 1990 | 17 May 1990 | It's Halloween in Pontypandy and Penny is in for a nasty shock. |
| Norman's Pitfall | 5 November 1990 | 24 May 1990 | Not far from an old disused mineshaft, Norman is fishing for chocolate cream éclairs. |
| Lost Ring | 12 November 1990 | 31 May 1990 | Bella is very happy about the diamond ring she inherited, until it goes missing. |
| All in a Good Cause | 19 November 1990 | 7 June 1990 | Sam is dumbstruck when all the charity money they've raised for a good cause goes missing. |
| Brass Band | 26 November 1990 | 14 June 1990 | Only practice makes perfect when it comes to playing music, but the fire station band needs something quicker than that. |
| Lost in the Fog | 3 December 1990 | 21 June 1990 | Penny becomes anxious when Sarah and James don't arrive for tea. |
| Bentley the Robot | 10 December 1990 | 28 June 1990 | Sam's latest invention is almost superhuman, until it meets Norman Price. |
Series 4 (Both Welsh and English: 1994)
| Title of Episode | English broadcast date | Welsh broadcast date | Summary about the episode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home from Rome | 21 October 1994 | Welsh: 2 May 1994 | Rosa stows away in Bella's shopping trolley, when she goes to Bingles' Department Store. But disaster strikes when a lift gets stuck, and it's up to the Pontypandy fire service to rescue Bella and her cat. |
| Rich and Famous | 27 October 1994 | Welsh: 9 May 1994 | Dilys wishes she were rich and famous, so she goes off to do some treasure hunting in the attic. But Dilys gets more than she bargained for when she knocks over a candle, setting the roof on fire... |
| Quarry Rescue | 1 November 1994 | 10 May 1994 | While Bella is making pizzas for Trevor to deliver, James falls into an old quarry. Then Trevor gets his finger stuck in the brake fluid chamber. |
| Deep Trouble for Sam | 3 November 1994 | 20 May 1994 | Sam has been sent to weed Penny's cottage garden. Why has Penny been called out to help? |
| Trevor's Bus Boot Sale | 8 November 1994 | 30 May 1994 | Trevor is holding a 'Bus Boot Sale', but then gets trapped at the old dump while suffering from some fumes. After he rescues him, Norman then gets a surprise from Trevor. |
| What Goes Up | 10 November 1994 | 6 June 1994 | Trevor gets stuck in a hot air balloon and soon it's Fireman Sam to the rescue. |
| Steele Under Par | 15 November 1994 | 13 June 1994 | When Steele is given a letter of retirement, he decides to go golfing. But then his present gets in trouble in Trevor's shed which catches fire. |
| Disaster for Dinner | 17 November 1994 | 20 June 1994 | A fire drill practice is being held at Bella's Cafe, but first there's trouble at 3 Vale Road when Sam's latest invention catches fire. |
Series 5 (W: 2003) (2005)
- Danger Falling Sheep (4 April 2005)- When Norman tries to conquer Pontypandy Mountain, he finds himself stranded on a ledge with a fallen lamb.
- The Big Freeze (5 April 2005)- Norman raises everyone's temperature with the bed he builds for his pet lamb Woolly.
- Twist of Fate (6 April 2005)- Station Officer Steele takes Norman and Mandy Flood pot-holing, but he soon ends up in a tight spot.
- A Real Live Wire (7 April 2005)- Mandy thinks a squirrel will be a good pet, but its taste for electrical cables causes a fire.
- Bug Eyed Boy from Venus (8 April 2005)- When Trevor Evans tells the children that there's no such thing as little green men from outer space, Norman is determined to prove him wrong.
- Bath Time for Dusty (11 April 2005)- Scruffy dog Dusty is chosen to be the fire station mascot, but first he must have a bath. Dusty is not keen on the idea, though.
- Neighbourhood Watchout (12 April 2005)- Mandy, Sarah, and James decide to start a junior neighbourhood watch scheme, but get rather carried away.
- Twitchers in Trouble (13 April 2005)- Trevor is looking forward to his date with Dilys and decides to take her birdwatching. However, a fire at Trevor's birdwatching hide ensures that the date is hotter than planned.
- Carnival of Junk (14 April 2005)- A rubbish tip proves to be a trap for the unwary James, but then the recycled rubbish becomes the centrepiece in a Caribbean-style carnival.
- Mummy's Little Pumpkin (15 April 2005)- Halloween is scarier than normal after Norman leaves his pumpkin lantern unattended.
- Joaker Soaker (18 April 2005)- To everyone's horror, Norman has a new toy – a "Joker Soaker" water pistol.
- Fit for Nothing (19 April 2005)- The Fire-fighters are training hard to appear in the Wales Fittest Fire-fighters calendar. It's a competition to see who is the fittest.
- Deep Water (20 April 2005)- Mandy and Norman get into deep water when they go hunting for treasure.
- Beast of Pontypandy (21 April 2005)- A black beast has appeared in Pontypandy and Woolly has disappeared...
- Pizza Palaver (22 April 2005)- Bella is as sick as a parrot when a bird's nest falls down the chimney and into her new oven.
- Fun Run (25 April 2005)- Today in Pontypandy, a fun run has been organised for charity. Unfortunately Norman's cheating ways put James and the other competitors in danger.
- Trouble and Squeak (26 April 2005)- Norman has taken the school mouse home to look after. Unsurprisingly, it escapes and causes havoc when both Rosa and the mouse end up stuck in Bella's chimney.
- King of the Jungle (27 April 2005)- The Tarzanesque jungle cry of Norman Price raises the alarm when the twins get caught in a blazing haystack.
- Norman's Invisible Friend (28 April 2005)- Norman invents a fictitious friend to get double helpings of everything.
- High Jinx (29 April 2005)- Norman uses a power kite to help his with his deliveries.
- The Case of the Liquorice Shoelaces (3 May 2005)- Someone has been stealing shoelaces from Dilys's shop and the prime suspect is Norman Price. Surprisingly he isn't to blame and he sets out to prove his innocence.
- Fiery Finale (4 May 2005)- There's a talent show in Pontypandy and Norman Price is searching for an act. But whatever he tries, compere Trevor Evans "pours cold water" on it. Finally, when Norman tries to play Elvis's electric guitar, he is asked to leave the stage. Norman's eyes alight on a comic featuring 'Lasso Kid' and he decides to delight the crowd with his roping skills. However, Norman's rope tricks soon lead to a fire.
- Birthday Surprise (5 May 2005)- It is Sam's birthday and everyone is preparing for a surprise party for him and Norman has to keep him away until it is time.
- Firefighter of Tomorrow (6 May 2005)- Norman wants to be a fireman when he grows up but he can't wait that long.
- Fields of Fire (9 May 2005)- Norman and Mandy discover that smoke gets in your eyes when Dusty disturbs a campfire.
- Let It Snow (26 December 2005)- The roads to Pontypandy are blocked with snow. When the villagers face a Christmas without a tree, one brave soul Norman Price decides to try to get one. Fireman Sam ends up having to rescue him.
Series 6 (2008)
- Paper Plane Down
- Hot and Cold Running Sniffer Dog
- Hearts on Fire
- Perilous Path
- New Hero Next Door
- Santa Overboard
- Best Foot Forward
- Baa Baa Baby
- Mother's Helper
- Cat Magic
- Seeing Red
- Going Out with a Bang
- The Wrong Smell
- No Nurse Like You
- The One that Got Away
- Dinosaur Hunt
- Floating Cart
- Sticky Situation
- Cry Wolf
- Sheep on the Road
- Mam's Day
- Alarm on the Beach
- Hot Air
- Towering Inferno
- Danger by the Double
- When Fools Rush In
- Blow Me Down
- Pontypandy Extreme
- Elvis Sings the Blues
- Fireworks for Mandy
- Heap of Trouble
- Stuck in the Muck
- Sausages Versus Shrimps
- Flood's Flood
- Stranded
- Off Duty Sam
- Sheepdog Trials
- Norman's Ghost
- Poorly Penny
- Pirates of Pontypandy
- The Pontypandy Pioneers
- Twitching the Night Away
- Double Trouble
- Sailor Steele
- Fireman James
- Dilys' Big Surprise
- Day at the Seaside
- Model Plane
- Three Legged Race
- Norman's Ark
- Open Day
- Mike's Rocket
Season 7 & 8
HIT EntertainmentHIT Entertainment
Hit Entertainment is a British-American entertainment distribution company established in 1989, and originally the international distribution arm of Jim Henson Productions called Henson International Television...
started that 2 more CGI seasons of "Fireman Sam" will be made. Soon to be shown in 2012.
Movies
- Fireman Sam: The Great Fire of PontypandyFireman Sam: The Great Fire of PontypandyFireman Sam: The Great Fire of Pontypandy is a 2010 animated film, based on the Welsh stop-motion television series, Fireman Sam. It stars the voices Steven Kynman, David Carling, Su Douglas and Tegwen Tucker. Norman, Derek, Sarah & James and Dilys go pioneering with Trevor Evans in the forest...
: Fireman Sam is awarded for rescuing Charlie from the edge of the lighthouse cliff, making Elvis feel left out. Meanwhile, James, Sarah, Norman, Dilys Price & Derek are on the way to the forest with Trevor. Back at the Fire Station, Sam and Penny Morris rescue Mike flood from drowning in the harbour sea. Back at the forest, Norman decides to cook sausages that he brought earlier to the forest (ignoring the warnings that the forest is too dry to start fires) and sets fire to old wood using a sharp wood pin. Dilys finds them but fails to notice the fire. Meanwhile, Mike forgets the phone & the hammer, and locks himself in the lighthouse after he mends the door. Meanwhile Helen and Mandy are trying to find the campsite when Helen steps into the mantrap Trevor set up minutes earlier. Luckily, she is later rescued by Elvis and Radar. The campsite group smell smoke and leave the campsite to get out of the forest. The fire reaches the campsite setting it on fire. Elvis and Radar find the group and follow the siren, getting out of the forest before the fire engulfs the whole place. Elvis pushes Sam out of the way of a falling burning branch. The vehicles drive to the harbour. Luckily, the rain puts out the fire. Then Radar finds the sausages from Norman's bag. A shocked Dilys and Trevor scold Norman for setting the forest on fire. At the end of the movie, Elvis is awarded for saving Sam and the group. Derek blames Norman for bringing sausages and setting the forest on fire and they have an argument. The town has a huge party. THE END.
Broadcasting
Originally, the original series (Series 1 to 4) aired on the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's weekly children's slot Children's BBC. When production was put on hold for many years, the series continued to be repeated on the same slot and later on dedicated pre-school digital channel Cbeebies
CBeebies
CBeebies is the brand used by the BBC for programming aimed at children 6 years and under. It is used as a themed strand in the UK on terrestrial television, as a separate free-to-air domestic British channel and used for international varients supported by advertising, subscription or both...
, which later aired the fifth series.
As of 2008, the rights to broadcast Fireman Sam (Series 1 to 5) was sold to Milkshake!
Milkshake!
Milkshake! is a television programming block on Channel 5, aimed at children 2 to 7 years old. The strand debuted in 1997 and is broadcast on weekdays from 06:00 to 09:00, and from 07:00 to 10:00 on weekends. Sunday and Monday Mornings its broadcast 05:00 to 09:15/10:00. It used to air on 5*...
, the children's slot on Channel 5. Since 2009, Series 6 has regularly aired on Mini CITV (as part of ITV Breakfast
ITV Breakfast
ITV Breakfast Limited is the national ITV breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom...
, which was previously GMTV
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
).
In Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
Fireman Sam was a massive success in the country when the show first premiered on ABC1
ABC1
ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...
in 1989 as it aired on every weekday in the 1990s, even when the show was put on hold.
In the USA, the show airs at 8:00 AM PST on PBS Kids Sprout
PBS KIDS Sprout
PBS Kids Sprout is a U.S. digital cable television channel, video-on-demand service, and website providing PBS Kids shows and original programming for preschoolers and their families...
. Currently, only Series 6 is broadcast, although Series 5 was broadcast. In Norway it is known as Brannmann Sam. It is also translated into Danish as Brandmand Sam.
In Finland it is known as Palomies Sami which means Firefighter Sami.
Broadcasters are Jim Jam and C5.
Critical response
The ABC website said of the series, "All the characters blend together into an appealing mixture of fun and entertainment for children everywhere."At IMDb, the 2004 version of Fireman Sam was given an overall rating of 6.7/10, based on 22 votes, 2 user reviews and 3 critic reviews.
At IMDb, the 1987–1991 version of Fireman Sam was given an overall rating of 7.1/10 based on 89 votes and 4 user reviews.
The Entertainment Store Group described the show as, "The ultimate rescue show for preschoolers [that] has been on-air for over 16 years and can be seen in over 80 countries worldwide in 31 different languages. Particularly strong with boys aged two to six years, Fireman Sam promotes responsibility, respect for others and a can-do attitude." They added that "Entertainment Store Group is proud to represent Fireman Sam exclusively in Australia!"
Fireman Sam: The Great Fire of Pontypandy was given a critical analysis on the website Raising Children Network
Raising Children Network
The Raising Children Network is funded by the Government of Australia to produce and maintain educational tools and resources for families raising children in Australia....
. The film was rated G, and was advised for children aged 5 and up. The genre was children's animated adventure, the length was 63 minutes and the release date was 28/10/2010. It commented on the prevalent themes, namely "the threat of fire; accidents and rescues". The review continued by stating some of the scenes which could potentially scare or disturb children under 5, such as when "Mike falls off the roof of a house into the harbour, and struggles to stay afloat". The review concluded by stating some discussion points for parents with their children: "The main messages from this movie are about helping people in need and pulling together as a community. The movie also looks at the bad things that happen when you do the wrong thing. Values in this movie that you could reinforce with your children include selflessness, and care and concern for others. This movie could also give you the chance to talk with your children about real-life issues such as stealing, lighting fires, and ignoring safety instructions."
Fireman Sam (2004) was given an analysis at commonsensemedia. It was advised for ages 3 and up, and was given a rating of 4/5 stars. The show was given a "The Good Stuff" rating of 3/5, which the site stating, "Sam shows how to stay calm in a crisis. He also relies on his team to help him solve problems." Under the section entitled "violence & scariness", the site comments that "Some of the fires and other crises that Sam faces may frighten the youngest viewers, but everyone is always safe in the end." The site explains that parents need to know that "Young viewers will be delighted by the stop-motion animation (which creates soft visuals), the colorful backdrops of the charming Welsh village, and the funny dialogue. Sensitive viewers may need a parent nearby to help them understand that all of the characters are safe in the end." On a potential language barrier, the site comments, "The distinctly Welsh characters, community, accents, and expressions may pose some minor comprehension problems for kids on this side of the pond, but overall it's good exposure to another part of the world."
FIREMAN SAM: Cat Magic was given a negative review at website Trick or Treat Tales, "Cat Magic, from the last season, sees the stop-motion replaced with generic, poorly-executed CGI animation, and the series loses all interest (the stop-motion was the main draw of the series in the first place). The new voice work is particularly grating, as well. And worst of all: this story has zero to do with Halloween or trick-or-treat...You can skip Trick or Treat Tales."
The 1987 set Fireman Sam To the Rescue! (released on DVD on 1 July 2008 by HIT Entertainment) was given a review at DVDTOWN.com, summarised with "If you have a toddler or preschooler who likes Bob the Builder, there's a chance this one will also be a hit. Though there are less vehicles, there are more children, and the plots are just as rescue-based." The DVD was assessed on 4 qualities: Video (7), Audio (7), Extras (1) and Film value (7).