Les Shadoks
Encyclopedia
Les Shadoks is an animated television series created by French cartoonist
Jacques Rouxel (26 February 1931 - 25 April 2004) which caused a sensation in France when it was first broadcast in 1968-1974;
The Shadoks were bird-like in appearance (in the tradition of cartoon birds they had beaks with teeth), were characterised by ruthlessness and stupidity and inhabited a two dimensional planet.
Another set of creatures in the Shadok canon are the Gibis, who are the opposite to the Shadoks in that they are intelligent but vulnerable and also inhabit a two-dimensional planet.
Rouxel claims that the term Shadok obtains some derivation from Captain Haddock
of Hergé
's The Adventures of Tintin
and the Gibis (who wear Bowler hat
s, which unlike their heads, contain their brains) are essentially GBs (Great Britons).
The Shadoks were a significant literary, cultural and philosophical phenomenon in France.
Even today, the French occasionally use satirical comparisons with the Shadoks for policies and attitudes that they consider absurd. The Shadoks were noted for mottos such as:
The Shadoks were also noted for their seemingly useless and endless pumping — as the Shadok say: "Better to pump even if nothing happens than to risk something worse happening by not pumping".
In 1973 The Shadoks appeared on Thames Television
, London's ITV
company, in the early evening. Kenneth Robinson
provided the narration in English.
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
Jacques Rouxel (26 February 1931 - 25 April 2004) which caused a sensation in France when it was first broadcast in 1968-1974;
The Shadoks were bird-like in appearance (in the tradition of cartoon birds they had beaks with teeth), were characterised by ruthlessness and stupidity and inhabited a two dimensional planet.
Another set of creatures in the Shadok canon are the Gibis, who are the opposite to the Shadoks in that they are intelligent but vulnerable and also inhabit a two-dimensional planet.
Rouxel claims that the term Shadok obtains some derivation from Captain Haddock
Captain Haddock
Captain Archibald Haddock is a fictional character in The Adventures of Tintin, the series of classic Belgian comic books written and illustrated by Hergé...
of Hergé
Hergé
Georges Prosper Remi , better known by the pen name Hergé, was a Belgian comics writer and artist. His best known and most substantial work is the 23 completed comic books in The Adventures of Tintin series, which he wrote and illustrated from 1929 until his death in 1983, although he was also...
's The Adventures of Tintin
The Adventures of Tintin
The Adventures of Tintin is a series of classic comic books created by Belgian artist , who wrote under the pen name of Hergé...
and the Gibis (who wear Bowler hat
Bowler hat
The bowler hat, also known as a coke hat, derby , billycock or bombin, is a hard felt hat with a rounded crown originally created in 1849 for the English soldier and politician Edward Coke, the younger brother of the 2nd Earl of Leicester...
s, which unlike their heads, contain their brains) are essentially GBs (Great Britons).
The Shadoks were a significant literary, cultural and philosophical phenomenon in France.
Even today, the French occasionally use satirical comparisons with the Shadoks for policies and attitudes that they consider absurd. The Shadoks were noted for mottos such as:
- "Why do it the easy way when you can do it the hard way?"
- "When one tries continuously, one ends up succeeding. Thus, the more one fails, the greater the chance that it will work."
- "If there is no solution, it is because there is no problem."
- "To reduce the numbers of unhappy people, always beat up the same individuals."
- "Every advantage has its disadvantages and vice versa."
The Shadoks were also noted for their seemingly useless and endless pumping — as the Shadok say: "Better to pump even if nothing happens than to risk something worse happening by not pumping".
In 1973 The Shadoks appeared on Thames Television
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
, London's ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
company, in the early evening. Kenneth Robinson
Kenneth Robinson
Sir Kenneth Robinson PC was a British Labour politician who served as Minister of Health in Harold Wilson's first government, from 1964 to 1968, when the position was merged into the new title of Secretary of State for Social Services.-Early life:The son of Dr Clarence Robinson and a nurse, Ethel...
provided the narration in English.
Filmography
- 1968: Les Shadoks (first season)
- 1969: French people write to the Shadoks.
- 1970: Les Shadoks (second season)
- 1974: Les Shadoks (third season)
- 1999: Les Shadoks et le Big Blank (produced by Canal +, AAA and Cartoon Network Europe)
External links
- Les Shadoks.com
- 10 episodes to watch online INA Archives Télé
- Les shadoks at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...