Giggle and Hoot

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Giggle and Hoot is a children's TV "wrapper" programme which airs on the Australian children's channel ABC Kids. It began in 2009 and depicts the adventures of Jimmy Giggle (James Rees) and his best friend Hoot the Owl (played by David Simes). It was also aired on ABC1 in 2009-2011, but was later discontinued on that channel. In later series they are joined by a second owl called Hootabelle (played by Jacqui Duncan).

Video Giggle and Hoot

Characters

Jimmy Giggle

In the programme, Jimmy Giggle is shown to enjoy mending objects, although he relies on a "problematic magic button" that never works. He is portrayed as having a brilliant talent in creating new things out of regular items. For instance, Jimmy Giggle used a bath to make a bed; and the walls of his house were sewn and buttoned together. A dinosaur naggleosaurus is Jimmy Giggle's favourite toy. He also plays several musical instruments, including the ukulele, double bass, baritone saxophone, piano and guitar.

Hoot the Owl

Hoot the Owl is the associate and best friend of Jimmy Giggle. Although owls are traditionally nocturnal, the show depicts him favouring the daytime, which he finds "very exciting". However, it is also stated that due to him being awake at daytime, he is often undoubtedly prone to falling asleep. Hoot lives in a chest of drawers that he has fashioned as his own personal apartment. Hoot also plays the harmonica and triangle.

Hoot's interests include bird snacks, the colour blue, "owl" naps, hootball (a portmanteau of "hoot" and "football") and his favourite toy 'Mini-Hoot'. He and his best friend Jimmy Giggle enjoy playing, singing, and hanging out together. They also play dress-up; seen acting as kings, astronauts, pirates, shopkeepers and magicians.

Hoot's Night Watch

At the end of each airing, a sequence called the "Night Watch" happens when Hoot is "flying" across land of Giggle and Hoot to "ensure everyone is tucked up in bed". Hootabelle helps him by lighting up the stars with her 'Star Twinkler', so he can see his way in the 'Nighty Night' sky. Hoot and Hootabelle often meet up after The Night Watch to fly and play everywhere in the land of Giggle and Hoot.

Hootabelle

Later seasons included an impudent, purple female owl named Hootabelle. She was created as a companion and close friend for Hoot. In the series, she lives in a 'Purple Button Tree', and has a toy cat called Gigglepaws; which intimidates Hoot as he is terrified of cats (she assures him that Gigglepaws is a "friendly" cat). She often comes over to the Giggle and Hoot house for an "Owl Pal Play Date".

She enjoys the colour purple, butterflies, owl snacks, worm-flavoured milkshakes and singing.

Giggleosaurus, Mini-Hoot and Gigglepaws

Jimmy Giggle, Hoot and Hootabelle each have a favourite toy. Giggleosaurus the dinosaur is Jimmy Giggle's favourite; Mini-Hoot belongs to Hoot; and Hootabelle has a toy cat called Gigglepaws.

Giggleosaurus, Mini-Hoot and Gigglepaws are treated and spoken to as real characters by Jimmy Giggle and the owls, and are often used in play. They are also brought to life in animated form through various songs in the show, such as "Go Giggleosaurus", "On A Mini-Adventure" and "Hoot! Hoot! It's A Lovely Day".

Additional characters

Additional puppet characters that have appeared on the show include:

• Hootoclaws: An owl version of Santa Claus.
• Cosmo Carrot, Bessie Broccoli and Tommy Tomato: The singing vegetables of the Gigglearium.
• Pirate Hootbeard: A legendary owl pirate captain who sails the Giggle Seas and lives on Button Island with his treasured toy, Pirate Mini-Hootbeard. Whenever he becomes upset he loses his signature "Yarr!".
• Giggle Fangs: A 'friendly' bat. He lives at the edge of the Giggle Forest in the Batty Lair with his favourite toy, Giggle Bug. He has "Super Sonic Bat Hearing" and has a strong liking of 'bat naps' in his upside-down bed.

Maps Giggle and Hoot

Format

The Day Time Block

The Day Time Block is between 7-9 am and 1:45-2:40 pm, and there are a number of music video clips shown in this time, including:

• Giggle Fangs -- An animated videoclip about Giggle Fangs and his assistant Giggle Bug, animated by Yukfoo. The song was composed in collaboration with the ABC by indie Australian artist David McCormack and Sonar Music.
• Hootball -- Hootball is an animated clip following Hoot and Hootabelle's ball game up in the 'cloudosphere', with the toys cheering on. Hootball was created with the ABC by a Sydney-based animation company, Robot Tuesday. The song was composed in collaboration with the ABC by Bridget Turner.
• Cloud Bouncing -- Cloud Bouncing is a live action and graphic-effects video clip where Hoot and Hootabelle bounce around the clouds together. There are 'cameo' appearances in the clip in the background by their favourite toys, Giggleosaurus, Giggle Paws and Mini-Hoot. The song was composed by Sean Peter, Clare Gerber and Bryson Hall.
• The Giggle Galaxy -- The Giggle Galaxy is an animated clip which follows Astro Jimmy Giggle, Astro Hoot and Astro Hootabelle as they catch the Giggle Rocket in to Giggle Space, then fly around the button planets wearing their Giggle Space Boots. The animation is played both in the morning and evening blocks. The Giggle Galaxy was created with the ABC by Sydney-based animation company, Robot Tuesday. The song was composed in collaboration with the ABC by Australian artist Terry Mann.
• Hoot! Hoot! It's a Lovely Day -- An animated clip which follows Hoot and Hootabelle as they fly around the land of Giggle and Hoot together. They play 'Hoot and Seek' together with Gigglepaws in the Giggle Garden, go down a large water slide, fly through a field of giant dandelions, draw pictures in the clouds, and finally fly through a button rainbow. The clip was created with the ABC by Sydney-based animation company, Zspace. The song was composed in collaboration with the ABC by Australian indie band, Achoo! Bless You (Ashleigh Steel and Ross James Tipper).
• On A Mini-Adventure -- On A Mini-Adventure is an animated clip which follows the exciting adventures of Mini-Hoot and Giggleosaurus (which are Hoot and Jimmy Giggle's toys respectively). Together the toys travel on a bicycle that transforms into a magic flying hot-air balloon picnic, then into a paper plane that zips around and finally transforms into a submarine. They take a photo of themselves which ends on a scrapbook image. The clip was created with the ABC by Sydney-based animation company, Robot Tuesday. The song was composed in collaboration with the ABC by Australian artists Paul Kingston and Cain Horton.
• The Funky Owl -- Hoot's favourite 'funky bird' song. To do the "Funky Owl" dance one must simply move their arms up and down. In the clip Jimmy Giggle plays an 'over-sized' bass guitar. They both perform the song on an animated stage with a pair of dancing speakers. Composed by Sean Peter and the ABC.
• Go Giggleosaurus! -- Go Giggleosaurus! is an animated video clip which follows Jimmy Giggle's favourite toy dinosaur as he leaps and bounds around an animated world where he slides down a keyboard mountain, rollerskates up a volcano then rides a button board. Fundamentally, the toy dinosaur Giggleosaurus favourite thing to do is roaring. The animation was created with the ABC by Zspace. Song produced and sung by Tim Derricourt with Clare Gerber.
• The Gigglemobile -- Jimmy Giggle and Hoot fly around the land of Giggle and Hoot in their Gigglemobile. The Gigglemobile is a cardboard automobile stitched and buttoned together that has the ability to go on land, underwater and fly -- "It's the coolest car that you've ever seen!". Composed by Darren Lane and Wade Jackson and the ABC.
• My Best Friend -- This live action series celebrates friends and always centres around a pair or a group of children who are best friends. They dance to the song and say why they are 'best friends'. They are shown doing some of their favourite things around the playground. Song by Kyls Burtland and Clare Gerber.
• Super Giggle and Super Hoot -- This segment is about celebrating "everything -- every little thing can be a super thing!". Jimmy Giggle and Hoot are faced with a little problem that is solved and overcome when they turn into super heroes. Composed by Sean Peter and the ABC.
• Giggle Art Song -- This live-action series is an extension of "The Giggle Gallery", with groups of children from preschools coming together to create art. Each segment focuses on one thing that they create, with the idea of 'make it!'. Song by Fergus Brown with Clare Gerber.

The Gigglearium

When Jimmy Giggle, Hoot and Hootabelle press a button on the side of their vegetable box it 'magically' transforms into "The Gigglearium" -- a musical theatre where three vegetables -- Tommy Tomato (Hamish Fletcher/Nicholas Richard), Bessie Broccoli (Naomi Young) and Cosmo Carrot (James Rees) -- come to life and sing songs. Songs composed with the ABC by Sean Peter. Currently, the vegetables sing seven songs:

• "The Gigglearium Slow Song" -- Tommy Tomato
• "The Gigglearium Solo Song" -- Bessie Broccoli
• "The Gigglearium Country Song" -- Cosmo Carrot
• "The Gigglearium Opera Song" -- Bessie Broccoli
• "The Gigglearium Loud Song" -- Cosmo Carrot
• "The Gigglearium Rhyme Song" -- All
• "The Gigglearium Disco Song" -- All

The Giggle Gallery

Within Giggle and Hoot is a highly popular daily segment called "The Giggle Gallery". The segment celebrates art that has been created and sent to the ABC from preschoolers around Australia. The pictures are hung as though they are in an art gallery. Jimmy Giggle and Hoot go through and talk about the 'wonderful things' that make up each artwork. In this section, Hoot is not able to restrain himself when there is blue in the complication, as it is his favourite colour.

The Goodnight Hour

The Goodnight Hour is about winding down in the evening and helping the bed time routine of preschoolers. The Goodnight Hour screens 5:15-7 pm from Monday to Saturday and 6-7 pm Sunday and has a number of songs, including:

• My Batty Lair -- A live-action videoclip, swing style, about Giggle Fangs and his deep love of the Batty Lair. Composed by Sean Peter in collaboration with the ABC.
• 5 Steps to Bed -- Jimmy Giggle, Hoot and Hootabelle go through the "very important 5 Steps To Bed", big band style. They talk about brushing one's teeth, putting the pajamas on, a story or a sleepy time song, cuddling toys, and "saying hello to the night". Composed by Jeff Debnam and the ABC; arranged by Sean Peter.
• The Giggle Galaxy -- see above.
• Hey Hootabelle -- An animated clip which follows Hoot and Hootabelle as they meet at Hootabelle's purple button tree and then fly around the land of Giggle and Hoot together. The song was composed and recorded by Israeli-Australian artist, Lior. The video clip was animated in collaboration with the ABC by Sydney-based post-production house, Zspace.
• The Birdbath Boogie -- Hoot sings while he has bath time in preparation for The Night Watch, backed up by Jimmy Giggle on the 'chest-of-drawers-piano'. Composed by Sean Peter and the ABC.
• On the Night Watch -- Hoot sings a song about the Night Watch with Jimmy Giggle, becoming "so excited about it". Dressed up in formal attire, the song is in the crooners style. Music by Sean Peter and Bryson Hall.
• Sweet Dreams -- An animated clip where Jimmy Giggle and Hoot fly around the skies of Giggle and Hoot together. It is introduced as being a dream that Jimmy Giggle has had, and he often retells it at Hoot's request. The video clip was animated in collaboration with the ABC by Sydney-based post-production house, Zspace. Sweet Dreams was written and recorded in collaboration with the ABC by Australian artists Paul Kingston and Cain Horton.
• Twinklify -- Every night Hootabelle lights up the stars in the land of Giggle and Hoot with her 'twinklifying' wand. Music by Sean Peter and the ABC.
• Hoot's Lullaby -- An animated clip that always ends the Night Time Block. It follows Hoot as he commences flight on The Night Watch, and ends with the phrase "See you in the morning! Hoot! Hoot!". The song was written by Lior. The video clip was animated in collaboration with the ABC by Sydney-based post-production house, Zspace.

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Production

The show is produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation at the Ultimo Sydney studios for ABC2. It was announced along with the launch of ABC Me. The show is aimed at 2-6 year olds, and premiered in early 2010. The executive producer of Giggle and Hoot is Jan Stradling, while the series producer is Natalie Robinson-Hurst. Karin Fitzhardinge is director and producer, and Bryson Hall, Chris Cone and Jade Suine are all writers and producers of the show.

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Cast

• James Rees as Jimmy Giggle
• David Simes as Hoot the Owl
• Jacqui Duncan as Hootabelle
• Cam Ralph as Giggle Fangs and Hoot Pa
• Mark Simpson as Pirate Hootbeard
• Stef Smith as Hootogadget

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Hoot Hoot Go!

Hoot Hoot Go! is a spin-off show of Giggle and Hoot which features characters Hoot, Hootabelle, Pirate Hootbeard, Giggle Fangs, Hootaluna and Giggle Bot; as well as new character Hootly, a best friend of Hoot and Hootabelle. The series contains 26 episodes, each five minutes long.

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Awards

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References

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External links

• Official website

Source of article : Wikipedia