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SKY HUNTER
Index
    > Introduction
    > The Plot
    > Episode Listings
    > Cast and Crew
    > Theme Tune (download!)
    > Video Clips (download!)
    > Notes
    > Links
    > Picture Gallery

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Site maintained by Ben Clarke
(Sorry, I can't provide videos or any other materials, so please don't write to ask!)

ON TV:Not scheduled at the moment, but it will probably be repeated again in 2007 - watch this space
ON VIDEO:Not available on video or DVD, you'll have to tape it off TV yourself
> More information on the official BBC Schools Programme Guide

Sky Hunter Introduction

Certainly one of the best known of the 70s Look and Read stories, mainly because it was brought back 15 years later as Sky Hunter II. The plot was Leonard Kingston's third and final for the series, about the illicit trade in rare birds and their eggs, and a whole load of suspicious looking grown-ups - but which are the evil bird thieves, and which are trying to stop the thieves?
The teaching bits were all made at BBC Bristol, where Wordy was based, in the rather strange setting of "Wordy's Word Workshop", full of massive books including a huge prop of the pupil's pamphlet, which for some reason was coloured green where the real printed ones were blue. His co-presenter was a moustached version of schools TV stalwart Michael Maynard, off of Scene, English File, You and Me and probably loads of other things too.
> CLICK HERE for details of Sky Hunter II - the 1992 update of this story.


EXTRA: Download the Sky Hunter story book



The Plot
WARNING! SPOILERS!   Reading this bit will give away the whole storyline and ruin your enjoyment if you haven't already seen/read it.

Three kids - Jackie, Butch and Trevor - holiday on a boat on the Regent's Canal in London. They spot a peregrine falcon (which was a rare bird at the time) flying about and also meet a pair of daft crooks who're trying to nab it. They confide in their friend Mr Trim, who runs a local junk shop, and together they go to investigate. Unfortunately Trim turns out to be the mastermind behind the illegal bird trade in the area, and he joins in the falcon plot with the others (a butch bloke called Badger and a woman called Cat Mary). The only threat to their plan is another dodgy-looking bloke, who the children dub The Birdman because they reckon he's the real thief. The Birdman is keeping the (real) villains' house under observation, so Trim and co inveigle the kids into sending a coded telegram to Trim's buyer. The kids crack the code and realise what's going on, but when they go to check out Trim's shop Jackie is caught. The Birdman helps the two lads get away, and reveals himself to actually be an RSPB Investigator on the trail of Badger, Mary and Trim. Butch and Trevor find a secret message from Jackie and set off towards London Zoo, where the crooks are planning to steal another falcon since theirs escaped. They beat up Mr Trim, who repents and promises to help them catch the other crooks. It looks like he's really betrayed the kids but he comes through in the end, the crooks are arrested (including Trim) and Jackie is rescued.




Episode Listings

1.   Strangers on the Canal
Why was the strange, beautiful bird flying above London's canal, and why were the two bad-tempered strangers so interested in it? Jackie, Butch and Trevor get involved in a mystery.
2.   For Sale
Why is a grim-looking young man so interested in Mr Trim's For Sale card?
3.   The Birdman
When the children tell him, Mr Trim wants to know more about the strange bird. But so does the Birdman.
4.   Are They Crooks?
The children watch brave Mr Trim knock on the door of the crooks' house. Is he in danger?
5.   The Welsh Telegram
Why is Mr Trim so friendly with these crooks? What is strange about the Welsh telegram?
6.   Proof at Last!
The children find Mr Trim's shop empty. Upstairs, they discover a room they've never seen before. What's inside?
7.   A Friend in Need
The crooks chase the children. Someone gets caught. And who really is the Birdman?
8.   Where's Jackie?
The boys set out to find Jackie - but get into danger themselves.
9.   Who Can Be Trusted?
Can the children make Mr Trim tell them where the crooks have gone to steal another peregrine falcon?
10.   Back to the Wild
The children are trapped in the zoo. Has Mr Trim tricked them again?




Cast and Crew

Written by
Music by
Designers

Producer
Leonard Kingston
Roger Limb
John Bone
Colin Green
Roger Tonge
Costume Dennis Brack, make-up Ann Pollard, graphic designer Peter Jones, film animation Richard Taylor, film cameraman Colin Munn, film recordist Bob Roberts, film editor John Lyle, additional material Jean Kenward, Michael Maynard, reading consultant Mary Hoffman, production assistants Pat Farrington, Pauline Seager

Narrated by
Starring
With







and
Singers
Nigel Anthony
Geoffrey Bayldon
as Mr Charles Trim
Luke Batchelor
as Butch
Isobil Nisbet
as 'Cat' Mary MacBride
Emma Jean Richards
as Sharon Blake
Mike Savage
as Bert Badger
Jayne Tottman
as Jackie Blake
Donald Waugh
as Trevor
Lennox Greaves
as Tom Roberts, the Birdman
Charles Collingwood
as Wordy
Michael Maynard
as Dave
Derek Griffiths
Dave Royal
Julie Stevens




Theme Tune

The Sky Hunter theme tune was an all-instrumental radiophonic job.

Download MP3 file music by Roger Limb, no lyrics
MP3 file: 26 seconds, 211 kb


> CLICK HERE for the Downloads section, including this and several other theme tunes.



Video Clips

These clips are all from the original 1978 version of Sky Hunter including the original music and narration by Nigel Anthony. You can also download the exact same clips from the revised 1992 version, Sky Hunter II, to evaluate the changes made and decide which one you think is best!

©BBC Clip 1 - Mr Trim bravely faces the villains
Trim and the kids have discovered the stolen peregrine in the shed of Badger and Cat Mary's house. Trim decides to knock on the door and confront the villains. The kids are terribly worried, but Trim seems to be rather friendly with these villains. "They might murder you!"
Download WMV file Download WMV file
104 seconds @ 103kbps = 1.27Mb

Download RM file Download RM file (or click here to stream it)
104 seconds @ 80kbps = 1.01Mb



©BBC Clip 2 - The Welsh telegram
Trim has persuaded the kids that his coded telegram is Welsh. The man from the Post Office disagrees. Then Jackie understands. "I'm Welsh myself. If that language is Welsh then I'm a Dutchman."
Download WMV file Download WMV file
95 seconds @ 103kbps = 1.17Mb

Download RM file Download RM file (or click here to stream it)
95 seconds @ 80kbps = 973kb



©BBC Clip 3 - Naughty boys
The kids are being chased across London by the crooks; Jackie is captured but the boys run on; a car door opens and a strange voice beckons them inside; the boys climb into the car where they are confronted by the Birdman - a character whom they are sure is a crook! Obviously such blatant getting-into-strangers'-cars requires a stern warning from Wordy - though to be honest he doesn't seem to be too bothered. Two extracts have been cobbled together in this clip - the missing bit in the middle is just a recap of the story so far.
Download WMV file Download WMV file
51 seconds @ 103kbps = 642kb

Download RM file Download RM file (or click here to stream it)
51 seconds @ 80kbps = 526kb


> CLICK HERE for more video clips from Look And Read stories.




Notes

A thriller set in London, with the conservation of wild birds as a main theme. - write-up from BBC Programme Index.

In 1980 they brought back The Boy From Space, and in 1992 Sky Hunter returned from the dead with brand new in-between bits, featuring Jackie, Butch and Trevor all grown up. This is listed as a separate story. Note that this replaces the load of rubbish that laughably passed as "information" in the old version of this site. Thanks to Alex Bennett for setting me on the right track.

Here is a list of all of the broadcasts of this story on the BBC. Unless your teachers managed to get the video recorder to work, this is when you would have seen it in school. See the Air Dates section for precise dates and times.
      Autumn 1978, BBC1
      Autumn 1979, BBC1
      Autumn 1980, BBC1
      Autumn 1982, BBC1
      Summer 2003, CBBC
      Autumn 2003, CBBC
      Summer 2004, CBBC
      Autumn 2004, CBBC
      Spring 2005, CBBC (by accident)
      Spring 2006, CBBC




Links

Ian Trembirth's Look and Read site gives coverage to both versions of the Sky Hunter story.
http://www.trembirth.demon.co.uk/lookread/   (frameset)

> CLICK HERE for more general links about Look And Read and schools TV.


Picture Gallery

©BBC  illustration by Mark Peppé, text by Leonard Kingston ©BBC  illustration by Mark Peppé, text by Leonard Kingston ©BBC  illustration by Mark Peppé, text by Leonard Kingston
'Eggs! Did you say eggs?' A very grim-looking young man was right behind them. He had a pair of binoculars. 'Pots is stop backwards! You put 'stop' in telegrams at the end of every sentence.' Butch wrote the word on the pavement with some chalk. Butch suddenly put his hand over the MA of ALMA. 'Look, Trevor! What does that say?' 'CAN ... AL, canal!' cried Trevor.

©BBC  illustration by Mark Peppé, text by Leonard Kingston ©BBC
> See every Look & Read book cover in the Trivia section
> Get complete books, including this one, from the Downloads section
Suddenly, Mr Trim grabbed Cat Mary's arm. 'Got you!' he screamed. He tried to get the knife, but it went into his arm. Mr Trim cried out. The pupil's pamphlet

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