Hattytown Tales

Overview

Hattytown Tales is a 52-episode stop motion children's television series produced by FilmFair for Thames Television. It aired in the United Kingdom between 1969 and 1973. Creator and writer Keith Chatfield narrated the series, and Ivor Wood directed it. Books were published by World Distributors and it was featured in the Playland Comic published by Polystyle Publications and in children's annuals for 10 years. Hattytown Tales was also often featured during the television programme Pinwheel. The residents of Hattytown were anthropomorphic hats. The style of hat each character was indicated its ethnicity, attitude, and role in Hattytown society. Bobby, the constable, resembles the hat of a constable. Buildings in the town are also hat-shaped; each building's form suggests either its primary function or resident. The main character, Sancho, was a Mexican sombrero with legs and eyes. Carrots, his best friend, was a donkey with a carrot dangling in front of his face. In one episode, an angry bird had made its nest in Sancho's car. Every time the Hattytown residents would try to move the bird, it snapped at them. At the end of the episode, the car door opened to reveal a nest of eggs that had recently hatched, explaining the bird's behavior.