There's not really lots to say about this cartoon, it was very short in terms of both episode length (5 mins) and number of cartoons (13 in total) and it was very, very random! I've included it though as it is a cartoon that I clearly remember from my youth, and it really stood out from the bunch!
Each episode was named after one of Stoppit and Tidyup's friends, and the episode would then typically focus on Stoppit and Tidyup and the named individual. The cartoon was set in the land of Do-As-Your-Told and each of the characters was named after a typical parental phrase such as 'Clean Your Teeth!' or even 'Wash Your Face!'. You would therefore think that each episode would focus on for example how important it was to clean your teeth, or why it was good to tidy-up rubbish etc. however they didn't! They quite often didn't really have a moral, or a lesson or even an outcome. Terry Wogan (who narrated) would just tell a story of a day in their lives.
The cartoon is realy brightly coloured, very imaginative and still completely enjoyable to watch, if you've not seen it before I recommend you do now!
Stoppit
Stoppit is like a ready fuzzy ball, and he has a high pitched squeak/grunt for a voice. Stoppit is the more immature, energetic and argumentative of the duo and is best friends with Tidyup.
The cartoon was actually made by the same duo (Charles Mills and Terry Brain) that created TrapDoor
Tidyup
The cartoon was partly funded by the Tidy Britain Group, hence why one of the two main characters is called Tidyup! Tidyup is much slower and more placid than Stoppit, he has a yeti like groan for a voice! There is something strange going on with gherkins in this cartoon, Tidyup lives in a gherkin house, with gherkins growing in the garden and gherkins feature in most episodes?!?
Stoppit & Tidyup: Facts
Aired: Sept - Dec 1987
Episodes: 13
Length: 5mins
Narrator: Terry Wogan
Writers/Directors: Charles Mills, Terry Brain, Steve Box
Producer: John Howson
Copyright: CMTB Animation; Queensgate Productions
Stoppit & Tidyup: Resources
Stoppit and Tidyup: Episode Guide
Bee Quiet and Bee Have - Tidyup accidentally loses the roof of his house.
Eat Your Greens - Eat Your Greens loves eating flowers and gherkins!
Comb Your Hair- Stoppit and Tidyup head for their favourite picnic spot - and what better way to get there than riding on Comb Your Hair.
Wash Your Face- It's a rainy old day in the land of Do As You're Told, and Stoppit and Tidyup have forgotten who comes out after it rains...
Go And Play- Go And Play decides to do something exciting, and rounds up everybody in the land for a great game of football...
I Said No- It's the Day of the Great Gherkin Feast and everybody is out collecting gherkins.
Hurry Up- When Tidyup catches Naughtypox, Stoppit and Hurry Up have to race to the valley of the Sit Downs to find a cure.
Calm Down- It's a windy day in the land of Do As You're Told and Calm Down is being blown about all over the place, until Tidyup has one of his famous bright ideas...!
Don't Do That - There's something nasty in Tidyup's garden, and it's making rude noises! It's Don't Do That! Whenever Don't Do That is around, that means trouble.
Go To Bed- Go To Bed just can't stay awake. But today he can't find anywhere to sleep without being disturbed - or can he?
Say Please And Say Thank You- Tidyup meets Say Please And Say Thank You at the bottom of a hole.
Clean Your Teeth- Tidyup likes Clean Your Teeth because he can do clever things - but Stoppit thinks he's just a big show off!
Take Care- It's Birthday Day in the land of Do As You're Told, and Take Care has the job of delivering the presents - but unfortunately he mixes them all up!
