First broadcast: 1970
Creator: Richard Carpenter
Stars: Geoffrey Bayldon, Peter Butterworth, Robin Davies
The lowdown: Geoffrey Bayldon plays the eccentric yet lovable wizard from Norman times who accidentally transports himself hundreds of years into the future to the 20th century. There he first befriends a ginger-haired boy called Carrot (Robin Davies), who sets him up with a home in an old water tower and tries to educate him on the wonders of the modern world – usually with humorous consequences. Join Catweazle on his voyage of discovery as he learns about “elec-trickery” (electricity) and “the telling bone” (telephone). Can he also pull off his own prize magic trick – learning to fly?
Trivia: Geoffrey Bayldon took on the role of Catweazle after turning down another time-travelling character: he passed on the opportunity to replace William Hartnell as the second Doctor Who. After Catweazle, Bayldon starred in another hit children’s series from 1979-1981 playing The Crowman in Worzel Gummidge.
The Beatles were reportedly big fans of Catweazle, enjoying the show’s gentle, eccentric humour. In an interview, Geoffrey Bayldon says he was sent letters by Paul McCartney.
