AllMovie

Boasting one of the simplest and most basic premises in the history of British television, Jackanory was also one of that country's longest-lasting children's series. Essentially, this was "reader's theater," with virtually every British actor of importance reading famous children's stories, their words backed up by non-animated illustrations (usually by Quentin Blake). The most popular segments included "Littlenose," the ongoing saga of a Stone Age youngster and his pet mammoth Tow Eyes, and "Johnny Briggs," which was eventually spun off into its own series. Although there were no "regular" readers, Kenneth Williams and Bernard Cribbins were heard with more regularity than most of the guest stars. Jackanory ran from 1965 to 1995, yielding an astronomical 3,500 15-minute episodes and a companion series, Jackanory Playhouse.