Nicholas Nick Spargo (1 results)

Soft cover. Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. The Crystal Ball: A Willo the Wisp Read-Aloud Story Book Author / creator Nicholas (Nick) Spargo; copyright D.N. and P.M. Spargo Illustrator Uncredited on the title page. Artwork follows the original television character designs by Nicholas Spargo, with backgrounds in the style associated with Mary Spargo's work on the BBC series. Publisher Windward (an imprint owned by W.H. Smith & Son Limited). Produced for WHS Distributors by Goodwin Dorman Publishing Limited. Printed in Belgium by Henri Proost & CIE PVBA. Year 1984 ISBN 0711203733 / 0-7112-0373-3 Format Softcover pictorial children's story book. Original cover price 95p. Description Scarce 1984 WH Smith / Windward tie-in picture book based on the BBC children's animation Willo the Wisp. One of a short run of "read-aloud story books" issued for the High Street rather than the usual bookshop trade, and now uncommon as a complete individual title. The series was created, written, designed and directed by British animator Nicholas Spargo (1921-). Spargo first introduced Willo in the 1975 British Gas educational short Super Natural Gas. The 1981 BBC series of 26 five-minute films, all voiced by Kenneth Williams, was produced by Nicholas Cartoon Films and set in Doyley Woods, a beech wood near Spargo's home at Henley-on-Thames. Television credits list Spargo as designer; Mary Spargo painted the backgrounds; animation was by Ron Murdoch, Ted Percival and Mike Pocock. Copyright on this volume is given as D.N. and P.M. Spargo. Later Windward titles and simpler early-reader adaptations were developed from Spargo's characters by editor Georgie Adams for the same WH Smith imprint. The 2005 revival series was written by Bobbie Spargo, Nick's daughter. This story is narrated by Willo. After a run of Evil Edna's spells — Prince Humbert turned into The Beast, Mavis Cruet into a tree, The Moog into a werewolf, Car Wash into a frog — the woodland friends meet Mr Abracadabra, a wizard with "the very latest model" of crystal ball. Rubbing it produces rain, Father Christmas, then a storm when Arthur asks what Edna will be doing that afternoon. Cast includes Arthur the caterpillar, Car Wash the cat, The Moog, Mavis Cruet, Evil Edna, The Beast, The Astrognats and Willo. Other titles listed in the series: Arthur and the Snowmen; Edna and the Falling Stars; The Bad Weather Spell; Edna and the Nasty Spell; The Moog Goes Pop; Mavis Makes a Cake; Arthur's Travels. Condition Very Good Used. Softcover. Cover colours remain bright. Light corner wear and handling consistent with a 1980s children's paperback. Binding sound. Pages complete and clean in the photographs supplied; no writing noted. Original barcode and 95p price panel present on the rear cover. Please treat the photographs as part of the description. A genuine piece of early-1980s BBC merchandising, issued through WH Smith rather than a mass paperback house, and seldom offered as a standalone copy.…