Mr Benn is an ordinary fellow, living an ordinary life in an ordinary suburban house, at Number 52, Festive Road. When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. “I went once to enquire about the price of something and there was nobody there and then suddenly there was somebody behind the counter and he did appear as if by magic. Who doesn't love being #1? Mr Benn is a character created by David McKee who appears in several children's books, and an animated television series of the same name transmitted by the BBC in 1971 and 1972. Mr Benn would dutifully don the outfit du jour then leave through a magic door and embark upon an adventure related to his costume. Aside from the bowler-hatted Benn, McKee has gone on to create beloved characters King Rollo and Elmer the patchwork elephant. One day, Mr Benn receives an invitation to a fancy dress party, and so, donning his bowler hat, he sets off to find a costume to wear. The fancy-dress fanatic created by Plymouth College of Art graduate David McKee made his debut in a 1967 book - The Red Knight. Entertainment & Leisure Insurance Services, Entertainment & Leisure Insurance Services Limited, The Equine and Livestock Insurance Company Limited. David said. ... Name (required) Website. The film was to star John Hannah as Mr. Benn and Ben Kingsley as the Shopkeeper. Mr Benn Introduction. If you continue to use our website we will assume you are happy for your web browser to receive our cookies. Nobody knows when it opened, but it’s been there for over 40 years at least! Mr Benn, one of the contenders for the favourite children's television programme of all time. Tony Benn, who died today at the age of 88, was an archetypal British nationalist.He wanted Britain out of the EU, but opposed Scottish independence on the grounds that it would turn his mother into a “foreigner”.. Another racist incident, this time against his wife, inspired ‘Elmer and the Hippos’. Entertainment & Leisure Insurance Services, "As if by magic... the shopkeeper appeared." Children's TV classic Mr Benn is celebrating his 50th birthday this week. Whatever wild and wonderful adventure Mr Benn has been on, there’s always one reassuring constant! In the cartoon, there is a shopkeeper who wears nearly identical clothing and also runs a fancy dress shop. Mr Benn, a man wearing a black suit and bowler hat, leaves his house at 52Festive Road and visits a fancy-dress costume shop where he is invited by themoustachioed, fez-wearing shopkeeper to try on a particular outfit. Bringing Mr Benn into the 21 st century with us has been a wonderful adventure. Answer. I could be wrong about the pinstripe, different people said different things, and again everyone described the location of the magic door a bit differently, so it … The shop was obviously a front for something.”. Entrance is free. Get in touch, read our FAQs or find out more about The Insurance Emporium! John Hannah from Sliding Doors and Four Weddings and a Funeral will play Mr Benn, while Oscar winner Ben Kingsley, best known for his leading role in Gandhi, has signed up to play the shopkeeper. She is darker skinned because her mother was Anglo-Indian, but my daughter is beautiful – as was my wife.". Lifestyle Policy Limited are appointed All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. Mr Benn, whose first name was never revealed, was a smartly-dressed suburban gent who lived at number 52 Festive Road. Be the first to answer! See our cookie policy page for more information on cookies and how to manage them. However, the film was cancelled in 2001, and, as of 2015, the project remains dormant. The fancy dress shop owner may be based on a 1970's British children's cartoon series Mr. Benn. Our. Written for the annual Obscure & British comment ficfest. In the cartoon, there is a shopkeeper who wears nearly identical clothing and also runs a fancy dress shop. ( Log Out / Change ) You are commenting using your Google account. Our website uses cookies to give you the best possible online experience. Entertainment & Leisure Insurance Services Limited and Whatever wild and wonderful adventure Mr Benn has been on, there’s always one reassuring constant! The port where people and Pokémon cross paths with nature. Mr Benn. 202748. He is knowledgeable and careful and never lets prospective adventurers disappear without making sure they are protected from potential harm! The Shopkeeper may be mysterious but he’s completely reliable and always there when you need him, as if by magic! You can unsubscribe at any time. There is nothing he loves better than selecting an outfit and watching someone disappear on an exciting and magical adventure. Wearing a bow tie and fez, and sporting a small moustache, the Shopkeeper comes to be a quietly reassuring presence both before and after Mr Benn’s outings. The Shopkeeper; Summary. Making changes to your account needn’t be a hassle! Language: English Words: 1,488 Chapters: 1/1 Kudos: 1 … Mr Benn, a man wearing a black suit and bowler hat, leaves his house at 52 Festive Road and visits a fancy-dress costume shop where he is invited by the moustachioed, fez-wearing shopkeeper to try on a particular outfit. Mr Benn's adventures take on a similar pattern. The first episode was the Red Knight. Mr Benn's mysterious shopkeeper was inspired by a city antiques dealer, Never miss a big story in Plymouth again with our daily newsletters. 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Mr. Benn picks a costume and then pops into the changing room to try on the costume. A Mr Benn film and an opera are in the works. Whether our bowler hat-wearing hero is keeping a king and queen happy, saving cavemen from dinosaurs or finding a genie in a bottle, the Shopkeeper is always on hand to show Mr Benn the doorway back to the normal world. Children of the 1970s will remember the TV programme Mr Benn. Favourite Adventure: The next one. Height:  5 feet and 9 inches but he tells people he’s just under 6 foot. As if by magic, the shop keeper appeared. Bio: The Shopkeeper is a mysterious gent who runs a small fancy dress shop in the London suburb of Putney. Take a look at the wide range of great products we offer and get protection for the things in life you love! Where to now? This was a successful quest and I merrily hummed the Mr Benn theme tune and jauntily announced the infamous catchphrase of ‘As if by magic, the shopkeeper appeared!’ with the kind of gusto you can no doubt imagine. "There was another family on the other side of the street and the boy said: 'Look, there's a n*****!'" For such a tiny store, the Shopkeeper manages to cram an awful lot of costumes in it and he always knows exactly which one will suit the customer best. representatives of The Equine and Livestock Insurance Company Limited. The fancy dress shop owner's name is a play on "as if by magic", the motto of the shopkeeper in Mr. Benn. If, like us, you enjoy getting the most out of your time by heading on your own adventures, then it might be worth considering insuring the things that you love. Be the first to answer this question. The shop was in fact inspired by a Plymouth business, as McKee revealed in an interview in 2014. A 'Mr Benn Annual' (ISBN 85096-029-0) was published by Polystyle Publications Ltd in 1972. Apparently there’s been a bit of a kerfuffle in the jungle! The Equine and Livestock Insurance Company Limited Making his way from his home at 52 Festive Road, Benn would follow his familiar route to the fancy dress shop where the shopkeeper would appear 'as if by magic', provide him with an outfit and send him off on a magical adventure. It was written by Jan Falconer and illustrated by David McKee. Need any information from us? United Kingdom “But he absolutely wasn’t interested in selling. You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. plymouthherald Load mobile navigation. The Shopkeeper is also a big fan of fashion, watching foreign films at the cinema, The Insurance Emporium and a good, hearty meal. Date of Birth: The Shopkeeper is kind of ageless, who can really tell with that moustache! (Japanese: ヒトと ポケモンが いきかう みなと The port where people and Pokémon cross paths with nature.) Mr Benn and his shopkeeper sidekick (Image: PA Photo/David McKee). But what happens next is not ordinary at all, as Mr Benn, invited to a fancy dress party, goes in search of a suitable costume. Mr Benn is a character created by David McKee who appears in several children's books, and an animated television series of the same name originally transmitted by the BBC in 1971 and 1972.. What’s the delay? In fact, the herd doesn’t accept Elmer until rain washes off the paint and they see his true colours. “I’m very fond of Mr Benn,’ David said, ‘When you create a character, it’s very much like your own children – you have to give them a certain amount of attention and a certain amount of liberty as well.”. Although Mr Benn is never referred to by his first name … In a back street, he finds a fancy dress shop, where "as if by magic, the shopkeeper appeared" and allows him to try on a red suit of armour. Personality: Friendly, quirky, helpful and eccentric. Register to get answer. But instead of saying ‘no’ we should be asking why they are here.”. (registered in England and Wales no. We make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. Prompt: Mr Benn, The shopkeeper, just who is he & what's he up to? Although Mr Benn is never referred to by his first name on screen, David McKee had always thought that ‘William’ would suit well. McKee told The Guardian: “I hated what I saw, people rejecting immigrants. “There was a little road we used to go past every day with a small second-hand shop - very dusty, very dirty," he told the Telegraph. 50 Years of Mr Benn runs from 16 August to 16 September, and in a special book-signing event there will be the opportunity to meet the creator, David McKee, on August 23 2017 at the gallery from 4pm onwards. "The libretto [for the opera] is written and the Welsh … Find out more in our magical infographic below! So who is this mysterious chap in the bright pink fez? What was the shopkeepers name in mr benn? In both the books and the television series, Mr Benn's adventures take on a similar pattern. Mr Benn's mysterious shopkeeper was inspired by a city antiques dealer. The only character who appears several times, apart from Mr Benn and the shopkeeper, is Smasher Lagru.