Exploring the Story

Where it came from

The first Clanger appeared in Noggin and the Moonmouse (1967), a children’s book based on the Smallfilms production Noggin the Nog. In 1969, the year of the first moon landing, the Moonmouse was given its own series. The family were named the Clangers after the sound made by the dustbin lid covers that protect their crater-like burrows. The first Clangers were knitted by Peter Firmin’s wife, Joan.

Where it went next

A third series was released in 2015, nearly 50 years after its original broadcast and the Clangers were once again hand knitted. The series has won numerous awards, including a BAFTA, and its creators were jointly awarded the J.M. Barrie award “for a lifetime’s achievement in delighting children”.

Associated stories

Other Smallfilms productions include Noggin the Nog (1959), Ivor the Engine (1959), and Bagpuss (1974).