Pippi Longstocking (1969 TV series)

Pippi Longstocking (Swedish: Pippi Långstrump) is a Swedish/West German TV series based on Astrid Lindgren's Pippi Longstocking children's books. The show ran for thirteen episodes, the first episode being broadcast 8 February 1969 on Sveriges Television.

Pippi Longstocking
TV Series (1969) DVD cover
Written byAstrid Lindgren
Olle Hellbom
Directed byOlle Hellbom
StarringInger Nilsson
Maria Persson
Pär Sundberg
Theme music composerJan Johansson
Opening themeHere Comes Pippi Longstocking
ComposerGeorg Riedel

Konrad Elfers (German cut)

Chrisitan Bruhn (German cut)
Country of originSweden
West Germany
Original languageSwedish
No. of episodes13 (21 in the German cut)
Production
ProducerOlle Nordemar
CinematographyKalle Bergholm
EditorJan Persson
Running time27 minutes
Production companiesNord Art AB

Sveriges Radio AB
Svensk Filmindustri
Beta Film
Hessischer Rundfunk
Iduna Film Produktiongesellschaft

ORF
Original release
NetworkSveriges Television
Release8 February (1969-02-08) –
3 May 1969 (1969-05-03)

The series' theme song, "Here Comes Pippi Longstocking" ("Här Kommer Pippi Långstrump") was composed by Jan Johansson (in one of his last works, before his death a year before the series aired), with lyrics by Astrid Lindgren. The song was sung by series star Inger Nilsson.[1]

English-language film version

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In 1969, the Swedish series was re-edited into two German-dubbed feature films by Beta Film, which was one of the German co-producers of the TV series (and was the distributor in all territories outside of Sweden). When released in English-dubbed form in the United States by G.G. Communications, they became weekend television staples in several cities in America throughout the 1970s and 1980s.[citation needed] Additionally, the two original feature film sequels from 1970, which featured the same cast and crew, were also dubbed in English for USA distribution.

The re-edited TV-series feature films are:

  • Pippi Longstocking (German title: Pippi Langstrumpf) (1969) (USA release 1973)
  • Pippi Goes on Board (German title: Pippi geht von Bord, Swedish title: Här kommer Pippi Långstrump) (1969) (USA release 1975)

The feature film sequels are:

The first six uncut episodes of the original series, newly dubbed in English using British actors, and remastered from new film prints, became available on DVD in 2002 by Hen's Tooth Video and Junior.TV GmbH & Co. KG.

Location

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The Swedish town where the show is set is Visby[2] in Gotland, the largest island in the Baltic Sea and the location of the fictional Villa Villekulla.

Episodes

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  1. "Pippi flyttar in i Villa Villekulla" (Pippi Moves into Villa Villekulla) (Aired: 8 February 1969)
  2. "Pippi är sakletare och går på kalas" (Pippi is a Thing-Finder and Goes to a Party")[3] (Aired: 15 February 1969)
  3. "Pippi går i affärer" ("Pippi Goes Shopping") (Aired: 22 February 1969)
  4. "Pippi ordnar en utflykt" ("Pippi Arranges a Trip") (Aired: 1 March 1969)
  5. "Pippi får besök av tjuvar" ("Pippi is Visited by Thieves") (Aired: 8 March 1969)
  6. "Pippi går på tivoli" ("Pippi Goes to the Amusement Park") (Aired: 15 March 1969)
  7. "Pippi i den första snön" ("Pippi and the First Snow") (Aired: 22 March 1969)
  8. "Pippis jul" ("Pippi's Christmas") (Aired: 29 March 1969)
  9. "Pippi hittar en spunk" ("Pippi Finds a 'Spunk'") (Aired: 5 April 1969)
  10. "Pippis ballongfärd" ("Pippi's Balloon Ride") (Aired: 12 April 1969)
  11. "Pippi är skeppsbruten" ("Pippi is Shipwrecked") (Aired: 19 April 1969)
  12. "Pippi håller avskedskalas" ("Pippi Has a Farewell Party") (Aired: 26 April 1969)
  13. "Pippi går ombord" ("Pippi Goes on Board") (Aired: 3 May 1969)

For the German cut of the series aired on Das Erste (which have been distributed in all the countries outside Sweden), 8 additional episodes were added, splitting the two original feature films in four parts each. Lots of outtake footage not seen even in Sweden were also added to patch up the running time.

  1. "Pippi Langstrumpf und die Seeräuber – Teil 1" (Pippi Longstocking and the Pirates – Part 1) (Aired: 6 February 1972)
  2. "Pippi Langstrumpf und die Seeräuber – Teil 2" (Pippi Longstocking and the Pirates – Part 2) (Aired: 13 February 1972)
  3. "Pippi Langstrumpf und die Seeräuber – Teil 3" (Pippi Longstocking and the Pirates – Part 3) (Aired: 20 February 1972)
  4. "Pippi Langstrumpf und die Seeräuber – Teil 4" (Pippi Longstocking and the Pirates – Part 4) (Aired: 27 February 1972)
  5. "Mit Pippi Langstrumpf auf der Walz – Teil 1" (With Pippi Longstocking on the Roll – Part 1) (Aired: 5 March 1972)
  6. "Mit Pippi Langstrumpf auf der Walz – Teil 2" (With Pippi Longstocking on the Roll – Part 2) (Aired: 12 March 1972)
  7. "Mit Pippi Langstrumpf auf der Walz – Teil 3" (With Pippi Longstocking on the Roll – Part 3) (Aired: 19 March 1972)
  8. "Mit Pippi Langstrumpf auf der Walz – Teil 4" (With Pippi Longstocking on the Roll – Part 4) (Aired: 26 March 1972)

Cast

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12-year-old Inger Nilsson as Pippi Longstocking at a 1972 performance in Amsterdam. This is a few years after she starred in the television series.

References

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  1. ^ "Pippi Longstocking".
  2. ^ Filming locations for "Pippi Långstrump"
  3. ^ The Swedish word "sakletare" translates as "finder of things." As this episode was partially adapted from an early chapter of the first "Pippi Longstocking" book, the word was translated in English editions as "thing-finder."
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