Joy Batchelor

BBC Four’s new documentary takes us on a journey through more than a century of animation. It examines the creative and technical inventiveness of some of the great animation pioneers who have worked in Britain – trailblazing talents such as Len Lye, John Halas and Joy Batchelor, Joanna Quinn, and Bristol’s world-conquering Aardman Animations.

Open details →

An introduction to the life and work of Joy Batchelor on the hundredth anniversary of her birth. Joy was a director, animator, producer and designer and one half of the Halas & Batchelor Cartoons Studio, which made the UKs first animated feature film, Animal Farm, in 1954. Although a crucial figure in British animation, she has for years been unfairly passed over for recognition. This short film made in her honour seeks to redress that balance and to introduce Joy's work to a wider audience. The film was produced by her daughter, Vivien Halas.

Open details →

The Baronet of Ruddigore, Sir Despard Murgatroyd, has inherited a family curse which forces him to commit a crime every day — or die in agony. He hates the curse, doing his heinous misdeeds as early as possible and good works for the rest of the day to compensate!

Open details →

DoDo, The Kid from Outer Space was an animated cartoon series that was syndicated to television from 1965-1970. DoDo was a young extraterrestrial from the planet Hena Hydro, who came to Earth in his flying saucer and had numerous adventures. Other cast members included Professor Fingers, an eccentric scientist who somewhat resembled the later Professor Utonium; Compy, DoDo's computer/duck hybrid pet; and Why and How, two Earth children. The characters speak in rhymes, either independently or playing off each other. "DoDo" was created by Lady Stearn Robinson and produced by British animators Halas and Batchelor. A total of 78 five-minute episodes were filmed.

Open details →

Puck is introduced to the twentieth century and is as amused by the contemporary obsession with television as he was by the lovers' antics.

Open details →

An animated, dark satire of America's automobile-obsessed, consumerist culture. An anonymous, brilliant scientist toils tirelessly in his ivory tower satisfying the public's ever-increasing demands for novelty and status consciousness, with predictable environmental consequences.

Open details →

The story of three children who find themselves with a friendly monster that grows at an alarming rate.

Open details →

Hamilton the elephant loves playing music with his trunk. When he is fired from the circus he does odd jobs till he gets his big break.

Open details →

T'was the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

Open details →

An animated film about the history and use of hot water.

Open details →

Animals on a farm lead a revolution against the farmers to put their destiny in their own hands. However this revolution eats their own children and they cannot avoid corruption.

Open details →

A BAFTA award nominated animation looking at the development of oil prospecting techniques since the 19th century.

Open details →

A BAFTA award nominated animation tracing the development of the motor car from the original horseless carriage common in the late 19th century to the 1950s streamlined, massed produced, designs.

Open details →

A feature length instructional video for the Admiralty on coastal navigation and pilotage.

Open details →

A poem of unrequited love: the studio's first puppet production. Based on a poem by Cosbie Garstin, the film tells the story of a carved wooden saint who is painted to look like a soldier and used as a figurehead on a sailing ship. The ship sinks and the figurehead is saved by a beautiful mermaid who falls in love with him. Her love is not returned because despite his dashing looks he has the wooden heart of a saint.

Open details →

Cartoon of chicken's adventures while being chased by woodland animal.

Open details →

This cartoon propaganda short by Halas & Batchelor sweetens the pill of post-war coal prices by promising jam tomorrow.

Open details →

A soon-to-be born baby learns about the kinds of schools he will attending in the years following his birth.

Open details →

Cartoon on the fly nuisance, showing the dangers of food contamination and how the dangers can be minimised by food-protection and cleanliness that was produced in the UK for the Ministry of Health.

Open details →

A powerfully graphic piece of animation that best expresses John Halas' own feelings about mans universal quest for freedom.

Open details →

No man is an island, but Charley represents his nation in this economical cartoon tale of Britain’s economics.

Open details →

Meet Charley, your jovial cartoon guide to Britain’s changing towns and cities.

Open details →

Joy Batchelor directed, produced, wrote and designed this short film for Brook Bond Tea: two girls compete for the affections of a Teddy Bear.

Open details →

Modern advice and old-fashioned values combine in this postwar animated health guide from the makers of Animal Farm.

Open details →

A short animated War Office commissioned health education film, showing the fate of each of the 6 jungle soldiers.

Open details →

Instructional cartoon for the Admiralty.

Open details →

Open details →

The film is designed to encourage recycling - which was a key part of the war effort.

Open details →