Willo the Wisp

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For ignis fatuus, see Will o' the wisp.

For the professional wrestler, see Jeff Hardy.

Willo the Wisp is the name of a British 1980s cartoon series. Kenneth Williams provided voices for all of the characters. These included:

Willo the Wisp, the narrator. A blue floating ghost-like creature, Willo had a long pointed nose which caricatured that of Williams.
Arthur the caterpillar (as a gruff cockney).
Mavis Cruet, a plump fairy with erratic magical powers.
Evil Edna, a witch in the form of a walking, talking television set who could zap people with her aerial.
Carwash, a snooty bespectacled cat (as Noel Coward).
The Moog, a brainless dog.
Twit, a small bird.
The Beast, who began life as a dim prince before an unfortunate encounter with Edna ended up with his transformation into a hairy shambling creature.

The series was written and directed by Nick Spargo of Nicholas Cartoon Films.

It was produced by Nicholas Cartoon Films in association with the BBC and Tellytales Enterprises.

The stories were set in Doyley Woods, a small beech wood in Oxfordshire near the director's home.

Each of the 26 episodes lasted 5 minutes and was broadcast at 5.35 in the evening on BBC1.

Willo the Wisp originated in an educational animation created by Nick Spargo for British Gas in 1975.

A 2nd Series has now been produced by Bobby Spargo, and voiced by James Dreyfus. Although it maintains the style of the original, alterations include:

Willo is no longer drawn as a caricature of Williams.
Mavis is slimmer (although still to heavy to fly).
Evil Edna is now a widescreen television, with a wheeled stand instead of the original's metal legs.