1968, Television: “De Fabeltjeskrant” (“The Daily Fable”)

29 September 1968, the Dutch children’s television series “De Fabeltjeskrant” is broadcast for the first time on the Dutch channel NOS. The series, created by Leen Valkenier and produced by Thijs Chanowski, featured a combination of puppetry and stop motion. The first episodes were based upon the fables of Jean de La Fontaine. The main character, the owl "Meneer de Uil", introduces each episode reading a fable. The original series was broadcast on the Dutch channel NOS and the Belgian channel BRT (VRT). After 1041 episodes the series ended on 31 Augustus 1974.

Jacob the Owl

Ed and Willem Beaver

The original characters were Jacob de Uil (the wise Owl), Lowieke de Vos (the cunning Fox), Meneer de Raaf (Mr. Raven) and Juffrouw Ooievaar (Miss Stork). Leen Valkenier added the brothers Ed and Willem Bever (Beaver), Zoef de Haas (Hare), Bor the Wolf, Meindert the Horse and the Hamster sisters. At the start of the series all characters were voiced by Frans van Dusschoten, Ger Smit en Elsje Scherjon.

Miss Stork, Zoef the Hare, Lowieke the Fox and Bor the Wolf

Zoef the Hare, Miss Stork, Jacob the Owl and Gerrit the Carrier Pigeon

The show was adapted in the following countries

• France: “Le petit écho de la Forêt” on Antenne 2 (1982)
• Hungary: “Fabulácskahírek”
• Israel: “Sipurimpo”
• Italy: “Il bosco dei perché” on RaiUno (1980)
• Norway: “Fablenes bok” on NRK TV (1976)
• Sweden: “Fablernas värld”
• United Kingdom: “The Daily Fable” on ITV (1973-1975)
• Peru / Mexico: “Las Crónicas de Fabulandia”
• Japan: “Fachishu shinbun”

Thijs Chanowski, Jacob the Owl and Leen Valkenier
receiving the Golden TeleVizier-Ring in 1969

Awards

• Golden TeleVizier-Ring, Netherlands (1969)

Dutch, original version: "De Fabeltjeskrant"


English version: "The Daily Fable"


French version: "Le petit écho de la Forêt"


Italian version: "Il bosco dei perché"


Swedish version: "Fablernas värld"