Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings


Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings is a British children's animated series about the adventures of a young boy named Simon, who has a magic blackboard. Things that Simon draws on the chalkboard become real in the Land of Chalk Drawings, which Simon can enter by climbing over a fence near his home with a ladder. The stories often revolve around the unintended effects that Simon's drawings have on the Land of Chalk Drawings, such as when an upset Simon draws a picture of his angry self, which goes on a rampage.
The programme is based upon a series of four children's books by Edward McLachlan. It was produced in the mid 1970s by FilmFair Productions in London for Thames Television, and was originally a five-minute programme, broadcast around tea time in Britain. It also became familiar to American audiences in the mid-1970s when it was featured on Captain Kangaroo, later on Pinwheel, and after that, on Romper Room. In Canada, it aired on TVOntario. The performer of the theme song is unknown, as his/her name is not credited in the credits.
In 2002, the series was remade in Canada with Ernie Coombs as the narrator.

Original episodes

Series overview

Season 1

Season 2

2002 Revival

A new series premiered in 2002 on Teletoon in Canada, with a new theme song, an updated and more casual outfit for Simon, a different colour scheme and narrated by Ernie Coombs. It was produced by Cinar Animation and directed by Francois Perreault. Simon's friend Henry is replaced with a girl named Lily. In this new version, Simon wears a striped t-shirt, shorts, and sneakers.

Parody

The series was later parodied on NBC's Saturday Night Live by Mike Myers. The sketches open with the same musical theme and lyrics, but take place in Simon's bathtub, where he shows and discusses his "drawerings" to viewers.