The Family-Ness
The Family-Ness is a British cartoon series produced in 1983. It was first broadcast on BBC One from 5 October 1984 to 5 April 1985, with repeats airing on CBeebies on BBC Two for a very short time in early 2002. It was created by Peter Maddocks of Maddocks Cartoon Productions. Maddocks later went on to produce Penny Crayon and Jimbo and the Jet Set in a similar style. Family-Ness was about the adventures of a family of Loch Ness Monsters and the MacTout family, particularly siblings Elspeth and Angus. The 'Nessies' could be called from the loch by the two children by means of their "thistle whistles". The series was followed with a large collection of merchandising including annuals, story books, character models and even a record. The single "You'll Never Find a Nessie in the Zoo" was written by Roger and Gavin Greenaway, but never made it into the Top 40.
Humans
;Mr. MacTout: Apparently the single parent to Angus and Elspeth. A stereotypical Scotsman, he has ginger hair with a bushy beard, and he plays the bagpipes. He is the keeper of the loch, but never sees a Loch Ness Monster, and when anyone mentions seeing one, he says it is "stuff and nonsense". He also happily thinks it's the wind whenever he hears a thistle and even in one episode tells another that he hears this sound once in awhile.;Angus MacTout: Seemingly older than his sister, Angus is adventurous, clever and quick and is usually successful in getting his father or one or several of the Nessies out of trouble when he needs to, though he sometimes underestimates the initiative of his sister, who often helps him.
;Elspeth MacTout: A friendly young girl who assists her brother in most of his adventures.
;Sergeant MacFuzz: The person most frequently approached when a Loch Ness Monster is seen. However, he seldom believes it - in the first episode because it was April Fool's Day, on another occasion because a monster was reported to be water skiing and other occasions simply because he arrives too late to see anything himself. He has a bully-like son, Willie MacFuzz, who also once saw a Loch Ness Monster, but he didn't believe him either.
;Mrs McToffee: The keeper of the local sweet shop who is nevertheless careful not to sell too many sweets to young buyers in case they ruin their teeth.
;Mayor and Mayoress: Possibly the least intelligent of all the characters here, human or non-human. Obsessed with their own importance and their love for one another, they are oblivious to the Nessies, even when one of them is actually in front of them, standing in for a Loch Ness Monster's lookalike competition. A piece of ignorance by the scriptwriters since there are no Mayors in Scotland.
;Professor Dumkopf: A slightly mad scientist and hot air balloon pilot with a German-sounding accent who is set on proving the Loch Ness Monster's existence. He often does see one, but is always thwarted in proving it to anyone else either by the MacTout children or by the Nessies themselves. He has tried every bizarre method imaginable to succeed in his aim from lowering a telescopic camera into the loch to catch the monster on film to pumping sherbet into the loch to try to bring out a monster in a bubble. The name Dumkopf means "stupid head" in German.The name was later used in an episode of Inspector Gadget for an unrelated character who was also, coincidentally, a mad scientist.
Nessies
Most of the Nessies are named after their main trait, like the Mr. Men, the Smurfs and the dwarfs from Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. With one exception, the Nessies bear little likeness to the stereotypical plesiosaurus/serpent appearance; most of them appear as very fat, yellow dinosaurs with bulbous noses.;Ferocious Ness: The first Loch Ness Monster to interact with the MacTout children, and subsequently the most frequent to appear in the series. A large, khaki crocodile/dragon-like creature who likes frightening tourists and passers-by, he is otherwise generally friendly. He is able to change colour to blend in with his background when on land and can, when this happens, get stuck in whatever colour he chooses, but can be made to change back if confronted with something more frightening than himself, creepy-crawlies being his greatest fear. He once - courtesy of the Mayor and Mayoress - came third in a Loch Ness Monster look-alike competition, much to his annoyance.
;Her High Ness: The Queen of the Nessies, she originally made the rule that humans must not have dealings with Loch Ness Monsters, but when she saw how polite and helpful the children were, she made them the exception to the rule, and presented them with secret thistle whistles, to call them when necessary. She was seen to breathe fire in just one episode, which she learned to do from "a cousin in China", and on another occasion she stowed away in a ship to visit that cousin. She bears little physical similarities with the other Nessies, having the appearance of a stereotypical Loch Ness monster.
;Baby Ness: The youngest Nessie with a dummy and nappy. He has a surprisingly "sweet tooth" for one who has not yet started teething, as demonstrated once when Forgetful Ness lost him, resulting in his crawling into the back door of Mrs McToffee's sweet shop to steal sweeties, and on another occasion when he had the measles and Angus and Elspeth bought him a whole jar of sticky sweets to cheer him up.
;Careful Ness: An excessively cautious Nessie.
;Clever Ness: The most intelligent of the Nessies, who sports a fine pair of spectacles. Slightly old and doddering, but if called upon to assist the MacTout children in any way is usually successful in doing so.
;Eager Ness: A slightly hyperactive Nessie who can get carried away, but is useful if the children want something done swiftly.
;Forgetful Ness: A tie-wearing Nessie who, when he does call the children, sometimes even forgets that it was he who called. Having lost and then retrieved Baby Ness with the help of Angus and Elspeth, he remembered to express his gratitude but forgot what the baby's name was.
;Eyewit Ness: Monster with a patch over one eye, who looks like a pirate. He has a tendency to place his telescope over the wrong eye.
;Grumpy Ness: An old grumbling Nessie who is the least grateful to hear and react to Angus and Elspeth's thistle-whistles, and perhaps for that reason is one of the least often seen.
;Sad Ness: Extremely depressed monster; plays board games against himself.
;Heavy Ness: Strong monster, who wears circus "strong man" outfits. Teams up with Mighty Ness to pull Silly Ness free when he gets stuck.
;Lovely Ness: The only female Nessie apart from her High Ness. She has long, blonde hair. A friendly Nessie, but often too dainty to help physically in a great deal of the adventures, and is therefore not often seen, though she does appear during the title credits.
;Mighty Ness: Another strong monster dressed in Circus Strongman clothes. Often seen with Heavy Ness. They may be identical twin brothers.
;Naughty Ness: A trouble causing monster.
;Lil Ness: Bright orange Nessie, very loud and obnoxious. Is often ridiculed by other Nessies for his inappropriate comments.
;Silly Ness: Dim monster that's always getting into trouble. Often gets stuck in small holes and caves and was the first Nessie the children saw- albeit with his backside up in the air.
;Speedy Ness: After Eager Ness, generally the quickest to action, he is distinguished by his red crash helmet.
;Sporty Ness: Appears in the opening credits, but seldom reacts to the MacTout children's thistle-whistles. When he does appear he tends to show off. He is shown wearing a red and white striped T-shirt.
;Hungry Ness: A Nessie who will eat anything, even diving bells!
Credits
; Written and Created by : Peter Maddocks; Voices by : Peter Hawkins, Susan Sheridan
; Music by : Roger and Gavin Greenaway
; Theme Tune Performed By : Roger Greenaway
; Animation by : The Animation People
; Head of Backgrounds : Kevin Smith
; Layout : Ted Pettengel and David Elvin
; Production by : Peter Maddocks, Nick Roberts, Gus Angus
; Series Director : Jack Stokes
; Dubbing by : MagMasters
Episode listing
Video and DVD releases
In the middle of 1985 after the final episode of The Family Ness was broadcast. BBC Video released one video with 14 episodes of the entire show.| VHS video title | Year of release | Episodes |
| The Family Ness: Monster Tales from Loch Ness | 7 October 1985 | Elspeth and Angus Meet the Loch Ness Monster, Professor Dumkopf and his Underwater Telescope, Clumsy-Ness upsets Captain Standfast, Silly-Ness and the Bubble Machine, Professor Dumkopf and his Amazing Cannonball, Ferocious-Ness changes colour, Captain Standfast and the Stowaway, Baby-Ness gets the Measles, Ferocious-Ness and the Sound Machine, Hungry-Ness and the Diving Bell, Thirsty-Ness and the Part-Time Witch, Professor Dumkopf makes a Monster Film, The Maze of Urquhart Castle, You'll never find a Nessie in the Zoo. |
In the mid-1990s Hallmark and Carlton Home Entertainment released one video with the first 9 episodes of 1984.
| VHS video title | Year of release | Episodes |
| The Family Ness: As Seen On TV | 1994 | Elspeth and Angus Meet the Loch Ness Monster, Professor Dumpkopf's Underwater Telescope, Elspeth and Angus Buy a Puppy, Ferocious-Ness Changes His Colour, Ferocious-Ness and the Look-a-Like Contest, Clever-Ness Helps with the Homework, Speedy-Ness Saves the Day, Ferocious-Ness Loses His Roar and Baby-Ness Gets the Measles |
In 2002 Right Entertainment released two videos with eight episodes on each one and then in Summer 2004 they were both re-released on 2 DVD releases.
| VHS/DVD video title | Year of release/Catalogue Number | Year of release/Catalogue Number | Episodes |
| The Family Ness: Elspeth and Angus Meet the Loch Ness Monster and other stories | 23 September 2002 | 2004 | Elspeth and Angus Meet the Loch Ness Monster, Elspeth and Angus Buy a Puppy, Speedy-Ness Saves the Day, Professor Dumpkopf's Underwater Telescope, Ferocious-Ness Loses His Roar, Clumsy-Ness Upsets Captain Standfast, Clever-Ness helps with the Homework, Silly-Ness and the Bubble Machine |
| The Family Ness: The Look-A-Like Contest and other stories | 16 June 2003 | 2004 | The Look-A-Like Contest, Professor Dumkopf and his Amazing Cannonball, Baby-Ness and the Mayor's Statue, Ferocious-Ness Changes Colour, Captain and the Stowaway, Baby-Ness Gets the Measles, Ferocious-Ness and the Sound Machine, Clever-Ness and the Curling Championship |