Children's TV show about a haunted old mansion where only the butler can see the ghosts. Characters included Count Homogenized
Ghosts for the children in new series
Press, 3 April 1979, Page 15
A glowing shape that tells awful puns, a voice in the cupboard, a piano that plays by itself and furniture that frequently moves around the room — these are just some of the strange things that happen on “A Haunting We Will Go,” a new children’s series which begins screening in the late afternoon today on SPTV.
Major Toom, played by Kevin J. Wilson, does not seem to notice the ghosts that inhabit his house, and it is left to Ernest the butler (Endel Lust) to deal with their antics. Ernest’s life is not made any easier by Count Homogenised (Russell Smith) — the milkman who resembles Dracula dressed in white — whose insatiable desire is milk. He drinks it all the time anywhere he can and he’ll even steal the milk out of a milk shake — leaving only the “shake.” The other “guests” who regularly visit the house are painters and paperhangers who have a life time (ghost time) contract. They use ghost paint which means when they vanish, as all good ghosts must, then all the redecorating vanishes too. This, of course means there’s always plenty of Work for them to do. The ghost decorators are played by the Aurelian Singers who handily provide their own music while they work. The programme idea and characters were created by the producer of the series Kim Gabara and the scripts were written by David McPhail.
1) 3/4/1979
If only he could find his lost bow tie, Major Toom would be off to a party. His search provides a conducted tour of the house and lets us in on the secrets of Uncle Percy's strange desires
Major Toom.....Kevin J. Wilson
Ernest... Ednel Lust
Count Homogenised … Russell Smith
Ghost Dancers... Aurellen Singers
Aunt Sophie... Lynda Spiers
2) 10/4/1979
In the midst of some chaotic spring cleaning, Ernest discovers to his horror the darker side of one of the Major's ancestors and his quest for warmth.
3)17/4/1979
How can a burst water pipe help the Major get rid of ghosts? And how can a ghost fix a leak? And on top of all that, has anyone seen Ernest?
Major Toom ... Kevin J. Wilson
Ernest... Endel Lust
Count Homogenised... Russell Smith
Ghost Decorators.... Aurelian Singers
Sir Theodore Spookły... Jeremy Astley
4) 24/4/1979
The garage is no place to fix a car and besides, the motorway is coming. With these thoughts in mind the Major lets you in on the discovery of the exploding tea-kettle
Council Man.. ...Paddy Ryan
5) 1/5/1979
Great Grand Uncle Monty has his birds and Major Toom has his Aunt Florence. Can she help with the economy drive as well as the Count helps with the tea?
Aunt Florence... Daphne Milburn
6) 8/5/1979
It's holiday time. Unfortunately when the Major's away the ghosts will play and that's only the beginning!
Guest Ghost... Jon Gadaby
7) 15/5/1979
Surely a family like the Major's can come with miracle cure that will get him back on his feet. Well at least the Count's around to help.
8) 22/5/1979
There's no heat, the chimney's blocked and besides, what has all this to do with a box of milk chocolate?
9) 29/5/1979
Hup-hup-hup-hup- physical fitness and self defence that's the answer. The ghosts think it's a great joke but the burglar's thinking of retiring!
10) 5/6/1979
Everything must be perfect the Major is hearing wed- ding bells. (Or is it just you- know-who?)
Mrs Fitz-Twittering... Ann Simpson
11) 12/6/1979
Poor old Ernest is not well. What he needs is peace and quiet. What he doesn't need is the Major's old army buddy and the Major's old remedies!
Monty Jodphur... Peter Rowley
12) 19/6/1979
The House of Toom is about to gain fame if everyone can last that long!
Cyril Squeers.... Tony Warren
Muriel Flash...Jenny Blumsky
13): 26/61979
The Major takes up painting but he doesn't want Ernest dabbling too. Ernest says he isn't but who is? Even the ghosts don't seem to know. (Final)
Season 2
1) Cellar Ghost (19/8/1980)
Things go "bump" in the cellar. Could it simply be because the furnace isn't working... or could anything be that simple in a haunted house?
Major Toom Kevin J. Wilson
Ernest Endel Lust
Count Homogenized Russell Smith
Painters Aurelian Singers
Esme Gwynneth Hughes
Writers DAVID MCPHAIL JON GADSBY
Director HUNTLY ELLIOTT
Producer KIM GABARA
2) The Bomb (26/8/1980)
Why is the Major sand-bagging the house? Could it be a flood? Or has Ernest finally gone round the twist?
Major Toom Kevin J. Wilson
Ernest Endel Lust
Count Homogenized Russell Smith
Painters Aurelian Singers
Esme Gwynneth Hughes
Sergeant Tony Wahren
Writers DAVID MCPHAIL JON GADSBY
Producer KIM GABARA
Director HUNTLY ELIOTT
3) Miss Marigold (2/9/1980)
Everybody loves Count Homogenized (so he says), but when romance rears its ghostly head, love and attention are the last things he wants.
Major Toom Kevin J. Wilson
Ernest (the butler) Endel Lust
Count Homogenized Russell Smith
Painters Aurelian Singers
Esme Gwynneth Hughes
Writers DAVID MCPHAIL JON GADSBY
Producer KIM GABARA
Director HUNTLY ELIOTT
TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND
4) Booby Traps (9/9/1980)
Security is the aim this week, and trip-wires are the answer ...oops...ouch crash
5) Memoirs (16/9/1980)
Major Toom writes his memoirs -at least he tries to.
Major Toom Kevin J. Wilson
Ernest (the butler) Endell Lust
Count Homogenized Russell Smith
Painters Aurelian Singers
Esme Gwynneth Hughes
Miss Perkins Maureen Cowperthwaite
Producer KIM GABARA
Writers DAVID MCPHAIL JON GADSBY
Director HUNTLY ELIOTT
6) Milk Squad (23/9/1980)
The milk is missing, the law is called in and the Count is helping with the investigation. More to the point, the Count is hindering the investigation.
Major Toom Kevin J Wilson
Ernest (the butler) Endel Lust
Count Homogenized Russell Smith
Painters Aurelian Singers
Eame Gwynneth Hughes
Writers DAVID MCPHAIL JON GADSBY
Producer KIM GABARA
Director HUNTLY ELIOTT
7) New Cook: (30/9/1980)
Tinned gravy with the tin still in the gravy! It's time for a culinary revolution, and it promises to be revolting.
Major Toom Kevin J. Wilson
Ernest (the butler) Endel Lust
Count Homogenized Russell Smith
Painters Aurelian Singers
Esme Guymnath Hughes
Alphonse William Kircher
Writers DAVID MCPHAIL JON GADSBY
Producer KIM GABARA
Director HUNTLY ELIOTT
8) Monty's Return (7/10/1980)
An old friend returns to visit the Major. He leaves, vowing to return just once more for revenge.
Major Toom Kevin J. Wilson
Ernest (the butler) Endel Lust
Count Homogenized Russell Smith
Painters Aurelian Singers
Esme Gwynneth Hughes
Monty Jodphur Peter Rowley
9) Hole in the Wall (14/10/1980)
The Major's into "do-it-yourself and he does more is the pity. most certainly
Major Toom Kevin J. Wilson
Earnest (the Butler) Endel Lust
Count Homogenized Russell Smith
Painters Aurelian Singers
Esme Gwynneth Hughes
10) Power Cut (21/10/1980)
As if things weren't spooky enough in the house of Toom, there is a black-out.
Major Toom Kevin J. Wilson
Ernest (the butter) Endel Lust
Count Homogenized Russell Smith
Painters Aurelian Singers
Esme Gwynneth Hughes
11) The Escapologist (28/10/1980)
Some people will do anything to escape going to a church fair. The Major, on the other hand, will do anything to escape for one.
Major Toom Kevin J. Wilson
Ernest (the butler) Endel Lust
Count Homogenized Russell Smith
Painters Aurelian Singers
Esme Gwynneth Hughes
Vicar Jeremy Astley
12) Monty's Revenge (4/11/1980)
Revenge is sweet but when tried on the Major and his weird associates it turns sour!
Major Toom Kevin J. Wilson
Ernest (the Butler) Endel Lust
Count Homogenized Russell Smith
Painters Aurelian Singers
Esme Gwynneth Hughes
Monty Jodphur Peter Rowley
Colonel Charles Hambling
13) The Pipes (11/11/1980)
Did Duncan McToom really invent the bagpipes? Will the pipes return to haunt his ancestors? All this and some sweet songs too.
Major Toom Kevin J. Wilson
Ernest (the butler) Endel Lust
Count Homogenized Russell Smith
Painters Aurelian Singers
Esme Gwynneth Hughes
Lost Painter Peter Williams
Season 3
Kevin J. Wilson returns as Major Toom in the third series. The Major is an elderly eccentric with a memory that plays all sorts of tricks, and he owns the haunted Toom Hall except that he doesn't know it's haunted.
There are a couple of changes in the new series. Count Homogenised has been written out because actor Russell Smith is in England, but he may reappear at the end of the year in a spin-off series provisionally entitled Dead End Dairy. A new character is Sylvia All-Thumbs Fumble, also known as Duchess Fumble, who carries a haunted castle in her suitcase.
Cast
Major Toom Kevin J. Wilson
Ernest (the butler) Endel Lust
Duchess Fumble Wickham Pack
Ghost Decorators Aurelian Singers
Voices TONY WAHREN
Writer MICHAEL WILSON
Producer/director KIM GABARA
1) Sylvia Who? (21/4/1982)
Who is Sylvia All-Thumbs Fumble and why is she carrying a suit-case? The Major doesn't know and besides he's writing his memoirs.
2) Robbie McSpook (28/4/1982)
The Duchess has a suitcase that creaks, and Ernest and the Major take to wearing sheets... very strange.
3) Mad Strangler (5/5/1982)
Never talk to strangers. The Duchess did and the Major ended up inside the clock.
4) Civil Defence (12/5/82)
With the Duchess around, every day is a disaster. What better excuse for a civil defence drill.
5) Toom Portrait: (19/5/1982)
The Major gets painted and evicted but not necessarily in that order.
6) Duck Hunting (26/5/1982)
Quack, quack, boom, boom... look out, the Major is still trying to get his bedroom back.
7) Toom Hall Tea Shoppe (2/6/1982)
Tea for two may be all right but tea for tourists?
8) Battle of El Allabad: (9/6/1982)
Toom Hall is under siege and Robbie McSpook starts to play jokes. Fortunately the Major has a plan and that's not the end of the trouble.
9) Rent-A-Butler (16/6/1982)
Ernest can only take so much Now how much can the Major take?
10) A Haunting We Will Go (23/6/1982)
Jungle Fever: There's nothing like a few plants around the house... unless you've got... "Achooo" … hay fever. (Final)
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