Pinky & Perky
 Dancing blank-faced pig puppets Pinky and Perky (Perky was the one who wore
the hat) were created and controlled by Czech puppeteers Jan and
Vlasta Dalibor.
The porcine duo with high-pitched voices were long time TV favourites with their amusing
cabaret of marionette struttings to contemporary pop music.
The sound emanating from the snouts of the puppet pigs sounded
uncannily similar to playing a Little Jimmy Osmond record at 78
rpm, yet during the 60s they were amazingly successful.
The early programs originated from the BBC's north of England
studios, and their additional BBC TV series were Pinky and
Perky's Pop Parade (1960), Pinky and Perky's American
Journey (1963), Pinky and Perky's Island (1967) and Pinky
and Perky Times (1968).
Pinky and Perky even conquered the US themselves, making six
appearances on the prestigious Ed Sullivan Show and doing a year
at the gaming capital of the world, Las Vegas.
 Besides Pinky and Perky there was Ambrose Cat, Horace Hare (the
spitting image of comedian, Ken Dodd), Basil Bloodhound, Morton
Frog, Conchita the Cow, Bertie Bonkers the baby elephant and the sultry
Vera Vixen, plus an endless supply of mice.
Notable human guest
stars included Michael Aspel, Stratford Johns (in Z Pigs),
Freddie and the Dreamers and Henry Cooper.
After a defection to Thames, in 1968, Pinky and Perky finally
retired from the nation's television screens in 1970.
The voice of Perky, Michael John, passed away in
2004. John also performed on The
Black & White Minstrel Show, sang with The Mike Sammes
Singers, backed Shirley
Bassey and Judy Garland and sang on the Oliver! and Chitty
Chitty Bang Bang soundtracks.
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