Maggie Muggins (Series) (1955-1962)
Maggie Muggins was a freckle-faced girl in a gingham dress, with her red hair pulled back in two long pigtails. Her stories had been heard on CBC radio and in print for years before Maggie and her friends in the meadow materialized on television on CBC in 1955.
Maggie played with friends like Fitzgerald Fieldmouse and Grandmother Frog. When she was caught in a quandary, her neighbour, Mr. McGarrity gave her advice or tried to help her to understand whatever was bothering her. When she was bored or tired, he might tell her a story or cheer her up by leading a song. Along with these principal characters, the meadow was filled with other animal friends.
Meadow friends Fitzgerald Fieldmouse, Grandmother Frog, and Reuben Rabbit were built and operated by John and Linda Keogh.
Cast:
Margot Christie …. Grandmother Frog (voice)
John Drainie …. Mr. McGarrity (1955-1956)
Alice Hill …. Additional voices (voice)
Linda Keogh …. Puppeteer/Voices
John Keogh …. Puppeteer/Voices
Beth Lockerbie …. Additional voices (voice)
Peggi Loder …. Additional voices (voice)
Mary Long …. Maggie Muggins (1959-1962)
Norma MacMillan …. Fitzgerald Fieldmouse (voice)
Doug Master …. Mr. McGarrity (1959-1962)
Beth Morris …. Maggie Muggins (1955-1956)
Robin Paul …. Additional voices (voice)
Frank Peddie …. Mr. McGarrity (1956-1959)
Pauline Rennie …. Additional voices (voice)
Ruth Springford …. Additional voices (voice)
Deanne Taylor …. Maggie Muggins (1956-1959)
Most of the POPULAR LITERATURE read by Canadian children has been written in Britain or the US. There are exceptions. Mary Grannan’s Just Mary Stories (1942) and Maggie Mullins and Mr. McGarrity (1952) are collections of humorous fantasy stories based on her long-running CBC radio series. During the 1940s, Leslie McFarlane wrote several volumes of the Hardy Boys series under the pen-name of Fenton W. Dixon. Two recent authors are also significant.
In such books as Murder on the Canadian (1976), Terror in Winnipeg (1979) and The Green Gables Detectives (1987), Eric Wilson mixes Canadian settings and current social problems into the adventures of Tom and Liz Austen, youthful detectives. Gordon Korman, who began publishing in his early teens, has created humorous stories about teenagers in This Can’t Be Happening at Macdonald Hall! (1978), Go Jump in the Pool (1979) and Macdonald Hall Goes Hollywood (1991)
Mary Long was the last of three actors to play Maggie Muggins in the popular TV series that ran from 1955 to 1962. She took over from Deanne Taylor.
Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun and Screamin’ Mamas (USA)
Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read. Also check out The Tales of Carleton Place.
lindaseccaspina 