Fraggle Rock episodes recovered

Jim Henson‘s TV series Fraggle Rock was remarkable in that it created international co-productions localised to different territories — which means that different countries got different versions of “outer space”, the world above Fraggle Rock.

So while Americans got 96 episodes knowing that Fraggle Rock joined onto a small hole in the wall of the workshop of an eccentric inventor named Doc and his dog Sprocket, in the British version the hole leads into the living quarters of a lighthouse on the edge of an outcrop where the keeper The Captain, played by Fulton MacKay, lives with his dog — also called Sprocket. Due to MacKay’s death in 1987, the Captain was replaced in the fourth UK season by a younger character known as P.K. (Principal Keeper, the Captain’s nephew), played by John Gordon Sinclair and then in the sixth UK season by another character, B.J. (the Captain’s son), played by Simon O’Brien.

Different countries had their own versions, but the British version was the only one to go for the full 96 episodes with the American version. However, after the show finished, inconceivably, the British versions of the episodes seem to have been junked. The production company, TVS, went through many owners who seem to have been less than careful with the archives. Of the 96 episodes, only 12 master copies had been saved. HIT Entertainment, in extensive enquiries with The Jim Henson Company in both the UK and the US failed to find them. And it was up to a Fraggle Rock fan Alex Taylor that further copies were found. 29 episodes exist in broadcast quality, with 87 episodes existing in some form and nine episodes remain unaccounted for in any format.

Until today.

Because we received the following note from a Geoff and Helen Warner. They tell us,

We were friends of Victor Pemberton for many years until he died in August this year. Victor produced the 4th Series of Fraggle Rock and we have many master VHS of various episodes taken at the time of recording the show. Many of the titles are not thought to exist anymore.

Those who are interested in learning more and making offers can contact the pair below. It’s not just Fraggle Rock — they have many other of Victor’s work, including his own production company program on Benny Hill. But I think it’s the Fraggle Rock that will get the most attention.

But what about the proof that the VHS tapes exist? Well, we have the opening scenes of two episodes previously thought missing? The UK editions of The Trial Of Cotterpin Doozer and Manny’s Land Of Carpets. And followed by details of the scripts and notes that the Warners will be making available to interested parties. Those interested can contact warnerinspain@gmail.com.

The other previously thought missing episodes now recovered are all from the 4th recording block, the sixth aired series, The River of Life, Ring Around the Rock, Mirror, Mirror, Wembley’s Flight, A Tune for Two, The Voice Inside. It also includes other episodes that exist as off-air recordings in private hands.

This would leave only Gobo’s School For Explorers from a previous series still missing.

A there dont own the rights to UK fraggle rock so there can't make money off it. http://www.nightshade.org.uk/fraggleuk.html There is only one UK episode missing but again what the point? what is the end goal?

Archive preservation is of itself a valuable goal.

We were friends of Victor Pemberton for many years until he died in August this year. Victor produced the 4th Series of Fraggle Rock and we have many master VHS of various episodes taken at the time of recording the show.

Probably not VHS tapes themselves. To many people the letters VHS were interchangeable with the word tape. It could be Betacam or whatever format the show was actually recorded on.

I'm not so sure, the Muppets and all related material went into the hands of Disney, but the rest of the Jim Henson Company still seems to be in the hands of the Henson family, if releases of The Dark Crystal etc are anything to go by.