h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A rainbow is indeed a fascinating scientific phenomenon. However, a more extraordinary phenominon is the children's television series, Rainbow, which was made at some time during the 1970s.

It featured a long haired, dungaree wearing presenter who bore more than a passing resemblance to Luke Skywalker, called Geoffry. He inhabited this rather bizare environment which included:

1. A pathetic pink hippopotamus glove puppet called something like Humphrey. He was so pathetic that he had a silly baby voice (rather like Frank Spencer) and used to hide his head in his hands and scratch his head a lot.

2. A man in a completely unrealistic bear suit called Bungle who was so amazingly stupid that even two year olds thought he was dumb. Actually, now I come to think about it, Bungle looked very similar to an Ewok, so perhaps Geoffry WAS Luke Skywalker.

3. And most peculiar of all was a creature (another glove puppet) that had a head shaped like Pac-Man. An almost perfect sphere that had a split across its centre for a mouth. This creature had a zip for lips, which is why he was called Zippy.

4. There was also a two boy and one girl group who used to massacre songs. The girl was actually rather sexy which is probably why the show was so popular with students at the time.

The most interesting thing about Rainbow was the opening music, which anyone between the ages of twenty five and forty could probably sing to you without having to think about it too long. And they would almost certainly break into a bit of air guitar and air drumming as well.

But Zippy was the one. Zippy was great. He was psychotic. He would ruin everything for no reason. He was so naughty that Geoffry often had to give him a stern talking to. Zippy is almost certainly an international drug dealer by now.

The rest of them can probably be found nursing beers at various old pubs around the country. Sitting in a corner in a cloud of smoke saying, "I used to be in a successful television series, me. Fifteen years in a bear suit and what happens. On the scrap heap..." etc.

"Up above the streets and houses rainbow climbing high...
Paint the whole world with a rainbow" (druming: bam ba bam ba bam bam bam bah dah bam)

The pink hippo was called George, and the three singing hippies were Rod, Jane and Freddy.

There's a new version out now, and it's crap. Perhaps because I grew up with Rainbow I'm loyal to the original (ahem), but the new one is not a patch...

Do you remember how George and Zippy's arms came not from their shoulders, but from points below the tabletop on each side of their body?

Ahhh... What it was to be young...

I was shocked and deeply saddened to click on 'Rainbow' only to find that it described some sort of boring optical phenomenon rather than the *much* more widely appreciated TV series!

Then again, Blatweln Mintie's description of the afforementioned series definately cheered me up...

To the best of my knowledge, Zippy gave up the drug dealing business in the late 90's to open a brothel on a small sunny island somewhere...

An impressionist show on radio 4 some years ago painted this rather disturbing picture, with wickedly accurate voices...

Bungle: "Ooh, Zippy, Geoffrey's gone out!"

Zippy: "Well, throw some more petrol on him, Bungle!"

Don't forget the all singing all dancing friends of theirs.

How could you forget George the Pink Hippo.

I can do quite a good impression of George, and a passable one of Zippy. But my Bungle is crap.

I maybe 17 but i remember rainbow......what were the words. We discuss it at school but know one knows!!!!!
Someone out there please help.....please!!!!!

Out above the streets and houses,
Rainbow in the sky.
{can't remember this line!},
Rainbow climbing high.

Paint the whole world with a RAINBOW!!!

Quick drum solo, then the bit that goes doo doo dooo do doo doo do dooo doo, etc (fade)

Listen to it here:

http://www.widdy.demon.co.uk/rainbow/sounds/rainbow.mp3

if you have an mp3 thingy!

I think Zippie has subconsciously been a role model for me in my life

I loved the "Dead Ringers" (on TV) of "Trading Places" where Zippy had to spend a week as Cherie Blair!

Didn't see that, but I can relaly* i Imagine it

Ohhhh *shakes head in shame*

I remember *loving* Rod, Jane and Freddy! I saw then live at St Davids Hall in Cardiff when I was little *blushes* ...

Good God, Zippy rocked!!!! I’m nicknamed Zippy, have been since the show- it was on when I was small (about ten years ago, I’m only 18). George was pathetic, Bungle was thick but Geoffrey was wicked.

By any chance does anyone remember a show where your woman who plays Lisa Dingle was in it with a black guy who went by the name JJ?
What was it called? It’s driving me insane!

And d’you remember The Riddlers? Scary things. Look them up on YouTube if you don’t… *shudders*