"No Sax Please, We're Egyptian!" is the very first episode of Count Duckula and was first broadcast on ITV in the UK on September 6th 1988.
Summary[]
Count Duckula, "the last in a long line of vampire barons", has been going through a rough patch. While awaiting his breakfast of "hot cocoa and chocky bickies", Nanny's tomfoolery nearly kills Duckula and he decides that he has had enough. He wants to give up his title and run away to South America. In order to remind him of his proud heritage, Igor takes him through the castle's picture gallery to show him some of his noble ancestors. While being lectured about the pictures, Duckula asks Igor about his great-uncle's great-uncle, the Archduck McGanza. Igor explains McGanza's lifelong ambition to find the "Mystic Saxophone", an instrument known to give anyone who plays it the power over life and death. This excites Duckula, who wants to find the saxophone himself, thus fulfilling Archduck McGanza's legacy.
Duckula, Nanny, and Igor set off to Egypt to find the saxophone using the castle's teleporter. The Crow Brothers, who were overhearing Igor's story about the legend of the Mystic Saxophone earlier, are unwittingly tagged along with them. The two parties set off to find the saxophone and a lot of trouble ensues.
Background Music Pieces[]
- "Finger of Fear" by Pete Rugolo
- "Fog Bound" by Ivor Slaney
- "Saw Theme" by Wiliam Trytel
- "Big Bad Giant" by Paddy Kingsland
- "Creeps No. 1" by H.M. Farrar
- "Vamp Til Ready" by Wally Asp
- "That's Yer Lot" by Wally Asp
- "Sinister Street No.1" by Peter Franklyn
- "Games Played in the Dark" by Richard Allen Harvey
- "Hide and Seek" by Richard Allen Harvey) Hitch-hiking home.
Trivia[]
- In the background of the scene where Duckula is playing the Mystic Saxophone, we can see a brief first appearance of the character, Dr. Von Goosewing.
- This episode is included among the extras on the 'Danger Mouse' Season 2 DVD, 'Close Encounters of the Absurd Kind'.
- In the flashback about Archduck McGanza, Duckula's great-uncle's great-uncle doesn't have fangs. In "The Rest is History", the first Count Duckula didn't have fangs until he was bitten by a bat.
- Duckula is said to be the last in a long line of vampire barons, however, the continental title "Count" is equivalent to an earl, outranking both viscounts (vice counts) and barons.
- The encounter with Hoomite and Yoobee is based on the iconic comedy sketch Who's on First.
- The video game Count Duckula - No Sax Please, We're Egyptian! is based on this episode.
- Recording date: October 4th 1987.
Quotes[]
- Narrator: On jagged finger of rock, stands Castle Duckula. Known only in the nearby village as... Castle Duckula. It is the grim and fearful home of the last in a long line of vampire barons... Count Duckula!
- Ruffles (The Crow Brothers): So they've got a lot of valuable paintings, have they? It'll be our best job since the Tower of London!
- Igor: (referring to the sound The Crow Brothers make when they fall to the ground) That would be Nanny making the pastry, my lord.
- Count Duckula: Not a nudist Nanny, Anubis! It's a statue of Anubis!
- Dmitri and Sviatislav: What are they calling a pyramid with windows in it?... A tomb with a view!
- Duckula: Well Nanny, no one can say you didn't have a lot of openings in life.
- Hoomite: I am Hoomite, High Priest of the Sun God Ra! And this is my assistant, Yoobee.
Credits[]
- Voices: David Jason, Jack May, Brian Trueman, Jimmy Hibbert
- Narrator: Barry Clayton
- Written by Brian Trueman
- Script Editor: Jimmy Hibbert
- Music: Mike Harding
- Vocals: Doreen Edwards, Mike Harding
- Storyboard: Vincent James
- Layout: José María Zumel, Ricardo Machuca, Miguel Angel Aisa, Manolo Almela, Juan Antonio Serrano, Miguel Angel Fuertes
- Design: Chris Randall, Dan Whitworth, Margaret Riley, Paul Salmon, Vincent James, Edmund Williams
- Animation: Mariano Rueda, Ignacio Amero, Emilio Luján, Valentín Caín, Julian Tarrago, Edward Sasu, Pedro Molina, Vicente Rodriguez, Amaro Carretero, Juan Antonio Rojo, Luis L. Varela, Bujor Estefanescu, Ezequiel Martín, Chris Doyle, Francisco Tena, Alberto Conejo, Angel Jariego, Julio Diez, Pedro Mohedano, Roberto Marcano, Ventura Rodriguez, Javier Gutierrez, Russell Brookes, Manuel Galiana, Fernando Jariego, Ramon Sanchez, Juan Antonio Serrano, Marivi Rodriguez, Rob Stevenhajen, Valentín Doménech, Carmen Chenza, Paca Moreno, Manuel Doctor, Miguel Angel Fuertez.
- Backgrounds: Igashi Taruma, Felix Cascajo, Milagros Banares, Miguel Angel
- Supervised by Carlos Alfonso
- Painting: María Del Mar Fernández, María Fernández, Margarita Pina, Teresa Diego, María José Álvarez, Loli Torres, Paco Villanueva, Angeles Sanz, Julia García, Delia Hernandez, Lourdes Santos, Susana Díez, Ángeles Vacas.
- Supervised by Paloma Antón
- Xerox: Jose Luis Aisa, Andres Palacios
- Camera: Santiago Gomez, Victorio Gonzalez
- Special Effects: Carlos Alfonso
- Animation Line Test: Eva Moreno
- Production Control: Bob Burrows
- Film Editor: Patrick Haggerty
- Assistant Editor: Bob Ashton
- Dubbing Mixer: John Whitworth
- Animation Directors: Carlos Alfonso, Juan R. Pina
- Associate Producer: Chris Randall
- Executive Producer: John Hambley
- Produced by Mark Hall, Brian Cosgrove
- Directed by Chris Randall
- © Cosgrove Hall Productions MCMLXXXVII
Copyright Gag[]
Despite this episode first being broadcast in 1988, the roman numerals in the copyright credit reads 'MCMLXXXVII', meaning it is dated in 1987.
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