Belle and Sebastian
GenreChildren
Created byCécile Aubry
Starring
  • Mehdi El Glaoui (credited as Pierre Medhi)
  • Edmund Beauchamp
  • Jean-Michel Audin
  • Dominique Blondeau
  • Paloma Matta
  • Hélène Dieudonné
ComposerDavid White
Original languageFrench
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes13
Production
Executive producerÉtienne Laroche
Running time25 minutes[1]
Production companyGaumont France
Original release
NetworkORTF
ReleaseSeptember 26, 1965 (1965-09-26)

Belle and Sebastian is a 1965 French TV children's serial which was adapted in the 1966 novel Belle et Sébastien by Cécile Aubry. It was 13 episodes long and starred Aubry's son Mehdi as Sebastien, whilst Aubry appeared as the episode host and co-directed episodes with Jean Guillaume.

Synopsis

Six-year-old orphan boy Sebastian lives with his friend, six-year-old Pyrenean Mountain dog Belle, in the French Alps with the villagers of Belvédère.

Production

It was filmed as a live-action show in black-and-white in France under its original name in 1965. In 1967 it was dubbed and the title was anglicized. It first appeared in the UK on BBC1 on Monday afternoons, running from 2 October 1967 to 1 January 1968. Shown in the time slot after Blue Peter, it was repeated several times and became an important ingredient of school holiday television.[2] Filmed in and around the village of Belvédère in Alpes-Maritimes, its combination of authentic locations, sensitive writing, and winning performances by the actors, makes it an enduring classic. Its deep theme is the power and importance of love. The part of Sebastian was played by Mehdi El Glaoui, Cécile Aubry's son from her marriage to Si Brahim El Glaoui, the eldest son of Thami El Glaoui, the Pasha of Marrakesh, whom she met in 1950 while filming The Black Rose.[3]

Legacy

The serial spawned two further 13 part colour film sequels Sébastien parmi les hommes ("Sebastian Among Men") (1968) retitled Belle, Sebastian and the Horses by the BBC and Sébastien et la Mary-Morgane ("Sebastian and the Mary Morgan") (1970) which was not broadcast by the BBC.

The Scottish indie pop band Belle and Sebastian took their name from the TV series.[4][5]

Cast

  • Flanker the dog as Belle[6]
  • Mehdi El Glaoui[6] [credited as Pierre Medhi][1] as Sebastien
  • Edmond Beauchamp as Cesar
  • Jean-Michel Audin as Doctor Guillaume
  • Dominique Blondeau as Jean
  • Paloma Palma[6] [credited as Paloma Matta] as Angelina
  • Hélène Dieudonné as Celestine

References

  1. 1 2 Lewis, Richard (2002). "B". The Encyclopaedia of Cult Children's TV (first ed.). pp. 42–43.
  2. ↑ "Little Gems - Belle and Sebastien". www.thechestnut.com. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  3. ↑ "Obituary: Cécile Aubry". Scotsman. Edinburgh. 27 July 2010. Archived from the original on 11 July 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2010.
  4. ↑ Strong, Martin Charles (2004), The Great Rock Discography: Complete Discographies Listing Every Track Recorded By More Than 1200 Artists, Canongate U.S., p. 122, ISBN 1-84195-615-5
  5. ↑ Wilson, Dave (2005), Rock Formations: Categorical Answers to How Band Names Were Formed, Cidermill Books, p. 105, ISBN 0-9748483-5-2
  6. 1 2 3 "Personnages" [Characters]. belle-et-sebastien.e-monsite.com (in French). Archived from the original on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
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