Grasshopper Island News

“ Adventure is the important thing. I’m always saying it to Cecil. And Cecil agrees with me. ” - The Elderly Boy We are proud to announce that our adventure has begun! We have finally landed on Grasshopper Island. Since we arrived we have had the opportunity to meet amazing local people who have helped us with our expedition.  In the next few days we will be searching far and wide to identify and visit as many of the places that Toughy, Smarty and Mouse discovered when they landed on Grasshopper Island.  Please come back and join us as we explore - we will have lots to share in the coming days! 

 Coming April 24th 2024 - A New Adventure !

It's hard to conceive that 51 years have passed since Smarty, Toughy and Mouse searched the docklands for a boat. As luck would have it, they eventually found one captained by a flamboyant character who came to be known as The Elderly Boy.  Now I have more than a passing interest in seafaring. I have always been fascinated with boats. When watching the TV episode where the boys board the boat for the first time, I always found myself admiring this lovely craft with the wooden deck-house and brass fittings. A lifeboat you say?  During the many lock-downs of 2021, I found time to revisit the TV series again. I had asked my friend Uli to mention the lifeboat to Joy Whitby, should he write to her again. I thought it might be very interesting to discover the name. The news soon came back that unfortunately Joy could not recall the name of the boat. Furthermore, with the passage of time, those who might have recorded it in some written form for posterity are no longer with us. Happily Jo

We would like to wish Joy a wonderful birthday! From good friends and true, from old friends and new, may good luck go with you and happiness too!  - Uli and Chris  

Here is a wonderful sketch that was made by a young man who happens to be the son of Frank Muir. Frank Muir played the part of nasty Dr. Hopper in the final episodes of the series. The sketch was created on location in Corsica in 1970 and is a detailed study of the "Little House" within which the boys created their home. We are told that the house was a real building which existed near Monticello and possibly still exists to this day! We are delighted to receive a picture of this wonderful artwork which was sent to us by Lucy, a dedicated Grasshopper Island fan and granddaughter of Joy Whitby. The young artist signed it "PJ Muir" and can only have been a teenager himself when he completed this wonderful sketch. The original sketch was gifted to Joy and her family after the production. We are delighted to include it on our blog! We feel very privileged indeed! If you are the artist or know anything else about this wonderful little building - we would love for you to

Well it's that time of year again. School has finished and kids everywhere dream of fun in the sun with perhaps a trip to a faraway beach for a dip in the sea. Just like Smarty, Toughy and Mouse did all those years ago. With travel still restricted for most of us, we thought it might be fun to take a look at some of the sunny and sandy locations that our trio of adventurers found themselves back in 1970 !  School's out for Summer! Part of the fun of researching Grasshopper Island is discovering some of the little known facts relating to the TV series and the book that accompanied it. One of my favourite scenes is from Episode 2 "The Elderly Boy", when after some time at sea, our bewildered sailors arrive at "an uninhabited island" for the first time. There they are shown climbing great golden sand dunes. There is nothing quite like that feeling as a boy of  spying a giant sand mountain and realising that it is there to be conquered ! Even if with hindsight

 Schools are Out ! Wishing a safe and happy summer full of adventure to all !