Dave Barclay Studio

Ultimate Animates Productions Ltd

Thing and HUVA © Mike Quinn and David Barclay

Ultimate Animates was formed by Dave Barclay and fellow puppeteer/puppet designer Mike Quinn. Dave and Mike had worked together on countless projects, so in mid 1988 it seemed logical to establish a new puppet/animatronic company a little north of London England.

Their first project was HUVA for European satellite's Children's Channel. HUVA was designed built and performed by UA. Later HUVA was joined by Thing, an Alien also designed built and performed by UA. Dave performed HUVA and Mike THING. The show ran five days a week for two years.

Next came along a stop motion TV series called THE CONES. Narrated by British comedian Bernard Cribbins, the show revolved around traffic cones.

UA designed and built 22 lightweight armatured stop motion puppets around 6inches tall.

Dave and Mike were working with the highly talented Christopher Leith. Chris had joined Dave and Mike on Roger Rabbit, and the friendship continued into many UA projects.

Chris had worked on the 1970's puppet series Michael Bentines Potty Time, and suggested UA for the animatronic puppets for Michael's new series The Daily Shambles.

Dave sculpted these maquettes as a visualization for Michael Bentine.

©Kelloggs 1989

Arthur The Alien was one of UA's first characters used in commercials. Talented artist/designer Bruce McNally had developed the character and came to us so we could bring it to fruition as a 3D animatronic puppet.

Children's Channel approached UA about creating 3D puppets of a forty year old comic strip character and his dog. The result was a series of computer graphic backgrounds and toon-dimensional puppets. the result was amazing. The comic's creators praised Ultimate Animates for making the most successful 3D versions of their characters they'd seen in 40 years.

The Great Bong!

Dave originated the show's outline and concept, as an elderly badger magician's faulty magic would always be accompanied with a loud BONGGG sound.

Puppeteer/writer Karen Prell created the wonderful "goon show" like scripts, focusing on the British celebrity voice talents of Spike Milligan, Michael Bentine, Barbara Windsor and Stanley Unwin.

Dave sculpted the characters, mechanised the animatronics, designed and developed the Bongcycle, a fully remote control tricycle with a fully remote Great Bong pedaling and steering.
Dave was chief puppeteer for Great Bong, co-produced the 26 x 11minute TV series with Mike Quinn, who co-directed the show with British children's director Leslie Pitt.