A Rabbit Called Basil: A Hare’s Story

''This article is about the original 1986 A Rabbit Called Basil: A Hare’s Story television series. For 1992 series, see The Rabbit Called Cuddles.''

A Rabbit Called Basil: A Hare’s Story is a British-Australian television series created by the British studio Cosgrove Hall Films, produced by Czech studio Krátký film Praha and the Australian studio Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It was aired on June 12, 1986, and ended on May 21, 1991. The series was involved with the Polish rabbit named Basil goes on his journey with his love interest (who is an English spot rabbit) named Toodles, they meet their friends as they have to stop the bad guys.

Premise
Basil (John Hurt) and his love interest Toodles (Anne Reid) goes on their journey to see their friends (including Randy, Jerry, Sweetie, Priscilla, Hopper and Billie). but they have stop the bad guys, and save the forest. Basil and Toodles have their owners and friends, and they have family which they are rabbits that belongs to their owners who adopted them.

Voice cast

 * Rupert Farley as Randy, A Blue-grey rabbit who is Basil’s friend.
 * Richard Pearson as Jerry A. Cottontail, a brown and white rabbit who is Basil’s friend.
 * Peter Sallis as Hopper J. Bunnie, Tan Rabbit who is Basil’s friend.
 * David Jason as Billie Q. Hare, A Belgian Hare who is Basil’s friend.
 * Michael Hordern as George R. James, Randy’s owner.
 * John Hurt as Basil, a Polish Rabbit who goes on his journey.
 * Anne Reid as Toodles, an English Spot rabbit who is Basil’s love interest.
 * Reid also voiced Susanne Parker who is John’s wife, and a mother to two children.
 * Richard Briers as John B. Parker, Basil and Toodles’ owner and is a father to two children.
 * Susan Sheridan as Sweetie, a holland lop rabbit who is a sister to Spotty and is a friend of Basil.
 * Sheridan also voiced Priscilla who is an English Spot rabbit which is a friend of Basil.
 * Jack May as Fred Parker, John’s son who owns Toodles as he rescued her from the river.
 * Brett Climo as Henry Parker, Fred’s brother.
 * Kate Fitzpatrick as Molly, a Beveran rabbit who appears in the second season of the series and lasted for fourth season.
 * Rik Mayall as Charlie, a Checkered Giant Rabbit who appears in the second season which he later appeared in the third season of The Rabbit Called Cuddles which the episode was called Betsy and the Forest Flowers, and was lasted on the fifth season for the episode called The Big Bunny in the Basket
 * Ron Moody as Fluffy, a British Giant Rabbit who appears in the third and fifth seasons of the series.
 * Peter Davison as Arthur, a Silver Fox Rabbit who appears in the fourth and fifth seasons of the series. he was later appeared in The Rabbits’ Great Avalanche Escape and lasted in the episode called The Hurricane Escape: Cuddles’ SuperRabbit Adventure which the series was called The Rabbit Called Cuddles.
 * Richard Kind as Rocky, an American Rex rabbit who appears in the episodes of the third season. He appears in the episode Cuddles the SuperRabbit: The New SuperRabbit Begins which the show was called The Rabbit Called Cuddles.
 * Some voices of Pat and Mat are Kees Prins and Siem van Leeuwen that appeared on British TV, the same voice actor (Kees Prins) voiced the Dutch rabbit named Rufus who speaks Dutch that appears in the episodes of third season through fourth season. the characters who are daughters and sons of Basil and Toodles are voiced by British and Australian children actors at the time.

Development
On January 24, 1986, Cosgrove Hall Films wanted to make the TV series about the white rabbit named Basil and his love interest named Toodles. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (from Australia) decided on filming the series between February 11 through April 13, 1986, British studio Cosgrove Hall Films collaborated with the Australian network studio ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation for a project.

Animation
The animation of the series was drawn by the artist of Count Duckula, as the animation’s storyboard was made in 1986. the animation was made by the British animator who done the series which it focuses on rabbits and animals, the series was intended to be a sequel to Randy and His Friends.

Music
The Czechoslovakian musician Petr Skoumal had returned for each scores of the soundtrack.

In 1989 through 1990, the episodes from Pat & Mat (1989-1990) was archived for the fourth and fifth season of the series, the musician intended to have new score of the series’ soundtrack as well.

Broadcast
The series was aired on both BBC1 and ABC in UK and Australia on June 12, 1986, it was lasted on May 21, 1991 before the 2004 series Priscilla Tales: The Wild Adventures where Priscilla saves Basil from being poisoned after the final episode of the series.

The series airs on different channels in other countries (like United States, Canada, Slovenia, Germany, etc.).

Switzerland
The series has these episodes banned from one of the German-language broadcast due to dark matter subjects and high amount of violence which deemed too dangerous, the episodes were uncensored for Switzerland television broadcast.

Middle East
Coming soon!

Fox Kids airings
Coming soon!

European Cartoon Network airings
Coming soon!

Iran
Coming soon!

United States
The complete series boxset was released on May 25, 2021 by Shout! Factory which it distributes the series to streaming services. the series was first released on VHS and DVDs from 1990s-2010s, as these seasons began to be released in 2003 through 2007.

United Kingdom
The series was released on VHS by Video Collection International in 1992 through 1994, as these episodes were separated to have the VHS tapes released.

The complete boxset of the series was released on DVD in 2019 by 2 Entertain.

Australia
ABC Video has released the series on VHS in 1994 through 1998, as the ABC DVD released the complete boxset of the series in 2018.

Czech Republic
The series was released on VHS by Bontonfilm in 1998, along with the Randy and His Friends video release. In 2002, it was released on DVD by Ateliéry Bonton Zlín as the series has been gotten to the numbers of volumes.

In 2020, the complete series boxset was released on DVD by Magic Box a.s. for its home entertainment release.

Trivia

 * First traditionally animated series to have the characters showing in 2D, which drawn by British artists.
 * The series was first aired on three channels (such as BBC1, ABC, and ČST).
 * The rabbit characters appears in the seasons of the television series that has Dutch and English languages that they speak in any languages.