Bolek and Lolek
Bolek and Lolek are two Polish cartoon characters from the children's TV animated comedy series by the same title.[1] They were partially created by Alfred Ledwig before being developed by Władysław Nehrebecki and Leszek Lorek. The series is about two young brothers and their fun (and sometimes silly) adventures which often involve spending a lot of time outdoors.
| Bolek and Lolek | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Buddy comedy Slapstick |
| Theme music composer | Waldemar Kazanecki Tadeusz Kocyba |
| Country of origin | Poland |
| No. of episodes | 152 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Studio Filmów Rysunkowych in Bielsko-Biała |
| Running time | 9-10 |
| Release | |
| Original network | Telewizja Polska |
| Audio format | Mono |
| Original release | August 12, 1962 – 1986 |
History and background
The characters first appeared in an animated film in 1962. Their names are diminutives of Bolesław and Karol. In English, the cartoon was distributed as Bennie & Lennie and Jym and Jam. Some episodes were seen as part of Nickelodeon's Pinwheel. In 1973 the creators of the film placed on the request from the female viewing audience a girl character by the name of Tola, a little girl who lives in the forest, and meets Bolek and Lolek there. The first time she appeared in occurred in the episode entitled "Tola". In total, Tola appeared in 30 episodes.
In a similar vein to The Pink Panther theatrical cartoons, most episodes do not have dialogues. Exceptions are feature-length films and the series from the 1980s, where the main characters' voices were done by: Bolek – Ewa Złotowska, Ilona Kuśmierska; Lolek – Danuta Mancewicz, Danuta Przesmycka.
During the period of the Polish People's Republic, Bolek and Lolek were reproduced in a large quantity of toys: action figures, movies, postcards, online arcades, puzzles, etc., which can be seen in the Museum of Dobranocki (bed-time stories) of the PRL. They are also currently made in computer programs, coloring books, general picture books and games.
Of all the Polish animated cartoons Bolek and Lolek ranks as the number one all-time favorite. The series was popular in many countries, and was one of the few animated films allowed to be broadcast by Iranian television, along with other popular Polish animated cartoon Reksio, just after the Iranian Revolution of 1979.
In 2011 a monument of Bolek and Lolek was erected in Bielsko-Biała.[2]
Judicial proceedings against Siegessäule
The copyright holders of Polish cartoon Bolek and Lolek filed a lawsuit in 2006 to examine a case of the illegal use of the images of Bolek and Lolek by German homosexuals who wanted to encourage German homosexual minorities to participate in the Warsaw Pride Parade.
The copyright holders, Alfred Ledwig, Władysław Nehrebecki, and Leszek Lorek, felt indignant with what they alleged to be an illegal use of the images of Bolek and Lolek on the cover of German magazine Siegessäule without their permission. The characters had been changed, and Bolek was transformed into a woman. The owners took particular offense to the suggestion of Bolek and Lolek's apparent homosexuality in the image. During one of the interviews, Roman Nehrebecki commented, "The most important thing for me is that children were used for the purposes they should not be used for, for promoting ideas and organizations." The residents of Bielsko-Biała, the city where Bolek and Lolek were created, also signed petitions against the improper use of the image of the characters.
The lawsuit lasted two years and took place in Berlin. The main line of defense of the magazine's owners was the fact that in 2005 the president of Warsaw, Lech Kaczyński, forbade the organization the Pride Parade, manifesting inclination toward uneven treatment of minorities. However, this argument was deemed insignificant by the court, since the subject of the dispute was violation of copyright on the image of Bolek and Lolek and not on the alleged unfair treatment of homosexual minorities. Despite the fact that the lawsuit was prolonged due to the complex German judicial proceedings, it was closed with an agreement. German magazine Siegessäule was obliged to pay the copyright owners 4,000 euro in compensation, as well as to publish an official apology in their pages.
Characters
- Bolek (voiced by Ewa Złotowska and Ilona Kuśmierska) - Lolek's older brother.
- Lolek (voiced by Danuta Mancewicz and Danuta Przesmycka) - Bolek's younger brother.
- Tola - A cute and lovely little girl who lived deep in the forest. Tola is very girly when she looks like a magical fairytale princess, but she is really an ordinary tomboy, and she had her boyish looking rather than a magic princess. Tola has orange hair with pigtails. She wears a white shirt, a sleeveless blue dress, white socks and black shoes. In her first appearance in the episode "Tola", Tola is leaving the forest and moved to Bolek and Lolek's house and met them for the first time. According to the episode "Zgubiony Ślad", Tola lives in the wooden cottage in the forest. She is Bolek and Lolek's love interest and the supporting character in the series.
TV series
Bolek i Lolek
Bolek and Lolek - 13 Episodes, 1962–1964.
- 01. Kusza – The Crossbow (August 12, 1962)
- 02. Yeti – The Yeti
- 03. Dzielni Kowboje – The Brave Cowboys
- 04. Skrzyżowane Szpady – Crossed Swords
- 05. Pogromca Zwierząt – The Animal Tamer
- 06. Corrida – The Bull Fight
- 07. Indiańskie Trofeum – The Indian Trophy
- 08. Kosmonauci – The Cosmonauts
- 09. Król Puszczy – King of the Forest
- 10. Robinson – Robinson
- 11. Poławiacze Skarbów – The Treasure Seekers
- 12. Sportowcy – The Athletes
- 13. Dwaj Rycerze – The Two Knights (1964)
Bolek i Lolek na wakacjach
Benny and Lenny on Vacation - 13 episodes, 1965.
- 01. Lunapark – The Luna Park (January 1, 1965)
- 02. Grzybobranie – Mushroom Picking (January 8, 1965)
- 03. Strzelba i Wędka – The Gun and the Fishing Rod (January 15, 1965)
- 04. Fałszywy Dziadek – False Grandfather (January 22, 1965)
- 05. Zabawa w Rycerza – Polish polands Playing Knight (January 29, 1965)
- 06. Na Biwaku – Camping (February 5, 1965)
- 07. Pierwszy Dzień Wakacji – First Day of the Summer Vacation (February 12, 1965)
- 08. Kłusownik – The Poacher (February 19, 1965)
- 09. Żyrafa – The Giraffe (February 26, 1965)
- 10. Przygoda w Pustyni – Adventure in the Desert (March 5, 1965)
- 11. Skarb – Treasure (March 12, 1965)
- 12. Autostopowicze – The Hitch-Hikers (March 19, 1965)
- 13. Morska Przygoda – The Sea Adventure (March 26, 1965)
Bolek i Lolek wyruszają w świat
Benny and Lenny travel the world - 18 episodes, 1968–1970.
- 01. W Stepach Australii – The Steppes of Australia
- 02. Na Tropach Bengalskiego Tygrysa – On the Trail of the Bengal Tiger
- 03. Na Wyspach Polinezji – On the Islands of Polynesia
- 04. Złote Miasto Inków – The Golden City of the Incas
- 05. Wyścig Do Bieguna – The Race to the Pole
- 06. W Puszczach Kanady – In the Forests of Canada
- 07. Polowanie Na Goryla – Hunting the Gorilla
- 08. Na Stokach Kilimandżaro – On the Slopes of the Kilimanjaro
- 09. Olimpiada w Mexico – The Olympic Games in Mexico
- 10. W Krainie 1001 Nocy – In the Land of the 1001 Nights
- 11. W Piaskach Gobi – In the Sands of the Gobi
- 12. Gran Premio Argentyny – The Grand Prize of Argentina
- 13. Na Dzikim Zachodzie – In the Wild West
- 14. Grobowiec Faraona – The Tomb of the Pharaoh
- 15. Łowcy Bizonów – The Buffalo Hunters
- 16. Nad Orinoko – On the Orinoco
- 17. Na Tropach Yeti – On the Yeti's Trail
- 18. Przemytnik – The Smuggler
Bajki Bolka i Lolka
The Tales of Bolek and Lolek - 13 episodes, 1970–1971.
- 01. Złota Rybka – The Golden Fish
- 02. Czerwony Kapturek – The Little Red Riding Hood
- 03. Czarodziejskie Lustro – The Magic Mirror
- 04. Tomcio Paluch – Tom Thumb
- 05. Pantofelek Kopciuszka – Cinderella's Slipper
- 06. Latający Kufer – The Flying Trunk
- 07. Brzydkie Kaczątko – The Ugly Duckling
- 08. Lampa Aladyna – Aladdin's Lamp
- 09. Uwięziona Królewna – The Imprisoned Princess
- 10. Smok – The Dragon
- 11. Baba Jaga – The Witch
- 12. Królowa Śniegu – The Snow Queen
- 13. Zaklęty Zamek – The Enchanted Castle
Przygody Bolka i Lolka
The Adventures of Bolek and Lolek - 63 episodes, 1972–1980.
- 01. Chory Ząb – A Sick Tooth
- 02. Deszczowe Wakacje – A Rainy Holiday
- 03. Psiaczek – The Puppy
- 04. Tola – Tola
- 05. Biwak – Camp
- 06. Wycieczka w Góry – A Trip to the Mountains
- 07. Nad Jeziorem – On the Lake
- 08. Kruk – The Raven
- 09. W Puszczy – In the Wilderness
- 10. Wycieczka Samochodem – A Trip By Car
- 11. Sierpniowa Wędrówka – An August Journey
- 12. Zimowe Igraszki – Winter Fun
- 13. Zdobywcy Przestworzy – The Conquerors of Space
- 14. Małpka – The Monkey
- 15. Zimowe Zawody – Winter Games
- 16. Śniadanie Na Biwaku – Camping Breakfast
- 17. Imieniny Toli – Tola's Birthday
- 18. Pali Się – Fire
- 19. Tajemnica Toli – Tola's Secret
- 20. Zielone Ścieżki – Green Paths
- 21. Kanarek – The Canary
- 22. Podwodna Wycieczka – An Underwater Tour
- 23. Bieg Na Przełaj – The Race Across the Country
- 24. Wakacje Na Wsi – Vacation in the Countryside
- 25. Tresowany Piesek – The Trained Dog
- 26. Przygoda Na Dwóch Kółkach – Adventure on Two Wheels
- 27. Na Żaglówce – On the Sailing Boat
- 28. Zgubiony Ślad – The Lost Footprint
- 29. Źrebak – The Colt
- 30. Wielki Mecz – The Great Match
- 31. Bocian – The Stork
- 32. Przyjaciele Bobrów – Beavers' Friends
- 33. Wycieczka Kajakiem – The Canoe Trip
- 34. Tajemniczy Plan – Mysterious Plan
- 35. Fotoreporter – Photoreporter
- 36. Zawody Latawców – The Kite Race
- 37. Wagary Playing Hooky
- 38. Sarenka – The Deer
- 39. Harcerska Warta – A Scout's Watch
- 40. Muzykanci – The Musicians
- 41. Wakacje Nad Morzem – The Seaside Vacation
- 42. Mali Ogrodnicy – The Little Gardeners
- 43. Zmylony Trop – The Misleading Track
- 44. Kowboj i Indianie – Cowboy and Indians
- 45. Zabawa w Chowanego – Hide and Seek
- 46. Wakacyjne Szlaki – The Holiday Trails
- 47. Wędrowny Cyrk – The Traveling Circus
- 48. Wiosenne Porządki – Spring Cleaning
- 49. Pocztowy Gołąb – The Homing Pigeon
- 50. Lotnia – The Hang-Glider
- 51. Morska Wyprawa – The Sea Expedition
- 52. Prima Aprilis – April Fool's Day
- 53. Wiosenna Burza – The Spring Storm
- 54. Byczek – The Bull
- 55. Cygański Wóz – The Gypsie Wagon
- 56. Imieniny Mamy – Mom's Namesday
- 57. Czarna Bandera – The Black Flag
- 58. Poduszkowiec – The Hovercraft
- 59. Wycieczka z Robotem – Trip with a Robot
- 60. Lolek Lunatyk – Lolek the Sleepwalker
- 61. Lotnicza Przygoda – A Flying Adventure
- 62. Zaginął Piesek – The Lost Dog
- 63. Chrzest Na Równiku – Baptism on the Equator
Bolek i Lolek na Dzikim Zachodzie
Benny and Lenny in the Wild West - 7 episodes, 1971–1972.
- 01. Obrońcy Prawa – Defenders of the Law
- 02. Postrach Teksasu – The Texas Terror
- 03. Pościg – In Hot Pursuit
- 04. Porwany Ekspress – The Hijacked Express Train
- 05. Koniokrad – The Horse Thief
- 06. Indiański Bożek – The Indian Idol
- 07. Tropiciele – The Trackers
Zabawy Bolka i Lolka
Fun with Bolek and Lolek - 7 episodes, 1975–1976.
- 01. Gokarty – Go-Carts
- 02. Niezwykłe Odkrycie – The Incredible Discovery
- 03. Maszeruje Wojsko – The Army Marches On
- 04. Mali Filmowcy – The Little Filmmakers
- 05. Niefortunne Niańki – The Unfortunate Babysitters
- 06. Opiekunowie Zwierząt – The Animal Caregivers
- 07. Czarna Dama – The Black Lady
Wielka podróż Bolka i Lolka
Bolek and Lolek's Great Journey - 15 episodes, 1978.
- 01. Testament Fileasa Foga – The Last Will of Phileas Fogg
- 02. W Londynie – In London
- 03. Pechowy Statek – The Jinxed Ship
- 04. Wioska 40 Rozbójników – The Village of Forty Bandits
- 05. Małpi Król – The Monkey King
- 06. Syn Wodza Mbu-Bu – The Son of the Chief Mbu-Bu
- 07. Podróż Na Słoniu – Journey on an Elephant
- 08. Tajemnicza Świątynia – The Mysterious Temple
- 09. W Służbie Buddy – In the Service of the Buddha
- 10. Ptak Śmierci – The Bird of Death
- 11. W Głębinach Oceanu – In the Depths of the Ocean
- 12. Rajska Wyspa – Paradise Island
- 13. Dziki Zachód – The Wild West
- 14. Powrót – The Return
- 15. Wyspa Bolka i Lolka – The Bolek and Lolek Island
Bolek i Lolek wśród górników
Benny and Lenny Among the Miners - 7 episodes, 1980.
- 01. Wuj Karlik – Uncle Carl
- 02. Zielona Hałda – The Green Heap
- 03. Skarbnik – The Treasurer
- 04. Barbórka – The Baborka Celebration
- 05. Pasowanie Na Górnika – Fit For Mining
- 06. W Starej Kopalni – In the Old Mine
- 07. Czarne Złoto – Black Gold
Olimpiada Bolka i Lolka
Olympics with Bolek and Lolek - 13 episodes, 1983–1984.
- 01. Tor Przeszkód – The Obstacle Course
- 02. Żółty Czepek – The Yellow Bonnet
- 03. Zawody Łucznicze – Archery Games
- 04. Judo – Judo
- 05. Gol – Goal!
- 06. Żeglarstwo – Sailing
- 07. Slalom – The Slalom
- 08. Skok w Dal – The Long Jump
- 09. Pojedynek – The Duel
- 10. Kolarstwo – Cycling
- 11. Siatkówka – Volleyball
- 12. Igrzyska – The Olympic Games
- 13. Nim Zapłonie Znicz – Before the Torch Is Lit
Bolek i Lolek w Europie
Benny and Lenny in Europe - 5 episodes, 1983–1986.
- 01. Duch Zamku Lorda MacIntosha – The Ghost of the Lord MacIntosh's Castle
- 02. W Królestwie Posejdona – In Poseidon's Kingdom
- 03. W Hiszpanii – In Spain
- 04. Pod Kraterem – Under the Crater
- 05. Wyścig Renów – The Reindeer Race
Films
Feature films
- Wielka podróż Bolka i Lolka – Bolek and Lolek's Great Journey (adapted into the 15-episode series of the same name) – September 16, 1977
- Kawaler Orderu Uśmiechu – The Knight of the Order of the Smile (the sequel to Great Travel) – 1979
- Bolek i Lolek na Dzikim Zachodzie – Bolek and Lolek in the Wild West – December 5, 1986
Episodes edited into films
- Sposób na wakacje Bolka i Lolka – How Bolek and Lolek do vacations – 1986
- Bajki Bolka i Lolka – Tales of Bolek and Lolek – 1986
Educational films
- Szerokiej drogi – Godspeed – 1976
- Gdy zapłonie choinka – When the Christmas tree lights up – 1977
- Wystarczy iskierka – Just a Spark – 1977
- Zabawa z zapałkami – Playing With Matches – 1977
- Feralny dzień – Unfortunate Day – 1978
- Jutro będzie lepiej – Tomorrow Will Be Better – 1978
- Na strażackim poligonie – The Fireman Training Grounds – 1978
- Z ogniem nie ma żartów – Fire Is No Laughing Matter– 1978
- Na drodze – On the Road – 1980
References
- Crump, William D. (2019). Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film. McFarland & Co. p. 336. ISBN 9781476672939.
- http://www.zetnews.pl/Poland-in-English/News/Famous-cartoon-characters-commemorated-by-a-monument%5B%5D