The Ghost of Faffner Hall

1989 · music · Jim Henson

The Ghost of Faffner Hall was a music education series which ran on ITV and HBO for 13 episodes in 1989. Faffner Hall is a grand music conservatory where the residents - human, animal and monster - enjoy making music of all types. After the Hall's founder, Fughetta Faffner, dies, her ghost continues to haunt the hall. Eventually the Hall falls into the hands of her villainous, music-hating great-great-grandnephew, Farkas Faffner. He moves in, and wants to rid the Hall of its collection of musical instruments. Fughetta's ghost is forced to work overtime to defeat Farkas's schemes. Fughetta is aided by youngsters Mimi and Riff, and the eccentric Wild Impresario. Each episode studies a certain music curriculum created by Candian University of York professors John Paynter and R. Murray Schafer. Louise Gold starred as Fughetta Faffner, with Mak Wilson as Farkas, Richard Hunt as the Wild Impresario, Karen Prell as Mimi and Mike Quinn as Riff. This show featured puppets made both by the Creature Shop and the Muppet Workshop; it was taped at the Newcastle-upon-Tyne facilities of ITV contractor Tyne Tees Television, which co-produced the show and distributed it across the ITV network. Richard Hunt as The Wild Impresario Louise Gold as Fughetta Faffner Mak Wilson as Farkas Faffner Karen Prell as Mimi Mike Quinn as Riff (credited as "Mike Quinby") Richard Coombs Phil Knowles Angie Passmore Bob Smeaton Crew Jocelyn Stevenson: Producer/Creator Jim Henson: Executive Producer Tony Kysh: Director Ed Welch: Musical Director John Paynter, R. Murray Schafer: Creative Consultants Richard Hunt: Production Consultant Puppets by Jim Henson's Creature Shop (Ron Mueck, Chris Barton, Maria Boggi, Peter Brooke, Magot Forster, Jane Gootnick, Mike Osborn, Quentin Plant, Kenny Wilson) Andy Walmsley: Art Director Marian Keating: Workshop Supervisor Peter Coogan: Production Manager Sara Paul: Stage Manager John Moore, Phil Hawkes: Lighting Trish Kinane: Executive in Charge of Production for Tyne Tee