About Paddington Bear

Paddington Bear has charmed readers worldwide for many years. Paddington's story begins in 1956, when he was just a lone plush bear collecting dust on a toy-store shelf. Now a worldwide phenomenon, Paddington Bear's rags-to-riches story is a tale anyone can identify with. Paddington Bear has had an interesting rise to fame--from being just a last minute Christmas gift to potentially starring in his own film.

Paddington's Beginning

Paddington Bear was created in London, England. His creator, Michael Bond, bought his wife a stuffed bear for Christmas. As Bond stated, the plush bear was the only bear located on the shelf and he felt bad for it, prompting him to purchase it. Paddington received his name because of how close Bond and his wife Brenda lived to Paddington Station.
Since purchasing the bear in 1956, Bond created stories about the little bear and told them to his wife. According to Bond, "within ten days, [he] had a book on [his] hands." Bond took delight in the fact that a bear could have the wonderment of a child, but also possess adult-like refinement.
Paddington Bear takes on an everyman quality because of his ability to get involved in every-day situations. Although Paddington has a human-like quality, he is still just a bear learning to live in a human-dominated world.
As of 2008, Bond has written thirteen Paddington Bear stories, which have sold over thirty-five million copies and have been translated into 40 languages worldwide.

Paddington's Original Story

In his first tale, "A Bear Called Paddington," Paddington Bear is found by Mr. and Mrs. Brown in Paddington Station. The little bear was seen sitting next to his suitcase with a note attached around his neck reading, "Please look after this bear. Thank you." Paddington came to England from Peru at the request of his Aunt Lucy. Mr. and Mrs. Brown adopt Paddington Bear and take him home to 32 Windsor Gardens, where most of his adventures begin.
"A Bear Called Paddington" is composed of eight short stories. The first story, "Please Look after the Bear," tells the story of how the Browns found Paddington at the train station. "A Bear in Hot Water" features Paddington taking his first bath, which turned into a disaster. "Paddington Goes Underground" showcases Paddington's first job, where he gets in trouble with his boss. In "The Shopping Expedition," Paddington gets lost in a large department store. Paddington wins first prize in a painting contest in "Paddington and the Old Master." In "A Visit to the Theatre," Paddington helps an actor in a play remember his lines, while in "Adventure at the Seaside," Paddington's sand castle is washed away and he gets lost. Finally, in "A Disappearing Trick," Paddington celebrates his first birthday with the Browns and receives a magic set.

Subsequent Publications

Besides "A Bear Called Paddington," thirteen other Paddington Bear stories were published between 1958 and 2008, most notably 1973's "Blue Peter Storybook," which consists of stories of Paddington and his exploits on the "Blue Peter" television show. Another notable title, "Paddington Takes the Test," questions Paddington's citizenship in England. "Paddington Takes the Test" introduces children and adults alike to the world of nationalization testing. In 2008, "Paddington Here and Now" was released on Paddington's 50th anniversary.

Paddington on Television

In 1975, the BBC aired "Paddington" on television. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, "Paddington" was shown in the United States as small segments on "Romper Room," "Pinwheel," and "Calliope." When the show grew in popularity, PBS, Nickelodeon, HBO, USA and the Disney Channel each gave "Paddington" half-hour time slots during their morning programming.
In 1989, Hanna-Barbera produced a version of Paddington Bear called the "Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera." In the "Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera," Paddington arrives in England from America, not Peru as the original story states. Additionally, Paddington arrives in England with his American cousin, David.
In 1997, an updated version of Paddington Bear aired on PBS called the "Adventures of Paddington Bear." The story was done in traditional two-dimensional animation and aired 117 episodes in the United States. The show airs in France and Canada.

Paddington Hits the Big Screen

In 2007, Warner Brothers Studios and producer David Heyman (producer of the Harry Potter films) released plans for a live-action film based upon the Paddington book series. According to the release, Paddington Bear will be a computer animation that will interact with real environments and humans. A production date has not been set.

Resources

• Paddington Bear Official Site
• Paddington's Timeline of Events
• The First Paddington Bear Television Episode