Name: Bolke de beer
Genre: Family
Released: 1976-09-25
Rating: 5.8
Cast: Rob van de Meeberg, Hellen Huisman, Robert Paul

Based on a series of books by A.D. Hildebrand, Bolke de Beer (first published in 1935) was the latest in a long line of 5 minute puppet programs shown just before bedtime every night of the week to the delight of little Dutch children of the seventies. Produced by De Levita productions like De Fabeltjeskrant before it, this series was less political than it's predecessor (there was no talk of going on strike or forming a union) and therefore more accessible to it's intended audience, but less well remembered in the long run.

Bolke escaped from a circus and settled in a forest nearby Apeldoorn. He was soon joined by a monkey from the same circus, Melis. Already living in the forest was a family of hares: Buizer, his wife Buizerin and their two bunnies Polle & Makkie, the sly fox Vlens, the shy porcupine Drubbiebuu, the posh deer Rosientje and a cranky old mole simply called 'Old Mole'. Later on in the series a traveling Badger called Dries also took up residence, despite Vlens objecting that the forest didn't need no badgers.

During the inventively shot opening titles, Bolke was seen to perform some of his circus acts like walking a tightrope and swinging to and fro on a swing. During most of the episodes however, the puppets usually just stood around and talked a lot. Being old fashioned hand puppet that had not yet gone through the Jim Henson revolution, most of the character's movement was restricted to the mouths. Bolke himself turned out to be the laziest and in some ways least interesting character. Of course this is often the case with title characters in children's stories through who's eyes the public sees the stories. Far more interesting was the vain and self important fox Vlens, the naughty monkey Melis (who spoke like he came from The Hague) and the entire Buizer family.

The series is still occasionally repeated (mostly during school holidays) and was partially released VHS and DVD to a whole new generation. And all because Meneer Hildebrand started to tell stories to his 2 year old son about his teddy bear.

7 out of 10

Dutch cinema often combines understated realism with offbeat humor, tackling moral ambiguity and social change. It balances intimate storytelling with bold, sometimes provocative, visual styles. Dutch films combine art-house sensibility with grounded storytelling, reflecting the country's open, yet quietly complex culture.

Rutger Hauer and Monique van de Ven in Turkish Delight (1973)

The family genre features stories specifically created to be suitable for a wide range of age groups within a family. Family-oriented content is designed to be enjoyed by both children and adults, often providing entertainment that is wholesome, relatable, and appropriate for all members of a family to watch or experience together.

Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Circus bear Bolke escapes from a life of captivity and find refuge with a family of hares. He is allowed to stay in the forest near Apeldoorn as long as he gets a cave of his own. He is soon joined by another escapee, Melis the Monkey.

The Biggest Movies and TV Coming in September

See which big screen releases you can watch from the comfort of your couch.

Theatrical Releases Coming to Streaming

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Bolke de beer

Photos

Top Cast3

User reviews1

Related interests

Storyline

Did you know

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed