SuperTed, the cuddly superhero created by an animation team in Cardiff, was one of the biggest television hits of the 1980s and continues to delight children today.
Now, the character is set to star in a new production – an exhibition at the Museum of Cardiff focusing on the history of leisure in the city.
Curators of the museum, based at the Hayes in the centre of Cardiff, have located an original poster promoting the cartoon and a fascinating drawing guide for artists to use when creating the popular bear.
Another star of the exhibition is a vivid reminder of the city’s hosting of the Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958. A 4ft-high model of the giant javelin thrower that stood on top of Howell’s department store during the games will be on display. It has been restored by conservation staff and students at Cardiff University in time for the exhibition and was originally used as a guide for the creators of the actual statue – said to be so big that the person who sculpted it could stand inside its head!
Cllr Jennifer Burke, Cardiff Council’s Cabinet Member responsible for Culture, said she was delighted by the quality of the exhibits on display. “Everyone remembers SuperTed and it’s important to celebrate its links to the creative industries in Cardiff,” she said. “I’m also really intrigued by the story of the javelin thrower’s statue – the whereabouts of the full-size original are a mystery so maybe someone visiting the exhibition will be able to shed some light on it.”
The exhibition, which opened today, celebrates leisure in Cardiff from the Victorian era to the present day. Other exhibits include the original lettering from the Globe Cinema on Albany Road, Roath, and more memorabilia from the 1958 Games.
During the school holidays, the Museum is running a series of family craft activities every Wednesday and on the second Friday of August the museum will feature Dinky Dragons and will be transformed into a toddler and baby-friendly zone.
