Mio Mao

Mio Mao
Genre
Created byFrancesco Misseri
Written byFrancesco Misseri
Directed byIanfranco Baldi (series 1)
Narrated byDerek Griffiths (Milkshake!)
Opening theme"Mio Mao Lalla Lalla Là"
by Francesco Misseri and Piero Barbetti
Ending theme"Mio Mao Lalla Lalla Là" (instrumental)
ComposerPiero Barbetti
Country of origin
  • Italy
  • United Kingdom
Original languages
  • English (narrating)
  • Italian (gibberish Grammelot)
No. of series3
No. of episodes18 (78 segments) (list of episodes)
Production
ProducerAugusti Righi (series 1)
Running time28 minutes (four to five 5-minute segments)
Production companies1974 series: PMBB
2005 series: Misseri Studio and Associati Audiovisvi
Original release
NetworkProgramma Nazionale and Rai Yoyo (Italy)
Milkshake! (UK)
Release6 January 1974 (1974-01-06) –
26 February 2007 (2007-02-26)
Related
A.E.I.O.U.
Quaq Quao
The Red and the Blue

Mio Mao is an Italian stop-motion animated educational children's television series created by Francesco Misseri, which ran from 6 January 1974 (hiatus shown from 30 June 1974 to 5 September 2005) to 26 February 2007, airing on Programma Nazionale and later Rai Yoyo after the third series in Italy and Milkshake! in the United Kingdom (series 2―3). The episodes are narrated and the characters are voiced by Derek Griffiths through second to third series in the UK dub.

The programme is aimed at babies and toddlers and stars a pair of anthropomorphic kittens named Mio (a red kitten) and Mao (a white kitten). Each episode is around five minutes long and follows Mio and Mao as they discover many different mysterious animals and objects.

List of episodes

Series 1 (1974)

  1. The Egg
  2. The Peacock
  3. The Little Lamb
  4. The Ants
  5. The Chameleon
  6. The Beehive
  7. The Spider
  8. The Tortoise
  9. The Caterpillar
  10. The Cicada
  11. The Snake
  12. The Dog
  13. The Doormouse
  14. The Polyp
  15. The Hippopotamus
  16. The Squirrel
  17. The Monkey
  18. The Hedgehog
  19. The Shell
  20. The Tadpole
  21. The Snail
  22. The Owl
  23. The Mole
  24. The Beaver
  25. The Piglet
  26. The Hare

Series 2 (2005–06)

  1. The Fox
  2. The Worm
  3. The Anteater
  4. The Seed
  5. The Cricket
  6. The Swan
  7. The Turkey
  8. The Crocodile
  9. The Racoon
  10. The Crab
  11. The Penguin
  12. The Little Bear
  13. The Christmas Tree
  14. The Snowman
  15. The Seal
  16. The Parrot
  17. The Mushroom
  18. The Dragonfly
  19. The Bat
  20. The Chestnut
  21. The Hornet
  22. The Kangaroo
  23. The Cow
  24. The Ladybird
  25. The Donkey
  26. The Koala

Series 3 (2006–07)

  1. The Deer
  2. The Elephant
  3. The Mouse
  4. The Ostrich
  5. The Pelican
  6. The Dove
  7. The Kingfisher
  8. The Television
  9. The Clew
  10. The Dolphin
  11. The Ghost
  12. The Goldfish
  13. The Zebra
  14. The Vacuum Cleaner
  15. The Sky Terrier
  16. The Sloth
  17. The Gorilla
  18. The Jinn
  19. The Bull
  20. The Train
  21. The Little Theater
  22. The Tap
  23. The UFO
  24. The Vulture
  25. The Piano
  26. The Dinosaur

Broadcast

Mio Mao aired on Programma Nazionale strand in Italy and later Milkshake! in the United Kingdom. On 10 November 2006, it was internationally aired on Rai Yoyo. On 15 October 2007, BabyFirst airs the first two seasons in the US as a part of flower colour Imagination Lane until 30 June 2025.