Li'l Elvis and the Truckstoppers

Li'l Elvis and the Truckstoppers

Company type	Television series
Industry	Animation, Children's entertainment
Founded	1997 (1997)
Founder	Australian Children's Television Foundation (ACTF)
Headquarters	Australia
Area served	Australia, France, Germany
Key people	Dr. Patricia Edgar (ACTF Director), Peter Viska (creator)
Products	Animated children's musical television series
Number of employees	90 animators and artists (including 39 trainees)

Li'l Elvis and the Truckstoppers is a children's animated musical series and represents the Australian Children's Television Foundation's (ACTF) inaugural significant initiative within the Distinctly Australian Program, launched by Prime Minister Paul Keating. Dr. Patricia Edgar, the ACTF Director, chose Peter Viska's character Li'l Elvis to develop and co-produce this 26-episode animation series. As an entirely original creation—not derived from international or traditional tales—this $11.5 million production was a landmark achievement for Australia's animation sector.

This venture expanded global reach through collaborations with French broadcaster France 2, French production company France Animation, and German distributor Ravensburger, with financial backing from the Centre national de la cinématographie. Over an 18-month period, a team comprising 90 animators and artists, including 39 trainees in supporting capacities, brought the series to completion.

Plot

The narrative centers on a group of children and their escapades in Australia's outback.

Li'l Elvis is a ten-year-old boy gifted musically and prone to mischief, on a quest to understand who he is and experience an ordinary life. The storyline suggests he might be the illegitimate child of Elvis Presley, raised by foster parents Grace and Len, who manage a truck stop and are fans of Presley. Grace is convinced that Li'l Elvis's musical abilities validate this connection.

Together with friends Lionel Dexter and Janet Rig, Li'l Elvis forms the band "The Truckstoppers," as they navigate life in the outback town of Li’l Memphis (previously known as Wanapoo). Lionel, an Indigenous Australian boy, plays the didgeridoo and frequently uses the expression "deadly." Janet, an Asian Australian girl recognized by her beret, plays drums while standing, inspired by The Velvet Underground's drummer Maureen Tucker.

Their chief opponent is businessman W.C. Moore, who seeks to commercialize the band and transform Little Memphis into a tourist destination. He is also fixated on locating deposits of the rare mineral Berkonium and wields a Berkonium marble to dominate children in marble games. Moore regularly zaps his hapless driver, Duncan.

Main

• Li'l Elvis Jones – voiced by Stig Wemyss (singing voice provided by Wendy Stapleton)
• Lionel Dexter – voiced by Kylie Belling
  • Aboriginal actor and musician Tom E. Lewis performed Lionel's didgeridoo parts and voiced Lionel's grandfather Dex; Belling also voices Lionel's mother Lillian, who serves as the local schoolteacher.
• Janet Rig – voiced by Marg Downey
• W.C. Moore – voiced by Bill Ten Eyck
• Duncan – voiced by Michael Veitch
• Grace Jones – voiced by Lynda Gibson
• Len Jones – voiced by David Cotter

Minor

• Spike − A juvenile delinquent who generally aligns with Moore against Li'l Elvis.
• Old Man Viska − An elderly European junkyard owner, retired firefighter, and miner; connected to the legend of Old Man Izard.
• Old Man Izard − A European miner believed dead following a mine collapse; his ghost is said to haunt the abandoned mines.

Series 1 (1997)

#	Title	Writer	Original airdate

Series 2 (1998)

#	Title	Writer	Original airdate

See also

• List of Australian TV series

External links

• Episode summary