Buzzy Bee
The Buzzy Bee is a popular toy in New Zealand. It resembles a bee with rotating wings that move and make a clicking noise while the toy is pulled along the ground. Possibly based on another earlier concept,[1] it was designed and first produced in Newton, Auckland, in the 1930s, by Maurice Schlesinger.[2][3] It became popular during the post-war baby boom.[4] Its bright colours and clicking sound call are familiar to many New Zealanders, making it one of the most well-recognised items of Kiwiana. Since this time however, the Buzzy Bee has branched out into various merchandise including books, puzzles and clothing.
Promotion
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The Buzzy Bee received significant coverage during the visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1983 with their infant son, Prince William, who played with a Buzzy Bee on the lawn of Government House.[5]
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As an iconic New Zealand symbol, the Buzzy Bee caricature was used on the keel of NZL84, one of Emirates Team New Zealand's entrant yachts for the America's Cup held in Valencia, Spain, in 2007.[6]
Adaptations
[edit]In June 2007, plans were unveiled for a Buzzy Bee stage show "Buzzy Bee's Big Day Out". The company behind the show also revealed that they had made an animated show reel and were finalising details of a distribution deal, and that they hoped to begin work on an animated series for television.[7]
An animated TV show, Buzzy Bee and Friends, premiered on TV2 in 2009;[8] 52 episodes were produced.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ "Nasty sting in the tale of 'our' Buzzy Bee icon". The New Zealand Herald. 8 July 1999. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
- ^ Williams, Tony (2007). 101 Incredible Kiwis: How New Zealanders Lead the World. Auckland: Reed Publishing.
- ^ "The History of Buzzy Bee". Buzzy Bee & friends. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ Labrum, Bronwyn (2015). Real Modern: Everyday New Zealand in the 1950s and 1960s (1st ed.). Wellington: Te Papa Press. p. 15. ISBN 978-0-9941041-7-5.
- ^ "Prince William meets 'buzzy bee'". Manatū Taonga — Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 23 April 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Emirates Team NZ Unveil Buzzy Bee".
- ^ Joanna Hunkin (22 May 2007). "Multi-million dollar Buzzy Bee stage show to hit the road". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
- ^ "TV Show". Buzzy Bee and friends. Lion Rock Ventures. Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
- ^ Crump, William D. (2019). Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film. McFarland & Co. p. 66. ISBN 9781476672939.