Haas Das se Nuuskas

Haas Das se Nuuskas was a weekly short television show in South Africa about a rabbit and a mouse running a news broadcast in Diere Land. Created by Louise Smit in 1976, at the time of television's introduction in South Africa, it was the first children's television programme in that country. The "news" typically revolved around all the animals' complaints, achievements and scandals. The voice of Haas Das was performed by a real South African news anchorman, Riaan Cruywagen.

Characters

Puppets

Haas Das
'''Piet Muis'''

Animated/Drawn characters

Koning Leeu
Skriba Sekretarisvoel
Skillie Skilpad
Grootoom Flapoor Olifant
Moeder Raaf
Oupa Dassie
Krokkie Krokodil
Bettina Bobbejaan
Bakkies Bobbejaan
Bulletjie Wildebees
Sersant-Inspekteur Tienie Ratel
Bella Bokooi
Droster Renoster
Floris Volstruis
Spiekeries Springbok
Dr. Karoolus Krap
Martin Miskruier
Vlossie Mossie
Hasie Kwassie

Creative team

Creator: Louise Smit
Writer: Louise Smit
Graphic Artist and Animator: Butch Stoltz
Channel: SAUK/SABC
Voice Talents:- Riaan Cruywagen, Monica Breed
Original Puppet Builder: Alida von Maltitz/van Deventer
Theme Song: Gert Van Tonder

Revival

The show was revived as a direct-to-DVD movie in 2007 and released by Sony BMG. Just like Wielie Walie, it was the first of Louise Smit's original creations to be redone. Haas Das hou konsert, a movie based on the new book by Smit, was all about Koning Leeu having a terrible headache from all the animals' complaints, and Haas Das organising a concert in his honour to make him feel better. All of the original animated characters were recreated as puppets for this production, and even a few new characters were added, like Boeboe Bobbejaan and Stinkie Muishond. The new puppet versions of Haas Das and Piet Muis were designed and made by while some of the other puppets were supplied by Antoinette Snyman, Morgwyn Fourie and Elize Jordan.
Riaan Cruywagen returned as voice talent.
Gert Van Tonder from Wielie Walie makes a guest appearance.

New voice cast

Haas Das: Riaan Cruywagen
Piet Muis: Jan Wolmarans, Annaretha Naude
Koning Leeu: Rouel Beukes
Grootoom Flapoor Olifant: Nic De Jager
Bettina Bobbejaan: Annaretha Naude
BoeBoe Bobbejaan: Dulinda Pieters
Bakkies Bobbejaan: Dulinda Pieters
Kleinstinkie Muishond: Verna Vels
Moeder Raaf: Nic De Jager, Riana van Vollenhoven

Other appearances

Haas Das and Piet Muis appeared in the ads for the KKNK in 2002, where he announced the festival. The ads included TV ads and posters. On the TV ads he was a news reader at DNN, but on the posters he was seen as a DJ sitting at a spinning table, instead of his well-known news desk.
After that he also performed shows at arts festivals, with puppets made by Hansie Visagie, in his own unique style.
Haas Das also recently appeared in an ad-campaign for ATKV/Pendoring to promote Afrikaans. He is pictured as a fat bum in a living room, on a couch with cans all around him, but here he is not a puppet, he is a full body costume/puppet resembling the original puppet. The campaign shows what happens to the characters when if the language is unused or extinct. This is the usual message of the ''ATKV.''

Books

Louise Smit has written two Haas Das books: Haas Das se Nuuskas, illustrated by Fred Mouton, and Haas Das raak weg, illustrated by Tanja Joubert. Both are published by Human & Rousseau.

DVDs

The original Haas Das Nuuskas-series and Haas Das hou konsert-movie are available in South Africa on DVD.