Editing Buzzy Bee

{{Short description|New Zealand toy}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
[[File:2024 Dunedin Santa Parade buzzy bee.jpg|thumb|Buzzy Bee float at the [[Dunedin]] Santa Parade (2024)]]
The '''Buzzy Bee''' is a popular [[toy]] in New Zealand. It resembles a [[bee]] with rotating [[wing]]s that move and make a clicking noise while the toy is pulled along the ground. Possibly based on another earlier concept,<ref name="NZ_Herald_9661">{{cite news |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=9661 |title=Nasty sting in the tale of 'our' Buzzy Bee icon |date=8 July 1999 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |accessdate=10 September 2011}}</ref> it was designed and first produced in [[Newton, Auckland]], in the 1930s, by Maurice Schlesinger.<ref>Williams, Tony (2007). ''101 Incredible Kiwis: How New Zealanders Lead the World.'' Auckland: Reed Publishing.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://buzzybeetv.com/about-buzzy-bee-and-friends/history/|title=The History of Buzzy Bee|publisher=Buzzy Bee & friends|accessdate=31 March 2021}}</ref> It became popular during the [[post-war]] [[baby boom]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Labrum |first=Bronwyn |title=Real Modern: Everyday New Zealand in the 1950s and 1960s |date=2015 |publisher=Te Papa Press |isbn=978-0-9941041-7-5 |edition=1st |location=Wellington |publication-date=2015 |pages=15 |language=English}}</ref> 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==
[[File:Prince Charles, Princess Diana and Prince William at Government House, 1983.jpg|thumb|right|[[William, Prince of Wales|Prince William]] with his parents playing with a Buzzy Bee at [[Government House, Auckland]], during the 1983 tour of New Zealand|alt=A young William, sitting with his parents on a mat, playing with a toy]]
The Buzzy Bee received significant coverage during the visit of the [[Charles III|Prince]] and [[Diana, Princess of Wales|Princess of Wales]] in 1983 with their infant son, [[William, Prince of Wales|Prince William]], who played with a Buzzy Bee on the lawn of [[Government House, Auckland|Government House]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/prince-william-meets-buzzy-bee |title=Prince William meets 'buzzy bee' |website=[[Ministry for Culture and Heritage|Manatū Taonga — Ministry for Culture and Heritage]] |date=23 April 2025 |access-date=22 May 2025}}</ref>

[[File:Waiuku Christmas Parade (2012).jpg|thumb|A Buzzy Bee-themed float in the [[Waiuku]] [[Santa Claus parade|Christmas parade]] (2012)]]
[[File:Buzzybeeride.JPG|thumb|A children's ride in the shape of a Buzzy Bee in [[Warkworth, New Zealand|Warkworth]]]]
As an iconic New Zealand symbol, the Buzzy Bee caricature was used on the keel of NZL84, one of [[Emirates (airline)|Emirates]] [[Team New Zealand]]'s entrant yachts for the [[America's Cup]] held in [[Valencia, Spain]], in 2007.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}

==Adaptations==
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.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/author/story.cfm?a_id=328&objectid=10441111 |title=Multi-million dollar Buzzy Bee stage show to hit the road |author=Joanna Hunkin |publisher=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=2007-05-22 |accessdate=2014-06-28}}</ref>  

An animated TV show, ''Buzzy Bee and Friends'', premiered on TV2 in 2009;<ref>{{cite web|title=TV Show |url=https://buzzybeetv.com/videos/tv/ |work=Buzzy Bee and friends |publisher=Lion Rock Ventures |accessdate=2 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208061906/https://buzzybeetv.com/videos/tv/ |archivedate=8 February 2013 }}</ref> 52 episodes were produced.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crump |first1=William D. |title=Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film |date=2019 |publisher=McFarland & Co |isbn=9781476672939 |page=66}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.buzzybee.co.nz Buzzy Bee Toys]

[[Category:Products introduced in 1950]]
[[Category:New Zealand games]]
[[Category:New Zealand design]]
[[Category:1950s toys]]
[[Category:Toy animals]]
[[Category:Fictional bees]]
[[Category:Kiwiana]]