Li’l Elvis and the Truckstoppers – Caught in a Trap (1997)

Li’l Elvis (Stig Wemyss) is sick of performing Elvis music everyday in his parent’s roadhouse, but his parents Grace (Lynda Gibson) and Len (David Cotter) rely on him to keep the customers coming in, as they desperately need the money. Then to top it all off he discovers that the obnoxious Janet Rig (Marg Downey) is moving in, and will share his room. Meanwhile, the greedy Berkonium billionaire, WC Moore (Bill Ten Eyck) is plotting to take over the town. When Li’l Elvis and Lionel (Kylie Belling) discover Janet plays the drums with a killer beat, the kids form their new band The Truckstoppers just in time to save Wannapoo from WC Moore’s clutches – this time.

Caught in a Trap is the first of 26 episodes in this animated series. It introduces the main characters and the vivid colours and quirkiness of the Australian outback setting. It also gives the back-story of Li’l Elvis’s appearance as a baby, and sets up the ongoing battle between the kids and the greedy entrepreneur WC Moore. The script is written by the experienced and continually imaginative writing team of Esben Storm and Chris Anastassiades with Cameron Clarke.

Li’l Elvis and the Truckstoppers first aired on the ABC at 5.00 pm on Tuesday 6 March 1998, starting with Caught in a Trap. It screened daily in this timeslot.