The Little Vampire (German-language version title: Der kleine Vampir) is a children's television series created in 1985 (first aired in 1986) by the German Polyphon Film- und Fernsehgesellschaft, TVS (United Kingdom) and Canadian Norflicks Productions Ltd. The series is based upon the books written by Angela Sommer-Bodenburg.
Synopsis Anton Besker is a 10-year-old boy who suddenly meets a boy, named Rüdiger, in his bedroom. Although Rüdiger seems to be the same age as Anton, he claims to be a 146-year-old vampire. Rüdiger explains a vampire can choose his age when he mutates. They then stay this age forever. He and his sister Anna chose to be children as Anna was afraid to not have teeth. He and his sister live in a hidden crypt on the old part of the local cemetery.
Anton and Rüdiger become friends but can only meet after sunset and before sunrise. Initially, they enjoy flying. Flying is not a vampire ability but they are able to fly by using a "flying powder" called "rants". Any cloth on which flying powder is sprinkled will fly and carry anything that is attached to it. For security reasons, the flying powder should only be used on vampire cloaks. Anton can fly by wearing such a cloak and sprinkling flying powder on it.
There are a few important rules: Anton must not reveal that vampires do exist, although he writes all his adventures in letters that he sends to his friend Teddy who moved out of town some weeks before. Teddy however thinks the adventures are tales made up by Anton. Other vampires, except Anna and Lumpi, must not know Anton is a human. Vampires must hide from vampire hunters such as Johann Geiermeier, the handyman and gravedigger of the local cemetery.
In the story, Geiermeier is hunting the vampires and has a plan to destroy them. Thanks to Anton, the vampires escape.
Cast German English Actor Anton Bohnsack Anton Besker Christopher Stanton Rüdiger von Schlotterstein Rüdiger von Schlotterstein Joel Dacks Onkel Theodor von Schlotterstein Uncle Ludwig von Schlotterstein Michael Gough Tante Dorothee von Schlotterstein Aunt Hildegard von Schlotterstein Lynn Seymour Anna von Schlotterstein Anna Irmgard von Schlotterstein Marsha Moreau Lumpi von Schlotterstein Lumpi von Schlotterstein Jim Gray Johann Geiermeier Johann Gurrmeyer Gert Fröbe Udo Schäfer Cyril Schaeffer Kristofer Kent Helga Bohnsack Helga Besker Susan Hogan Robert Bohnsack Robert Besker Michael Hogan Effie Puvogel Effie Perkins Cathy Wenschlag Frau Puvogel Mrs. Perkins Barbara Reese Teddy Kasper Teddy Cuthbert
Episodes 1. "Nächtlicher Besuch" (A visit at night) The little vampire Rüdiger is bored, and his Uncle Theodor/Ludwig sends him to town. There, Rüdiger sees Anton at the sports centre. Anton is just picked up by his mother whom he tells he is bored since his friend Teddy moved out of town. Rüdiger follows them so he knows where they live: the penthouse of an apartment building. Some time later, Rüdiger knocks on Anton's bedroom window. Anton, first afraid, disarrays his room trying to drive Rüdiger away; this makes a noise which is heard by Mrs. Perkins, the babysitter (as his parents Helga and Robert had to go to a party). The sitter takes a look in Anton's bedroom, but Rüdiger is able to hide in time. Anton's fear passes away and the two become good friends. At end of the episode, Johann Geiermeier arrives by plane. He is the new handyman and gravedigger of the local cemetery as well as a vampire hunter.
2. "Fliegen will gelernt sein" (Flying you should learn) As Helga and Robert have to go to a party, Anton invited Rüdiger to his bedroom, but Helga wrenched her ankle and should stay in bed. Rüdiger has a surprise: Anton will learn how to fly. Anton is first afraid he will be mutated into a vampire, but Rüdiger explains everyone can fly by using a smelly "flying powder". They practise in the bedroom, but Anton throws over some stuff. This is heard by Helga who enters the bedroom. Rüdiger is able to hide in time. Helga finds the cloak worn by Anton. He explains the cloak belongs to a friend who came over and forgot to take it with him. Vampire hunter Johann Geiermeier moves into his new house (Helga being the real estate agent). While he plays the tuba, uncle Theodor/Ludwig spies on him.
3. "Bei Schlottersteins" (At the Schlottersteins) At dawn the next morning, Uncle Theoder/Ludwig says he is 100% sure the new gravedigger is a Geiermeier. He acts as a Geiermeier, is dressed like a Geiermeier, smells like a Geiermeier and presented himself as a Geiermeier during a phone conversation.
That night, Anton's parents have to go out again. As his usual sitter is ill, she sends over her daughter Effie Perkins. Rüdiger scares Effie who runs out of the penthouse. Rüdiger takes Anton to his crypt. At the cemetery, they just avoid being caught by Geiermeier. Once in the crypt, aunt Dorothee/Hildegard wakes up. Anton hides in Rüdiger's coffin, although Dorothee/Hildegard can smell human flesh and suspects Rüdiger to have hidden a human in his coffin. Rüdiger distracts aunt Dorothee/Hildegard so Anton can escape.
Helga finds the smelly vampire cloak in Anton's room and takes it.
4. Vampirumhänge wäscht man nicht (Vampire cloaks should not be washed) By the next morning, Helga has washed the cloak. She asks Anton to take the cloak to Rüdiger and to invite him and his sister for dinner. At the cemetery, Anton tries to fly in, but he does not succeed. His classmate Udo/Cyril is a witness and tries to figure out what Anton is doing. They are surprised by Geiermeier who recognizes the cloak as a vampire's. He interrogates Anton and Udo/Cyril about the cloak. Udo/Cyril escapes with the cloak to his house. At night Anton visits Rüdiger, who is upset that Anton lost the cloak. The good news is the cloak has been washed so the flying powder disappeared. Rüdiger visits a punk party where his cousin Lumpi, also a vampire, sings as lead of the staging group.
5. Annas Trick (Anna's trick) Geiermeier sits behind his desk and writes his family chronicles. He describes the numerous disguises he used to find vampires. At last he had the splendid idea to become a gravedigger. At the same time, Rüdiger arrives at Anton's house. He is accompanied by his sister Anna. She will help to retrieve the cloak as Rüdiger has other things to do that night. Anna falls in love with Anton. Both go to Udo/Cyril. Whilst Anton keeps Udo/Cyril distracted, Anna slips into the house and retrieves the cloak: Anton had tricked Udo/Cyril to go into his room to make sure the cloak was still there, but Anna was watching.
When Anton enters his own bedroom, Anna is already there, having sprinkled flying powder over the cloak. When Helga is about to enter the bedroom, Anna hides and Anton puts the cloak under the bed. By doing this, some of the flying powder falls onto the duvet. After Helga leaves the room, the bedsheets (and Anton) start to fly. Thanks to Anna, Anton lands safely. Both go to the crypt to tell Rüdiger the cloak is back in possession. Anton is disappointed as it turns out Rüdiger is playing games with Lumpi. Suddenly, aunt Dorothee/Hildegard and uncle Theodor/Ludwig return. Anton hides in Rüdiger's coffin. When they are finally away, Anna finds an unconscious Anton and needs to perform a mouth to mouth resuscitation, which alarms Rüdiger into thinking she's biting Anton to make him a vampire. Some hours later, Helga finds a sleeping Anton beside the washing machine. Inside the machine the duvet from his bed.
6. Rüdiger in Jeans (Rüdiger in jeans) It's almost the day where Rüdiger and Anna are expected at Anton's house. One major problem: Rüdiger and Anna can't go in their vampire clothes. The solution for Rüdiger is easy: Anton lends him some of his old clothes: jeans and a shirt. Anna remembers a dress she saw in Udo/Cyril's house. She decides to burgle the dress. Geiermeier finds a rare file in the library about vampires. As the file is not to be loaned, he steals it, but is caught and nearly charged by the police until he manages to escape with the file. Rüdiger and Anna dress up in the crypt and are about to go to Anton. They do not notice they are overheard by aunt Dorothee/Hildegard.
7. Tee mit Überraschungen (Tea with surprises) Helga worries about the invitees. Rüdiger and Anna were to be expected at 4:00 p.m. and it is almost 4:30. Anton explains they will only arrive after 8:00. Finally, Rüdiger and Anna ring the bell. They wear human clothes and make-up to hide they are vampires. The whole party is overseen by aunt Dorothee/Hildegard, uncle Theodor/Ludwig and Lumpi. While it is no surprise that Anna drinks milk, they believe both ate bread due to mimed chewing (although Anton quickly wolfed most of each sandwich), and Rudiger is seen apparently drinking tea (it is consommé soup). Even Lumpi is shocked when he discovers Rüdiger consumes the regular human food. Theodor/Ludwig suspects they are not vampires.
By coincidence, Anton notices the spies and informs Anna and Rüdiger. Rüdiger is afraid they will be banned from the crypt and decides to go home. Robert insists he drive the children there by car. By directions of Rüdiger, Robert drops them off at a house which they enter. As soon as Robert drives away, the little vampires run out of the house towards the cemetery. There, they are caught by Geiermeier who recognizes them as vampires. Luckily, they are still being spied upon by Dorothee/Hildegard, Theodor/Ludwig and Lumpi who can save Rüdiger and Anna.
Once in the crypt, the interrogation starts: contact with humans should be avoided, none of them should know about vampires being real, and it is strictly forbidden to consume human food. Anna is dismissed as she never wanted to be a vampire and abominates blood. That's why she does drink milk. Rüdiger is banned. He gets a fly prohibition, must turn in his cloak and must find another place to stay.
8. Rüdiger in Not (Rüdiger in peril) Rüdiger has to spend that night outside, but by the next evening, he has arranged with Anton to have his coffin in the ground floor locker room at Anton's building. Rüdiger asks Anton to turn in his cloak so Rüdiger can fly to a place where he is not known. During this conversation Effie finds the cloak in Anton's room and takes it away. A few minutes later, Anton notices the theft and knows Effie is the wrongdoer. He goes to her house and finds the cloak in the washing machine. As a result, Rüdiger can't escape.
9. Unruhe im Keller (Troubles in the cellar) Rüdiger is still hiding in Anton's cellar and is frequently visited by his sister Anna. She tells him that the family questions whether they made the correct decision or not. Anna invites Anton to the "Big Vampire Party" which will take place in a few days. She is disappointed when it turns out Rüdiger already invited Anton - insisting Anton come to reciprocate - and Anton accepted. Meanwhile, Geiermeier is at the cemetery and speaks towards the (hidden) vampires: he promises the vampires a fair trial in Transylvania and he announces he has a genius plan which no vampire could survive. The police notice Geiermeier and brings him over to a psychiatric hospital, but Geiermeier is able to escape and needs to hide now. Anton has also borrowed the locker key and obtained a copy of it for Rüdiger.
Anna gives Rüdiger some flying powder which she secretly took from the crypt. Helga asks Anton to help his father in the locker. Anton runs there to be the first. He finds a newspaper with a photo. The photo displays Anton and Teddy dressed up as vampires. Rüdiger learns Teddy now lives in Hamelin and flies over. There he finds Teddy, but decides not to introduce himself. Teddy is writing a letter to Anton which is taken away by Rüdiger. Rüdiger delivers the letter to Anton. Anton finishes the letter by telling Teddy everything he wrote is the truth. Next, he mails the letter to Teddy.
10. Das große Fest der Vampire (The Big Vampire Party)