Form Records
Form Holdings Limited was a publisher, retailer, and distributor of music, music videos and direct-to-video programmes, headquartered in Singapore and with offices in Malaysia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. It was listed on the SESDAQ. Form was founded by Ang Choon Beng alias Ang Siong Kiat, who was also the executive producer of all series in Chinese.[1]
Form Holdings is also known for their series of children's educational programmes made in the 1990s, which include the Mental Arithmetic series, the ABC English for Children series and many others. All these were published under the Form Records, Form Kidz, and Form Music Publication labels.
The cast of these programmes included Channel 8 actors and actresses like Chen Liping, Huang Wenyong, Emily Yeo, and Jaslyn Theen, and child actors from the era like Darence Ang, Koay Jing Li, and David Tham, amongst others. However, like in most Channel 8 shows in the 1990s, their voices were mostly dubbed over by TCS dubbing artistes. Exceptions include the Mental Arithmetic series and its spin-off videos.
The producer for many of these series was Ang Hung Lin, who was also producer for the movies Nobody's Child and Missing You.... Both Ang Hung Lin and Ang Choon Beng left Form Records and founded Innoform Media in the early 2000s.
As of 2019, only the Malaysian subsidiary, Form Records (M) Sdn Bhd, based in Kuala Lumpur, survives. Form Holdings Limited has since been repurposed as a holding company for a membrane manufacturer.
Series
Darence Ang sung the theme and interlude songs for many of these series, until around 1996 or 1997. Some of these songs were later compiled into an album, released in 1997.
ABC English for Children (1992 - 1996)
Probably the most well-known Form publication, this series starred Chen Liping as the teacher and ran to 6 volumes. Some volumes were also available in English, Cantonese, and Malay dubs. A seventh volume under the same name, unrelated to the rest of the series, was produced by Form Records (M) Sdn Bhd in 2005.
| Title | Year of release |
|---|---|
| Vol 1 | 1992 (estimated) |
| Vol 2 | 1993 (estimated) |
| Vol 3 | 1994 (estimated) |
| Vol 4 | 1995 (estimated) |
| Vol 5 | 1996 |
| Vol 6 | 1997 (estimated) |
At the Bird Park
An alien which looks like a bird suddenly hatches from an egg. The Little Professor and his friends visit Jurong Birdpark to help the alien find its mother.
| Character | Actor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Little Professor | Darence Ang | |
| Alien Baby | Lin Xuan | |
| Aladdin | Feng Xingzheng | |
| Little Soldier | Lin Xingting | |
| Little Princess | Lu Peiying | |
| Xiao Hui Jing | Chen Ling | |
| Xiao Fei Xia | Anthony Chen |
At the Zoo I & II (1993, 1995)
| Character | Actor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Princess | Jaslyn Theen | |
| Witch | Chen Weili | |
| Little Siblings | Darence Ang | |
| Feng Xingzheng | ||
| Hong Junrui | ||
| Shen Mingjun | ||
| Hong Zhihao | ||
| Lu Peiying | ||
| David Tham |
| Character | Actor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hui Gu Niang | Emily Yeo | |
| Hui Gu Niang's Mother | May Teo | |
| Mushrooms | Hong Junrui | |
| Lin Yuting | ||
| Feng Xingzheng | ||
| Lu Peiying | ||
| Qiu Xiuping | ||
| Lin Xuan | ||
| Darence Ang |
Children Educational Videos (around 1995)
A two-disc compilation of musicals based on tales like Aesop's fables, Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales, and Chinese folk tales like Tadpoles Looking for their Mama. The musicals were filmed in China, and mostly starred Chinese actors and actresses, although Singaporean child actor Darence Ang appeared in a few of these videos.
| No. | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Little Duck | |
| 2 | Little Bear's Visitors | |
| 3 | The Arrogant Rooster | |
| 4 | None | Likely skipped due to superstition. |
| 5 | The Shy Little Oriole | |
| 6 | The Smart Alec Kitten | |
| 7 | The Tortoise and the Hare | Based on Aesop's fable. |
| 8 | Tadpoles Looking for their Mama | |
| 10 | The Golden Axe | An alternative title for Aesop's fable, The Honest Woodcutter. |
| 11 | The Rabbit Catcher | |
| 12 | Unity is Strength | Starring Darence Ang. |
| 13 | The Boy Who Cried Wolf | Starring Darence Ang. Based on Aesop's fable. |
| 14 | The Pious Children | Starring Darence Ang. |
| 15 | The Little Match Girl | Based on Hans Christian Andersen's tale. |
| 16 | Little Bear's Visitors | |
| 17 | The Little Green Frog | |
| 18 | Party in the Forest | Starring Darence Ang. |
| 19 | Three Little Pigs | Starring Darence Ang. |
Children's Songs and Riddles (1994)
| Character | Actor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher | Emily Yeo | |
| Mother | Song Lihua | |
| Linda | Lin Xuan | |
| Bang Te | Darence Ang |
Do You Know Why? (1995)
A group of children accidentally knock over a treasure pot belonging to Knowledge Country. As a punishment, they are tasked with finding the other remaining pot, which is in the hands of King Ironhook. Along the way, the children must answer general trivia questions.
Amanda Lian appears during some intermissions, explaining the answers to some of these questions.
| Character | Actor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Knowledge Angel | Michelle Chia | |
| Big Brother | Wang Qiaowang | |
| Big Cow | Hong Junrui | |
| Big Panda | Chen Liru | |
| Superstar | Zeng Weijing | |
| Little Imp | Lin Kai-er | |
| Clueless | Lin Yuru | |
| Innocent | Feng Xingzheng | |
| Little Cutie | Bobo Liew | |
| King Ironhook | Chen Weili | |
| Protector Goddess | Katherine | No Chinese name given |
| King Ironhook's Henchman | Darence Ang |
Mental Arithmetic (1995, 1998)
Unlike ABC English for Children, the character Miss Lian is played by an actual teacher, Amanda Lian who is director of her own Maths enrichment centre. The series ran to 3 volumes.
| Character | Actor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ms Lian | Amanda Lian | |
| Store Manager | Chen Zhonghua | |
| Child Prodigy | Fann Woon Qing | |
| Child Prodigy's Mother | May Teo | |
| Clown | Chen Jiaming |
| Character | Actor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ms Lian | Amanda Lian | |
| Ling Ling | Lin Yuru | |
| Xiao Ming | Darence Ang | |
| Ling Ling's Father | Yang Rongxiang | |
| Uncle Wang | Chen Zhonghua | |
| Uncle Wang's Friend | Yan Liangcheng |
| Character | Actor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ms Lian | Amanda Lian | |
| Ping's Mother | Betty Lee Sit Fung | |
| Ping Ping | Wang Ruixian | |
| Mei Ling | He Sixian | |
| Junping | Dennis Wong | |
| Xiaofang | Zhang Weiling |
Enhance Your IQ (1997)
A spin-off video, where the focus is on solving logic puzzles. The park scenes were filmed in Nee Soon Central Community Park (then known as Yishun Central Park).
| Character | Actor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ms Lian | Amanda Lian | |
| IQ Professor | Yein Pah Yuen | |
| Robber A | Lin Xinghong | |
| Robber B | Ng Kin Wah | |
| Xiao Qiang | David Tham | |
| Xiao Pang | Hong Junrui | |
| Xiao Li | Wang Ruixian | Credited as Huang Ruixian |
| Xiao Ling | Huang Wanzhen | |
| Xiao Mi | Su Shiyi | |
| Bo Bo | Zhang Weiling | |
| Boy at park 1 | Darence Ang |
Memory Booster (1997)
| Character | Actor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ms Lian | Amanda Lian | |
| Mr Very Good | Jimmy "MC King" Nah | |
| Xiao Qiang | David Tham | |
| Xiao Pang | Hong Junrui | |
| Xiao Li | Wang Ruixian | Credited as Huang Ruixian |
| Xiao Ling | Huang Wanzhen | |
| Xiao Mi | Su Shiyun | |
| Bo Bo | Zhang Weiling |
Primary Composition (1997)
Two educational videos targeted at Primary 4 and Primary 6 students respectively, which gave tips on writing Chinese compositions.
| Character | Actor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mei's Mother | Zheng Yuechan | |
| Ming's Mother | Kwan Seck Mui | |
| Ming Ming | Wang Ruixian | |
| Mei Mei | Bobo Liew | |
| Shan Shan | Jian Jingya | |
| Teacher | Huang Taijie |
| Character | Actor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher A | Huang Taijie | |
| Teacher B | Christine Kee Chiew Hiang | |
| Gang's Father | Kwek Hock Choon | |
| Granny | He Li Juan | |
| Xiao Gang | Darence Ang | |
| Gang | Koay Jing Li | |
| Gang's Brother | Dexter Ang | |
| Students | Huang Wanzhen | |
| Zheng Xupeng | ||
| Zhang Weiling | ||
| Jasline Ang | ||
| Fu Ziquan | ||
| Huang Yaosheng | ||
| Zhang Yanwei |
Say It, It's Easy (1996)
Published by Form Music Publications. Unlike ABC English for Children this programme focused more on English phonics, and none of the children were trained actors. The show's host is John "JC" Cunningham, who is a speech and drama teacher in real life as well.
Some of the songs used are adaptations of songs featured in an episode of Barney and the Backyard Gang, Rock with Barney.
| Barney song | Adapted song | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Barney and the Backyard Gang | Song of the Junglebird | |
| Tingalayo | Chingalaya (Listen to Word Sounds) | |
| Down by the Bay | Down by the Beach | |
| Boom, Boom Ain't It Great To Be Crazy | Boom, Boom, Say It It's Easy | |
| Six Little Ducks | Six Kiddie Pirates |
The opening theme is also a rearranged version of an instrumental background track heard in What a Wonderful World.
Ten Brothers (1995)
Based on the Chinese legend. Three quarrelsome brothers are joined by the children of their parents' friends and neighbours. They don't get along, until an Ah Long nearly kidnaps one of them and they're forced to band together to use their "powers" for good when a second kidnap attempt succeeds.
Huang, Lee, and Darence Ang's voices were not replaced by dubbing artistes, although their dialogue appears to have been re-recorded. Ten Brothers did not follow the format of most Form Record productions, as it was more dramatic in style rather than educational.
Some scenes were filmed at Blk 318 Bukit Batok Street 32.
This video was released on laserdisc, VCD, and video cassette.[2]
| Character | Actor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Uncle Hua | Huang Wenyong | |
| Auntie Hua | Betty Lee Sit Fung | |
| Qiqi's Father | Tony Kim | |
| Qiqi's Mother | May Teo | |
| Er Gu | Linda Choy | Cameo |
| First Brother | Koay Jing Li | |
| Second Brother | Darence Ang | |
| Third Brother | Hong Junrui | |
| Fourth Brother | Huang Zongren | |
| Fifth Brother | Feng Xingzheng | |
| Sixth Brother | Liu Hanyi | |
| Qiqi (Seventh Brother) | Cao Xuemei | |
| Eighth Brother | Feng Ziliang | |
| Ninth Brother | Qing Zhixian | |
| Tenth Brother | David Tham | |
| Chen Jin Shui and wife | Mr and Mrs Alan Wong | Parents of the 4th, 5th, and 6th brothers. |
| Uncle De | Quek Chin Chuan | Father of the 8th, 9th, and 10th brothers. |
| Auntie De | Tan Siew Choo | Mother of the 8th, 9th, and 10th brothers. |
| Ah Long B | Bernard Lim Teck Wah |
What a Wonderful World (1996)
While their parents go on holiday, four children are taken by a nanny on a tour of vegetable farms and more.
| Character | Actor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nanny | Jaslyn Theen | |
| Father | Huang Wenyong | |
| Mother | Betty Lee Sit Fung | |
| Nanny's Granny | Yau Chung Chii | |
| Da Bu Liang | Chng Zhenzhi | Nanny's Cousin |
| Xiao Bu Liang | Koay Jing Li | Nanny's Cousin |
| Da Fan | Darence Ang | |
| Er Fan | Zeng Weijing | |
| San Fan | Feng Xingzheng | |
| Xiao Fan | Bobo Liew |
Logo/introduction sequence
For most of its history, Form used the same introduction sequence featuring a yellow bird on a rainbow backdrop. Most of these videos had the version which used an instrumental excerpt from "Good Morning, Teacher". However, videos published by Form Music Publication (most were published by Form Records and some by Form Kidz) used a generic jingle instead.