MovieChat Forums > Nanny and the Professor (1970) Discussion > Why was she addressed as Nanny instead o...

Why was she addressed as Nanny instead of Phoebe

posted 15 years ago by jughead10m
7 replies | jump to latest

Her characters legal name is Phoebe Figalilly. Before she was the housekeeper and governess or Au Pair or Nanny, a woman named Miss Dunbar looked after them. Oh yes them was Professor Harold Everetts three children Hal and Butch and Prudence. However why was she addressed with nickname Nanny instead of Phoebe or Miss Figalily? Others in the community would call her Miss Figalilly but how is it possible that she is Nanny.

Plus you hear a dadadu sound when some type of magic is performed. Like she knows someones name before introduction and she knows what the Professor is asking for before he asks and on one episode when she wanted that family outing she caused Professor Everetts car not to start then a truck in a driveway when trying to take Butch and Prudence to the movies and the bus he was gonna take to turn out into an express one. She even caused Butch's juggling to win.

Its also known that none of the four of them know that Nanny has certain secret magic powers. Plus how is it that she can read minds and has ways of saying things when the kids asked "How did you know that". Please let me know and yes what is wrong with the name Phoebe? Nanny isn't her legal name its like a nickname.

[–] bat65 15 years ago

The answer to your question is in the first few moments of the first show.
it goes like this

Prof. Elliot: Lets talk in the Den
(they enter Den)
Prof Elliot: "Well Miss...ahhhhh.."
Nanny: "Figalilly... Nanny will do"

and as She says.. There you are.. She told them to call her that.

[–] ilovetennis3 8 years ago

It's Prof. Everett - not Elliot

[–] steven-digby-2 14 years ago

Phoebe Figalily is a silly name. But then so many silly things keep happening.

Kill the spare

[–] Blackace 12 years ago

The reason she knows all these things and why silly things keep happening is because she's a witch. Remember in the first episode she flew into the airport without a plane, as no airplane would be flying into that airport at that time. Which means she probably flew in on her broom. There are a lot of subtle hints that says she is a "good witch" endowed with certain magical powers.

Even though nothing is mentioned, I believe the Professor's deceased wife was also a witch or related to Phoebe Figelilly in some way. We know this because she tells us she is suppose to take care of the Professor and his family. She is specifically tasked with doing this, no matter what. So she was sent there purposely. I have to watch all of the episodes to find out why she was sent. Don't know if anything is really explained or not.

She's called Nanny, because that's what she wants to be called. Probably because her job is to be the kids Nanny and take care of them.

[–] Kane26510 9 years ago

While this all may be true, witches GENERALLY don't land at airports, either through necessity or desire.

Not sure if Phoebe was related to the deceased mom. It might be in some sort of obscure back story somewhere, but aside from the intentional exposition in the first few moments of the show (which is probably there as nothing more than moving the story line forward as quickly as possible), I'd say it's nothing more than a nanny-induced coincidence.

[–] gcarras 8 years ago

Excellent song,.

All comments=my own opinion not reflecting my voluptous pinup profile girl, Courtney Thorne-Smith

[–] 8 years ago

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