Ten Cents

"Hey, I know that whistle! It's...it's Ten Cents!"

Ten Cents
TUGS Other Media
Number: 1 Type: Harbour Switcher Tug Affiliation: Star Fleet

Ten Cents is the main protagonist of TUGS. He is Captain Star's first tug. He is used for a wide variety of tasks around Bigg City Port. Ten Cents' capabilities range from the towing of barges to liner docking operations. Like the rest of the Star Fleet, Ten Cents is based on the tugs of San Francisco from the 1920s, and his name reflects his American origins.

He speaks with an East End Cockney accent.

Bio

Ten Cents is one of the younger and braver Star Tugs. He has a tendency to be somewhat cheeky at times, but is strong-willed, and it takes a lot to break him. He is quick-witted and takes action swiftly without hesitation. He never lets other tugs bully him, never fails to stand up for others, and is always willing to set aside his own safety for the sake of others. He has a bit of a short temper, but he is also smart enough to listen to the advice of the older, more experienced tugs.

Unlike the other tugs of Bigg City, Ten Cents' whistle was modeled to resemble a face complete with a red flat-cap like Sunshine's - its tone is strident but middle-pitched and Ten Cents almost always sounds it in a quick double-or-triple-bursts. The audience's attention was focused on this whistle in the episode Jinxed when it seemed that any sounding of it by Ten Cents would prompt some unfortunate event for the hapless tug Boomer.

Ten Cents usually works with Sunshine, the Star Fleet's second and smallest switcher. They have shared many adventures, almost to the extent that it is impossible to imagine one without the other. Ever since Sunshine joined the fleet, he and Ten Cents have been the best of friends. Hercules often relies on Ten Cents to look after others such as Lillie or The Duchess.

Livery

Ten Cents is painted in the Star Fleet's corporate livery. This consists of a black hull, a yellow superstructure, white mast and an American flag-styled red, white and blue funnel. His name is painted on the sides of his bow in white and he has the number "1" on his funnel. He wears a blue cap.

Salty's Lighthouse

In TUGS' spin-off series Salty's Lighthouse, Sunshine (who was portrayed as female) was Ten Cents' sister and he looked up to Hercules as his older brother.

Lead Character?

Although TUGS did not officially have a lead character, Ten Cents was the closest the series came to one. He appeared in all 13 episodes, the majority as a major role, and was a character that was mostly used in merchandising. He is also the tug depicted in the TUGS logo.

Appearances

Television

TUGS

Salty's Lighthouse

Mixed Signals
Too Young to Be Included
Taking Off
Let's Party
Blackout
One Bad Day
Hands Off!
Salty Come Lately
Count on Me
Knot So Nice
Taking My Turn (cameo)
Backwards Day
Banana Splits
Clear the Decks
Claude in Charge
The Favorite
Strike Up the Band
Blankety Blank
The Last of the Red Hot C-Gulls
Farley Frog
Boss Man
Sophie Come Home
Who Took My Crayons
High Spirits
Some Guys Have all the Luck
Dream On
Sound Off
Treasure Hunt
Who Turned Off the Lights?
If the Clue Fits, Wear It
Desperately Seeking Sadie
The Big Birthday Splash
Stop the Music
Let's Wing It
No Strings Attached
Guilty Gull
Bivalve Blues

Books and Annual Stories

Voice Actors

Simon Nash (TUGS)
Ian James Corlett (Salty's Lighthouse)
Shigeru Nakahara (Japan)
Elise Langenoja (Finland)

Trivia

His model was purchased by The Star Tugs Trust, and is due to be on permanent display in their exhibition.
Ten Cents is the only tugboat to have an anthropomorphised whistle.
It is currently unknown if Ten Cents' other face masks still remain in existence.
On a picture from Ten Cents' Busy Day, Ten Cents is shown as a harbour tug instead of a harbour switcher tug.