"Well mate, It's either Watching this or Reaching for the Top Shelf at the Local..."

Tiswas - Phantom Flan Flinger - Legs & Co, Dennis Waterman



"Tiswas" (which stands for "Today is Saturday, Watch and Smile) was the first ever Saturday morning kids show to be shown in Britain in 1974. This pioneer was one of the best of these programme that could pull in not only kids, but with a knowing "wink,wink" to adults, and from this clip, especially for men. Unlike future Swap Shop's and Motormouth's, it was never clean-cut in presenation but a fairly unpredictable, custard-pie-laden glorified food fight, you might see at a school dinner hall.

This clip features a (fixed!) quiz section, quizzed by the face of the show, Chris Tarrant, between actor/singer Dennis Waterman and the present dance troupe of the definitive British music chart show "Top of the Pops", which was "Legs & Co.". They were a normally six-girl group who replaced "Pan's People" in 1976. Legs & Co. practically get caked in water and cream pies or "flans", from an absurdly crossdressed Phantom Flan Flinger. Waterman then finds it hard to contain himself, getting quite hyperactive, with a front seat view to the action. It was simple maths really for the show. Only 3 TV channels, the viewing audience would be kids but then some. Perhaps alot bored hot-blooded men before they go to the footie or pub to watch the footie, but at all the same time, the production staff and crew were all really having a laugh, entertaining themselves too. "Watch and Smile" you say? More like Watch and W...

Legs & Co. consisted of Lulu Cartwright, Gillian Clarke, Patti Hammond, Rosemary Hetherington, Susan Menhenick & Pauline Peters. The dance troupe lasted on TOTP from 1976-1981. One dancer replacement later, the dance troupe in it last year, recieved less attention as they were swept into the background, along with the "partying" audience in new changes for the show. They were rpelaced by another dance troupe by the name of "Zoo", but the show having a dance troupe was on it's "last legs", no pun intended.

Dennis Waterman at the time, was in his heyday, after the success of "Sweeney", he had already appeared in 2 series of Minder as, along with a his theme-tune writing prowess being showcased on again mentioned, TOTP, achieving a No.3 hit in the UK Singles Chart.