THE PIPKINS - Hartley Hare visits the dentist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70ayM2XqtFY
Oh, this is hilarious. Hartley Hare is a scruffy, wavy-armed looking puppet thing, with a camp but witty tone of manner, not to mention, he's got a bit of an ego, and a little off-the-wall. Watch, if only for him riding the rocking horse, in the Dentist waiting room! Here we see sweet tooth Pipkins go with his friend Johnny (played by Wayne Laryea) to the Dentist. Surely one of the best kid's shows from the 70s! This was suppoesed to be a pre-school programme. Seems quite advanced compared to what you have now. The Dentist gives a running commentary of what he's doing as the tiny puppet sits in the dentists chair, including cleaning and washing his teeth. It starts cut off from the beginning, but contains most of the episode. Nigel Plaskitt, who would later lend his voice in such programmes like "Spitting Image" and 2005's "Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet", is the voice of Hartley Hare.
The programme focused on a group of puppets who lived in a puppet workshop with their maker. Hartley Hare is the most remembered, along with Pig, Tortoise (as shown in this clip), Topov the Monkey and Octavia the Ostrich. The show began in 1973, originally called "Indigo Pipkins", in reference to the elderly puppet maker of the same name. However the actor for the role, George Woodbridge died during filming of the second series, so the title just became "Pipkins". It ran alongside "Rainbow at the lunchtime hour on weekdays.
What was influential about the programme, was it referred on-screen about the death in 1974 as he was central to the show, becoming the first children's programme to make reference to death, long before "Sesame Street" did in 1983. It was also the first children's TV programme to feature regional accents, like Black Country and Cockney. The show ended in 1981, when multi-regional producers ATV(Associated Television),was dismantled to make way for Central Television, and replaced with "Let's Pretend". "Pipkins" was popular though, right to the end.
Showing posts with label 1975. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1975. Show all posts
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
James Bellamy Meets His End, in one of the finest Periodical Drama's...
Upstairs, Downstairs - James's suicide
Near 11 minute clip from the last series of the critically-acclaimed period drama "Upstairs, Downstairs". War veteran James Bellamy life burns to ashes, as his fortune made over in America invested using a deceased relative of house maid Rose Buck's Will money given generously, all comes to blows as it's 1929, the event of the "Wall Street Crash", which began "The Great Depression" in the 1930's. This was all too much to bear for Bellamy, not to mention his First World War experiences, which he could never try to comprehend and get over. His father Richard Bellamy at the beginning here, is very disappointed in his son's (lack of) handiwork.
The scene is very well-acted, and it's tastefully done. The seres charts the Bellamy family through 5 series (1971-1975), which starts in 1903 and up to 1930 in chronological order. The series is set in a large Edwardian townhouse of the wealthy Bellamy family. they are the masters "Upstairs", while their servants are "Downstairs". It highlights the mood of the early 20th century of high and low-class living standards, the trial of the First World War and the Politics scene at the time. David Langton plays as Robert Bellamy, 1st Viscount Bellamy of Haversham, and Simon Williams plays a ex-Major James Bellamy.
Near 11 minute clip from the last series of the critically-acclaimed period drama "Upstairs, Downstairs". War veteran James Bellamy life burns to ashes, as his fortune made over in America invested using a deceased relative of house maid Rose Buck's Will money given generously, all comes to blows as it's 1929, the event of the "Wall Street Crash", which began "The Great Depression" in the 1930's. This was all too much to bear for Bellamy, not to mention his First World War experiences, which he could never try to comprehend and get over. His father Richard Bellamy at the beginning here, is very disappointed in his son's (lack of) handiwork.
The scene is very well-acted, and it's tastefully done. The seres charts the Bellamy family through 5 series (1971-1975), which starts in 1903 and up to 1930 in chronological order. The series is set in a large Edwardian townhouse of the wealthy Bellamy family. they are the masters "Upstairs", while their servants are "Downstairs". It highlights the mood of the early 20th century of high and low-class living standards, the trial of the First World War and the Politics scene at the time. David Langton plays as Robert Bellamy, 1st Viscount Bellamy of Haversham, and Simon Williams plays a ex-Major James Bellamy.
Thursday, 28 January 2010
1970's Escalator Safety Public Information Film
1970's Escalator Safety Public Information Film
In this PIF, mostly aimed at children about the dangers of automated escalators, showing how dangerous it can be, to stand near the edge of a moving and functioning Escalator step at the side, warned by yellow lines, and the groove at the back. A very good slogan here, of "Stand Still, Stand Steady, Stand Clear". In a quite scary way, it shows how an escalator can chomp a kid's wellington boot, in bone-crunching fashion. These retro escalators now look pretty scary themselves, looking fairly jagged at the top, where your suppoesed to stand!
It's funny how back in 70's and 80's were so PIF-mad, nitpicking at the smallest of dangers, in which these days, the Government can't be bothered to educate, despite the fact it's an on-going process of new generation after new generation being born, now clueless how to act on the monstrous obstacle of escalators. I don't see the yellow lines at the sides much now either. Populism and sensationalism has reached PIF's now, where it's only the bigger issues that come screaming and kicking out of headline news. You don't hear of people getting killed on escalators on the news, so it don't matter.
Escalators have been in some form since the 19th century, firstly modelled by American Nathan Ames in 1859, however it didn't work. The first working escalator, developed by Jesse W. Reno, and it was first installed along the Old Iron Pier at Coney Island, New York in 1896. Since then, escalators, especially for elder people, have made life easier in airports, shopping centres and so on. Just make sure your laces are tied well. Accidents are rarer now, but people have died by exploding and collapsing escalators, strangled by their own clothes as loose thread gets stuck in the machinery, as well as a nice haircut right down to the scalp. Careful now, yeah?
In this PIF, mostly aimed at children about the dangers of automated escalators, showing how dangerous it can be, to stand near the edge of a moving and functioning Escalator step at the side, warned by yellow lines, and the groove at the back. A very good slogan here, of "Stand Still, Stand Steady, Stand Clear". In a quite scary way, it shows how an escalator can chomp a kid's wellington boot, in bone-crunching fashion. These retro escalators now look pretty scary themselves, looking fairly jagged at the top, where your suppoesed to stand!
It's funny how back in 70's and 80's were so PIF-mad, nitpicking at the smallest of dangers, in which these days, the Government can't be bothered to educate, despite the fact it's an on-going process of new generation after new generation being born, now clueless how to act on the monstrous obstacle of escalators. I don't see the yellow lines at the sides much now either. Populism and sensationalism has reached PIF's now, where it's only the bigger issues that come screaming and kicking out of headline news. You don't hear of people getting killed on escalators on the news, so it don't matter.
Escalators have been in some form since the 19th century, firstly modelled by American Nathan Ames in 1859, however it didn't work. The first working escalator, developed by Jesse W. Reno, and it was first installed along the Old Iron Pier at Coney Island, New York in 1896. Since then, escalators, especially for elder people, have made life easier in airports, shopping centres and so on. Just make sure your laces are tied well. Accidents are rarer now, but people have died by exploding and collapsing escalators, strangled by their own clothes as loose thread gets stuck in the machinery, as well as a nice haircut right down to the scalp. Careful now, yeah?
Saturday, 9 January 2010
And You Thought Politics was Boring?
Roy Jenkins and the Flour Bomb 1975
Hello, and welcome to first edition of the Politics section. This will profile election coverage, by-election coverage, and whatever on youtube that shows some of Britain's greatest leaders and politicians, and some not-so.
First we have a clip, that I would say is not only something for fans of politics, but politics haters. Roy Jenkins, a very instrumental politician in the 1960's, 70's and 80's. Here he is pummeled by a flour bomb, and the he reacts with a great deal of outrage, in that great well-spoken voice of his, which provides the entertainment.
Roy Jenkins was Labour's Home Secretary, and passed and liberalised some of the most important law changes in modern Britain. Homosexuality was made decriminalised, abortion was legalised and capital punishment for crooks was suspended. No more hangings. By the late-70's Jenkins had become disillusioned with the Labour party and the increasing power of the left wing of the party. After a reign as President of the European Commission, Jenkins returned to the UK political scene and became a member of the breakaway Labour "The Gang of 4" Group, and they founded a true political party of the centre, the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which under his leadership, merged with the UK third force, the Liberal Party, to become the "SDP-Liberal Alliance". This was successful for a while in the early 80's, but when Jenkins lost his Glasgow Hillhead seat to left-wing maverick "Gorgeous George" Galloway. This was the end of his career, but was still in the public, writing books. Jenkins died of a heart attack in 2003, at the age of 82.
Hello, and welcome to first edition of the Politics section. This will profile election coverage, by-election coverage, and whatever on youtube that shows some of Britain's greatest leaders and politicians, and some not-so.
First we have a clip, that I would say is not only something for fans of politics, but politics haters. Roy Jenkins, a very instrumental politician in the 1960's, 70's and 80's. Here he is pummeled by a flour bomb, and the he reacts with a great deal of outrage, in that great well-spoken voice of his, which provides the entertainment.
Roy Jenkins was Labour's Home Secretary, and passed and liberalised some of the most important law changes in modern Britain. Homosexuality was made decriminalised, abortion was legalised and capital punishment for crooks was suspended. No more hangings. By the late-70's Jenkins had become disillusioned with the Labour party and the increasing power of the left wing of the party. After a reign as President of the European Commission, Jenkins returned to the UK political scene and became a member of the breakaway Labour "The Gang of 4" Group, and they founded a true political party of the centre, the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which under his leadership, merged with the UK third force, the Liberal Party, to become the "SDP-Liberal Alliance". This was successful for a while in the early 80's, but when Jenkins lost his Glasgow Hillhead seat to left-wing maverick "Gorgeous George" Galloway. This was the end of his career, but was still in the public, writing books. Jenkins died of a heart attack in 2003, at the age of 82.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)