Scottish Television in-vision continuity & closedown - 1987
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRyXvVGCEWo
One of the more memorable continuity videos I've seen on Youtube. Read on, and you'll find out what I mean by the title...
This is from the Scottish ITV (or rather STV) for the Scotland Central region, including Glasgow and Edinburgh. We have some of static idents at the beginning of the video, but hold tight, there's an in-vision announcer to come, introducing the TV schedule for the next day (Tuesday). In-vision announcing was a staple of British TV from the beginning, but became phased out gradually region-to-region in the 1990s.
In this video, Scottish keeps a firm identity in it's idents, with a block 80s-style 3D graphic of a thistle, an icon of Scotand. 1987 is the year the region celebrates 30 years of broadcasting. Then we have a clock ident, which was a mainstay in it's many forms for BBC and Channel 4, but these style of idents have all dissappeared now. So we turn to Liz Kristiansen, who tells us the main highlights of tomorrow. Taking from the fact, Liz is discussing a programme about the "Fringe Festival" in Edinburgh, this must be August, and the shedule look summer holiday-ish, with children's programmes running in the morning like "Rainbow" and "Captain Scarlet", and not at lunchtimes. So it's basically, your highlights, then the schedule in full with some nice luminous 80s pink/blue graphics, then reminders of catching your local radio stations tomorrow, Radio Clyde for the west, Radio Forth for the east. However, what is strange about this clip?
Yes, over a year before "This Morning" reached our screens with Richard Madeley and Judy Finnegan, here is a prototype to the "This Morning" theme song, which sounds even more dated and 80s than the future one. The song comes in, when the full schedule is announced. No over-the-top saxophone here I'm afraid, but there is a little sax, and it gets a solo too. It doesn't sound like the theme at first, but you hear a little more, and a little light comes on, and aha! So...
Anyone for Netball World Championship on the box?
Scottish Television got rid of in-vision announcer in October 1991. If you don't live in the Ulster region, then the only sort of in-vision announcers you will be see, will be for children's programmes like CBBC and "yoof" TV in the form of "T4" on channel 4.
Liz Kristiansen remained on Scottish as an off-screen announcer after 1991. Her career on Scottish spanned from the mid-80s to 1994.
And how could I forget! At the end of the video is our Queen Liz, still-frame, and our prestigious national anthem is played, as the channel is over and out!
Monday, 1 March 2010
Where Will All This Nostalgic Material Be When I'm Really Old?
This is the first edition of "Nostalgia Articles and Rants" (was pre-planned "Nostalgia Articles"). I hope to include guest authors soon, as I hope to open the blog soon to other posters, via entry form, to be possibly inserted at the bottom of the page. This will happen later this month, or in April. This section of the blog is a non-youtube video section, where you can talk about anything and any of the genres about the British TV of yesteryear. This could include overseas TV programmes you have watched on British TV too, growing up.
I know we are spoiled by the internet these days, all these programmes we haven't seen for years and then it's just there, thanks to someone storing a video of it, with perhaps the same good memories they have of it. In the 90s, before the internet was mainstream, all this was a pipe dream, and you had to rely on TV/satellite bringing it back to our screens, or it was maybe availiable on VHS. However we didn't really bat an eyelid before about it, as it was the norm, expect those distant memories of obscure TV remain in the back of you're head, never to be unleashed from the archive crypt again.
However, when the internet came along, we started having some hope, leaving us hungry for more. This is was I call the "dark days" of the internet, really, before 2005 when Youtube came about. We still had some niche sites like TV Ark for video clips, however how we feeded on was mere sound clips and theme songs, elsewhere and you were lucky to find even the tiniest scent of video. That gets you going, then you wonder if anybody else remembers these shows, so you look for fan sites and nostalgia websites, soaking in the information about a show, trying to picture it even better. So the cycle goes on and on. It leaves you hungry for more, but it's the age of dial-up, and it takes a century to download a full episode of 25 mins, that's if your lucky, you find these on file sharing sites like Napster and the likes of Limewire and Kazaa.
End up Youtube comes along, with some follower sites like Dailymotion as broadband use explodes. So this goliath arose, and the first time I came across it, I didn't see it as a big deal. "Youtube?, Sounds like an insult", and although they had warnings of uploading TV shows and programmes, they - wink, wink, ching, ching - did not have the capabilities to see to immedietely and delete it unless it was reported. We were all marvelled at the plethora of old TV shows, that came from people's old videos, as well as the true archivists. Unbelieveable, didn't imagine I would be one day again watching a full series and more of -I'm showing my age here, but - "The Girl From Tomorrow" (An Australian kids drama/sci fi). An almost bed-wetting choice was laid bare on Youtube, and lets not forget other sites like Dailymotion. This soon just becomes the norm, you can't find every obscure TV show, but it's getting there, from the theme intro to a small clip.
However, then you think about it being taken away from you.
Most of the videos will not last forever on Youtube. Well, the more you upload on your account, the more chance you have of having you're account suspended permanently. Maybe some authentic people are claiming copyright, or someone just messing about. It's fair to say, yes, it is on DVD in the stores, that's fine, but it's annoying when Youtube just deletes a whole account rather than specific videos, while some of those videos/clips might be irreplaceable. The best way to preserve would be to have your own website and built-in videos.
Some youtube users will tell you, that the footage does not exist in the official archives and has been wiped and deleted. The people who have this material aren't going to be around forever, and it might not be dealt as enthusiastically as the next generation. Not to mention footage/programmes that might never receive a DVD release. That's the most down-trodden thing I can say about Youtube, they don't take sh** when it comes to other videos on the account, not copyrighted, however that was the whole original point of the website, for home-made media, but they know most of their traffic comes from copyrighted material, which despite how huge they, doesn't always translate into dollars for the founders.
I know (not know, know) certain users who upload alot of nostalgic media videos, and have been suspended several times, that they have given up. That's now, and there's still plenty from the 80s, 90s even 70s. However come long-term, another 40-50 years, I might still be living, and all the 20th century material could be shot to bits, with many of the uploaders now, having died, might be a vaccum of not alot with only the most memorable shows from those times. 50 material isn't that plentiful, it's nothing like the number of 80s, 90s material, when people were beginning to have video recorders. So when I'm much older, i'll be really annoyed if that's the case, because I will see the slow decline. Hopefully the BBC, ITV or whoever is in charge of the archives, open them up in their totality online, well I'd be happy with 20th century material. Not everything will be released on DVD, but that's the thing, there's not much money in it for them. However, maybe something is changing, as you now have Channel 4 opening up some of it's archive with full series and episodes on Youtube, along with the BBC with clips. There's a huge market for nostalgia, Youtube knows that, they're not hardly ever the most popular videos, because they're not new, but it sets a solid base for them. So hopefully it will grow and grow, and I'm not left to drawing myself to dead/barely active fansites, reading and wishing to watch again.
I know we are spoiled by the internet these days, all these programmes we haven't seen for years and then it's just there, thanks to someone storing a video of it, with perhaps the same good memories they have of it. In the 90s, before the internet was mainstream, all this was a pipe dream, and you had to rely on TV/satellite bringing it back to our screens, or it was maybe availiable on VHS. However we didn't really bat an eyelid before about it, as it was the norm, expect those distant memories of obscure TV remain in the back of you're head, never to be unleashed from the archive crypt again.
However, when the internet came along, we started having some hope, leaving us hungry for more. This is was I call the "dark days" of the internet, really, before 2005 when Youtube came about. We still had some niche sites like TV Ark for video clips, however how we feeded on was mere sound clips and theme songs, elsewhere and you were lucky to find even the tiniest scent of video. That gets you going, then you wonder if anybody else remembers these shows, so you look for fan sites and nostalgia websites, soaking in the information about a show, trying to picture it even better. So the cycle goes on and on. It leaves you hungry for more, but it's the age of dial-up, and it takes a century to download a full episode of 25 mins, that's if your lucky, you find these on file sharing sites like Napster and the likes of Limewire and Kazaa.
End up Youtube comes along, with some follower sites like Dailymotion as broadband use explodes. So this goliath arose, and the first time I came across it, I didn't see it as a big deal. "Youtube?, Sounds like an insult", and although they had warnings of uploading TV shows and programmes, they - wink, wink, ching, ching - did not have the capabilities to see to immedietely and delete it unless it was reported. We were all marvelled at the plethora of old TV shows, that came from people's old videos, as well as the true archivists. Unbelieveable, didn't imagine I would be one day again watching a full series and more of -I'm showing my age here, but - "The Girl From Tomorrow" (An Australian kids drama/sci fi). An almost bed-wetting choice was laid bare on Youtube, and lets not forget other sites like Dailymotion. This soon just becomes the norm, you can't find every obscure TV show, but it's getting there, from the theme intro to a small clip.
However, then you think about it being taken away from you.
Most of the videos will not last forever on Youtube. Well, the more you upload on your account, the more chance you have of having you're account suspended permanently. Maybe some authentic people are claiming copyright, or someone just messing about. It's fair to say, yes, it is on DVD in the stores, that's fine, but it's annoying when Youtube just deletes a whole account rather than specific videos, while some of those videos/clips might be irreplaceable. The best way to preserve would be to have your own website and built-in videos.
Some youtube users will tell you, that the footage does not exist in the official archives and has been wiped and deleted. The people who have this material aren't going to be around forever, and it might not be dealt as enthusiastically as the next generation. Not to mention footage/programmes that might never receive a DVD release. That's the most down-trodden thing I can say about Youtube, they don't take sh** when it comes to other videos on the account, not copyrighted, however that was the whole original point of the website, for home-made media, but they know most of their traffic comes from copyrighted material, which despite how huge they, doesn't always translate into dollars for the founders.
I know (not know, know) certain users who upload alot of nostalgic media videos, and have been suspended several times, that they have given up. That's now, and there's still plenty from the 80s, 90s even 70s. However come long-term, another 40-50 years, I might still be living, and all the 20th century material could be shot to bits, with many of the uploaders now, having died, might be a vaccum of not alot with only the most memorable shows from those times. 50 material isn't that plentiful, it's nothing like the number of 80s, 90s material, when people were beginning to have video recorders. So when I'm much older, i'll be really annoyed if that's the case, because I will see the slow decline. Hopefully the BBC, ITV or whoever is in charge of the archives, open them up in their totality online, well I'd be happy with 20th century material. Not everything will be released on DVD, but that's the thing, there's not much money in it for them. However, maybe something is changing, as you now have Channel 4 opening up some of it's archive with full series and episodes on Youtube, along with the BBC with clips. There's a huge market for nostalgia, Youtube knows that, they're not hardly ever the most popular videos, because they're not new, but it sets a solid base for them. So hopefully it will grow and grow, and I'm not left to drawing myself to dead/barely active fansites, reading and wishing to watch again.
Sunday, 28 February 2010
Take Your Earmuffs out, It's a Johnathan Ross-Free Zone, it's Film...with Barry Norman
Barry Normans Films of the 80s part 1
UK TV Nostalgia on Youtube's first foray into film via Barry Norman's Film (followed by whatever year it is, be it '89 or '90). This is an end of decade special, featuring Norman's critique on what he believes to be the Top Ten movies of the 1980s. So it's a 5 part feast of fine film quality and cinematography. I'm not going to give anything away, but you can bet actors like Robert De Niro and Dustin Hoffman will feature. Norman presents the show in comfy looking pink V-collar jumper, in his usual soothing vocal tones. This was broadcasted on the last week of the decade, now over 20 years ago. Makes you feel old.
The full title of the show is "The Film Programme", as to describe the show as a whole. It began in 1971 with a range of TV presenters including Barry Norman, hence "Film '71". "Thinking Man's Crumpet" Joan Bakewell, also presented in the early days of the show. However, Norman became the full-time host from 1974, onwards to his retirement from the show in 1998. Since then, the programme has been presented by Johnathan Ross, who, alright, is a more calmed down version of what he is on his chat show, and is fanatical about film himself. He is set to quit the BBC this year (2010) and, the most likely replacement I think is Mark Kermode, who already does similar material on BBC2's "The Culture Show".
Barry Norman transferred to Sky and had a brief film review show on one the Sky Movies channels. I recall it being a rather muted affair, as Sky wouldn't want to curse their own products to hell and back. Norman still appears on TV as a "talking head" for movie chart shows, like the 100 best *insert genre* movies ever, ever. Has appeared on recent daytime chat shows like ITV's "Loose Women" and BBC's "The ONE Show".
UK TV Nostalgia on Youtube's first foray into film via Barry Norman's Film (followed by whatever year it is, be it '89 or '90). This is an end of decade special, featuring Norman's critique on what he believes to be the Top Ten movies of the 1980s. So it's a 5 part feast of fine film quality and cinematography. I'm not going to give anything away, but you can bet actors like Robert De Niro and Dustin Hoffman will feature. Norman presents the show in comfy looking pink V-collar jumper, in his usual soothing vocal tones. This was broadcasted on the last week of the decade, now over 20 years ago. Makes you feel old.
The full title of the show is "The Film Programme", as to describe the show as a whole. It began in 1971 with a range of TV presenters including Barry Norman, hence "Film '71". "Thinking Man's Crumpet" Joan Bakewell, also presented in the early days of the show. However, Norman became the full-time host from 1974, onwards to his retirement from the show in 1998. Since then, the programme has been presented by Johnathan Ross, who, alright, is a more calmed down version of what he is on his chat show, and is fanatical about film himself. He is set to quit the BBC this year (2010) and, the most likely replacement I think is Mark Kermode, who already does similar material on BBC2's "The Culture Show".
Barry Norman transferred to Sky and had a brief film review show on one the Sky Movies channels. I recall it being a rather muted affair, as Sky wouldn't want to curse their own products to hell and back. Norman still appears on TV as a "talking head" for movie chart shows, like the 100 best *insert genre* movies ever, ever. Has appeared on recent daytime chat shows like ITV's "Loose Women" and BBC's "The ONE Show".
Please Allow Me to have 3 of the Earth Minutes and 51 of You're Earth Seconds for these Important Messages!
Cadbury's Smash Adverts, 1960s/1970s
It's a collection of 7 of the Cadbury Smash adverts. Most of which show the appearance of the famed metallic aliens, the Smash Martians guffawing at Earth's primitive ways to make mashed potato with the grueling peel and masher kitchen utensils. In an age, when fast food technology was growing and it's industry becoming more accessible and appealing such as ready meals when folk were beginning to buy freezer's, and the famed martian ads here, came out in the same year as the first McDonald's branch was to opened in the UK (1974).
"Smash" was instant mash once added with boiling water. Not real mash, but a mash substitute. Think along the line of "Quorn" burgers, which contain no meat, but plant/vegetable extracts.
The advertising campaign was an enormous success. The exaggerated extent to which the martians unleashed a humourous and mocking attack on ordinary mash, and the workings of such a trivial task was a piece of great marketing. The jingle for the product was effortlessly simple with a few piano keys, "For Mash Get Smash". The laughter of the martians are almost contagious. These adverts, especially the first one of the martians to feature in this video, is always, always featured in any best ever UK ads compilation shows and online polls. It's constantly near the very top for the best ever UK ad including 1st! The Smash Martian adverts were devised by British advertising agency "Boase Massimi Pollitt". The product still sells well today.
The first ad in the video is one from the 1960's and featuring humanoid spaceman, and is rather ordinary compared to what lies ahead. The Martian ads seem to be in chronological order, but I can't confirm that. The later ads seem slightly more elaborate and expensive compared to the earlier ones, enabling a first sighting of the Smash Martin household and a Smash Martin cat. My favourite of these ads, is the second one (the most famous of the campaign) and the sixth one, over-seeing a martian married couple kissing and the Martians rolling about laughing on the settee at an Earth TV channel's cookery show.
It's a collection of 7 of the Cadbury Smash adverts. Most of which show the appearance of the famed metallic aliens, the Smash Martians guffawing at Earth's primitive ways to make mashed potato with the grueling peel and masher kitchen utensils. In an age, when fast food technology was growing and it's industry becoming more accessible and appealing such as ready meals when folk were beginning to buy freezer's, and the famed martian ads here, came out in the same year as the first McDonald's branch was to opened in the UK (1974).
"Smash" was instant mash once added with boiling water. Not real mash, but a mash substitute. Think along the line of "Quorn" burgers, which contain no meat, but plant/vegetable extracts.
The advertising campaign was an enormous success. The exaggerated extent to which the martians unleashed a humourous and mocking attack on ordinary mash, and the workings of such a trivial task was a piece of great marketing. The jingle for the product was effortlessly simple with a few piano keys, "For Mash Get Smash". The laughter of the martians are almost contagious. These adverts, especially the first one of the martians to feature in this video, is always, always featured in any best ever UK ads compilation shows and online polls. It's constantly near the very top for the best ever UK ad including 1st! The Smash Martian adverts were devised by British advertising agency "Boase Massimi Pollitt". The product still sells well today.
The first ad in the video is one from the 1960's and featuring humanoid spaceman, and is rather ordinary compared to what lies ahead. The Martian ads seem to be in chronological order, but I can't confirm that. The later ads seem slightly more elaborate and expensive compared to the earlier ones, enabling a first sighting of the Smash Martin household and a Smash Martin cat. My favourite of these ads, is the second one (the most famous of the campaign) and the sixth one, over-seeing a martian married couple kissing and the Martians rolling about laughing on the settee at an Earth TV channel's cookery show.
Saturday, 27 February 2010
A Feast of Lycra and not-so Lycra Men/Women in Snow and Ice 1972-2002
Alright, we end our Winter Olympics special with this rough, but brilliant highlighting music video of recent Winter Olympics bar 2006 and 2010, of course. Some really good footage of the earlier Olympics which are hard to find on Youtube. The Sports genre will take a break, but we'll be back to good ol' football and more.
List of Winter Games shown:
1972 -Sapporo, Japan
1976 - Innsbruck, Austria
1980 - Lake Placid, USA
1984 - Sarajevo, Yugoslavia (now Bosnia and Herzegovina)
1988 - Calgary, Canada
1992 - Albertville, France
1994 - Lillehammer, Norway
1998 - Nagano, Japan
2002 - Salt Lake City, USA
It's a very good highlights video with small clips of each Games opening ceremonies, and the features the most awe-inspiring and most excelled athletes of the games, so we see the likes on Torvill and Dean for '84, Alberto Tomba for '88 and so on. Also, period music of the time from each Olympics, If you want to know what the songs are, well, I'm horribly bad at naming these earlier ones. I've heard the 1972 one loads of times, I just can't put a name to it?
1972 -???
1976 -???
1980 -???
1984 - Irene Cara - What a Feeling
1988 -Erasure -Give a Little Respect
1992 - Snap - Rhythm Is A Dancer
1994 - Whigfield - Saturday Night
1998 - ???
2002 - James Williams - Call of the Champions
Billy Webb's Amazing Fib About His Broken leg?
Alfonso Bonzo (final episode - part 1 of 3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aMo4M5xc5A
The last ever episode of this obscure but memorable and surreal CBBC show, adapted from the 1986 book, created by Andrew Davies. A chirpy, cheeky but likeable boy named Billy Webb. the episode seems a bit of an acid trip, but a good romp, as Billy gets transported into playing a game of snooker on the TV, playing miraculously well to squabbling with his older sister over meeting a creepy man, and then entering his living room, now turned into a Wild West Saloon, his dad leering up another woman, his dog starts talking. It all get weirder and weirder. This all links to "Alfonso Bonzo", the title character, a mysterious and magical Italian man posing as an Italian exchange student. Both Billy and Alfonso enjoyed swapping items, However, Alfonso Bonzo wants to do the ultimate swap, he wants to swap bodies as he likes having his family and being a brother to his older sister, and that's where things start getting a little creepy and sinister...
Each episode Billy Webb (Scott Riley), who in realtime, had already sustained a broken leg, tells his story to journalist Trevor Trotman (Mike Walling), and tells him through these flashbacks of how he broke his leg, with such an unbelieveable and long-winded story, you wonder if this is just all made up! He could be a pathological liar. You find out at the end of this episode in 3 parts! Well, maybe! The show had a fixed cliffhanger, of simply the storyteller keeping you wanting more, in the episodes running up to this last one.
A spin-off was made called "Billy Webb's Amazing Stories", not including "Alfonso Bonzo", however from memory, I'm actually not too sure and whether he appears at the end of the series. Both programmes only lasted for 1 series though. The boy was played by Scott Riley, and has appeared in a few other roles such as minor characters in "London's Burning" and "The Bill" in 1992 and 1991. Seems to have left the acting business now?
Alfonso Bonzo was played by Alex Jennings, who is now a rather esteemed actor, appearing as Prince Charles, Prince of Wales in the award winning 2006 BAFTA Film "The Queen". He has also appeared in the 1997 Oscar-nominated film "Wings of a Dove" alongside Helena Bonham Carter, but not in a starring role. Theatrically trained, he has appeared and has been nominated for awards, playing in such legendary theatres like London's "Old Vic" and the "Royal National Theatre". So the boy done good.
Other roles of the show to note is Billy's older sister, played by Fleur Taylor who starred as bully Imelda Davis in "Grange Hill" in 1985-87, before being expelled from the school for good. She has now left the acting business, and runs an Estate Agents.
Mike Walling appeared on quite a few children's Comedy/Drama on both CBBC and ITV around the time of the early-mid 90s. For some, he is most well known as Eric from BBC sitcom "Brush Strokes" (1986-1991). He has also appeared in Coronation Street recently in 2006, as short-lived character Clifford Ford, Before his TV "fame", he was a comedy double act with Mo Foster, who wrote parody songs including "The Papadum Song" in the early 1980s, which was meant to be released into the charts, however in a case of bad timing, the records never reached the shop due to industrial strikes. Mmm, I'm interest enough to youtube that!
Another worthy to note actor is Brian Hall, who play's Billy's father in both serials. He's best known as Terry the cook from renowned comedy sitcom "Fawlty Towers", starring John Cleese. He had a long career with many credits in British dramas and comedies until his death in 1997.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aMo4M5xc5A
The last ever episode of this obscure but memorable and surreal CBBC show, adapted from the 1986 book, created by Andrew Davies. A chirpy, cheeky but likeable boy named Billy Webb. the episode seems a bit of an acid trip, but a good romp, as Billy gets transported into playing a game of snooker on the TV, playing miraculously well to squabbling with his older sister over meeting a creepy man, and then entering his living room, now turned into a Wild West Saloon, his dad leering up another woman, his dog starts talking. It all get weirder and weirder. This all links to "Alfonso Bonzo", the title character, a mysterious and magical Italian man posing as an Italian exchange student. Both Billy and Alfonso enjoyed swapping items, However, Alfonso Bonzo wants to do the ultimate swap, he wants to swap bodies as he likes having his family and being a brother to his older sister, and that's where things start getting a little creepy and sinister...
Each episode Billy Webb (Scott Riley), who in realtime, had already sustained a broken leg, tells his story to journalist Trevor Trotman (Mike Walling), and tells him through these flashbacks of how he broke his leg, with such an unbelieveable and long-winded story, you wonder if this is just all made up! He could be a pathological liar. You find out at the end of this episode in 3 parts! Well, maybe! The show had a fixed cliffhanger, of simply the storyteller keeping you wanting more, in the episodes running up to this last one.
A spin-off was made called "Billy Webb's Amazing Stories", not including "Alfonso Bonzo", however from memory, I'm actually not too sure and whether he appears at the end of the series. Both programmes only lasted for 1 series though. The boy was played by Scott Riley, and has appeared in a few other roles such as minor characters in "London's Burning" and "The Bill" in 1992 and 1991. Seems to have left the acting business now?
Alfonso Bonzo was played by Alex Jennings, who is now a rather esteemed actor, appearing as Prince Charles, Prince of Wales in the award winning 2006 BAFTA Film "The Queen". He has also appeared in the 1997 Oscar-nominated film "Wings of a Dove" alongside Helena Bonham Carter, but not in a starring role. Theatrically trained, he has appeared and has been nominated for awards, playing in such legendary theatres like London's "Old Vic" and the "Royal National Theatre". So the boy done good.
Other roles of the show to note is Billy's older sister, played by Fleur Taylor who starred as bully Imelda Davis in "Grange Hill" in 1985-87, before being expelled from the school for good. She has now left the acting business, and runs an Estate Agents.
Mike Walling appeared on quite a few children's Comedy/Drama on both CBBC and ITV around the time of the early-mid 90s. For some, he is most well known as Eric from BBC sitcom "Brush Strokes" (1986-1991). He has also appeared in Coronation Street recently in 2006, as short-lived character Clifford Ford, Before his TV "fame", he was a comedy double act with Mo Foster, who wrote parody songs including "The Papadum Song" in the early 1980s, which was meant to be released into the charts, however in a case of bad timing, the records never reached the shop due to industrial strikes. Mmm, I'm interest enough to youtube that!
Another worthy to note actor is Brian Hall, who play's Billy's father in both serials. He's best known as Terry the cook from renowned comedy sitcom "Fawlty Towers", starring John Cleese. He had a long career with many credits in British dramas and comedies until his death in 1997.
Friday, 26 February 2010
Beatlemania Explodes!
The Beatles Mersey Sound 1963
"The Mersey Sound" was a one-off BBC special documentary profiling none other than the legendary 4-man band "The Beatles", and in this clip, well it shows The Beatles singing live a cover of the 1962 "Top Notes" song "Twist and Shout" to an audience of manic, screaming teenage girls, but not only that, fascinating coverage of the masses of people running and wanting to touch any one of the "Fab Four". Unbelieveable. 1963 was The Beatles at this stupendously stage of uber-popularity, reaching not only in their hometown of Liverpool and the UK, but reaching the far corners of the world, including breaking in America. Then we hear one of The Beatles (and Britain's) biggest ever single hits "She Loves You"...along with more hysteria. This live act footage was filmed at the Little Theatre, Houghton Street, Southport.
This documentary was originally shown on October 9th 1963, and was a 36 minute special, not only featuring The Beatles cast of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison, but the film also covers 2 much lesser known rock/pop bands, "Group One" who were the opening act for The Beatles, and also "The Undertakers".
As regard to "The Beatles", Lennon and McCartney were the brains of the band, who plied their hand into writing all of their original songs such as "She Loves You". The Lennon/McCartney wrote a whopping 180 songs between the period of 1962 to 1969. However, they mostly worked by their own, writing the music and words, each song more relating to one rather than the two, however a double team effort was always needed to push that song as "all clear" for the band. They had been writing songs together since their teens. There is of course the infamous dispute of in the writing credits of whose name should come first! Naturally Lennon would come first, if in alphabetical order, but in the early days they would be reversed too, but this issue has angered John Lennon's wife Yoko Ono's wife after his death, as McCartney seemed to lean on having his name first on all the Beatles songs, and claiming it wouldn't have bothered Lennon in the first place. Although McCartney now says, he's over it, he still bloody does to this day...
The members of the band each had different roles of course, with McCartney on vocal, I can't say lead vocal, as Lennon was heavily involved with the singing too. McCartney would also be on bass guitar, Lennon on rhythm guitar, while George Harrison was the backing or harmony vocal with the lead guitar, and lastly Ringo on the drums, as we see on the clip.
"The Mersey Sound" was a one-off BBC special documentary profiling none other than the legendary 4-man band "The Beatles", and in this clip, well it shows The Beatles singing live a cover of the 1962 "Top Notes" song "Twist and Shout" to an audience of manic, screaming teenage girls, but not only that, fascinating coverage of the masses of people running and wanting to touch any one of the "Fab Four". Unbelieveable. 1963 was The Beatles at this stupendously stage of uber-popularity, reaching not only in their hometown of Liverpool and the UK, but reaching the far corners of the world, including breaking in America. Then we hear one of The Beatles (and Britain's) biggest ever single hits "She Loves You"...along with more hysteria. This live act footage was filmed at the Little Theatre, Houghton Street, Southport.
This documentary was originally shown on October 9th 1963, and was a 36 minute special, not only featuring The Beatles cast of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison, but the film also covers 2 much lesser known rock/pop bands, "Group One" who were the opening act for The Beatles, and also "The Undertakers".
As regard to "The Beatles", Lennon and McCartney were the brains of the band, who plied their hand into writing all of their original songs such as "She Loves You". The Lennon/McCartney wrote a whopping 180 songs between the period of 1962 to 1969. However, they mostly worked by their own, writing the music and words, each song more relating to one rather than the two, however a double team effort was always needed to push that song as "all clear" for the band. They had been writing songs together since their teens. There is of course the infamous dispute of in the writing credits of whose name should come first! Naturally Lennon would come first, if in alphabetical order, but in the early days they would be reversed too, but this issue has angered John Lennon's wife Yoko Ono's wife after his death, as McCartney seemed to lean on having his name first on all the Beatles songs, and claiming it wouldn't have bothered Lennon in the first place. Although McCartney now says, he's over it, he still bloody does to this day...
The members of the band each had different roles of course, with McCartney on vocal, I can't say lead vocal, as Lennon was heavily involved with the singing too. McCartney would also be on bass guitar, Lennon on rhythm guitar, while George Harrison was the backing or harmony vocal with the lead guitar, and lastly Ringo on the drums, as we see on the clip.
Bong...Another Heaping of Tory Sleaze, it's the 1990's of Course
ITN News at Ten - 1995
"News At Ten", the flagship news programme from ITN produced for ITV, enjoyed one of it's most popular and well-remembered runs in the early-late 90s, presented by Britain's first black newsreader Trevor McDonald, who began with ITV back in 1973. McDonald became the premier newsreader , when he became the sole newsreader for "News At Ten" 1992. This ear is much remembered also for the dramatic intro, using aerial flying camera footage of Big Ben over looking the Thames, and the almost frightening but you-know-this-news-is-going-to-be-important Big Ben bongs or dongs. Since it's shock axe and Trevor along with it, it has struggled to find it's feet after hundreds of schedule changes several times over and many beggings to bring back McDonald, made even harder by the BBC moving it's flagship news to "10 'O Clock" in 2000.
The clip begin with some ITV continuity for London Weekend Television including actor John Shaw in the forgotten police drama "The Chief", and London-only show "Richard Littlejohn Live and Uncut". The main story for "News At Ten" is a predictable one, which entertained viewers to no end. If it wasn't sleaze in John Major's cabinet or elected MP's, it's friends of the MP's or cabinets. Nothing new there. Also, unneccessary force from American police officers, bringing comparison to the Rodney King police beating murder inquiry, which led to the 1992 LA riots. The clip only involves the Trevor McDonlad links, not the detailed reports. Other headlines include a disabled rights protest at Westminster and Seagull expert and French footballer Eric Cantona stays with Manchester United. Horah! We also see more continuity later from GMTV, celebrating 40 years after VE Day (Victory in Europe Day -from Hitler and the Nazis and such), no doubt Eammon Holmes and Lorraine Kelly are the best people for that occasion.
"News At Ten", the flagship news programme from ITN produced for ITV, enjoyed one of it's most popular and well-remembered runs in the early-late 90s, presented by Britain's first black newsreader Trevor McDonald, who began with ITV back in 1973. McDonald became the premier newsreader , when he became the sole newsreader for "News At Ten" 1992. This ear is much remembered also for the dramatic intro, using aerial flying camera footage of Big Ben over looking the Thames, and the almost frightening but you-know-this-news-is-going-to-be-important Big Ben bongs or dongs. Since it's shock axe and Trevor along with it, it has struggled to find it's feet after hundreds of schedule changes several times over and many beggings to bring back McDonald, made even harder by the BBC moving it's flagship news to "10 'O Clock" in 2000.
The clip begin with some ITV continuity for London Weekend Television including actor John Shaw in the forgotten police drama "The Chief", and London-only show "Richard Littlejohn Live and Uncut". The main story for "News At Ten" is a predictable one, which entertained viewers to no end. If it wasn't sleaze in John Major's cabinet or elected MP's, it's friends of the MP's or cabinets. Nothing new there. Also, unneccessary force from American police officers, bringing comparison to the Rodney King police beating murder inquiry, which led to the 1992 LA riots. The clip only involves the Trevor McDonlad links, not the detailed reports. Other headlines include a disabled rights protest at Westminster and Seagull expert and French footballer Eric Cantona stays with Manchester United. Horah! We also see more continuity later from GMTV, celebrating 40 years after VE Day (Victory in Europe Day -from Hitler and the Nazis and such), no doubt Eammon Holmes and Lorraine Kelly are the best people for that occasion.
Thursday, 25 February 2010
Keep Your Head Down...and Skate!
Speed skating Men 10000M Oslo 1952 Winter Olympic Games
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhibkjBkomE
We're doing the rounds from the Winter Olympics again, with something a little different each time. We focus on the 1950s incarnation of Speed Skating at the Oslo, Norway Winter Olympics. Commentary is in Norwegian, but there is plenty to watch in this short clip. Speed Skating, a sport now dominated by lesser countries accustomed to the Winter Olympics like the Netherlands and South Korea and adorned in the latest very tight and aerodynamic lycra, taking place on artificial ice in an indoor arena.
In this clip, it shows a Norwegian (Norge) skater winning 2 races, going on to win the Gold medal in the 1000m event. The losing skater who unuckily slides off track is, hard to tell, telling from the flag in black and white, could be German. What we see here is a form of long track speed skating.
Speed Skating has been part of the Winter Olympics from the start, from the inaugural 1924 Games held in Chamonix, France. The roots of the sport go back a few centuries but official races were first set up in the 19th century in Norway. The race and movements for this sport are rather complex. The most notable movement is the "Double Push" which is trying to skate as a straight as possible by pushing alternatively on each side, giving a swaying effect, with the head down, and the arms or arm carrying the momentum in its swing. The skaters also sometimes just skate, but not really sprinting, where the their hands are behind their back. This does looks rather laid back, but probably to conserve energy for the corners and final dash at the end. The races in long-track speed skating are usually fought between two competitors, and after 400 metres, they swap lanes in a straight run section of the ice rink.
The differences between now and the clip are massive. Skates were firmly fixed to the shoes, while in the 1990's what's called a "Clap Skate" was invented, which would detach from one side of the shoe, when lifted off the ground. No more woolly hats, but athletes are now consumed by lycra and now wear goggles too.
Norway dominated the 1952 event with 3 Gold medals in 3 of the 4 various length events, including 2 Bronze medals to go with that. This was in great thanks to Hjalmar Andersen, as seen in the Youtube clip.
Norway went to claim top spot in the overall medal tables with 7 golds and 16 medals in total, with the United States and Finland in 2nd and 3rd respectively.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhibkjBkomE
We're doing the rounds from the Winter Olympics again, with something a little different each time. We focus on the 1950s incarnation of Speed Skating at the Oslo, Norway Winter Olympics. Commentary is in Norwegian, but there is plenty to watch in this short clip. Speed Skating, a sport now dominated by lesser countries accustomed to the Winter Olympics like the Netherlands and South Korea and adorned in the latest very tight and aerodynamic lycra, taking place on artificial ice in an indoor arena.
In this clip, it shows a Norwegian (Norge) skater winning 2 races, going on to win the Gold medal in the 1000m event. The losing skater who unuckily slides off track is, hard to tell, telling from the flag in black and white, could be German. What we see here is a form of long track speed skating.
Speed Skating has been part of the Winter Olympics from the start, from the inaugural 1924 Games held in Chamonix, France. The roots of the sport go back a few centuries but official races were first set up in the 19th century in Norway. The race and movements for this sport are rather complex. The most notable movement is the "Double Push" which is trying to skate as a straight as possible by pushing alternatively on each side, giving a swaying effect, with the head down, and the arms or arm carrying the momentum in its swing. The skaters also sometimes just skate, but not really sprinting, where the their hands are behind their back. This does looks rather laid back, but probably to conserve energy for the corners and final dash at the end. The races in long-track speed skating are usually fought between two competitors, and after 400 metres, they swap lanes in a straight run section of the ice rink.
The differences between now and the clip are massive. Skates were firmly fixed to the shoes, while in the 1990's what's called a "Clap Skate" was invented, which would detach from one side of the shoe, when lifted off the ground. No more woolly hats, but athletes are now consumed by lycra and now wear goggles too.
Norway dominated the 1952 event with 3 Gold medals in 3 of the 4 various length events, including 2 Bronze medals to go with that. This was in great thanks to Hjalmar Andersen, as seen in the Youtube clip.
Norway went to claim top spot in the overall medal tables with 7 golds and 16 medals in total, with the United States and Finland in 2nd and 3rd respectively.
What is this Mess?
Fiona Corke & Peter Vroom on Motormouth
A star-filled, Pantomime-themed quiz section of the -I think- second series of ITV's Saturday morning "Motormouth". Here we see Andy Crane, sneakily jumping ship from the BBC Broom Cupboard to CITV, dressed as a pirate, talking to Yvette Fielding, no it's not, it's Fiona Corke (you may know her as Gail Robinson, nee Lewis, main squeeze of Paul Robinson at the time, from Australian soap "Neighbours"). So Corke and "Home and Away" actor Peter Vroom (played Lance Smart) against Frank "That's a cracker!" Carson and yes it's a man in drag impersonating Margaret Thatcher, how distinctly accurate. That man was Steve Nallon, who voiced the Maggie Thatcher puppet in the adult political satire "Spitting Image" in it's 80s heyday. Gameshow "God" and "Krypton Factor" presenter Gordon Burns asking the questions. A quite anarchaic, good-humoured mallett-chugging quiz ensues between the main presenters of the show. The celebrities hit the presenter on the head with a mallett if they get the questions wrong, it seems. A little under-utilised on the celebrities behalf, and done much better by Timmy Mallett...Bleurgh.
The main presenters of the show we see participating are Gaby Roslin, who would go onto greater fame presenting with Chris Evans on Channel 4's "Big Breakfast", Steve Johnson and Neil Buchanan, who in the same year of 1989 piloted a little-known show called "Art Attack".
"Motormouth" was a successful ITV Saturday morning show which ran for 4 series, between 1988-1992. The show took it's name from the motorised large mouth, which featured on the set. Coming after the axed "No.73", it ran on a schedule from Autumn to Spring. It wasn't as set-in-the-stone as the BBC's "Going Live!" was in terms of format, as it evolved and improved in later series. It had however, a great set of American-made cartoons, the ones that bribe your parents to buy the toys, like "The Real Ghostbusters", "She-Ra: Princess of Power", 60s favourite "Scooby Doo" and the Japanese parody of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles "Samurai Pizza Cats".
A star-filled, Pantomime-themed quiz section of the -I think- second series of ITV's Saturday morning "Motormouth". Here we see Andy Crane, sneakily jumping ship from the BBC Broom Cupboard to CITV, dressed as a pirate, talking to Yvette Fielding, no it's not, it's Fiona Corke (you may know her as Gail Robinson, nee Lewis, main squeeze of Paul Robinson at the time, from Australian soap "Neighbours"). So Corke and "Home and Away" actor Peter Vroom (played Lance Smart) against Frank "That's a cracker!" Carson and yes it's a man in drag impersonating Margaret Thatcher, how distinctly accurate. That man was Steve Nallon, who voiced the Maggie Thatcher puppet in the adult political satire "Spitting Image" in it's 80s heyday. Gameshow "God" and "Krypton Factor" presenter Gordon Burns asking the questions. A quite anarchaic, good-humoured mallett-chugging quiz ensues between the main presenters of the show. The celebrities hit the presenter on the head with a mallett if they get the questions wrong, it seems. A little under-utilised on the celebrities behalf, and done much better by Timmy Mallett...Bleurgh.
The main presenters of the show we see participating are Gaby Roslin, who would go onto greater fame presenting with Chris Evans on Channel 4's "Big Breakfast", Steve Johnson and Neil Buchanan, who in the same year of 1989 piloted a little-known show called "Art Attack".
"Motormouth" was a successful ITV Saturday morning show which ran for 4 series, between 1988-1992. The show took it's name from the motorised large mouth, which featured on the set. Coming after the axed "No.73", it ran on a schedule from Autumn to Spring. It wasn't as set-in-the-stone as the BBC's "Going Live!" was in terms of format, as it evolved and improved in later series. It had however, a great set of American-made cartoons, the ones that bribe your parents to buy the toys, like "The Real Ghostbusters", "She-Ra: Princess of Power", 60s favourite "Scooby Doo" and the Japanese parody of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles "Samurai Pizza Cats".
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