Fancy Dr.Fancy Murdering Ernest Spratt? Oooh, Fancy That!

armchair theatre 1960 fancy.wmv



A short and rare clip of  "Armchair Theatre" which ran on the ITV network from 1956-1968. The ABC logo you see at the beginning, were the original producers Associated British Corporation, later to be Thames Television, after it's mergeance with Rediffusion Television in 1968. Each episode was a different play running for an hour. It wasn't all about court drama, taking from this clip!

This clip is from what is regarded as the programme at it's best from 1958-1962, under the tutelage of Canadian producer Sydney Newman, where it breached upon touchy issues, sensitive at the time.

He's Dead, but he's not "Dead" Dead

Third Doctor regenerates - Doctor Who: Planet of the Spiders - BBC



One of the  famous regeneration scenes from renowned Sci-Fi drama "Doctor Who". Well, it needs no introduction. Here we see the changing of actors for the role of "The Doctor" to arguably the Proverbial measuring stick from what all past and future Doctor Who's are measured: Tom Baker. In online polls, Baker is nearly always voted as the best Doctor ever. Jon Pertwee, the third actor to play Doctor Who, regenerates into Tom Baker in this Youtube clip after being fatally affected by Metebelis crystals. What are they? Blue crystals from planet Metebelis III of course. Tom Baker only features for a microsecond in the clip. This regeneration is much different from the more modern day regenerations like David Tennant to Matt Smith, full of all the bells and whistles, cosmic rays flying all over the place. Pertwee just goes to sleep peacefully.

The Doctor's assistant who appears here is Sarah Jane Smith (played by Elisabeth Sladen), in which is the climax of the six-part "Planet of the Spiders". The strange broken-English character who appears is abbot K’Anpo Rinpoche, who is a Time Lord like Doctor Who, who has newly regenerated. A bit of a hippy, he leads a peaceful exile on Earth.

Jon Pertwee played the Doctor from 1970 to 1974. Tom Baker became the longest incarnation of the Doctor, and still, lasting 7 years from 1974-1981. David Tennant became the second longest running Doctor, with a good 5 years in the Tardis (2005-2010).

Curse You, Army Deserter!

Dixon of Dock Green Part 1 of 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du5yQ9ZZGI4

"Dixon of Dock Green" was certainly was of the most iconic programmes of the 1950s and 60s. Many Brits who lived and grew up in this era, fondly remember the "British Bobby" as friendly, communicative and strived to do good deeds, no mater how small the issue was. No insane loads of paperwork to fill in, no ridiculous political correctness was in sight back then. This is glorified in "Dixon of Dock Green", following the tales of London policeman George Dixon (Jack Warner) of Dock Green, an area of East London, but not as we know it, boasting a low-crime rate. It was an easy-going show, where Dixon would be par-taking with the local community in a big way as a bobby on the beat, with the most serious crimes being only petty, and mostly non-violent. However, the show is much loved for it's community spirit, the likeability of Dixon, and hosting a strong moral backbone, with Dixon expressing messages of keeping on the right side of the law and more, in statements to the camera, at the beginning and end.

This is a full episode entitled "The Roaring Boy" in 3 parts, where Dixon is searching for the whereabouts of army deserter Kenneth Cope. It was a live broadcast, so actors had to remember their lines very well!

The show was immensely popular in the 50s and 60s, recieving TV ratings of 13 million and above. The show is still regarded as one of the best British TV shows ever, despite it's unrealistic nature, with the immortal line of "Evenin' All" from actor Jack Warner. Warner was of a mature age already when the programme began in 1955. He played the role onwards tot he 1970s, where the show declined, looking increasingly more dated compared to the more edgy delights of "Z-Cars" and "The Sweeney", and the show ended in 1976, with an increasingly inactive Dixon, the actor now in his 80s, and promoted then, as a Sargeant.

Heartbreaking & Hard Hitting Drama...No Joke

C/-\T-Y C0/\/\E -0/\/\E 1 1966



"Cathy Come Home" although now 44 years old, is still one of Britain's most highly-acclaimed dramas. This one-off episode (split into 8 parts on Youtube)adapted for the BBC's "The Wednesday Play", a precursor to "Play for Today", featured a non-serial play for each week with a new set of characters and storytelling, however "Cathy Comes Home" sticks out a mile. It's the worst scenario you could ever hope for, for a young aspiring family with a newly-born child. Despite the relaxation of laws and prejudices in the 1960s, the programme was revered as shocking and profiled such issues that were before swept under the carpet, such as homelessness, right to child custody and unemploment. It also shows a lack of care from the state, who feel that Cathy (played by Carol White) and partner Reg (Played by Ray Brooks) have only themselves to blame.

This is a must-see for all lovers of nostalgic UK TV. The programme starts with a blossoming and aspiring relationship between Cathy and Reg. Cathy is much like the young women of that generation, a sense of adventure and freedom, but still with a strong set of morals. Also there is a Seeing her being quite stroppy about Reg's swearing-which we don't hear- is a facet of changing times today, but that is a given, being 44 years old. Reg is happy-go-lucky but arrogant about making it big, and making big money, but this heightens the part of the programme where it all comes crashing down. The Youtube clips have English subtitles, this is extra helpful though.

12 million viewers were with baited breath as Reg suffers an injury after their child is born and is unable to work. They are unable to pay the bills and the dreaded bailiffs evict them from their home. The social services see Cathy as unfit to keep the child, as they have no secure form of shelter, as they illegally squat in empty houses out of sheer desperation.

This was very near-the-knuckle and gritty for it's time, and it is still sends a powerful message today. Directed by then unknown, now critically acclaimed British directer Ken Loach, this was what Loach did best in TV drama, social realism. The play was also written by Jeremy Sandford, and produced by Tony Garnett. The programme was charted in 2000, as the second, yes, the second Greatest British TV Programme of all time! So don't just read my blurb, watch the bloody thing!

Reality and fiction became blurred, as British actress Carol White, who played Cathy, saw her acting career go downhill through alcholism and drugs, after the 1960s. She also appeared in the film "Poor Cow" (1967), an almost mirror image to her previous role, and another 1967 film "I'll Never Forget What's'isname" with cast of the highest order starring Oliver Reed(which she had a relationship with) and Orson Welles, which takes a look at the world of business in advertising. Carol died in 1991 from a suspected drug overdose at the age of 48.

Opposite Carol White, Ray Brooks went on to even greater fame, being the narration behind the 70s animation classic "Mr. Benn".

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.

Good Drama from the 80's/90's - Beats Mills and Boon Anyday

Boon - Trouble in the Fields - Part 1



Picked from a selection of full episodes from the investigative drama, already on Youtube, here is the 1st episode from the 1990 5th series of the show in it's entirety. Michael Elphick plays Michael Boon, an ex-firemen who is forced to find employment elsewhere, after failing to perform duties after the year's of attending to fires, with his lungs now officially shot (exhausted, damaged), he is told to scram, and finds employment as a private investigator. By this point, Boon has sold his country club, Woodcote Park, in what was just a few of his other career ventures. In this episode, Boon is planning to start his own security company, CBS, and while on one of his horses, someone fire an air-pellet, sending him careering off the horse into the river, but is saved by a Polish woman, Irena Tadeusz. Boon becomes aware from the woman, of a spate of antique shop robberies. he discovers the Polish woman is in on the robberies too.

Also starring a young-ish Neil Morrisey as the character "Rocky". Also cameo's from "Only Fools and Horses" Denzil, actor Paul Barber, playing as Angus, and the youngish-oldish future "Vicar of Dibley" star Trevor Peacock.

"Boon", ran on ITV from 1986-1992. The theme song, as shown, is "Hi Ho Silver" composed by Jim Diamond. It became a single due to popular demand in it's first year of 1986, and reach No.5 in the UK charts.

The BBC Took Alot out of their Coffers to Produce this Classic!

BBC Chronicles of Narnia: LWW - Chapter 1/6 Part 1/3



On Youtube, this is the first of six episodes, split into 3 parts, for one of the BBC's most ambitious efforts of the late-80's, if not the whole decade. This was a TV adaption of what was to be 4 of the famous C.S. Lewis books based on the fantasy action/drama "The Chronicles of Narnia". Today we are looking at the first adventure in the series "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe". It was a big event at the time, shown on Sunday evening near Christmas time. Great orchestral music features throughout. Basically it follow the story of 4 evacuated children from London during the Second World War in 1940. The children are Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie. Lucy finds a wardrobe at their new home, and she goes through bundles of coats hanging inside the wardrobe, to a new dimension, a new world which is Narnia. A world where animals can talk, but not exactly wearing business suits yet. Here Lucy meets Mr. Tumnus. The other 3 children discover this new, mysterious land, where they are destined almost, to be Kings and Queens, along with the help of mystical guru Aslan the Lion and Mr. and Mrs Beaver, to defeat the evil ruler of Narina, the White Witch, and her dastardly servant Maugrim the Wolf. She has imprisoned the land and wildlife with a never-ending winter. Edmund is unimpressed with narnia, but falls too easily to the darker side.

So at the time, there were pretty nifty special effects, as well as introducing the viewers to Animatronics. This was to to mechanise the puppetry of Aslan the lion, to appear more realistic, it's not a man in a costume. However, the emotion displayed is although limited, and so are his mouth movements, as he speaks, but it just about works. Aslan comes across as a very chilled, controlled being, so little movement was needed. A real lion was used in some scenes, obviously, running scenes. It looks dated, but at least you could say, the other actors can see who they are talking to. The other animals, perhaps too complicated to use Animatronics, or not enough budget, but such as Maugrim the Wolf, it was a man in a wolf costume, his human face seeping through the costume, but "done up" as best as they can. Of course, you've maybe seen the 2005 movie now, and the animals are all CGI, with some use of real animals.

The special effects weren't exactly 3-D as of yet, but were good for it's time, however they did use the blue-green screen in the next series (Prince Caspian). I thought the acting was all-round good, and Barbara Kellerman as The White Witch, sometimes accused of "hamming it up" with over-the-top displays of anger and evil sustained into the mix, I thought she was alot more menacing and frightening than Hollywood's version (Tilda Swanton). Having seen all 4 series, it's very hard to name a best one, but this first adventure has the most iconic imagery, with the whole land encrusted in a blanket of snow and the White Witch's prestigious costume, especially her wildly high-looking tiara, or crown. A must-see, but some may prefer the Hollywood version.

Controversial Drama from the Seventies...

Bouquet Of Barbed Wire (1976)...short clip



Suggestive and disturbing 70's ITV drama here. There's a second short clip uploaded too. It's a family web of deceit, affair and possible incest. Father Peter Manson(Frank Finlay) is intensively jealous of his daughter Prue's boyfriend, whom he is obsessed by. Hence the steely stare of the father, to the boyfriend Gavin Sorenson(James Aubrey) at the window. Not an obvious saint himself, he perhaps has a right to be wary, as the boyfriend is bedding his disenchanted wife Cassie. So, all rather messy proceedings.

Based from the 1969 novel of the same name. A sequel was made a year later in 1977, entitled "Another Bouquet".

Largely Forgotten Dame Detective Duo Spin-Off with Hair of High Perm-atude

C.A.T.S Eyes First Series titles



C.A.T.S. Eyes was a mid-80's detective drama, and a spin-off, of LWT's police drama "The Gentle Touch" that starred a non-trout, future "Men Behaving Badly" star Leslie Ash with extra permage. Produced by TVS (old ITV region Television South for Oxford and to the south) for ITV, the show ran from 1985-1987. The initials C.A.T.S. stands for Covert Activities Thames Section.

Good choice for theme music instruments here. Sounds like a cat getting his tail stepped on at times. Perfect.

The Best "Casualty" Theme Song and the Best Opening Sequence? You Decide...

Casualty Titles



A little bit of a trivial matter for a serious (in the 2000's? Mmmmm) drama, but this has been something I've kept coming back to address that the second theme song these days, is nothing, nothing, compared to the first theme, and I'll tell you why.

Although both themes are basically the same tune, it just isn't the same! The first theme does have an authentic medical-sounding repertoire of instruments, while the second theme uses classical violins with no beeps or frills. The first one actually sound like it could be Hospital instruments making some of the music in the background, which is what they do try to make you believe in some of the intro visuals, such as a ventilator and such. Although the 2nd theme sounds more morbid, the first one is what keeps me coming back to these videos. Some of the intro's are great, even our 2000's cousins, however, I'm being honest here, but simply the best opening sequence, is the one that starts at 1 min 57 secs, in this video clip. Reflects the gritty feel of the show it was that time, which won't be coming back. Boo-hoo.

I believe the titles i liked best, were from 1997-2000.

Youtube Drama Sweepstake

Sweepstake series continues! Awooga!

K9 plays chess - Dr Who - BBC sci-fi



A fine Tom Baker-fied Doctor Who clip from the episode 'The Sunmakers'. His second assistant Leela, looking every inch the Chess grandmaster in her skimpy leather garb. Somehow, i just can't look beyond those legs. Anyway, K9 is the true chessbrains here aiding Leela, and in the process they come across the planet of Pluto. Hang on, it's set in the future, yet it should know Pluto was de-moted from being a planet!

In the 'The Sunmakers', Doctor Who and Leela travel to the now habitable planet of Pluto, and are confronted by The Gatherer of Megropolis One, Hade(Richard Leech)and his cruel tax system which taxes to excess. Hade belongs to the company that created artifical suns, that helped create life on Pluto.

Boys from the Blackstuff - Yosser's Desperate



This clip follows the classic scene where a broken Yosser, with his kids in tow, going to confession. This mixes extreme sadness with some comedy, as the priest asks Yosser to call him Dan for short, instead of "Father". Yosser mutters "I'm desperate, Dan", but it can also be interpreted, for if you know the main comic character of the UK comic "The Dandy", as I'm Desperate Dan, the cow-pie eating, gun-slinging, cowboy strongman.

If you grew up or lived in the early 80's, who doesn't know Yosser's classic line "Gizza Job"? "Boys From the Blackstuff" was not only one of the best quality drama's of the 1980's, but it was also effective, as the real background behind the struggle of everyday Britons plight against a large economic recession, and sounded the death knell, truly, for Britain as one of world's biggest manufacturing forces. Set in one of the hardest hit areas in the UK, Liverpool, each of the five episodes focused on a different character, who were all made unemployed in this economic climate. It's powerful and gripping stuff, and the most memorable of the 5, transmitted in 1982, was Yosser Hughes plight.

"Boys From the Blackstuff" was actually the sequel to "The Black Stuff", which was made in 1978, but never got transmitted until 1980. Written by Alan Bleasdale, also from Liverpool, the drama was an award-winner, and still regarded as one of the best British drama serials.

Classic Minder - Minder on the Orient Express Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROgeEQUTrvU

Minder was a long running drama/action serial on ITV, lasted an incredible 15 years (1979-1994). The series follow main character wheelin' dealin' con-man Arthur Daley(George Cole), who employs a bodyguard, a former professional boxer and some-time criminal Terry McCann (Dennis Waterman). Despite the dodgy character backgrounds, they're loveable rogues as displayed by fine acting to the viewers, and display geniune honesty and friendship.

This is a 2-part feature, focusing on clips for an episode from the sixth series. A throughly entertaining one, especially the knock-about in the second part. Also feature an inebriated Arthur Daley. Also, great funny line from Terry "Do you fancy me or something"?