Old television programmes

[Oztalgian 3,398]

1 hour ago, mary1947 said:

"Billy Bunter"

The TV series starred some later well known actors such as Anthony Valentine, Michael Crawford, Melvyn Hayes and Kenneth Cope with Gerald Campion as Bunter. 

"I say you fellows", "You beast", and "Yarooh" were among his catchphrases and he was known as "The fat owl of the remove".

Another school-based programme was Whack-O starring Jimmy Edwards.

[Mess 634]

1 hour ago, mary1947 said:

HI Mess     You will get a telling off by the children it was not just a Spotty dog?

It was the biggest Spotty dog that you ever did see/

Mary,

I thought Spotty Dog was wonderful particularly how both his/her ears went up during the introduction.

I was also amused how he seem to walk on air but then so did many of the Watch with Mother puppets.

[Jill Sparrow 10,413]

My father was a great Billy Bunter fanatic and I still have some of the old annuals that were his.  As a child, he learned to read long before he went to school by utilising the picture stories in Magnet and Gem papers for boys. Walter Hayes in Beeston had a shop which allowed youngsters to swap two papers they had read for a new one. I don't think he ever watched the TV version, though.  I don't imagine Billy Bunter is very politically correct today. Ram Jam Singh included.

[Jill Sparrow 10,413]

I remember a very strange tv serial from 1969/70 called The Owl Service. Based on the book of the same name by Alan Garner.  I remember watching it when first broadcast and didn't understand it at all.  I've recently watched it again on YouTube and haven't revised my opinion.

 

The acting is wooden, to say the least. The book is aimed at teenagers but I don't think they'd be allowed to screen it now. 25 year olds playing adolescents and the female lead often very skimpily clad.  I was 11 when I first saw it. One of the most peculiar children's programmes ever made, I should think.

[Cliff Ton 10,555]

I also have memories of The Owl Service.

 

I first encountered it in my 3rd or 4th year at Fairham Comp; we read it as a class book and nobody understood what was happening. It was around the same time as the TV series - which I watched, and that didn't make things any clearer. 

 

I'd like to know what Alan Garner was on when he wrote it. He had a very strange idea of what was suitable for teenagers - and I was one at the time.

 

 

[DJ360 6,767]

I definitely didn't see it in the late 60s as I barely saw any telly,being too busy being a fab DJ. I was also living where I am now when I saw odd bits. So I must have seen the 1978 re-showing. I didn't see all of it as it mystified me, but I do recall being quite bemused at some of the scenes I did see. The female lead seen in what I assume was her bedroom, in her underwear.  Not quite hard core porn, but a bit odd for a kids programme.

Lots of chatter online, and it's been released on DVD.

 

https://www.wikiwand.com/en/The_Owl_Service_(TV_series)

 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338632/episodes/?year=1970

 

https://televisionheaven.co.uk/reviews/the-owl-service

[Cliff Ton 10,555]

All eight episodes (8 x 30 mins) of Owl Service are on Youtube, and I’ve semi-binge watched them over the last few days, first time for 50+ years.

 

It’s even stranger than I remembered; eg. the creepy gardener. The original story is weird and complicated, and the TV version doesn’t make things any easier. I defy anyone to explain or understand what’s going on.

 

And I don’t see it as children’s TV; several of the lead characters are teenagers, but it’s worlds away from any other children’s programme ever broadcast.

 

They certainly don’t make them like they used to.

[Jill Sparrow 10,413]

I also watched it again over several evenings on YouTube.  I watched it when it was first broadcast and hadn't a clue what it was about. Usually, if I saw a tv adaptation of something like that, I'd go and find a copy of the book and read it to see whether it made any sense of the televised version. In that case, I didn't. Sounds as though I wouldn't have been any the wiser for the effort. Alan Garner seems to have written quite a number of books. I've never read any. Certainly never read any at school.

[Oztalgian 3,398]

The Owl Service, never heard of it or seen it.

[Jill Sparrow 10,413]

Don't lose any sleep over it, Oz. You didn't miss much!

[mary1947 2,107]

Well folks my day is comming to an end 

 

TIME FOR BED said Zebbdie

[Oztalgian 3,398]

3 hours ago, mary1947 said:

TIME FOR BED said Zebbdie

So much innuendo on children's television back in the day.

What was Andy Pandy doing with Looby Loo in that picnic basket?

Was it Bill or was it Ben who bonked Little Weed just then. I don't know but I expect the little house knows something about it. Don't you?

Rag Tag and Bobtail doing what rabbits do best

The Woodentops, Mrs. Scrubbitt who came to "help" Mrs. Woodentop do what?

The Magic Roundabout, Zebedee was always trying to get Florence into bed. There was a perpetually stoned guitar playing rabbit called Dylan too.

Of later origin, In the Night Garden, With Upsy Daisy taking her bed everywhere with her, What was her job, anyone? The Tombliboos who's trousers always fell down. The Pontipines and the Wottingers, each family with a mum, dad four boys and four girls. They live in a semi setached house at the bottom of a tree. What was going on there?

[mary1947 2,107]

Just carrying  on with tv shows   We went to live at the coast, and my grandson came to stay he was around 2/3 years of age. Well at the time Post-man Pat was his  hero, where we lived the postman used to deliver your mail in a red van. Our postman who's name was John also had a cat who was always with him, I ask John if he would mind being Postman pat for a day, "yes no probs" he said. Well next morning I said to my grandson look here's Postman Pat comming down the road in his van, well went he got out of his van and said good morning to my grandson his eyes opened with delight and when he smiled he just lite up the room, he just could not belive it, the only thing he said was "" yes gran" it's postman Pat but were 's Jess his black and white cat,?  because the cat P/P has is not Jess. well John was quick off the mark Oh!! i could not bring Jess this morning he said he has a pooly paw, and he has to rest, my grandson was happy with this statement and each day when John came he ran to the gate and ask was Jess better yet,                            Now I don't want to say I am getting old but my grandson is now 25 yet he still thinks that it was PP who was our postman.

[Brew 5,484]

6 hours ago, Oztalgian said:

So much innuendo on children's television back in the day.

I must be thick! I watched most of those programs with my kids and never caught anything untoward, all those innuendos you mention never registered.

I never even thought twice when Eric and Ernie where in the same bed...

 

[Jill Sparrow 10,413]

That's why Eric always smoked a pipe in bed. Morecambe and Wise felt that would dispel any suggestions that they were homosexuals! 

[philmayfield 6,289]

So homosexuals don’t smoke pipes in bed? You learn something new everyday on this forum! 

[Oztalgian 3,398]

1 hour ago, Brew said:

I never even thought twice when Eric and Ernie where in the same bed...

Purportedly they were the first couple shown in bed on British TV.

[Oztalgian 3,398]

Just now, philmayfield said:

So homosexuals don’t smoke pipes in bed?

Que for a very old joke.

Q Do you smoke after sex?

A I don't know I have never looked.

[Jill Sparrow 10,413]

1 minute ago, philmayfield said:

So homosexuals don’t smoke pipes in bed?

It was perceived not at the time.  Now pipe smoking... especially in bed...is far more shocking than homosexuality was at the time M&W made those programmes.

 

I think Thora Hird and Freddie Frinton were pictured abed together in Meet The Wife before M&W were.

[Cliff Ton 10,555]

And in Magic Roundabout, Zebedee was always reminding everyone it was 'Time for bed' - although he never gave any detailed sleeping arrangements.

[philmayfield 6,289]

Well, if I had to choose, I’d rather smoke a pipe a bed but chacun a son gout. 

[IAN FINN 834]

Thats like the bloke went to the doctors thought he had vd the doctor said does it burn when you go to the toilet he said i dont know i have never tried to light it.