Can you add to these half-baked fuzzy memories of mine concerning old TV characters, pop groups, authors and shows readers? Remember, no googling!
Ian Ogilvy - superb young British actor who starred in Witchfinder General and The Sorcerers. I wouldn't be surprised if he was in some Sci Fi too like UFO.
Zola Bud - South African runner who didn't wear any shoes. No idea why.
Harry O - I watched this slow detective show with my old Dad in the late Seventies on late night TV. Was it the Fugitive David Janssen? We fell asleep and the whistle at the end of the night would wake us up. What was it called that whistle?
Sam Peckinpah - Italian spaghetti-Western director who's on-screen bloodbath peaked with The Wild Bunch. I wasn't allowed to watch it on telly.
Pebble Mill at One - was it just in the North this mid-day topical magazine. My Mum may have liked it. She liked the guy called Hall who turned out to be nasty I seem to recall.
Gordon Honeycombe - bald-headed newscaster who had a great voice. Wrote some books including a strange horror novel.
Sailor - a pop group who's peak was Girls Girls Girls. Anything else?
Barry Blue - a pop singer. Can't recall anything he sang.
Blackfoot Sue - pop group who sang Standing in the Road. No idea what else.
The Green Goddess - Eighties TV fitness instructress [is that a word?]. Was she before Mr. Motivator?
Reginald Bosinquet - not sure if that's right but another of those iconic posh 60's news readers.
Harry Worth - used to laugh at this comic's TV show where he raised his arm and leg in a shop window corner. But what else? Wore a pork pie hat.
Dick Emery - funny guy who's tag line was "Oo, you are awful, but I like you!" He liked drag outfits. can't remember anything else.
Dickie Henderson - was he a song and dance man like Dean Martin but British? Also wore a pork pie hat. Did he have a TV show?
Marty Feldman - goggle-eyed comic who's golden moment was in Mel Brook's Young Frankenstein. I think he did much more before that though.
Diana Dors - the British Marylin Monroe. Did she become a superstar?
All our Yesterdays/ World at War - mammoth black and white TV series about WWII. Were they the same show?
Wicker's World - was Alan Wicker reporting on American life from America?
Valerie Singleton - my secret puppy love. Yours?
Maddie Prior - was she the lead singer of Blue Mink?
Tingha and Tucker - glove bears but no idea what they did.
The Pogles - can't recall a thing except maybe they lived in a wood.
Len Deighton - spy author. Never read any.
John Le Carre - Smiley's people. My Dad loved his books. Never read any.
Dick Francis - horse novels. Never read any.
Pam, Ayers - Cornish poetess who was on the telly. can't remember any poems. Maybe the Flit Gun.
Chaka Khan - afro-haired songstress who lead Rufus. I saw them first on the Old Grey Whistle Test.
The Art Attack guy from Liverpool - some people say he's Banksy.
Tony Hart and the lady artist who did the Gallery - geniuses, the Picassos of our youth.
Hatty Jaques - very funny lady. Was she is Sykes?
A TV comedy about garden gnomes?
Norman Wisdom - superstar comic of the Fifties and Sixties. Can't recall anything else except his infectious laugh!
Butterflies - family comedy with a redheaded Mum and a droopy faced Dad. Catchy theme tune but no other memory.
Derek Nimmo - was he a monk in a comedy? Odd voice.
More to come when I think of them!
I have never heard of most of these people. I suppose many of the shows they were in never made it to NZ.
ReplyDeleteIan Ogilvy was in The Return of the Saint in the 1970s, Corgi did both large and small Juniors die-casts of his Jaguar XJS, and someone did a larger scale plastic kit of the car.
Harry O - yes, David Janssen.
Surely Sam Peckinpah was an American director ?
I do remember Harry Worth, Dick Emery, and Pam Ayers.
Alan Wicker travelled the world, not just America, which is why it was called Wicker's World.
I do not think I have read any Len Deighton spy novels, but I do have a copy of Len Deighton's Action Cook Book.
Hatty Jaques played the sister of Eric Sykes in Skyes. She was also in many of the early Carry On films.
Garden gnomes - one of them was Terry Scott, also from the Carry On films, but I can not even recall the title.
Butterflies - Wendy Craig ?
Derek Nimmo was a curate (?) in the series All Gas and Gaiters - a very odd title. Then he was a trainee monk in Oh Brother, before graduating to Oh Father. Always well meaning, but clueless and bumbling.
Of course, The Saint's Return. I've found a couple of nice plastic toy Saint XJS's over the years at car boots and sold them on. I think they had some kind of sound control or at least a loudspeaker underneath. Corgi?
DeletePeckonpah, of course, I'm thinking of Serge Leone Paul. Thanks.
Now what on earth is in the Len Deighton's Action Cook Book? spy food?
Wendy Craig, yes! Thanks for that! and Derek Nimmo, Oh Father, of course! Thanks Paul!
Without Google:
ReplyDeleteIan Ogilvy demonstrated how right they were to cast Roger Moore at Simon Templair.
Dickie Henderson was a British song and dance man who also had a comedy show that was very much like a reworking of the US Dick Van Dyke Show.
Marty Feldman was a comedy writer that became a performer including his own TV comedy show. One hilarious sketch was him dressed as a C of E Bishop complete with crook in a railway carriage verbally abusing other passengers.
Diana Dors because of her build was promoted as a pin-up British version of Marilyn Monroe though she was a surprisingly good actress. In the 1980's she was the host of a morning TV show for kids and was quite delightful, wish she had done that when I was a kid.
Wicker's World was a traveling journalist, the stories were world wide. Possibly you're thinking of Alister Cook's, 'Letter from America' which famously put people to sleep listening to his reports.
Hattie Jaques was a most impressive Matron in Carry On films and had perfect timing when playing Eric Sykes' twin sister, she being portly he being tall and thin set the tone.
Hugh Lloyd and Terry Scott were 'The Gnomes of Dulwich' is strange vinyl costumes that made them look plastic garden gnomes.
Norman Wisdom was a slapstick comedian. His films from the 50's were great fun and were enjoyable until TV started showing pre WW2 films by George Fornby. The Norman Wisdom films were shown to be poor copies of the original.
Was Ian Ogilvy not a convincing Saint Terran? I thought Dickie had a show. For some reason I thought he was American back then, he sounded like it and looked like one of the rat pack! I'll see if that Feldman sketch is on You Tube! Don't know the Diana TV show and thanks for Letters from America, I was confusing them! Hattie was the best matron for sure and not to be trifled with! The Gnomes of Dulwich is not a name I recall. Were the gnomes not in a more famous show too? I must watch more Norman Wisdom films, pure genius. Thanks Terran, you're good at this!
DeletePogles Wood - delightful childrens tv from the makers of Clangers, Bagpuss etc. Smallfilms
ReplyDeleteGnomes of Dulwich - shortlived tv comedy, which inspired my dad to populate the garden with small seated plastic gnomes. One was called 'Dig' as he held a spade.
Pebble Mill - dull dinnertime magazine programme from BBC tv studios - lightened by having the guy from Blakes 7 abusing one of Kevins props! (over to you Kev)
Tony Hart was on Vision On with a lady called Pat something, who signed for the benefit of deaf children. A programme years ahead of its time in terms of inclusivity. Tony Hart was an amazing artist and was responsible for creating Morph, the plasticine character.
I see Pogles annuals now and then in charity shops but the show isn't one I recall except the wood Wote. The Gnomes has me thinking that they appeared in a more well-known show maybe too? Was the same guy in Love Thy Neighbour? ha ha, love that pebble Mill story, thanks for posting the clip Wote! As for Morph, fancy a little bit of cheese Grommit! Nuff said.
DeleteTony Hart also designed the original Blue Peter ship used on the badges for many years.
DeleteReally! He was so talented Kid.
DeleteMaddie Prior- lead singer with Steeleye Span. Most of the comedians you mention have features on Youtube, but apart from Marty Feldman, not sure the comedy of most has aged well.
ReplyDeleteof course, Steeleye Span. I think I mean someone called Maggie Bell Andy. I know what you mean about old comedians.
DeleteI think the Vision On lady with Tony Hart was called Pat Keysal or Keesal.
ReplyDeleteDon't remember the Gnomes of Dulwich comedy at all, but do remember a sitcom with Diana Dors in, about a northern block of flats Council estate, called 'Queenie's Castle'. She played the title character, a 'brassy' working class mother.
Queenie's Castle does sound familiar Mish. The plot reminds me of Bread.
DeleteIan Ogilvy - plays the lead in the final story of Amicus portmanteau From Beyond the Grave and had a late career flourish in the "We Still Kill/Steal/Die the Old Way" franchise of British gangster films a few years ago - I can recommend his autobiography too.
ReplyDeleteSailor had a follow up hit with Glass of Champagne and the lead singer was obscure European royalty.
Dickie Henderson was a former child star before maturing into a slick all round entertainer in the Sinatra mould with The Dickie Henderson Show.
Len Deighton - Ipcress File author (new adaptation begins in ITV tomorrow night !)
Pam Ayres - Ox / Berks borders poet with a very dry wit - "I wish I'd looked after me teeth" was a famous early work - served in RAF Photographic Int. in Singapore before becoming a celebrity (another autobiography I can recommend)
Butterflies - Wendy Craig starred as the taken for granted middle aged housewife who secretly embarks upon an affair (Nicholas Lyndhurst aka Rodney Trotter played one of her sons)
Dick Emery was one of my favourites (still is) Little Britain practically ripped off his show years later !
Fenton
From the Beyond the Grave is the least well known of the anthologies I reckon Fenton and one I like a lot although its hardly ever shown. I shall have to look it up again. never heard of those gangster films at all! How about that, the Ipcress File on the telly as we speak. Spooky! Oddly enough I held a Pam Ayers LP in a charity shop yesterday. An infectious smile. I'd no idea that Wendy Craig has an affair in Butterflies, must have been risque at the time, like Bouquet of Barbed Wire althoug I don't think that was a comedy. Its funny you should mention Little Britain and I do see what you mean about Dick Emery's influence. I wonder if Walliams et al acknowledge it?
DeleteIn Butterflies, I dont think Wendy Craig's character actually has an affair, but does seriously consider one, because she feels unappreciated by her husband and son and thinks her housewife life is very dull.
ReplyDeleteI defer to your better memory Mish!
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