Forgotten BBC programmes
Picture Page (1936-1952)
Television Surveys (1939)
Face the Music (1953)
They Come By Appointment (1955)
They Recording Angells (1956)
Beauty Box (1957)
The Midlander (1958)
The Dithering Detective (1959)
The Adventures of Brigadier Wellington-Bull (1959)
Don't Do It Dempsey (1960)
Your World (1961)
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The Adventures of Brigadier Wellington-Bull
A BBC series shown in June/July 1959.
A contemporary comment on the programme:
"I was particularly interested in seeing Alexander Gauge in a series of his own. His comedy and acting abilities have been sadly neglected. I'm not saying this series requires much acting prowess, but it does need some qualities to make it a success. The script by Austin Melford is harmless enough, but without Alexander Gauge the idea would fall flat on its face. I think if the plots improve and there are more comic lines it might well turn out to be a success. However I also feel that without Gauge this series would be a load of Bull!"
However, after a second programme this sad conclusion was reached:
"I'm afraid, I'm very much afraid that it is a flop. I looked in again last Friday (19th June) to the second instalment hoping that it had improved. Instead it turned out to be the worst script and the worst bit of acting I have seen on tv for a long time. Certainly Miss Pat Cavin needs more lessons in dramatic art, though in all fairness I cannot lay the blame a hundred per cent at her door. The fault lies with the author Austin Melford. How the producer accepted such banal, unfunny rubbish is beyond me and I should think beyond most viewers. I feel very sorry for Alexander Gauge because he deserved much better than this from the BBC- unless the corporation are getting their own back for his success on the other channel. They're certainly not doing him any favours with this series."
The producer was Ronald Marsh. Theme music by Trevor H Stanford.
I only have the cast lists for these three stories:
3 A Clubbable Man (Friday June 26th 1959, 7.30pm)
- starring Alexander Gauge as Brig Garnet Wellington-Bull, with
Valerie Singleton (Jane, his daughter), Donald Hewlett (Captain 'Sooty' Pilkington), Carl Bernard (Fred, a Soho type), Miriam Karlin (Coffee bar assistant), Paul Eddington (Harry, another Soho type), Mela White (Showgirl), Frank Leighton (Plain clothes policeman), and Erik Chitty (Club chairman)
4 A Party Matter (Friday July 3rd 1959)
- starring Alexander Gauge, with
Valerie Singleton, Donald Hewlett, Bill Shine (Assistant Manager), Irene Hamilton (A Press reporter), Frank Pettitt (Head Waiter), Sheree Winton (Flower Salesgirl), MacDonald Parke (Otis P Walkinshaw).
5 A Spicy Dish (Friday July 17th 1959)
- starring Alexander Gauge, with
Valerie Singleton, Donald Hewlett, Andre van Gyseghem (The Rajah), Fenella Fielding (The Rajah's Wife) and Oscar Quitak (Abdur Rahman).
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Picture Page
A topical magazine that began in 1936, devised and edited by Cecil Madden. It had the distinction of being the only programme to run weekly through the pre war years. The series was revived after the war until 1952, with mainly different personnel.
The pre war series is detailed below, and included The Switchboard Girl, Joan Miller. Though not credited for the first hundred programmes in Radio Times, Leslie Mitchell conducted the interviews. He was the only original person to appear in the post war programmes.
Opening theme was the 1934 song 'I've Had My Moments.'
First Producer: George More O'Ferrall.
Programme 1: Monday November 2nd, 3.30-4pm, second edition 9.30-10pm. The pattern was continued, edition one in the afternoon, then another the same evening. This first show included Squadron Leader Swann, new holder of the altitude record, a boy bugler, Ras Prince Monolulu, and a sixteen year old model, soon to be a film star, Dinah Sheridan. However because of the topicality of the programme, Radio Times rarely was able to reveal which guests would appear.
By Programme 71, Wednesday August 25th 1937 4.25, Royston Morley was the producer.
Programme 73, Wednesday September 1st 1937 4.25, the producer was Jan Bussell.
Note: At this era, these two producers alternated weekly. They continued to alternate with other producers, whose first
programme is noted.
Programme 85, Wednesday October 13th 1937 3.25-3.50pm, Royston Morley producer, who now became the regular producer. With The Maori Choir.
Programme 91, Wednesday November 3rd 1937 3.30-4pm, producer Andrew Miller Jones.
Programme 93, Wednesday November 10th 1937 3.30pm, producer Eric Crozier.
Programme 99, Wednesday December 1st 1937 3.30pm, producer George More O'Ferrall. Edition 100 was that evening's programme at 9.30pm.
Programme 101, Wednesday December 8th 1937 3.30pm, producer Moultrie Kelsall.
Programme 115, new slot: Thursday January 27th 1938 3.30pm, producer Moultrie R Kelsall. The producers continued to alternate.
119 Thursday February 10th 1938 also with Trudi Binar (continental songs). Programme 120 also advertised Sir Barry Jackson, Rt Hon Sir John Anderson, Robb (fashion drawings) and from the stage play Idiot's Delight, Raymond Massey, Tamara Geva and Henry Sherek.
139 Thursday April 21st 1938 3.30pm, producer Desmond Davies.
143 Thursday May 5th 1938 3.35pm, producer Arthur Ozmond.
145 Thursday May 12th 1938 3.30pm, producer Michael Barry.
147 Thursday May 19th 1938 3.30pm, producer Stephen Harrison.
149 Thursday May 26th 1938 3.35pm, producer Eric Boseley
The programme took a short summer break after 166 on the evening of July 21st.
The series returned with 167 on Thursday August 25th 1938 3.30pm, producer DH Munro. Introducing Alan D'Egbille (Cartoonist), Sgt Major Lynch, direct from Radiolympia. Evening programme 168 at 8.30pm.
169 Thursday September 1st 1938 3.30pm, producer DH Munro. With Robb, from Radiolympia.
173 Thursday September 15th 1938 3.40-4pm, producer Denis Johnston.
177 Thursday September 29th 1938 3.40pm, producer Imlay Watts.
185 Thursday October 27th 1938 3.40-4pm, producer Philip Bate.
193 Thursday November 24th 1938 3.40-4pm, producer Lanham Titchener.
The 200th programme on Thursday December 15th included Viscount Castlerosse, Cecilia Colledge, Sir Harry Brittain, Howard Marshall, Douglas Walters and L Marsland Gander.
223 Thursday March 9th 1939 3.40-4pm, producer Arthur Ozmond, with Henry Sherek's Chester Hayle Girls from the Dorchester Hotel (Radio Times noted they did not appear in the evening edition at 9.50pm).
243 Thursday May 18th 1939 3.45-4pm, producer Philip Bate, with scenes from Henry Sherek's Dorchester Floor Show with Kay Kimber, Helen Bennett, Brantley and Linda, and Robert Alton's Stars of Tomorrow.(they did not appear in the 9.45pm programme, but returned in programme 246 May 25th 1939 at 9-9.30pm).
251 Thursday June 15th 1939 3.50-4.15pm, producer Eric Fawcett.
The programme took its summer break after programme 258 on Thursday July 6th. That programme shown 9.40-10.30pm included a one off appearance by The Mills Brothers.
Though the series returned, it was a very shortlived return!
259 Thursday August 24th 1939 3-3.30pm, producer Harry Pringle. With the Chessington Baby Elephant, Joss (cartoonist), Miss Radiolympia and composer Noel Gay. Direct from Radiolympia. Edition 260 was on Saturday August 26th 1939 at 3pm.
261 Thursday August 31st 1939 3.40-4pm, producer Denis Johnston. Edition 262 was that evening 9.40-10.20pm. The last.
263 scheduled for September 7th 1939 with new producer Val Gielgud was not screened. 264 was to have been that evening 9.40-10.20pm.
However on June 13th 1946, the programme number 263 was finally shown, almost seven years and one war on, rather different to that originally planned.
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Television Surveys
A Sunday afternoon series on the pre war BBC in 1939.
This was an early example of an outside broadcast using the BBC's Mobile Unit.
There were seven programmes shown in this series:
1 Railways (January 15th 1939, 3-3.30pm)- behind the scenes at Watford Junction.
2 The International Telephone Exchange (January 29th 1939, 3.20-3.40pm)- at the Faraday Buildings with Leslie Mitchell.
3 Safety on the Road (February 5th 1939, 3-3.20pm)- on an arterial road near London.
4 Autogiros (February 19th 1939, 3-3.20pm)- at London Air Park Hanworth, the Cierva Autogiro Company.
5 The Civil Air Guard (February 26th 1939, 3-3.30pm)- at Hanworth, the training of pilots with the London Air Park Flying Club.
6 A Life on the Canals (March 12th 1939, 3-3.20pm)- at Clitheroe's Lock, Grand Union Canal, with AP Herbert discussing family life on canal boats.
7 Dinghy Sailing (March 26th 1939, 3.35- 4.05pm)- at Ranelagh Sailing Club Putney, with Peter Scott.
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The Recording Angells
(starting October 28th 1956, BBC)
This five part fortnightly 20 minute series was scripted by that fine writer RF Delderfield. It was produced in BBC's Bristol Studios by Brandon Acton-Bond.
Shelmouth is a small West Country resort, its newspaper The Recorder is a one man show run by a man in his sixties, William Angell. His nineteen year old reporter is Jo, but vaguely disapproving of her is Sid, a foreman printer of the old school.
Cast: Cyril Wood (Willy Angell), Norman Tyrrell (Sid Kittle), Lewis Wilson (Tom Angell), Ethel Coleridge (Thirza), Jenny Davis (Jo Crispin) and Phyllis Smale (Mrs Corbett-Smythe).
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Face the Music (1953)
In 1953 Ronnie Waldman arranged for the veteran erstwhile conductor of the BBC Dance Orchestra, Henry Hall, to reinvent his immensely successful Guest Night for a new audience on television. Three shows were booked in early 1953, the first included Bernard Miles and Dickie Henderson. A clip from Henry Hall's pre-war musical film Music Hath Charms was also shown.
The second programme included Henry Hall's old pal Leslie Henson, as well as one of the newer comedians, Reg Dixon. Snooker legend Joe Davis "serenely potted" all seven coloured snooker balls, quite a feat for live tv!
After the success of the programmes, the BBC took up its option of three further shows, and the series was eventually extended throughout that year. Other stars in Henry Hall's line up were Max Miller, Elsie and Doris Waters, Larry Adler, his first ever tv appearance, and even the immortal Laurel and Hardy made a brief appearance, one, we are told, full of "knockabout comedy."
Note- no connection between this and the later better remembered BBC series of the same name with pianist Joseph Cooper, that ran from 1966
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Harry Worth
had made various tv guest appearances before he starred in a one off programme
The Dithering Detective
shown on BBC in The North (ie it was a rare regional excursion for the BBC, not shown in other areas).
The date was Friday March 20th 1959.
John Ammonds, who had 'discovered' Harry for the BBC claimed, "Harry is not just a gag teller. He has a wonderful personality. He has no equal in putting over that nervous type of comedy." This programme must have done well, for it lead to Harry's first series the following year The Trouble With Harry. Later in 1960 the successful Here's Harry began its long and happy run.
If you have a Northern edition of Radio Times for the week of The Dithering Detective, I'd be very glad to receive more details of this one off programme.
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Beauty Box
A summer 1957 series, Wednesdays 7.30-8pm.
Despite its title, this was actually "a lighthearted entertainment" hosted by
Patricia Lewis.
The final show in the series on September 25th included Val Doonican, Iris Villiers, Arthur English, Rosalie Ashford, wth The Blonde Toppers and The Brunette Toppers.
Music was by Nat Temple and his Orchestra.
Producer and director was Richard Afton.
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The Midlander (1958/9)
A 25 minute fortnightly show televised from BBC's Birmingham studios on alternate Friday nights.
The first programme went out in November 1958 introduced by everyone's favourite, Phil Drabble. The aim was to talk to local personalities, and among those interviewing were Barney Bamford, Barrie Edgar, Bill Hartley, Michael Hayes, and Bob Waller.
The producer was Malcolm Freegard.
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Your World
(BBC Schools, Summer Term 1961).
As quite often with Schools' Drama, study of cast lists reveals the occasional budding star
A series of plays and follow up discussions on issues facing young people.
No. 1 Work (April 24th/25th, May 1st/ 2nd 1961). Introduced by Anne Allen. Director: Paul Mitchell. Producer: Peter Dunkley.
No. 3 At Home. A Question of Balance (May 29th/30th 1961).
Script: John Wiles.
Cast:
Clifford Cox (Mr Blake)
Anna Turner (Mrs Blake)
Julia Foster (May Blake)
Anthony Ashdown (Fred Stevens)
Maris Tant (Denise)
James Belchamber (Mr Crayne)
Daphne Foreman (Janice)
Jenny Jones (Mary) and
Pamela Sholto (Miss Iddon).
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They Come By Appointment (January 5th 1955)
These were true stories from a surgeon's casebook by George Sava.
Producer: Robert Barr.
The first of this series was titled The Malayan Planter.
"It was a few years after the war that the name of Hugh Fletcher appeared in my appointment book. A name, a letter from a country GP, who was a friend of mine, and a time- 10.30.
The letter from Fletcher's doctor was not encouraging, and I wondered whether the patient himself might give me more confidence..."
Regrettably no cast list, if there was a cast, was given for this 30 minute story
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'Don't Do It Dempsey!' (1960)
Scripts: Patrick Campbell and Vivienne Knight.
Producer: John Harrison.
"Brian Reece, neglected for a long time by tv, comes back in a subtle, sophisticated series about a bachelor who's inclined to take beautiful girls to his flat for a bit of dinner over a candle."
One story Travelling Hopefully (May 2nd 1960), showed James Dempsey's encounter with Jane (Helen Lindsay).
Others in this cast were Peter Copley, James McLoughlin and Benedicta Leigh.
Music for the series was by Christopher Whelen, who claimed, "I do my best work in buses and tubes, pubs and hotels, and not at home."
Sounds a good excuse!
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BBC In House Films
AP News or Ask Egton (c1956)
- A nice bumbling newsreader with lots of spoof items, mainly on themes such as sewage. Plenty of jabs at BBC practice, like the harrassed newsreader being phoned on air over late changes. After a filmed report by Mike Lewis on giant paper rolls, there's a slide of American politician Dulles, "I think that's the wrong still."
Vivian Ferguson-Short reports on the Elgin Scandal, MD's comment, "no comment." A photo of Col Nasser, written on his tie, "I love Eden." Also pictures of the BBC soccer and hockey teams, with numerous backroom staff depicted. A photo montage of other employees is followed by Bill Haley's record Rock Around the Clock, danced by Africans.
The Fred Boggs Show
- To commentary as only the BBC could provide, Fred dreams he is Stuperboy, with his assistant, in drag. The pair call at a manor house where Frankenstein pursues Stuperboy, Ada the Witch supplies nerve tonic and Count Dracula enables Fred to escape to return to his postroom. Sub editor Ug concludes with a non sequiter, in a none too original skit
Midnight BBC Opening - to avoid competition with ITV, here's a new idea, programmes will now commence at midnight.
Thus Richard Baker, in night attire reads the news in a northern accent, then camp, then a la BBC. There's a report from Peter Southwood in Paris, but the only sound is a French lady singing.
The Thing from Outer Space is the next programme, slightly incomprehensible animation before a spaceman lands for an interview, in which he talks gibberish a la Spike Milligan.
A brief take-off of Dragnet 'We've Lost Maisie Dawson' is followed by more news from Robert Dougall, a report showing how news is allegedly collected, only to be interrupted by Richard Baker in drag, singing an operatic aria.
Kenneth Kendall in Regency costume shows us some pinups, before Picture Charade, a take off of a film mag. A silent film clip, then an interview with a Hollywood director, "frightfully decent of you to come along." A clip from The Great Drip, which is boxing in slow motion, and as a finale more footage of Charlie Chaplin to an accompaniment of Whole Lotta Shakin
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