We also have:
BBC Continuity - 4.55pm clock up to start of Children's TV.
Also a brief clip from The Powder Monkey, and titles of Treasure Island, introduced on a BBC film by Children's TV announcer Jennifer Gay.

Tom's Midnight Garden (BBC, 1968) -
A serial in the best Reithian tradition, uplifting, upright, with an educating use of background classical music, in short, not for today's generation - but of its day, wonderful! We have Part 2 only

Here is a scene from ABC's first serial in 1960, Counter Attack, the story of the German invasion of the Channel Isles. What year did this occur? Answer
Listen here to the opening moments of Counter Attack .

Main TV Menu

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Muffin the Mule
A children's favourite presented by Annette Mills

"We want Muffin, Muffin the Mule
Dear old Muffin playing the fool!
We want Muffin- everybody sing
We want Muffin the Mule."

We have a number of these short programmes:
Father Christmas Muffin
Dick Muffington And His Cat
When Muffin met Sooty
Schoolboy Muffin - Professor Peregrine gives out homework which baffles Oswald the Ostrich, 2 minus 1 proving too difficult. Muffin produces a One Man Band but when he's naughty Peregrine has one of his splendid tantrums
Muffin's Aquarium
Muffin and the Bird Parliament
Muffin and the Squeaking Shoes
Muffin in a Jam
Muffin's Bedtime Story
Also a brief clip- Muffin's One Mule Band
See also We Are Your Servants (1956)

Say goodbye to Muffin and return to the Children's Menu

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Sooty
with longsuffering creator, Harry Corbett

Sooty's Garage-
The expected chaos when Harry calls at Sooty's garage and gets squirted with petrol

When Muffin met Sooty -
celebrated encounter between the pair in the Muffin series

Bye bye Everyone, and back to the Children's Menu

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Mr Pastry (BBC) -
Richard Hearne was a superb children's entertainer, now unjustly neglected by a generation who thirst after crudity in humour, a thing that Richard always vehemently avoided.
His long running children's series for the BBC, with children regularly in the cast, made for gentle fun-loving enjoyment, that us innocent children thoroughly appreciated. I particularly recall Barbara Hicks as Miss Print, being a fine foil to Pastry's antics.

This is the only tv programme we have of his (though thankfully we do have also some of his feature films)-

'Mr Pastry Learns to Ski' (1956)
A BBC film short as Mr Pastry demonstrates how not to ski

Note- some of his numerous Ed Sullivan TV Shows in America are thankfully preserved.

Return sadly to the Children's Menu

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Crackerjack

We have
* March 19th 1958: with Winifred Atwell, Pinky and Perky, Ronnie Corbett James Beck.
* March 18th 1959: with Dickie Valentine, the ubiquitous Pearl Carr/T Johnson, Ronnie Corbett.
* October 11th 1962: with Pinky and Perky, and regulars Leslie Crowther and Peter Glaze.
* 1964: the final programme hosted by long-serving Eamonn Andrews.
It includes Leslie Crowther and Pip Hinton singing Where There's You There's Me.
With omnipresent Peter Glaze, they perform two sketches which seem like something written by Ernie Wise, only without any appearance from Eric to enliven proceedings- The Stowaway, and The Prisoner of Fender.
Magic is in the hands of Vic Perry, and Peter and Gordon provide the pop music.
At the end, Eamonn is presented with a plaque and stands uncomfortably with the crowd as they sing the final song. By this date, the half-hearted shouts of 'Crackerjack!' from the children in the audience contrast with their enthusiasm from the earliest shows of this series.

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Billy Bunter of Greyfriars School
Gerald Campion was the perfect embodiment of the finest creation of neglected author Frank Richards. The rest of the cast, with the exception of Kynaston Reeves as Mr Quelch, were perhaps rather a disappointment, but it's a jolly good show, you chaps, that this series hasn't been entirely lost! We have:
Backing Up Billy Bunter (1956) - Bunter is having to swot for a scholarship! His dad's in financial trouble as his secretary, Tregg, has absconded with the contents of Mr Bunter's safe, so oh crikey! - Bunter has to help out by bagging the schol! As his good intentions might just waver, the Famous Five have promised to back him up.
Classic Frank Richards, an abbreviated version of his novel of the previous year of the same name. The only 'active' schoolboy characters are those mentioned, but the plot is otherwise the same, even down to the 5,000 pounds Tregg has stolen. Except he hides in a house which the Famous Five find by accident in the rain, and Johnny Bull squirts ink at him, uncovering his false beard, and Mr Bunter's fortune, much to Billy's satisfaction. Some wonderful moments before this, as the Damoclean Sword makes Bunter strive against nature to actually do a spot of work.
Bunter on the Warpath (1956)
Bunter Won't Go (1960) - The title is that of a chapter in the book The Banishing of Billy Bunter. This is an abbreviated free adaptation of this story, that just captures its essence, mainly thanks to Campion's 'presence'.
After a whopping Bunter tells the Famous Five he's going to get back at Quelch with this egg. Overhearing, Quelch awards him an extra 200 lines. When Coker throws a hassock out of his study and it accidentally hits Quelch in his deckchair (!) Bunter is on the spot and cackles. Oh Lor', Quelch is not amused, taking Bunter to Dr Locke for expulsion. Bunter hides in a study but Quelch finds him and takes him to the station. At 11pm in the Remove dorm Bunter returns exhausted having walked from Lantham, "miles and miles." Next morning when Quelch appears in the dormitory the rumble of Bunter's snore awakes the echoes! Bunter escapes to the boxroom. Coker climbs a ladder in order to extricate him, getting rapped on his knuckles by way of thanks. However he does break down the door and Bunter is dragged off to the beak. When Coker learns why Bunter is expelled he bursts in to the sacred presence to confess. Finally we see Bunter enjoying a feed with the Five. In between mouthfuls, Bunter suggests his new idea- why not a tomato in Quelch's face?
Double Bunter (1961) - Frank Richards returns to his character of Walter Bunter, a much more serious version of Billy. When Billy faces Coker's wrath after pinching his apples, and Quelch's cane after not doing his lines, he changes places with his double Wally who is staying in Pegg on holiday- though the filmed sequence here looks nothing like the fishing village of the books. On his return to Greyfriars, Bunter Mark 2 fells the astounded Coker, and surprises Quelch by reading Virgil, the shipwreck scene. He suggests to Quelch lines 109 and 110 are not quite perfect, a perceptive remark that decides Quelch not to introduce the cane. Then Bunter offers to play cricket, and a film shows him at the nets clean bowling each of the Famous Five in turn. He takes the bat too, and his lofty shot knocks poor Coker out. "What does food matter?" Wally asks Billy, who wants to change back, since the boarding house food is so awful. Thus Billy returns to Greyfriars, plus one black eye, by way of thanks from Wally. But it was at least "a marvellous wheeze"- except that Coker is still chasing after Bunter
Let a fellow pass to our Children's Menu

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BONEHEAD (1960-1962)

One of the great comedies produced by Shaun Sutton for BBC Children's Television.
In the title role was the ever popular Colin Douglas, with Boss played by the superb Paul Whitsun-Jones. The absurdly named Happy was portrayed by Douglas Blackwell. We have:

Going Straight - As Boss and Happy emerge from jail, Boney greets them with "did you have a nice time?" Efforts to keep in paid employment end in sackings but a fortuitous discovery of a stolen safe by Bonehead leads our gang to a warehouse. The Plan: drop the safe from a great height to smash it open. Posing as policemen they proceed to the tall building. However, there they meet up with an old safe cracker friend, who kindly opens their safe for them, only to learn it is empty. Arrival of the real police results in a Keystone Cops-type chase
Let's Pretend- The Boss' latest plan: Rescue eccentric shortsighted millionaire Mr Popkiss (Reginald Barratt) and claim £50 a time for each saving act. Disguised as a plumber, a gardener and a window cleaner our gang calls at his mansion. The old bucket on top of the head trick fails, as well as falling into the lily pond, so it's desperate measures: blow the house up! But this only results in a flooding farce, into which falls quite unnoticed the pathetic Popkiss. Maybe this was nearly the pinnacle of black and white children's tv comedy

To our Children's Menu

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Counter Attack (1960)
A seven part story of the wartime occupation of the Channel Isles, the first production to be made after Mary Field, late of the Children's Film Foundation, joined ITV. According to this unsympathetic contemporary, her first effort was not a success:
"I hate to say it, but on its first showing it's very bad indeed. If ABC thinks this will combat BBCtv, then it's in for a shock! It is true that Sydney Newman has put one of his best directors on the job and also one of his best designers. Peter Ling who has written the script knows exactly how to angle his script, but it just doesn't come off. Why? The answer is relatively simple. ABC has not been courageous enough. It has placed too many embargoes on the author in an effort to keep down expenses. The result is a cardboard serial which doesn't have the slightest ring of truth in it. The script does indeed need to be tighter. Ling is writing down too much and he is concentrating too much on plot. It also needs a greater use of film to conjure up the atmosphere of the Channel Islands. Without it the play falls down like a dead duck. Obviously more money has got to be spent on it.
The story involves three children who remain on the island when the Germans occupy it. They find the whole thing exciting and great fun. To me, this is wrong. Children should be made to realise that war is a horrible and terrible experience. It isn't a game. It isn't fun. This, then, is where the serial is wrong. it is too much of a romp. It is raucous when it should be raw. There is no feeling of fear at the impending occupation and when the Germans do arrive they come in such numbers that they would be hard put to it to even occupy a village. Even the German flag that was hoisted was noticeably home made. It would indeed be unfair to compare Counter Attack with BBCtv's Silver Sword, which began a vogue for realistic children's drama. Unfortunately the last war has become exciting costume drama for many of today's young viewers. Even so, realism still should be the keynote. Without it the serial will never succeed."
After viewing the second episode our critic was dreadfully predictable in his additional comments: "I looked in again to see whether Counter Attack has improved. I regret to say it has become considerably worse. It would seem that the plot is worthy of the attention of the six to nine age group while obviously being angled at the nine to fourteens. Miss Field obviously wants the best of both worlds. Without having made up their minds as to the age group they wanted to attract ABC tv has, in my opinion, done a great disservice to children's television. Sydney Newman cannot apply the principles of Armchair Theatre to young viewers. Children like to be treated as adults while it is obvious that Armchair Theatre viewers are prepared to be treated like children."
However unlike the critic above, I enjoyed it! If the story is seen as a kind of Enid Blyton's Famous Five, or rather Famous Three, it's a ripping adventure seen through childish eyes. Jeremy Bulloch has all the authority of the natural leader, whilst Murray Yeo is a good counterfoil as the cheeky but innocent Cliff.
This tone is set in the opening title sequence- a very official voice announces the Occupation of the Channel Islands. But, we are informed, there is some "unofficial" opposition, as three kids throw mud right in a Nazi's face. No this isn't gritty wartime drama, it's not meant to be, and for me this is the best of the ABC serials I have seen.
Episode 1 White Flag . . . 2 Escape . . . 3 Sealed Orders . . . 4 Secret Agent . . . 5 Traitor's Mark . . . 6 Guard Duty . . . 7 Last Chance
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1 White Flag (17 January 1960)
During the voluntary evacuation before the Channel Islands face invasion, Joe Carter is one who has to bid farewell to his chums. His radio he loans to his friend Terry Benson, which will be jolly useful for the Argo Club, with other members Carol and Cliff Delamere. The group meets at the Old Mill which is linked to the Delamere's shop by a secret underground passage. "We'll fight the Germans with practical jokes!" they decide.
The adults however are more soberly awaiting the invasion, among them Carol's elder sister Miss Jean Delamere, and Terry's dad Tom Benson (Leslie Sands) who really feels he should be joining the Forces, if it weren't for the fact he has to take care of Terry. But watch out for Mr Prout (Bruno Barnabe), because he looks like a traitor. Besides, he speaks German.
By order of the British government, everyone has to display the white flag of surrender. Major Heinrich Wolf (Joseph Furst) announces the enforcement of rules: "if any of these orders are disobeyed, immediate disciplinary action will be taken."
First to be in trouble could be Tom, who tries to leave to join the Navy. Jean Delamere is to look after Terry. However Terry and his friends have a whale of a time transmitting news of the invasion on their radio. And the Admiralty picks up their messages.
That night the Germans are knocking on the door of the Delamere shop, but it's only the Major announcing that he and his batman Kurt Lander will be billeted here. "England has already lost the war," he smiles at the children. But will he spot their radio?
Continue to Episode Two of Counter Attack or Return safely back to Counter Attack

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2 Escape

The Major glances round Cliff's bedroom, where Terry's radio is hidden. Luckily a cap gun is all he spots. Phew! "I hope you sleep well," Carol thankfully bids Major Wolf goodnight, taking care that he doesn't see her then sticking her tongue out at him.
Next morning, Cliff gives the Major another rebuff when he asks if Cliff enjoys school. "No," retorts Cliff, "who wants to take German?"
Tom, who is planning to leave the islands tonight at 10pm, takes exception when the Major snaps propaganda photos of him with the children. Tom snatches the camera and bolts. He bids his friends a quick goodbye: "mind you don't get killed," advises Cliff.
Terry continues to send radio messages to the Admiralty, though one request rather puzzles the high-ups there: can they send some stink bombs?
They're for Cliff who is offered pocket money to be office boy for the Major, who still can't quite reach the children. Not surprising when his remarks include "English children spend too much time playing!" This job is useful, for Cliff learns a guard has been posted at St Briac's Point, just where Tom's boat is moored.
"We've got to warn them." Cliff and Carol create a diversion whilst Terry flashes to the offshore boat, enabling it to come and pick up his father. But the three are captured by Muller who destroys the camera, to the Major's chagrin: "Dummkopf, this is my camera!" Now those photos are useless- hurrah!
Mr Prout offers to grind maize at the old mill, the children's headquarters, and from where Terry is now transmitting. Prout shows the Major round the mill and the radio is discovered. The apparatus is smashed.

Crumbs, you'd better return to Counter Attack start, but if you want to read on go to Episode Three of Counter Attack

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3 Sealed Orders

The Major is very angry at finding their radio. Will he believe that they were merely sending messages to friends on the island? Thankfully, he gives them the benefit of the doubt. But he will be watching them, he warns. However Jean Delamere, Carol and Cliff's wiser elder sister, gets her own back, shouting at the Major. "She's got a nerve." She tells him that in future he will have to take off his muddy boots before entering her home. That shows him!
A strategically placed tin tack on the floor catches the bare footed man. Then a little more sabotage when his field telephone line is cut. However Cliff's booby trap above the cupboard door backfires, when the Major spots it and forces Terry to walk right into it.
The three children decipher the final message they have received, before the radio had been smashed. It tells to go to a rendezvous at midnight.
"Out On Important Business," announces a note they leave for Jean. A tough crawl through undergrowth to the place. Guns are blazing as they hear a plane. It must be British. A parachute descends, and with whistles blowing, the children grab the package and run for it.
Safe, they examine the contents, which are titled, Important Mission, Contact Us. But how can they do that, as their radio is broken?
The answer is in the package, which includes valves and spare parts. As well as Cliff's stink bombs, plus, more mysteriously, tobacco and razor blades.
But there's bad news. The Major has learned of Tom's escape and arrests Jean Delamere for aiding him. As the children scream, she's lead away.

To avoid any trouble, go back to the Counter Attack start or, if you want to read hear about the Secret Agent,
you can go to Episode Four of Counter Attack

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4 Secret Agent
"We know everything that happens on this island," the Major tells Jean Delamere. At least he thinks he does! Jean plays a trump card- the major will have to look after her children. Faced with such a prospect, he relents, and Jean is permitted to stay at home.
Terry has now repaired the smashed radio and is able to transmit to the mainland. There's a job for them. Hide a British Intelligence Officer who is being landed tonight at 11pm.
Here he is! He gets rather a surprise when his young contacts give the correct password! "You're only kids- holy mackerel!"
Cliff has not been allowed out so late, and feels left out, so he decides on his own action, putting a stink bomb in the major's bed- "happy dreams, major!"
"Es stinkt hier!" cries Major Wolf, who teaches Clifford, as he calls him, a lesson. Cliff has to stay in that smelly room.
A radio message to the mainland advises of the safe arrival of agent Hugh (Oliver Neville). But someone is listening in to their message- it's Mr Prout. It turns out Hugh is an old school friend of Jean's, but whilst they happily chat, Mr Prout has been listening at their door....

Phew, get back quick to the start of Counter Attack.
Or to find out the truth about Mr Prout, continue to Episode 5

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5 Traitor's Mark
"No-one must know I'm here," agent Hugh warns Jean and the children. But there is Mr Prout listening in at the keyhole. He enters and tells them he's on their side. As an ex British Intelligence Officer, he promises them his assistance. He cites Col Richardson as a contact and his bona fides is established. Cue- jolly music.
But it's a swizz for the children, for now Hugh doesn't need their help. However they're pleased to be allowed to continued their practical jokes, so as to distract the Nazis away from Hugh's task, which is to locate and destroy the enemy arms dump.
Thus, next morning "some young rips," as Mr Rowley the milkman (Edward Palmer) describes them, have painted large V signs on the curfew notices. "Who has done all this?" demands the goaded Major Wolf. "Funny isn't it?" comments Cliff, though the Major doesn't look at all amused. The children note that Mr Rowley has a V sign on his back, showing he must be a collaborator.
Prout has found out that the German arms dump is in the cellars of their headquarters- surely a rather dangerous location! Cliff shows them his secret passage in there, but it's too narrow for Hugh to negotiate.
But Terry has broken in there. He's trying to remove any evidence that it was Cliff who had painted those V signs on the chairs. But as he enters, he's pounced on by Major Wolf himself.

Wow.... back to Counter Attack start .
Or to learn of Terry's fate, go to Episode 6 (coming to this site shortly!)

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Pathfinders in Space
Pathfinders to Mars (1960)
Pathfinders to Venus (1961, ABC)
starring Gerald Flood as Conway Henderson; his charismatic charm was used by ABC in further children's serials;
George Coulouris ('To Mars') as Harcourt Brown, a free thinker, a kind of serious Zachary Smith from Lost in Space;
with Stewart Guidotti, who continued with Flood in later serials. As Geoffrey Wedgwood, he plays his part with intense boyishness.

We have
Pathfinders in Space: 1 Convoy to the Moon- At a Scottish rocket research station Conway Henderson (Gerald Flood) meets Valerie Jimmy and Geoffrey, children of Prof Wedgwood (Peter Williams) who's doing "something men have dreamed of for centuries," that is, flying to the moon. Sighs Jimmy "gosh I wish I was going." When Geoffrey accidentally leaves a screwdriver in the backup ship, the auto pilot short circuits and so, of course, Henderson has to fly it, along with his crew, hip hip, the two boys. Girls complain now. But fear not, is that a stowaway.....?
Pathfinders to Mars 4: "Lichens!": "We're approaching Mars- stand by!" Harcourt Brown: "I've dreamt of this moment all my life." Margaret is first to set foot on Mars- the first task is to find some water, urgently. But "nutcase" Brown is convinced there's life on the red planet. Martian rainfall solves both these problems- but this causes giant lichens to sprout everywhere. Comments Brown: "I see life, but it's not the sort of life I thought it was"
Pathfinders to Venus 2: "Into the Poison Cloud" (Sun March 12th 1961): "No-one can survive down there," but, three cheers, the British rocket manages to land on Venus! The search commences for Wilson's rocket, but beware, "I don't think any of us should be alone on this planet." Yes, look out, another rocket is landing, "it's almost as though it had been trying to find us." The children go exploring and discover the rocket but, oh dear, "the rocket's been ransacked by some creature!"
Pathfinders to Venus 3: "The Living Planet": "I've got a feeling someone's watching!" No comment. "There's something in the rocket! It's smashing things up."

To our Children's Menu

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City Beneath the Sea (1962, ABC)
In this ABC children's serial, Gerald Flood stars again, this time as Mark Bannerman. My only gripe -the underwater scenes, whilst adding authenticity, are overlong and not entirely convincing. Unfortunately there are no fish in the sea!
The script was by John Lucarotti whose "method is to take a known scientific fact and enlarge on it." In this case it was the concept of a whole city able to live under the ocean.
1 The Pirates -An ex Nazi Uboat commander, Swendler (played with a swagger by Denis Goacher) steals a British sub. Hidden on board are mag editor Mark Bannerman and his youthful assistant Peter. They summon the Navy to the rescue
2. Escape To Aegira - "I wouldn't want to be in their shoes when Swendler finds them!" It's Swendler v. The Royal Navy! An exciting cat and mouse for viewers who risked switching on after the slowish first scene setter. First round goes to Swendler, as Bannerman is taken to an underwater city
3 Tide Of Evil - Mark and Peter are set to work in the underground laboratory where they discover many scientists who had disappeared. In an escape attempt, Mark "gums up the works", but he's ordered out into the ocean to repair his sabotage. Peter gets swept away by the current - and that of course is the End of Part Three!
4 Cellar Of Fear - Peter is rescued and the sabotaged air system repaired so work can speed ahead with Professor Westfield's worldwide transmitter, the last experiment needed for boss Professor Ziebrecken's "complete conquest of the sea." Ziebrecken (Aubrey Morris - was this his finest hour?) explains he's doing it all for altruistic reasons. But, asks Peter, "suppose he didn't tell everyone about his work?" Mark travels to 35,542ft to the underwater cellar, where he sees what Ziebrecken has stored there - warheads for a nuclear missile
5 Power To Destroy - Ziebrecken desires "a world free of tension and strife." Unfortunately he also wants "a world united, with me as its leader." "The frightening thing is," Marks tells Peter, "that Ziebrecken thinks it's quite possible." To try and attract international attention, Peter throws out an oxygen cylinder, which implodes, and damages a bathyscape. Ziebrecken sentences him to death
6 Operation Grand Design - Whilst Swendler prepares an "accident" to befall Mark and Peter, our heroes finally alert the world by exploding a warhead - BOOM!
7 Three Hours To Doomsday - "My name is Ludwig Ziebrecken. I am speaking to you from Aegira, my city beneath the sea. I have a series of nuclear missiles directed at the capitals of the world." Will we have to submit to his demands? Aubrey Morris provides an endearing study of a paranoid dictator- "which shall I destroy first, Bannerman? London, New York or Moscow?"
For the sequel Secret Beneath the Sea . . . or . . . Children's Menu

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Secret Beneath the Sea (1963) -

1 The Mysterious Metal - Swendler escapes the authorities, and in the guise of a showman exhibits the "eighth wonder of the world" Phoenissium. After his secret are a man calling himself George Smith (Reginald Smith in a kind of Hitch imitation) and Dr Deraad, architect of Aegira. Eluding Smith's henchmen, Swendler passes his secret to Bannerman. Orders Smith: "this time I want no mistakes...."
2 Voyage Into Danger - A thief breaks into Bannerman's office, stealing the plate of Phoenissium, but neglecting to take the all-important research notes. Taking Peter and Janet, Bannerman sets sail for Aegira to look for the important Phoenissium deposits. But Sir George orders a ship to ram their sub, and though the attempt's unsuccessful Deraad locks Peter and Janet in a compartment which has now started to flood....
3 Sabotage - "Mark, there's nothing you can do." But Peter and Janet are "jolly lucky" and at Aegira Peter 'helps' dour Prof Gordon (Robert James) who is designing a spectrascope camera until it is sabotaged. Peter is accused, though it's nasty Dr Deraad who's the culprit. With Janet, Peter searches Deraad's lab to prove his guilt, but the pair are spotted....
4 The X - Layer - So Peter and Janet are hauled before Cpt Payne: "that wasn't very clever was it?" Exonerated, Janet's underwater exploration nearly ends in tragedy when it appears she has forgotten to replenish the gas supply. Mark goes underwater too, as he thinks he knows where the Phoenissium is.....
5 The Take-Over "Bannerman's in trouble... I think he's dead!" gasps Dr Deraad. He's not, naturally, and the search is on for Mark's mysterious attacker. After another explosion, Captain Payne resigns
6 The Death Trap - "You completely fooled them!" All is revealed in this final episode. Working "twice as hard," the phoenissium is located, though we never hear any more about the evil Smith (see episode one). But at least the saboteur is captured: "if it hadn't been for you, I might have succeeded," Bannerman is told

If you're not too scared, return to the Children's Menu .

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The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe (ABC)-

What Lucy Found in Her Wardrobe
The adventure starts

The Triumph of the Witch-
Aslan (Bernard Kay) saves Edmund from the Witch (Elizabeth Wallace)

Hey presto, to return to the Children's Menu - click here!

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Foo Foo (ABC, 1960) -

"A regular cartoon TV series has long been overdue and even without the advantages of colour, Halas and Batchelor have successfully created a fresh character who is sure to please the kiddies," wrote critic Lawrence Masidlover.
"A group of 33 fine films have been produced each lasting seven minutes and involving the adventures of Foo Foo. Two films are transmitted consecutively.
Foo Foo is an engaging little fellow and is sure to delight children from six to sixty. An amusing tramp (like Popeye), he has an arch enemy Gogo, who has an outsize beard. Gogo is a bully relying more on brute strength than cunning.
On the other hand our hero Foo Foo is small and Chaplinesque in appearance, complete with bowler hat. And like Chaplin this humorous character could last for years (well, that prophecy failed).
It is not easy to make a tv cartoon series when there are so many established characters from America. Despite this Halas and Batchelor successfully took the plunge. They developed a new technique for cartoons. Each picture story is so carefully prepared that the plot could be followed easily although not a word of dialogue is spoken. A fine effort."

We have "Beauty Treatment"

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THE FLIGHT OF THE HERON (STV)
The story commences in the year 1745, so you can guess the theme! Veteran Scottish star Finlay Currie was one of the stars.

1- Capture with Sheila Whittingham, Bill Henderson
2- Rebellion with Sophie Steward, Bill Henderson
3- Escape with Leonard Maguire, Bruce McKenzie
4- Levee with Helena Gloag, WHD Joss
5- Retreat with Leonard Maguire, Sheila Whittingham
6- Rescue with James Copeland, Bill Henderson
7- Torture with Richard Mathews, Robert Docherty
8- Revenge with Sophie Stewart, John Young

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Object Z (Rediffusion) -
Although a serial for children, shown Tuesdays at 5.25pm commencing 19th Oct 1965, writer Christopher McMaster, a one time director on Coronation Street, originally wrote it as an adult programme! Producer Daphne Shadwell got him to adapt it for the children's slot.
The stars were Trevor Bannister as tv commentator Peter Barry, and Celia Bannerman as his assistant Diana Winters.

1. The Meteor
Trevor Bannister: "A nova? The only nova I'm familiar with, is a bossa nova."
But this is a new object, not a nova, but what is it, seen in the night sky? It's several million miles away, at present, but it must be six miles across.
It's approaching Earth! "I've never seen anything like it before... in fact, it's heading straight for us!"
The Prime Minister looks serious. Cooperation with America (now where have you heard that before?), and a more unlikely alliance with Russia might enable a machine to be constructed to divert the meteor.
News of the impending calamity is broken on U-K tv. Then the PM makes his solemn announcement in a seemingly unintentional parody on Churchill in 1939.

This is an impressive start to the serial. Well acted with the tension maintained, yet still time to portray the central characters in some detail.

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The Terrific Adventures of The Terrible Ten
Made starting 1960 in Melbourne, these short stories consisted of narration with the occasional bout of childish acting, a sort of amateur version of The Forest Rangers. Somehow it was very popular on Children's TV in England. Roger Mirams directed this series, on a shoestring budget: "it was like the early days of the cinema all over again." He even roped in his own family to act in the series. His wife Gwen had the unenviable task of looking after all ten child stars.
The Terrible Ten Build a Town - Old packing cases are built into a set of a frontier town by the kids, using impressive DIY skills and much cleverer than anything Barry Bucknall could do, or any of those toffee nosed infants on Your Very Own. But jealous enemy Rex Jackson swears he will capture the town.
The Enemy Attack- "This means war!" With the aid of flour bombs and the like, a jolly time is had by all, and the enemy have to retreat.

The Terrible Ten Fire Brigade! - The TT obtain an old jalopy and, a la Scrapheap Challenge, convert it into a red fire engine, horse drawn to boot. "Sound the fire alarm!"
The Terrible Ten Fire Brigade in Action! -Some comedy as the girls practise their first aid before the alarm is sounded. Pop Jones' old shack is alight. Overcoming the natural reluctance of their steed to pull the old banger, the TT rattle and race to save the old timer from the licking flames. Their First Aid nearly finishes him off!

A Horse Named Joe Part One - The narration is dropped here in favour of all dialogue which is terribly badly done. Old enemy Ofoot challenges the TT to a horse race at the forthcoming fair
A Horse Named Joe Part Two - Return of some narration! A wandering wild horse proves the TT's best bet to beat Ofoot. They call it Joe after Joanna who had found it. Training begins in earnest
A Horse Named Joe Part Three - Bad news! Joe is a missing racehorse called The Emperor. Says the owner- "I can't let a little girl like you ride him," as he leads Joe away.
A Horse Named Joe Part Four - "They couldn't keep you away." Joe returns and is allowed to race. Sing to him, the owner explains to Joanna and "there's nothing in this world that can catch him." So it's all pats and smiles- "the most wonderful day of my life."

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Quizzes / Game Shows/ Panel Games etc
Double Your Money
Good old Hughie Greene with a good old fashioned quiz where the jackpot was -do I hear you swoon?- a thousand pounds. To be frank, Who wants to be a Millionaire's questions look frightfully easy in comparison with these - for £32 you almost sell your soul to Hughie. But Hughie links it well, like a real old pro.
Opportunity Knocks (ABC)
Hughie Greene again, in a black/white edition. That suspicious Clapometer is the best part!
Those seeking your Vote were: The Headliners (teenage pop group), Anthony Graham (hip crooner at piano), Duggie Clark (comedian, Frankie Howerd style), Lisa Gordon (singer), Caribbean All Steel Band, James Gilhooley (opera singer), The Flying Paulos (trapeze artists).
Criss Cross Quiz (Granada)
This final 1967 edition of the popular quiz hosted by Barbara Kelly. Questions are pretty tough!
The Golden Shot (ATV)
* 1967 show with Jackie Rae, the first host of ATV's live show. Guest Tom Jones.
* Show compered by Bob Monkhouse. Guest Clive Dunn.
BBC Series
Animal Vegetable Mineral - Erudite BBC mateyness amongst the experts, utterly baffling to non cogniscenti
Ask The Family - Mr BBC himself, Robert Robinson with his own brand of avuncular headmasterfulness
Top of the Form - Social history- innocent intelligent middle class youth about to be swept away by the pop revolution
This is Your Life (BBC)
In traditional fashion, we do not reveal the subjects of these b/w shows. But the clues are there! For the startling revelations.
1. The host of the British series himself, bejabers in the first UK show
2. Best known in the hit Z Cars as Barlow. Appearances by Joan Sims and Frank Windsor.
3. A funny comedienne, especially famous for her partnership with Eric. With Leslie Phillips, Max Bygraves.
4. Who else could say "Doctor Feenlay" in such tones? With Eric Portman and Finlay Currie
5. A dame of acting and it's not Shirley Temple. Ralph Richardson, Michael Redgrave, John Gielgud all appear
6. 'Who do you think you are? S-- M--?' - was a catchphrase shouted at many roadhogs. Here's the real driver.
7. The most rotund Goon, with a late appearance from SM and PS
American editions: one with the world's greatest ever comedy duo, another with a British born tv produceress
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