This evening, I decided to plunge into BBC Four's 'Cricklewood Greats' as much of my twitter followers did as well. This mockumentry helmed by Peter Capaldi about a long forgotten British film studios played on the British film industry and what genres it has done well such as Horror and also Comedy as well.
So much of what was spoofed was recognisable to the discerning lovers of both British movies and Pop Culture, as it might be too close what is fact. But in the suspension of this knowledge, it had so many laugh out moments in the programme. The actual quality of the material had so much owing to Armando Iannucci's style of programme, realistic but also humourous. Which explain's why Capaldi was chosen to lead the piece, with a great supporting cast playing the actors and actresses who worked for the studios.
But by seeing this, it becomes evident why these things are done so rarely just like Norbert Smith - A Life which could be the nearest comparable thing to it. There has has to be love for a subject to be able to spoof so accurately to make it believable, in which this does it spades with also a laugh every time you look either verbally or visually. If you do get chance to see on the BBC I-Player please do, because you'll not regret it...
So what do you know about where you live? In most cases, what you know yourself is kept to yourself. But sometimes there comes along an outsiders view, like most people would think about Portsmouth as a naval city, which it is in a way. With the Baim films and the quotation quickies making films for other to see about different towns and cities. Now I'm not suggesting they were in anyway films to cheer up the masses away from the dreary lives they were used to at the time of their making during the 1970's and 80's, but they do have a feel of showing people that where they lived was OK.
Now I first saw Telly Savalas Looks Portsmouth on the now defunct Portsmouth Television and I was amazed this thing existed and they had got a copy to show to fill time of an afternoon. When researching futher into the quotation quickies, I found out there had been several of these films voiced over by Telly Savalas, mainly to be shown alongside a main feature.
First of all Telly talks about the streets being named about historical names, although most the streets themselves were modern streets in the Guildhall Square complex around the civic offices. It does seem that the irony in it, that he concentrates on a newer part which was only built after the war such as the Guildhall Walk. "The New Theatre Royal, well it was when it was built 130 years ago..." chirps Telly. Now over 30 years later, the development is changing again with brand new facilities being incorporated into the building. The Guildhall Walk is set against a background of clubs and pubs nowadays, meaning anyone wanting to go and see a big show there of an evening really can't because of the revellers there getting in everyone's way. Its a flaw which hasn't been resolved really, which bring me onto the next thing.
The Kings Theatre in Southsea, famous for it shows and performances of pantomimes each and every year. In different areas we see other places getting brand new state of the art theatres and here is a theatre from a Victorian age which still plods along gamely, now I am not saying get rid of it all together. But when the development of Gunwharf Quays was planned and built, surely it would have been wiser to build something there rather then struggle on.
There is the building of the IBM complex which is in the North of the city, subsequently the new Lakeside 1000 development has sprung up with Port Solent in recent years. Like with other places, it has tried to tart the image up of the city. A main problem is Portsdown Hill always getting in the way, we can't build beyond it, it is like our very own Berlin Wall, that we are squeezed into the space we have. In other countries they would come up with a solution to solve this problem, short of blowing up the hill, this is a problem which will remain to fox most people. As a citizen, I am here for being here's sake. But I can see why people move away, say without any industry and a football club what are we? Another Detroit...
I am not knocking the city as such, but it does make you think sometimes...
Hello again and we are at the three French Hens stage of the countdown, though who let Bridget Bardot, Audrey Tautou and Charlotte Gainsbourg in here is anyone's guess.. There comes a time of year when people like to let their hair down or in Bobby Charlton's case, his two strands... But imagine you are working making programmes all year round for people to watch, as we know though Light Entertainment is a hard business especially to get it right. So for all the staff, they need to let off some steam at the end of the year and have some fun, same goes for the performers as well.
This is where the Christmas Tape or Film, as they were originally called came into its own. As the first earliest examples are of impromptu sketches being filmed at the staff's Christmas party, usually involving a hat or a wig with some shtick of some sort. But later on more and more complicated sequences were filmed involving the stars of the time performing for the staff and even joining in with the fun. Usually the bloopers in later years were taken for out-take shows, generally the more racier stuff was kept in to appeal to the staff and every year a competition was held privately to find out who could put together the best one.
Though when journalists found a skit involving Princess Anne being interviewed by David Coleman had been edited down to make Anne say things out of context to the interview, the tapes were clamped down on more and more as practises in the broadcasting industries were changed. But contrary to belief, these tapes have not gone away, the stars maybe weary about taking part but the staff at television companies and regions still do make them for their own amusement....
Let's a look at what the boys and girls in VT got upto...
1. "Give me a shot of Enge please!"
The legendary Stewart "CUE THE ROLLER!" Morris here directing a piece for the BBC 1979 Christmas tape 'Good King Memorex' partly persuading Engelbert Humperdinck to film a piece with the girl dancers from his show for VT, but also Stewart plays along with the nature of the tape making jokes as he goes. This shows Morris at his best, in control but getting the best out the performers he worked with but also having a laugh as well. Stewart Morris could that so well, knowing that his rapore with the staff he worked with was intact to be able to produce great shots when needed, but loving the cheekyness of the whole thing as well...
2. "I don't believe it! Figgis, why have you got a party hat on?"
Richard Wilson here in full 'Only When I Laugh' mode with James Bolam as well offering good advice on the do's and dont's of Christmas lunch from a 1983 LWT Christmas Tape. Wilson known for appearing 'Only When I Laugh' at that time, acts the same way that his character does to make it sound very genuine. Its his words which make this clip, appealing to the saucy nature of production crew, the laughter from the crew says it all "We get where you are coming from..." or depending on the nature of where the wind is blowing... But seeing this doesn't make Richard Wilson of being other then being a great performer, in fact it adds to it that he can play on the naughty side and still seem believable as his character.... Even with James Bolam not even saying anything, it makes the clip funnier that they just stuck a party hat on him to get into the spirit of things...
3. "Boll-locks!"
The best of the BBC here featuring the late Sir Jimmy Savile, Angela Rippon, Richard Baker and sweary Dalek as they enjoy themselves and show their boobs or should that their goof-ups? When newsreaders are singing and dancing ten-a-penny nowadays, Richard Baker just has to put on a wig to make people laugh. Plus during a break from one of his many shows, Les Dawson treats us to a little tune on the piano but the star has to be Noel Edmonds who has a very little time to tell us what's on Swap Shop that Saturday but in such little time he makes so make goofs much to the amusement of Maggie Philbin and John Craven who are supposed to be dozing either side of him. With one familiar refrain of "Merry Christmas VT!" they know that the mistake which has just occurred will be put on tape ready for the Christmas tape that year.
4. "He's a sports PA and he went onto work for the FA..."
Finally, a musical number about working in the BBC Sports department including Suzie Quatro and her band plus a man who went onto oversee England at the World Cup, one Brian 'You work for the BBC, out you go!' Barwick. Ms Quatro plays a little ditty, installing the virtues of working in the BBC Sports department in the late 70's. Taking on everybody and everyone by the presenters and commentators seemingly not trusting the sports PA's it seems, but also footage from many far flung places such as Munich and also a cold soggy first division football ground as well. Its little wonder why the BBC didn't have any left after this or either that everything was settled with a few pints in the BBC bar... Lager 1 Malt Whiskey.. Two dozen...
So that's another aspect of Christmas wrapped up in protective foil for another time, come back on Wednesday when I'll have part four...
So here we are, the first of my 12 bits leading up to Christmas. Taking the festive season and making it drink so much Egg Nog and Absinthe, that come Boxing Day it'll be wondering about a recipe for scrambled eggs...
Starting off with...
1. Pantomines...
"He's behind you!" The regular call heard at theatres up and down the country over December and Early January, usually when someone's drink is split... Either that the refrain of children excited by sweets and also a character searching for someone. The panto has developed over the years from the early Harlequinade to today's sophisticated lights and music shows, in modern times the attraction is the stars who are in the panto itself. Taking its lead from Music Hall, the great entertainers have always appeared. From Pop stars to comedians and sports stars, they have each done their turns. Each story in turn has been adapted for the major star to show off their talent, for instance Rolf Harris would do his Jake the Peg act in the middle of Cinderella. Which bears no relationship to the plot itself, but it gave the chance to for others to shine.
The dame is a key role in any pantomine, acting as a foil for the comical turn such as Buttons but also entertaining the audience in themself. The role has been filled with performers with the magnitude of Chris Harris famous in the South for his time presenting 'Hey Look That's Me!' but also the quality of Les Dawson, Dawson is the master of the dame. His style, the demeanour and also the way he sells the role to the audience.... A true pro...
In myself, my experiences of panto are sort of mixed really from the Kings Theatre in Portsmouth seeing the great stars performing and getting up on stage with Brian Cant to tell an awful joke. But in meeting the great man was enough, but in that same performance... Major embarassment... When Lorraine Chase was playing Aladdin and was at a crucial scene when she finds the lamp originally, guess who shouted at the top of his voice as the lone voice "Rub the Lamp!" Which she replied "Thanks..." I could have nearly died, thinking back on it... Not the best move at all... Thinking over all the stars I saw in panto, it encouraged my love of Light Entertainment...
"Its Bobby Davro... Who?"
This gem comes from 2009 when Bobby Davro, and Mickey Rooney starred in panto in Milton Keynes... Milton Keynes isn't funny in itself, but it comes from the tradition of the stars being put into the panto who maybe don't fit as such... When Frank Bruno went into panto, it was because he was famous for his boxing but with the trend for reality stars now it seems that panto has changed into a vehicle for people who may have been on the television soon enough. The nature of this has been shown in the previous year when Britt Ekland came out of the jungle and to the Kings Theatre, it might be good publicity for the show itself. But with the currency of this, it leads to more people coming to the theatre and also something as such with their effect.
So what else is there? Maybe a bit of festive time ads, involving panto... This from 1987 with Children's ITV , in which it feels right to be involved with panto time...
In these times of the credit crunch everyone is feeling the pinch, especially the television industry. So it comes down to what ideas are cost effective and usually the solution lies in mass producible programmes such as Deal or No Deal and Countdown leading to monster runs of each basically spanning the whole year.
The phenomenal success of Pointless shows that a stranded show in the schedule puts the channel into a position where they can control what they want to do. In the re-runs of early Pointless on Challenge, the seed is sewed as far the game is so addictive and being able to play along at home, which any quiz is giving its back teeth for.
ITV have experimented somewhat more then the BBC by re-introducing The Price Is Right with Joe Pasquale some time ago. But everyone knows about Golden Balls and Weakest Links of this world, though if it gets worse what shows will be brought back?
Here we ponder at the lesser lights which could fill up a wet Wednesday afternoon against Dickinson’s Real Deal...
Takeover Bid (BBC 1)
The Brucie lead vehicle of the late 80’s and early 90’s when he came back to the BBC, encouraging players to steal prizes off their opponents. Quite right for these times when it seems like every other company is taking over everyone else, so why not have that business-like jolly uncle turned entertainment host Gerry Robinson takes over the role of quizmaster plus with the added bonus of Adam ‘Shaw’s Shares’ Shaw as the glamorous assistant. “Your prizes value may go up or down owing to market conditions….”
Talkabout (ITV 1)
Verbally adept game show once introduced by future Peep Show executive producer Andrew O’Connor is brought up by Simon Cowell’s Syco TV in which the self appointed entertainment guru ditches the game and makes up the rules as he goes along. Contestants are punished if they don’t talk about The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent or any show presented by Ant’n’Dec, the show is given a trillion week monster run by ITV as they see the potential to use a phone vote to get rid of the contestants one by one…
Lucky Ladders (ITV 1)
Presented by the woman from the accident claim line adverts. As contestants come on and claim for such things as a loose fitting pen lid to a violent sneezing fit because the waitress in a Little Chef dropped the pepper. If their claim is suitable enough they are given thousands which they have to pay back eventually at double the rate of inflation…
"Gordon Bennett! No it's actually Lennie in fact..."
The Travel Quiz (BBC 1)
Contestants are giving the chance to win pictures of all the destinations that they cannot travel, all to due to the rising costs of air fuel. Due to copyright restriction, only pictures of British seaside resorts maybe used thanks to a dusty box of photos left over from Holiday ’78 found in a cupboard at the back of BBC canteen behind tins of semolina and prunes. (Andi “Ow, that’s rather hot isn’t it?” Peters not included…)
That’s My Dog (ITV 1)
Ironic twist gameshow, where half the staff of Heat Magazine are charged with
trying to control certain nightclub *ahem* beauties and keep them from getting
too merry before filming whilst Derek Hobson tries to reflect where his career has
gone and why they have turned the South-West’s number one produced gameshow
into a scene from Footballer’s Wives…
If that the case of being funny, by suggesting them its a serious business that people will tell you in the number of quiz shows have been piloted for BBC and ITV, with The Weakest Link leaving us soon, it brings into focus that when a format finishes, the next idea has to be ready to go....
So when they've started I'll finish and hopefully it'll be a starter for ten...
So Challenge has decided in their wisdom to bring out the big guns for the Autumn meaning that they are around again to showing 3-2-1, now that Sky has taken over Challenge it means that along with Deal or No Deal coming to the channel other shows are due an airing from the same cannon.
ITV was a powerhouse of gameshows from the late 70's to the mid 90's, as such both Bruce Forsyth and Bob Monkhouse switching between the BBC and ITV during that period. I remember watching these show as a child whenever they were on and it was like another world away from my own. Apart from Play Your Cards right, which at that time and still now has the most exciting and lively start to a gameshow. For the early 80's it was big time for Brucie coming off the back off his 'Big Night', yet the tales about Michael Grade wanting what turned into Family Fortunes are available from books, the internet and other media. It felt right for Bruce, taking on that role and its success stretched throught out the 80's with revivals as well.
But many of the gameshows are forgotten now, let me lead by the hand as we go for gold or strike it rich in Boggenstrovia's Guide to shows which have been forgotten by the public...
1. "A difference of opinion here Geoffrey..."
Winner Takes All, the only gameshow to combine general knowledge and betting. Starting in 1975 with Jimmy Tarbuck at the helm until 1986, it was a strange affair to the young child who didn't know anything about betting at all. All I knew is if they got an answer right, they got a whole load of points for it. I didn't know what 10-1 was, I had heard it on World of Sport but what it actual meant was a whole different matter.
Jimmy was the man with the cash even at the start of episodes when he brought it on in a suitcase, little wonder that Securicor wasn't there to protect him with something like that. Though for Play Your Cards Right's titles, the original titles to Winner Takes All seemed like a psychotropic affair. Numbers, thousands of Tarbys and lots and lots of colours, later on the titles were a bit more calmer...
"Suited, booted and ready to go.."
In the final, two contestants would battle it out for £1000 with the winner getting the chance to get more money by coming back the next week but if they lost they would only get the £100 losers prize. So the greed was there, for the people who wanted it plus also the spangly sets. Well, a spangly curtain at the beginning for the contestants smile over in a circle, but with a spinning Yorkshire Chevron as well. Yorkshire loved the Chevron to do things in their gameshows, just to make you more scared if you weren't already scared enough of it. Poking itself around the door with a maniacal smile on its face, playing thousands of Tarbys coming towards you in your sleep...
2. "Punchlines!"
The Saturday teatime show which would be the cousin of Celebrity Squares but wouldn't write to it at Christmas. With Lennie 'TSW's Opening Show" Bennett at the helm nothing could go wrong really, by its nature all it was was making jokes to their 'Punchlines'. See what that they did there? With eight guests supplying the punchlines and to confuse the situation, they would change their boxes to confuse the contestants or put another way to make a joke sounds more rude then it already was. For three years between 1981 and 1984, even taking in an FA Cup Final appearance on the big day itself to get viewers away from the BBC. Taking in the atmosphere were Matthew Kelly and singer Rose Marie who made regular appearances through the series, with celebrity guests teaming up with a member of the public and when they got to 150 points they would win the game and the losing contestant got a Lennie Bennett doll during the first two series, a odder consolation prize I cannot think of. But after series three, they got some champagne and some glasses, so from the son of Lennie to something to drown their sorrows.
"Who'll bid me for this Gus Honeybun?"
It was another show with strange titles, not animated but in 3D. I think it was just a game by the television industry to see who could make the most lavish titles for the least money, it was a case Lennie ruled the gameshow universe for a while like all new gameshows. Whatever show was put in front of people, it was lapped up quicker then an analogical situation. I wish Challenge would put this on their schedule, maybe I'm a sadist for the show but it was good, well in my mind it was.
Two to be going on with there, it maybe strange to say that maybe a move to Freeview has saved Challenge judging by the number of people who are watching again, from the days when it shared time with The Family Channel when it first launched on Sky. But looking at the list on Wikipedia of the shows which they have shown over all that time, it reveals that a lot of shows could be shown. But its become a very British channel again, taking shows like 3-2-1 and Blankety Blank and putting them on the channel again. Something to say about it, is that they have settled in nicely and with a presence on twitter as well @ChallengeTV
Maybe a hint or two could be sent to those who run it to put some more archive shows on there, dust off the cobwebs and give us some Punchlines!
What makes a show real? Realism or a mixture of stories with something to say? Now Shameless has reached 100 shows, it has changed drama and made a debate about how it should be. Some people may see it as chavs and naer-do-wells upto no good while other may see it as the best drama in a long time. In terms of kitchen sink drama it has pushed the boundaries to the edge, learning that the basis for its drama should be what people see everyday. Of course people don't always live on a council estate, they may live in the country or in a town, but they can recognise characters they know in a show.
But these types of dramas have always tried to hold a mirror upto the nation at various time and said "Have a good look at yourself and see what you see.." Now people may not like what they see, other may see themselves and others may start to see what they are becoming. Through films such as Kes and also Saturday Night and Sunday Morning which reflected a realism which people were crying out for in the 1960's and 1970's came through a spirit, almost akin to their own properties. As we look at the 80's for example with Alan Bleasdale's Boys from the Blackstuff, showing the situation with employment as people got laid off from jobs and had to fight to survive in the atmosphere which had been created at that time. The mantra of Yosser Hughes being 'Gissa Job' was never so true at those times.
Fast forwarding to today, Shameless fills the gap where once costume drama would have filled and the characters are as compelling as any in Dallas. For Frank Gallacher, has become an idol to some but also a clarion call to others. Through the riots recently, people were screaming about this, that and everything. It is convient to show people reclaiming their cities when they think its appropriate, but for the small person it doesn't hold much truck to them. I wouldn't say that it could be claimed that I was a chav myself but in Shameless its the need for something which exists in our minds only. The need for putting everyone in the same box, there are good and bad people out there, never I could say that in judgement I could pick everyone on either side. I might be right, I might be wrong... It might be Shameless to say, that Shameless has pushed the boundaries again...
Whilst listening to Danny Baker this morning talking about television repairmen this morning, it provoked a thought. Some of you might say 'What a first one in years?' But it begs the question, is the box the corner just like a chair?
In our family we were a renting family for many years from Radio Rentals, until a win on the pools got us a brand new Goldstar television set (Goldstar? Nah, me neither...) thought that for me was the last of the television sets which were a portal to world away from my own and rather a bit of furniture. Nostalgia maybe rose tinted but there was always a thrill of a set looking like it was carved rather then just being moulded from plastic, plus it gave something to the viewing experience. Can you imagine watching Brucie and the Generation Game on what is amount to an ice cream tub?
"Thunderbird Seven is go!"
The set itself way before FST, Fasttext was a rudimentry affair it seemed. Though the workings needed a gentle touch from a repairman with the valves inside or a good old whack on the side whenever the vertical hold went,
take for instance my grandparents had a repairman who was local to them in Cosham called Mr Head, he would come out brown jacketed and booted to twiddle with knobs and recalibrate the set. But it was a skill to be able to this, with proper workshops and tools which seemed they were from the Soviet Union. A set could be gone for ages whilst it was repaired, but it made the love for the set grow even stronger like a child going into hospital.
"Good wood?"
"Balsa!"
"No, its true!"
My first set me and my brother had was an old Pye set high up on a wardrobe, until it let out a puff of smoke telling us that it was knackered. But that set had seen everything, watching The Muppets, the launch of Breakfast Television, the launch of Channel 4. It was a friend to me and I got over it, we got a new set to replace but in this age of widescreen when I see a set like the Pye Colourmaster, it gives me a warm glow. Overall, with televisions today I would always take HD and stereo sound. But the thrill cannot match getting a new set from Radio Rentals, it might seem like a joke to have set with 'Supersound' years before a full stereo service but those touches made it for me, even Danny Baker reminded people that he had a set with a hue button to be able get the skin tone right by increasing the browness or blueness. These quirks are what make greats sets great, the clunk of the buttons as you switch it over, even with a Grundig set we he, there was that ability to tune it in yourself without any micro technology to do it for you and you knew you had done it.
To some, looking at old sets maybe boring, but think how far we've come from the early days of a disc spinning around to create a picture. The love of an old set is something, but nuturing them like a classic car is another thing...
As a young child I fascinated with television and how it worked. By seeing the identity and trails of each channel this gave me an insight into this, but there was one thing which almost seemed golden to me and that was 'What happens when television starts up and closes down each day?' I had heard about closedown from people and what it did. Not all true though, everyone's image and thoughts always seemed to vary. Wheither it was always to give an easy answer to stop a young child asking all the time, I might like to think so.
So it came to a time when I was allowed to record something on our old Betamax video which was on late at night. Before you ask, it was NBA basketball which BBC1 used to show late on Saturday nights after Match of the Day in the mid-80's. So I worked out that they would close down not long after the programme had finished, deliberately I added ten minutes longer then what was needed to see this magical thing.
Clocking off...
To tell the truth, the first idea of a closedown had come from a clip of Not The Nine O'Clock News sketch with Rowan Atkinson as the announcer closing down BBC2 at the end of the night. It used freak me out a bit, that Rowan would appear from behind the BBC2 clock and it felt it was my fault that I had caught him out. But without knowing it was a comedy, I thought it was real at a very young age.
So the next day, when I played the recording back of the basketball, I waited till the end and went through the weather and to the closedown itself. The announcer said that BBC1 was closing down for the night and that they would be back in the morning and I thought that would be it and they would switch off the signal for the night. The most exciting thing was that this voice gave a name check as who'd been announcing that night... That night it was David Miles, I couldn't have said his name but would have recognised his voice straight away. The national anthem played and then they closed down for the night after that.
But if it wasn't for these voices in-between the programmes, it would be moving wallpaper just looking the same and sounding the same as can be said of many of the digital channels nowadays, they make a channel sound human still in an auto playout world. So you wouldn't recognise Duncan Newmarch, Peter Offer or Dean Lydiate if they were walking down the street, but raise a glass that they can bring a smile to your face with
a comment before a show. Because if it wasn't for them, we wouldn't know when to go to bed at night...
And that's all from us on Boggenstrovia's Bit for now, we hope you've enjoyed this post and don't forget to join us next time for more ramblings... From Boggenstrovia Van Borwick, I wish you a very goodnight... Goodnight....
(National anthem plays...)
And don't forget to wipe you feet on the way out.... Goodnight, wherever you are!
