Firstly, we hope you are all well and enjoying a film or series or two on Talking Pictures TV with a cup of tea and at least a custard cream or a rich tea. Excellent news for fans of TV history – we are delighted to tell you we have located TWO MORE FILM CANS of unseen episodes thought lost of No Hiding Place! Uncovered in a private collection and donated to us by a very kind viewer the cans are off to dear Tim, our lovely film transfer man, as we speak. Even more good news, Two More Sunday Night At The London Palladium LOST episodes have been found …keep an eye on your newsletters so you know which ones and when they will air – you will hear it here first.
Eagle-eyed supporters who scour our full schedules each week may also have noticed that BOGNOR is coming to TPTV and I’m excited to announce two more series to keep you entertained: Brack Report and The Mind of JG Reader…. Transmission dates will be given to you as a reminder nearer the time.
For those of you who are Silent Film Fans – good news, in collaboration with The East Anglian Film Archive/University of East Anglia we will be presenting you with a small showcase of some silent work from British film makers in the 1930s. Keep an eye out for these gems.
Good news for British lost film fans too! No less than THREE lost British films have been uncovered by Noel in his research over the last couple of weeks, unseen since their original cinema release in the 40s, 50s and 60s – more details in your newsletters soon.
If, like me, you love to wallow in nostalgia and enjoy a bit of escapism with some mellow-voiced crooners, we have a very special offer on a 3-CD Crooners box set at just £12.99 with free UK postage – click HERE to have a look!
Thank you to all of you who have emailed and called and written this week with suggestions of films and series – I’ve tried to write back to all of you – I hope I have, but we really are full for suggestions at the moment. Just a reminder that we can’t just play what we fancy, we don’t have a magical archive in the office of everything ever made, (sadly), and everything has to be traced to the owners, a license negotiated and paid for – so if we haven’t managed to air your suggestion yet, don’t fear, we hope to get there eventually!
This week sees a host of film premieres and new episodes from our series – so you don’t miss the FULL LISTINGS CLICK HERE, and for OUR HIGHLIGHTS CLICK HERE
For those who would like to know about programmes with SUBTITLES on next week CLICK HERE
Here’s my picks for the week ahead and our popular Sunday article on TALKING MUSIC from Charlie Brigden follows.
Monday
Start Monday early at 7.45am with a very rare British film from 1934 called Open All Night, made at Twickenham Studios, it had quite a budget for films of that era and a very clever script. Anton, (Frank Vosper), is an exiled Russian grand-duke but works as a night manager in a hotel, with tragic consequences. The film also stars Leslie Perrins who was an extremely famous radio star of the 40s and I am sure you will recognise his distinctive voice. After swashbuckling on the high seas with Sir Francis Drake, there’s hilarious comedy at 9.30am with Ladies Who Do, with some proper arm folding battleaxe-like poses from Peggy Mount. Harry H Corbett is also quite a character in this one. At 11.10am there’s a NEW SHORT – Stars from the Screen, made in 1934. It’s charming and features four clips of British films from 1934, including Jack Hulbert in The Camels are Coming, Cicely Courtneidge in Aunt Sally, Jessie Mathews in Evergreen and Violet Lorrain in Roadhouse. It’s followed by a very evil Nigel Patrick in Grand National Night and then Tommy Trinder in Fiddlers Three at 1pm. At 2.45pm there’s a very interesting short with Margaret Rutherford and her husband Stringer Davis on a ghost hunt! It was shot in 1965 and won’t be listed in any TV mags, but it’s very interesting. At 3pm it’s gripping crime in The October Man with John Mills – is he guilty or isn’t he? Then, after some fun with Catweazle,there’s a charming short telling you How To Look After Your Chopper Bike, a real piece of 1970s nostalgia! At 5.45pm it’s The Way Ahead, an incredible war film with Jimmy Hanley and David Niven. Don’t forget it’s back to Hannay at 8pm with a host of guest stars.
Tuesday
At 7.40am I really recommend The Blue Parrot, set in smoky 50s Soho with Dermot Walsh, Jacqueline Hill, Ferdy Mayne and John Le Mesurier. After Conrad Philips in William Tell, there’s a great British comedy, Don’t Ever Leave Me at 9.30am with Jimmy Hanley and Petula Clark. It’s the iconic British film Whistle Down The Wind at 11.10pm which Charlie Brigden has discussed below in the Talking Music section- anyone else called their cat spider? At 3.15pm we escape to the beach with John Gregson in SOS Pacific and please make a note to watch the filming with John’s family in Remembering John Gregson at 7.25pm. At 5.30pm there’s a brilliant piece from the Imperial War Museum, THE TEAM, a Second World War short film stressing the importance of team work with George Allison of Arsenal Football Club.At 5.35pm it’s beautiful Anna Neagle in SPRING IN PARK LANE. At 9pm it’s BUDGIE – what has he been up to this week? The series really starts to pick up pace now and I think you will notice. At 10pm it’s a thrilling 1949 drama Forbidden, directed by George King and starring Douglas Montgomery, Hazel Court and Patricia Burke. An ex-serviceman plans to escape his faithless wife.
Wednesday
At 7.30am start your day in bed with a cup of tea and FREDDIE GARRITY (from Freddie and the Dreamers) …who’s a scout… in Cuckoo Patrol. (I hope you will forgive me but it is fun!) Then at 11.05am it’s a bit of comedy again with Curtain Up! (1952), a comedy directed by Ralph Smart and starring Robert Morley, Margaret Rutherford, Kay Kendall and Michael Medwin. There’s a real treat for fans of musical films at 5.30pm with our Premiere of The Laughing Lady, its cinematography is stunning. At 8.55pm please catch the charming short, London River Bus andat 10.05pm it’s Richard Burton in The Medusa Touch.
Thursday
At 9.30am it’s Operation Bullshine with dear Dora Bryan, which is followed by Oh… Rosalinda –which is nothing short of beautiful, made in 1956 and directedby Michael Powell, it stars Michael Redgrave, Mel Ferrer and Anthony Quayle.The film is an Adaptation of Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss, updated to post-war Vienna. At 5.10pm a chance to catch The Court Jester again for Danny Kaye fans with a real tongue twister script and please don’t miss HARLOW at 9pm which will probably make you cry…. also do set your recorder if you aren’t a night owl for STEAMING at 11.35pm – Diana Dors’ final film, directed expertly by Joseph Losey.
Friday
At 9.35pm a lost film located by Noel, Mrs Pym Of Scotland Yard with the hilarious Mary Clare as a woman detective who sets about solving the murders of people who have all visited the same medium… also stars Edward Lexy & Nigel Patrick. Fans of greyhound racing history will love the new short Running For Pleasure at 2.30pm, a look back to the 1970s when greyhound racing was popular and private individuals trained greyhounds to run at nonregulated tracks known as ‘flapping tracks’. (You may recognise the name of the editor!) Then there’s much hilarity with CROOKS IN CLOISTERS at 2.55pm,made in 1964, directed by Jeremy Summers and starring Barbara Windsor, Bernard Cribbins and Melvyn Hayes. After pulling off the smallest train robbery ever, Little Walter and his crew decide to get out of London and hide in a deserted monastery! The charming Blithe Spirit follows at 4.55pm then at 7pm I recommend The Venetian Bird, full of mystery and set in 50s Venice, with Richard Todd, Eva Bartok and…..John Gregson. Don’t forget our regular trip to Amsterdam at 9pm with Barry Foster in Van Der Valk.
Saturday and Sunday
There are two packed days of Imperial War Museum shorts, premieres include The Eternal Sea,a heart-breaking true story; The Man Who Could Cheat Death with Christopher Lee and The Grass is Greener with Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitchum and Jean Simmons.Also, a bit of Norman Wisdom, Robin Hood, Sunday Night At The London Palladium, Laurel & Hardy, Sam Kydd discussing his Hobbies and Career and much much more,including another chance to see No Room at the Inn (1948) starring Freda Jackson, Joy Shelton, Hermione Baddeley and Joan Dowling. A drunken landlady confines a group of child evacuees to a life of degradation.You’ll need your tissues handy – Welsh poet Dylan Thomasco-wrote the screenplay with producer Ivan Foxwell so expect wonderful dialogue and characters.
CLICK HERE for the HIGHLIGHTS
Thank you once again, all of you, for your support this week, good news for all of you who enjoyed TOGETHER – the DVD Box set of all surviving episodes unedited and complete will be on sale very soon, so you can keep going back to Rutherford Court every day!
Keep on spreading the word!
Sarah, Noel and Neill
