Weekly Newsletter

Watch on Sky 328 | Freeview 81 | Freesat 306 | Virgin 445

Watch on Sky 328 | Freeview 81 | Freesat 306 | Virgin 445

Dear Friends and Supporters of Film & TV History,
What’s in this week’s newsletter?Buy a beautiful book on the history of Manchester’s picture houses.
All your premieres for 10th-17th May.
New weekday early evening line-up.
Highlights for your weekday enjoyment.
Your chance to win a Glimpses 5 DVD Boxset with our weekly quiz.
What’s happening at teatime? Well, we have plenty of variety for you, including the opening episode of ONE STEP BEYOND on Tuesday at 6pm. This was the original paranormal anthology series, before The Twilight Zone. It was originally broadcast between 1959 and 1961, with stories said to be taken from real life. All are introduced by director, John Newland, and guest stars include Patrick Macnee, Joan Fontaine and William Shatner.
Wednesday at 6pm sees Ronald Howard (son of Leslie Howard) don the deerstalker as SHERLOCK HOLMES, in the series from 1954. Look out for cameo appearances, including a very young Richard O’Sullivan and Michael Gough.
SITUATION HOPELESS BUT NOT SERIOUS (1965) is showing again on Tuesday at 9pm. Last time we showed this comedy with Alec Guinness there was a technical glitch. Happily the situation wasn't hopeless and all will run smoothly this time….
Don’t forget that Talking Pictures TV is a channel you can watch at any time of the day…or night! We are a 24-hour service. If you switch on in the wee small hours, you’ll find all the classic programming you love, not someone selling vacuum cleaners!
Remember you can see the full schedule for several weeks ahead on our website. On the schedule page, just click on the dates for your chosen week.
PREMIERES, DAILY PICKS AND ALL SHORT FILMS
FOR THE WEEK 10th-17th May
BIG SCREEN PREMIERES
Take your seats in the best cinema in the land for a great mix of films. There truly is something for everyone.
Beware of Pity (1946) on Tuesday at 3.40pm. Stars Lilli Palmer, Albert Lieven & Cedric Hardwicke. A touching, tragic love story set on the eve of World War I. A wheelchair-bound baroness misinterprets a soldier’s feelings of compassion towards her. With costumes by Cecil Beaton.One Step Beyond on Tuesday at 6pm. Stars Virginia Leith and Skip Homeier. The first episode of the classic supernatural series. Matt Conroy is startled when on their honeymoon his wife Sally suddenly denies knowing him.
The Big Chance (1957) on Tuesday at 6.35pm. Stars Adrienne Corri and William Russell. An unhappy travel agent, trapped in a mundane job, flees abroad for a new life. Can he ever truly escape, though?
Sherlock Holmes on Wednesday at 6pm. Stars Ronald Howard as Holmes and Howard Marion Crawford as Watson. Classic 1950s TV series. In The Case of the Cunningham Heritage, a young woman is the prime suspect in a baffling murder.
Harry and Tonto (1974) on Thursday at 9pm. Stars Art Carney, Ellen Burstyn & Tonto the cat. When his apartment block is demolished, retired New Yorker, Harry, crosses the US with his cat, Tonto. He connects with family and makes new friends on the way, in this touching ‘road movie’.
Adam and Evelyne (1949) on Friday at 2.55pm. Stars Stewart Granger and Jean Simmons. A gambler agrees to take care of his friend’s daughter. After years away at boarding school, she returns a sophisticated young woman, horrified at her guardian’s profession. Can romance really blossom between them? Made shortly before the stars were married in real life.
Death Line (1972) on Friday at 9pm. Stars Donald Pleasence and Christopher Lee. Two students find a sick man in a Tube station, but he has disappeared by the time the police arrive. Where has he gone? Can it be true about the cannibal race living in the old tunnels?
All Coppers Are… (1972) on Saturday at 9.50pm. Stars Martin Potter, Julia Foster & Nicky Henson. In this romantic drama, a petty crook and a policeman vie for the love of the same woman.
SATURDAY MORNING PICTURES (9am – 12 noon)
9.00 Superman. Our hero intervenes to stop a bullion robbery.
9.10 The Cisco Kid. An ex-con is bent on killing Cisco and Bill Shannon for sending him to prison.
9.45 Johnny on the Run (1953). Stars Michael Balfour and Sidney Tafler. In Edinburgh, a Polish boy tries to run away back to Poland but ends up falling in with two jewel thieves. Directed by Lewis Gilbert, with superb location shots of the Scottish capital in the 1950s.
11.05 Champion the Wonder Horse. A trader tries to get Sandy and the other ranchers to sign a petition to allow him to round up the horses.
11.35 Radar Men from the Moon. Commando Cody, sky marshal of the universe, foils Retik, the moon menace.
11.50 Casper The Friendly Ghost in Boo Moon. Casper comes to the rescue when King Luna and his moon people are attacked by invading Tree Men.
MORNING HIGHLIGHTS
The usherette has put the kettle on and there might be biscuits too. Settle down with our choice of daily pre-lunchtime classics.
We’ll Smile Again (1942) on Monday at 10.30am. Nazi spies infiltrate a film studio for sending coded messages but are foiled by two of the studio staff, played by Bud Flanagan and Chesney Allen.
Portrait of Alison (1955) on Tuesday at 10.40am. Stars Robert Beatty, Terry Moore & William Sylvester. A painter is commissioned to paint a portrait of a girl killed in Italy. Based on a Francis Durbridge story.
Mad About Men (1954) on Wednesday at 10.30am. Stars Glynis Johns, Donald Sinden & Anne Crawford. Miranda, a mermaid, swaps places with a schoolteacher who looks just like her.
Elizabeth of Ladymead (1949) on Thursday at 10.30am. The lives of a wealthy family across four wars. Gorgeous Technicolor drama, starring Anna Neagle in four different roles.
Grand National Night (1953) on Friday at 8am. A horse-trainer kills his spiteful wife after a bitter fight and tries to cover up the murder. Stars Nigel Patrick, Moira Lister & Beatrice Campbell.
AFTERNOON HIGHLIGHTS
You deserve to put your feet up in the afternoon too. Time for another cuppa and maybe a slice of cake with some fine film choices.
Lease of Life (1954) on Monday at 3pm. Stars Robert Donat & Kay Walsh. The vicar of a small village reconsiders his life after hearing he has limited time left.
The Importance of Being Earnest (1952) on Tuesday at 12.35pm. Stars Michael Redgrave Michael Denison & Dorothy Tutin. Two idle young men indulge in intrigue in order to escape their social obligations.
Séance on a Wet Afternoon (1964) on Wednesday at 2.45pm. A medium stages a kidnapping which she will then ‘solve’ by pretending to be psychic. Stars Richard Attenborough, Nanette Newman & Kim Stanley.
Caravan (1946) on Thursday at 2.45pm. Stewart Granger, on a mission in Spain, is attacked and left for dead & nursed back to health by a gypsy girl, played by Jean Kent.
My Brother’s Keeper (1938) on Friday at 1.10pm. Jack Warner and George Cole are escaped convicts who go on the run. But that’s not so easy, as they are handcuffed to each other.
Short Films, Glimpses and ‘Look At Life’
(THESE MAY NOT BE LISTED IN TV GUIDES)
Nobody else offers the unique, and eclectic, range of short films that we do. These shorts may not always make it into the TV listings, so we’re highlighting them here for you. Make a note so as not to miss your favourites, or to set your recorders.
MONDAY
The Ideal Home Exhibition, March 1964 Olympia at 7.35am. This colour footage gives a delightful insight into the annual event.
1930s by the Sea at 12.20pm. Memories of a traditional seaside holiday in Hastings and St Leonards-on-Sea in the 1930s.
Church Street Market in 1964 at 7.50pm. Vibrant colourful amateur footage of this London market. Wait till you see the prices!
TUESDAY
Hovercraft at 9.10am. Educational film about the hovercrafts which used to cross the English Channel, showing the features of the crafts and the passengers' experiences.
A Trip into Wharfedale 1941 at 10.30am. A day trip around the Yorkshire Dales. Wonderful shots of vintage transport, hotels and high streets.
Look at Life: Talking of Coaches (1959) at 12.20pm. The modern phenomenon of the well-equipped motor coach, with a view of life from the back of a coach and trips to Blackpool and Italy.
Look at Life: A Car is Born (1960) at 5.45pm. The success of the British car. Featuring Triumph, Morris and Austin, from design, building and testing, to the open road. A fascinating look at the industry.
BFI: Post Haste (1934) at 7.50pm. Humphrey Jennings’ first film as a director, a brief overview of the British postal service.
WEDNESDAY
Centenary Express (1980) at 7.40am. A gastronomic journey from Yorkshire to London on a special steam train, made up of vintage restaurant cars, to celebrate 100 years of train catering.
Memories of Hoxton in the 1960s at 12.10pm. Personal accounts from those who had been living in Hoxton during wartime bombing.
Look at Life: Scooter Community (1960) at 2.30pm. A look into how, in ten years, the scooter became so popular, from solo use to big group days out. From the ‘Corgi to the Vespa’.
Twist or Stick at 5pm. It's a 1960s twisting compilation. See The Hollies, Shane Fenton & The Fentones and The Orchids for a lot of ‘That Old Yeah, Yeah Feeling’.
Look at Life: Top People (1960) at 6.30pm. A look into a new generation in the City of London, from the crane drivers helping rebuild it, to the flat-dwellers overlooking this throbbing heart of commerce.
THURSDAY
Look at Life: Derby Day (1959) at 6am. A fascinating look at all that goes into making Epsom derby day one of the biggest racing days of the year.
Look at Life: Dustmen’s Day (1959) at 7.40am. Modern refuse disposal and recycling in London and Glasgow.
Look at Life: Student Nurse (1959) at 2.30pm. A look into the reflections and life of a student nurse over her three years of training.
Look at Life: Let’s Go Dancing (1959) at 5.15pm. A look into different styles of dancing and how they have changed. Also, a look at the ballroom championships, showing that, there indeed, is a dance for everybody.
West Country Gazette (1948) at 7.50pm. A visit to a speedway track outside St Austell where Vic Duggan makes an appearance. Also the Port of Bristol Centenary and the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Show.
FRIDAY
Look at Life: Jobs with a Thrill (1961) at 4.45pm. A look into some exciting careers, including that of steeplejack. Think your job is too boring? See what these men do for a living.
SATURDAY
The Fishmonger in 1947 at 12 noon. A delightful educational short film set in Barkingside High Street. Follow the fishmonger on his working day, including a trip to Billingsgate.
Look at Life: Getting a Move On (1961) at 3.50pm. A look into the science of removals, following a family's move from Suffolk to Edinburgh.
SUNDAY
Hook, Line and Sinker at 6am. From the late 1950s. We follow the maiden voyage of the ‘Glenstruan’, a great line fishing vessel from Aberdeen to within the Arctic Circle and back again.
Look at Life: Chickens in the Mill (1961) at 3.25pm. A look into the new industrial revolution in Lancashire. From 1950, more than 55 cotton mills were converted for light industries. How did these changes affect Lancashire’s workers?
Look at Life: Men in the Mode (1961) at 8.40pm. A look into the story of the male fashion world and how it is slowly moving toward gaiety and decoration.
FROM YOU TO US
We do love hearing from our viewers and encourage you to send us your emails and letters. This week Ronald Barber got in touch with us to tell us about his connection to a classic.
Seeing the film, “The Plank”, brings back memories. I was the one who chose the 40' plank and I was the one who machined it all those years ago whilst working at James Davies Timber Ltd, Hayes, Middlesex, where the film was shot. Tommy Cooper had a “stunt double” as he was afraid of heights. Great days.
Thank you, Ronald, for sharing that great story!
You might remember that last week, Robin Stewart asked if you viewers could help him identify a film set in Sydney. Thanks to Liam Kerrigan who identified it as The Siege of Pinchgut (1959).QUIZ TIME
This week’s prize is our Glimpses 5 3-DVD box set, a brilliant collection of 44 short pieces of nostalgia. All you need to do is answer the three questions below.
Email your answers to sarah@talkingpicturestv.co.uk with QUIZ 09/05 in the subject line by 9am on Tuesday 11th May. A winner will be drawn from all the correct answers we receive. Don’t forget to include your postal address so we can send you your prize if you’re the lucky winner.
Death Line (Friday at 9pm) was released in the US under which more graphic title?
Jean Simmons, star of Adam and Evelyne (Friday at 2.55pm), made her film debut in which 1944 Margaret Lockwood vehicle?
Lewis Gilbert, director of Johnny on the Run (Saturday 9.45am), won the Jury prize at Cannes for which classic film?LAST WEEK’S QUIZ WINNER
Congratulations to Zoe Fail from Norwich. A prize will be on its way to you soon. The answers were:
Hayley Mills
Astronomy
Maureen LipmanSOCIAL MEDIA
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Noel, Sarah and Neill