As usual our first thought is to make sure you are all well, we are all still locked in the projectionist’s box here at the Bijou and faring well.
We’ve been inundated with letters and emails of support and phone calls this week; it’s so nice to feel like we really are ‘all together’ in the cinema enjoying each film, episode or short. Lots of great comments on the new cinema organ intros so I am pleased you are enjoying the little touches I’ve been working on behind the scenes.
The shorts from the Imperial War Museum seem to be enjoyed by all of you, please remember these won’t be listed in any TV magazines as they are often under 60 minutes – as with all our short films and a lot of the series episodes – so do use our schedules HEREas you will miss a few special premieres without it.There is a great short about The Dial A Bus scheme in the 70s I’m just watching now that will air next month and it’s gems like this you may miss.
I’ve just heard some very sad news regarding Dr Jon Whiteley, the art historian and curator at the Ashmolean Museum who has recently passed away. What’s the connection to Talking Pictures TV I hear you cry? Dear Jon Whiteley was a fantastic child actor and you will know him from Hunted, The Kidnappers, (‘What you gonna call the baby Harry?’ asked Davy), and ‘The Weapon’. He was a charming and lovely man and our thoughts are with his wife Linda and family at this sad time.
This week we are going to play proper Sam Kydd spotting. There is a prize for the winner who spots Sam Kydd in as many episodes, films and shorts as you can on Talking Pictures TV – answers will go in the projectionist’s hat next Saturday and the winner will receive one of our exclusive Sam Kydd TPTV Needs You T-shirts.
Talking of T-shirts – we’ve launched even more this week, the sizes are generous, click HERE to have a peep. Also another new bag, I ❤️ TPTV click HERE to secure the finest purchase you’ve made since lockdown 😉 Click HERE for a link to the Renown newsletter for this month, packed with special offers to keep you entertained.
It’s our birthday on Tuesday – TPTV is 5! We can hardly believe it and we’ve come such a long way in those five years. Noel, Neill and I will be having a proper cup of tea and a cream bun on Tuesday, hope you can join us! (Please don’t actually pop round as it’s pretty full in the shed at the moment.)
There was a super article about us in The Observer last Sunday – let’s hope it helps spread the word – if you fancy a read click HERE
Here are my short picks for each day this week – we broadcast 24 hours a day 7 days a week so these are just some suggestions, for the full highlights, please click HERE and for the full 24 hour schedule for the week ahead click HERE
And for those of you who use subtitles, click HERE for this weeks list of subtitled programming.
Monday 25th May
At 8.50am is the charming short All At Sea, we brought the rights to this short many moons ago but never had the physical film asset. It stars Hal Monty and Max Bygraves and is based on the 1949 film Skimpy In The Navy. We actually found the film as a 16mm reel on a shelf in a charity shop and stranger still I’ve just found out that one of our neighbours is Max Bygraves’ son… I’m also pitching to you the swashbuckling Errol Flynn in The Adventures of Captain Fabian. It’s actually based on a script that Errol Flynn himself wrote, a tangled production history but shot in glorious locations and has Vincent Price and a favourite of mine, Agnes Moorhead. There’s a chance on Monday to catch some of the previous weekends premieres – you wont see these films again for a number of months so do catch them as they are long awaited on British TV. At 12.10pm Medal for the General, 2pm The Five Pennies, and the tea time film at 5.30pm is Sarah Miles (who is a huge supporter of Talking Pictures TV ) and Michael York in Great Expectations. Don’t forget Special Branch at 9pm!
Tuesday 26th May
7.45am I suggest you get up early to start the day with a bit of a laugh with Orders are Orders with Tony Hancock, Peter Sellers and a host of British stars. Some great ‘Glimpses’ shorts throughout the day and at 3pm it’s Now and Forever by the extremely talented director Mario Zampi. Made in 1956 it’s a real treat and stars Thora Hird’s daughter, Janette Scott along with TPTV favourite Jack Warner. A second chance to catch Hurricane Smith with Yvonne De Carlo shaking it all about at 5.30pm and the excellent John Ireland being… John Ireland. Bit of Oliver Reed in The Scarlet Blade at 7.20pm then it’s the second episode of QUATERMASS at 9pm, this episode is set in London…
Wednesday 27th May
They Who Dare at 12 midday is a very good film, based on a true story, with Dirk Bogarde and Denholm Elliott, eagle eyed watchers should also spot Sam Kydd (I’m giving you a free bonus point) and Sir Lancelot. At 3.10pm there’s a chance to go to the Copacabana with Carmen Miranda and Groucho Marx – I expect you all to be balancing pineapples on your heads in the intervals! Port Afrique at 5.55pm has the poster tagline of ‘Caught In The Casbah!’ with the beautiful Pier Angeli, it’s the closest we may all get to a holiday abroad for a while and it’s steeped in mystery to keep us on our toes. At 7.45pm it’s a big Premiere of Never Back Losers – an Edgar Wallace feature film made in 1961 with a few good location shots of 60s England and based at Merton Park Studios. After dear Rumpole at 9pm I recommend The Looking Glass War at 10pm based on John Le Carré’s novel, starring Ralph Richardson.
Thursday 28th May
09.35am – start your day with a neat little crime / investigation film, The Steel Key, directed by Robert S. Baker and starring Terence Morgan, Joan Rice and Raymond Lovell. A professor working on a steel formula is murdered…… Calling all RAF supporters and enthusiasts – STREAKED LIGHTNING is at 1.55pm from the Imperial War Museums collection with exceptional footage of RAF fighters, filmed in 1960. At 7.30pm it’s The Halfway House – one of the best films Mervyn and Glynis Johns made together. It’s a beautiful print and a mysterious, quaint story. This is followed at 9.30pm by Passport To Shame where we all want to tear Diana Dors away from Herbert Lom and save dear little Maylou and cheer on the black cab drivers as they support their mate. It’s seedy grimy 50s London and it’s marvellous…
Friday 29th May
At 10.05am there’s an intriguing short from the Imperial War Museum – Flying With Prudence – edited by John Krish! It’s all about Flight Safety and is well worth your time. At 12.00 there’s a treat from the Children’s Film Foundation to take us all back with The Ghost of Monk’s Island park your Hercules on the grass outside and grab a bun and a squash at midday! Kenneth More stars in Next to No Time at 3.10pm and at 5.30pm one of my all time favourite British B’s, BLACKOUT by John Gilling starring Maxwell Reed and Dinah Sheridan. (Dinah is of course dear Jenny Hanley’s Mum.) After Van der Valk and of a drink or three with Barry Foster it’s the premiere of The Hand Of Night, a British Fantasy Horror. Directed by William Sylvester, it stars Diane Clare, William Dexter and Terrence De Marney. Visiting Morocco, Paul Carver attends a party, where he meets the mysterious Marisa. Also known as The Beast Of Morocco, it’s actually rather scary!
Saturday 30th May
At 8.40am it’s the Ghost Camera – please, I beg you, give this film a go, it’s 1930s so many don’t view and are put off by the era – but it’s actually a really good story with an incredibly young John Mills and Ida Lupino in her first full feature film. 12.10pm is the premiere of the astounding film from the Imperial War Archives, I Was a Fireman,directed by Humphrey Jennings,one of Britian’s finest film makers. It’s a reconstruction of the work of London’s fire-fighting services in the bitter days of winter and spring 1940/41. At 1.45pm its our big premiere of an extremely rare film, So Little Time with Marius Goring and Maria Schell.Set In Belgium in WWII, the plot is unusual in that it depicts a sympathetic relationship between an invading German officer and a Belgian girl. It’s a very good watch and holds your attention. Then at 5.30pm a big Premiere, Man on the Run made in 1949, a crime drama starring Valentine Dyall, Derek Farr and Leslie Perrins. Having deserted the army, Peter Burdon is continually on the run… At 9.30pm it’s the premiere of I Walk Alone . A very rare screening of this 1948 film starring Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster and Lizabeth Scott. After taking the rap for his partner, a mobster just released from prison wants to get even…
Sunday 31st May
At 8.15am it’s The Brave Don’t Cry – a really important film for mining history based on a true story. Filmed in 1952 it stars TPTV favourite John Gregson. At 10.30am it’s a chance to see the iconic film, A Canterbury Tale followed by the glorious Caesar and Cleopatra at 1.00pm. Starring Claude Rains, Vivien Leigh and Stewart Granger – the quality of this transmission is astounding. Cleopatra has not been on the throne of the pharaohs of Egypt very long when Julius Caesar pays a visit. At 5.30pm it’s The Case of The Mukkinese …Battle-Horn. Something to lift our spirits with a bit of silliness from Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan and Dick Emery. At 6.30pm its our Premiere of Forever Female with Ginger Rogers, William Holden and Paul Douglas. A big budget production from the archives. Then it’s a trip to the Palladium once again at 9pm for Adam Faith and some Tiller girls and…Beat the Clock. Following on at 10pm it’s The Man Who Haunted Himself – a 1970s thriller directed by Basil Dearden, starring Roger Moore, Hildegard Neil and Alastair Mackenzie. After recovering from a near-fatal car accident, Pelham finds his life is turned upside-down. According to his autobiography, this was Roger Moore’s favourite role.
Stay safe, I will be sending dear June Cunningham round with some ice creams in the Intermissions 😉
No quiz this week but remember the Sam Kydd spotting competition!
Sarah, Noel and Neill
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