A brand new independent archive film and television channel, launching on Tuesday 26th May 2015.
Do you remember the thrill and excitement of Saturday Morning Pictures? Where heroes and villains and clowns and crooners, invariably in glorious black & white, would entertain you for hours. Now those glorious days return, and it’s not just for Saturday mornings. It’s twenty four hours a day. Every day!
So, grab your bag of popcorn and your drink on a stick, take your seat in the one-and-nines, and re-live some of the rarest gems from British film history; plundering the deepest and darkest vaults of Pinewood, Twickenham and Shepperton Studios to present a wide variety of nostalgic treats.
Melt to the heart-breaking romance of Michael Denison and Dulcie Gray in ‘The Glass Mountain’. Gasp at the chilling horror of Sir Donald Wolfit in ‘Blood of the Vampire’. Bop to the pioneering rock ‘n’ roll of Terry Dene in ‘The Golden Disc’, and thrill at John Bentley as the dashing novelist cum amateur detective Paul Temple.
Creature Feature ‘Gorgo’ sees Bill Travers tackle a prehistoric monster who emerges from the depths to rampage across London. Horror legend Boris Karloff brings his television sleuth to the big screen in ‘Colonel March Investigates’, ‘Dixon of Dock Green’ star Jack Warner plays an altogether tougher policeman in the Brighton-based thriller ‘Jigsaw’, and Michael Redgrave and James Mason join forces for the genuinely creepy ‘Thunder Rock’.
While, if it’s laughter you’re after, Carry On legend Sid James meets the Loch Ness monster in ‘What A Whopper!’, and all four of those Crazy People, the Goons, star in ‘Down Among the Z Men’. Married double act Arthur Lucan and Kitty McShane play mother and daughter in the Old Mother Riley comedies, while Bud Flanagan and Chesney Allen tackle Alastair Sim in the comedy heist ‘A Fire Has Been Arranged’. Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, the best-loved double act of them all, star in ‘The Flying Deuces’.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Our schedule will include such great stars of British film as Richard Todd, John Gregson, Anna Neagle, Dennis Price, Dinah Sheridan, Tod Slaughter and Alec Guinness, all at the height of their fame. There is some of the earliest and most vibrant film performances of Michael Caine, Oliver Reed, John Mills, Leslie Phillips, Joan Collins, Jack Hawkins and David Hemmings; Norman Wisdom like you’ve never seen him before; and some unfairly neglected vintage work from film-makers David Lean, Muriel Box, Vernon Sewell, Joseph Losey, Ken Annakin, Hammer horror legend Terence Fisher, and James Bond directors Terence Young and Lewis Gilbert. This truly is the very best of British.
Talking Pictures Television also showcases classic series from American television, ranging from popular westerns such as ‘Stagecoach West’ and ‘Black Saddle’, to sophisticated crime-busting in ‘Burke’s Law’ and ‘Honey West’. ‘The June Allyson Show’ also enjoys a complete re-broadcast, in which the Hollywood leading lady introduces outstanding anthology drama featuring such guest stars as Ronald Reagan, Ginger Rogers, and even Harpo Marx.
With much of this solid gold screen entertainment unseen and unheard of for decades, Talking Pictures Television is proud to open up a treasure trove for the discerning devotee of the best in classic screen entertainment: an exclusive club for an audience who yearns to return to that golden age of thrills, chills, laughs, and romance. It’s like going to the best cinema in the country, only now it’s in the comfort of your own home, it’s free, it’s showing just what you *want* to see, and it’s available whenever you want it!
Will the channel be available on Freesat?
Hi Tony,
We will be on the SKY TV Movies section initially and all being well we hope to launch on freesat after 6 months so in time for Christmas 2015 🙂
Any chance of this coming to Freeview?
As my comment has been approved and there’s no reply i guess it’s a no then? 🙁
Hi John,
Many thanks for your comment.
Unfortunately we are not in a position to fund Virgin or Freeview at this point, but do feel free to write to them and request they carry us as it all helps!
Anyone with an active Sky box, subscriber or not, will be able to decode and watch our channel because it’s free to air. If you can see the BBC 1 then you’ll be able to watch TPTV.
Best wishes,
Talking Pictures TV
After having a scout around it seems like it’s £180,000 for the licence and then a big wedge to Arquiva to launch on Freeview. I’ve never had a dish unfortunately so just don’t show any Will Hay films or i’ll be gutted! 🙁
Can’t wait to see your schedule – fond memories of queuing to get into the Odeon Saturday morning club
I hope this lives up to my expectations!!
I realise this is an old thread, but I remember seeing The Mukkinese Battle Horn at one of those Saturday morning shows, and it was great to see it shown recently (Feb 2016) – probably (not quite) the first time on TV since the cinema!
Sounds great – don’t get Sky so really look forward to the Freesat version.
What a brilliant move here for a new TV Channel, are you going to be showing the Republic serials . That used to be show during the school holidays
This great new channel is free to air so can be viewed by Freesat viewers if you switch to non-freesat mode
As a fan of some of these films it is a great idea as mainstream television seems to have forgotten about these films. I would say that it is great fun to see stars in their early days and others that have just faded away. Also their are some really good films that should be seen and not forgotten.
FABULOUS new channel and thank you so very much for making this FTA, which is an absolute boon to all ex-pats who cannot subscribe to you-know-who. And what GREAT series you are showing !! Burke’s Law, for example, how great is that?. Thank you SO much for this wonderful channel. Long may you be with us all.
Many, many thanks for your kind words 🙂 – We’re very pleased you are enjoying the Channel.
I know the channel is free-to-air but are there still plans to launch on the Freesat EPG?
Hi Carol, It is planned but dates as yet 🙂
Hi Tony/TPTV,
I like what I’ve seen so far and I’d love some more background info like Who is the brainchild/s behind this station ?Geographically where are you based? How big is the team? Are you looking for staff/freelance contributors?
There’s 4 questions — I’m sure I’ll have more. Don’t worry, I’m not an anorak, just a normal 60 yr old guy who loves long lost and classic USA & UK tv shows.
Hi Steve,
thanks for your kind words – we transmit from Vauxhall but are based outside of London, brain child of Noel cronin and 3 on the team, Noel, Sarah and Neill, sadly no job opportunities at present, (we are waiting to give each of us one) thank you so much for your support – Best wishes Team TPTV – Noel, Sarah and Neill