Hello again Whirligigers! You registered to be informed of updates to the WHIRLIGIG 1950's BRITISH TV AND RADIO NOSTALGIA site. March 2003 Newsletter. Once again this month, some of those we knew and loved from our childhoods and teens have passed on. Dame Thora Hird, the much-loved actress has died aged 91. Thora was known to millions for her roles in sitcoms like 1960s favourite "Meet the Wife", playing Thora Blacklock, and "In Loving Memory" playing Ivy in the late 1970s. She joined "Last of the Summer Wine" in 1985, starring as the gossiping Aunt Edie Pegden. A deeply religious woman, she was a natural choice to present such Sunday television programmes as "Praise Be". She also wrote several successful books. In the 1950s, she played very many film parts but her earliest recorded TV role at that time was in "The Adventures of Robin Hood" in 1955 when she played "Ada" in the episode "Husband for Marian". http://www.dailytelegraph.com/news/main.jhtml? &xml=/news/2003/03/17/db1701.xml Adam Faith has died of a heart attack at the age of 62. In 1956 he formed a skiffle group with friends called The Worried Men. His big break came when the band was playing in Soho, when he was spotted by television producer Jack Good - director of the BBC pop show 6-5 Special. He adopted his stage name, Adam Faith, and went on to enjoy chart hits including number one singles What Do You Want and Poor Me. See the link below for his full Telegraph obituary. http://www.dailytelegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml? &xml=/news/2003/03/10/db1001.xml Chris Brasher CBE, who presented on the "Tonight" programme in the '50s, has died at the age of 74. Brasher won an Olympic gold medal in 1956 in the steeplechase. He also acted as pace-maker when Roger Bannister became the first man to break the four-minute barrier for the mile in 1954. He became a TV personality when he presented on the Tonight programme. By 1969, he had been made head of general features television at the BBC, a key appointment at a time when colour television was being introduced. He resigned after four years, and went off to pursue orienteering, his business interests and some independent productions. Inspired by the success of the New York marathon, Brasher co-founded the London marathon which was first run in 1981. http://www.dailytelegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml? &xml=/news/2003/03/01/db0101.xml Alan Keith, the veteran radio DJ, has died aged 94. He was the longest-serving disc jockey on British radio; his rich and mellifluous tones could be heard every Sunday evening for 44 years on Radio 2's Your Hundred Best Tunes, bringing a touch of solace and relaxation to the airwaves. The programme, originally entitled The Hundred Best Tunes in the World, was devised by Keith in 1959 and first broadcast in November that year. It was a simple formula; Keith would choose a selection of light classical music from the BBC gramophone library and introduce each extract in his matchless modulated style. http://www.dailytelegraph.com/news/main.jhtml? &xml=/news/2003/03/19/db1902.xml Now on to more pleasant news and this months new video clips: Firstly Champion, The Wonder Horse (The Adventures of Champion) was about the exploits of Champion, a wild stallion who befriends twelve year-old Ricky North (Barry Curtis) in the American Southwest in the 1880's. Although Ricky, who lived on his Uncle Sandy's (Jim Bannon) ranch, had a magnetic attraction for trouble, he was always rescued by the wonder horse, aided by the boy's other bosom companion, German shepherd dog, Rebel. The video is of the title sequence to the programme: http://www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/tv/children/westerns/champion.htm Next, The Grove Family. Named after the BBC's Lime Grove Studios, 'The Grove Family' was Britain's first soap for adults. The first twenty-minute story went out on Friday 2nd. April 1954 at 7.50pm and showed a lower-middle-class couple who'd worked hard to build a home for themselves and their family after the war and were just beginning to feel comfortably off after years of hardship. The stories were more naive than dramatic, dealing with simple social issues and consumerist concerns. http://www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/tv/adults/other/grove.htm And the title sequence from the Sir Lancelot series starring William Russell as the dashing Sir Lancelot du Lac. Handsomely mounted, for its time, costume series following the gallant exploits of Queen Guinevere's champion during the days of King Arthur and the Round Table at Camelot. http://www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/tv/children/sirlancelot/lancelot.htm Finally, Rag, Tag and Bobtail. Louise Cochrane's delightful stories about a hedgehog, a mouse and a rabbit, told by Charles E. Stidwell. http://www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/tv/children/watchwm/watchwm.htm More clips next month. I have also added the theme tune to the children's TV series Circus Boy. This is one that I have been seeking for about four years and it has eventually come to light. Not only that, but a new US website can be found on the Web which deals exclusively with the programme. On this website you can view the title sequence (and other clips) and find out a lot more about the programme: http://www.circusboy.tv I decided, as this year is the 50th. anniversary of the Queen's Coronation, to add some more information about the broadcasting of the Coronation in 1953, along with pictures of the commentating teams. http://www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/tv/adults/coronation/coronation.htm http://www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/radio/coronation.htm On the Radiodays site, I have added audio clips from 'Orbiter X', an early science fiction serial, about which I can find nothing documented, and also the signature tune to 'The Barlowes of Beddington'. Warren Chetham-Strode, the distinguished playwright, wrote this situation series, 'The story of a public school seen through the eyes of a Headmaster and his Wife'. Patrick Barr played Robert Barlowe and Pauline Jameson, Kate, his wife. http://www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/radio/other.htm#The Barlowes of Beddington A new milestone passed this month with our 300th. Newsletter subscriber signed up - Thanks to all of you for your continuing interest in the websites. Finally I thought you'd like to know that a review of the Whirligig website will appear this Sunday (30th. March 2003) in "Doors" - it's a consumer guide to the internet and new media published within The Sunday Times Culture magazine. (I hope it's a good one !!!) That's it for March. I'll be back again next month with more news and clips for you. =================================================================== As usual, if you think of anything that is missing or incorrect, have any more information about the programmes featured or just want to share your memories, do drop me a line to terry@whirligig-tv.co.uk Alternatively place them on the Message Board which I monitor daily at: http://go.ezboard.com/bwhirligigtv See soon, Amigos! Terry Guntrip (aka Mr. Turnip) http://www.whirligig-tv.co.uk http://www.TurnipNet.com -------------------------------------------------------- See the "What's New" Pages at: http://www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/tv/whatsnew.htm http://www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/radio/whatsnew.htm with links to all new major updates or use the A TO Z SITE INDEX at: http://www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/tv/siteindex.htm http://www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/radio/siteindex.htm --------------------------------------------------------