Comments on: The new look

By: Paul Mason

Paul Mason — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 14:29:19 +0000

In reply to Westy. Very sorry its taken eight months to reply Julie Stevens I remember but not on the Avengers. I don't remember Honor Blackman either but Channel 4 showed some pre Emma Peel episodes some years ago Blackman and McNee made a hideous record called Kinky Boots which both parties probably wished forgotten!

By: Westy

Westy — Wed, 07 Jul 2021 19:37:57 +0000

In reply to Paul Mason. Are you counting Julie Stevens as an 60's Avengers sidekick, as she is still going in her mid 80's? (Her daughter, who works in Midlands local radio, flagged it on Twitter last year!)

By: Paul Mason

Paul Mason — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 16:39:16 +0000

I must correct the mention of Linda Thorson who in 2021 is Steeds last LIVING sidekick of the 1960s Joanna Lumley is still alive but she was in the New Avengers from 1976.

By: Paul Mason

Paul Mason — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 16:11:39 +0000

The untitled Sid James sitcom was his last, Bless This House which ran until 1975.
Other shows were The Mind of J G Reefer, Father Dear Father, Applause Applause a documentary about past British entertainers of which Gracie Fields was the only living performer in 1968 The Avengers with Linda Thorson, who is the only 1960s side kick to Steed.. I also recall Public Eye, and Callan. Great days even though they were on Granada rather than Thames.
For the nippers, of which I was one in ’68 there were BBC refugees Pinky and Perky to and Sooty, Sweep and Soo and a Yorkshire snake called Ramsbottom. Harry Corbett’s wife did panda Soo’s voice and last but not least MAAAAGPIE, ITV Thames groovy alternative to Blue Peter. which began on BBC TV a decade earlier, and still going unlike Magpie whose mascot Murgatroyd was still only 12 when stuffed . Ah well ever mind.

By: Russ J Graham

Russ J Graham — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 14:33:53 +0000

In reply to Paul Mason. Typo corrected, with thanks!

By: Paul Mason

Paul Mason — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 05:11:47 +0000

Harry Driver is mis spelt Hurry Driver in this article
I was amazed to discover Kenneth Horne did two short seasons of Horne A Plenty in 1968 after Round The Horne series ended.
alAccording the BBC Genome and Wikipedia Kenneth Horne was barely off both BBC and ITV in the last two years of his life, and chaired 20 Questions on BBC radio. He had a quiz on BBC1 called Top Firm which used Yakety Sax by Boots Randolph (used by Benny Hill on his Thames series) as it’s theme. He advertised Macrae kippers (Hip Hip Macrae!). BBC Genome of course only indicated INTENTIONS and it is possible others stood in for KH as his health declined It is possible he overworked in his last few years before he had a fatal collapse at a TV awards ceremony in early 1969, just short of his 62nd birthday. I wonder if Benny Hill was brought over to Thames in 1969 as a consequence of KHs death?

By: Arthur Nibble

Arthur Nibble — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 20:51:09 +0000

Sir Philip Waster! Ho ho! Michael Bentine looks different in that Goons picture. Interesting Thames ommissioned a serioes named after one of BBC2’s early kangaroo mascots. “Best Of Enemies” lasted just five episodes, with the last transmitted nearly a year after its debut.