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Post by Tim Disney on Oct 15, 2014 14:52:51 GMT
Oddly I seem to recall editions of Ev running into March 1971, Easter period too. Maybe the London area had repeats? I've had a quick look through LWT's schedules for March and April 1971 and no Ev was scheduled according to the paper throughout that period. It's quite possible that a repeat could have happened at some point in the year though. I've only had time to quickly scan through LWT schedules for that period. I can't imagine that Thames would have repeated it with their ongoing resentment towards LWT at the time, but not impossible.
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Post by Chris Barratt on Oct 16, 2014 11:13:41 GMT
If Stewpot was being courted by LWT for an aborted TOTP rival, it therefore sounds like the BBC added him to the TOTP roster as a tactical move. After going colour at Television Centre in late 69, long-term hosts Alan Freeman & Pete Murray (were?) stood down and the dynamic explosion of colour, dancing & music that was 1970 TOTP had just the two alternate hosts - Jimmy Savile & 'Teflon' Tony Blackburn. Ed Stewart was added to the roster starting 11th March 1971 (of which all that exists is him introducing the T.Rex performance saved by Bob Pratt) but he was infrequent (1 show to every 2 by JS or TB) during 1971/72. By 1973, when incoming producer Robin Nash established a team of 4 regular hosts (Jimmy, Tony, Noel Edmomds (joined July 72) and the returning Kenny Everett - who was replaced by DLT when he left R1 for Capital), Stewpot was just making occasional appearances. He hosted a few more later on when other DJ's were used (Paul Burnett, David Hamilton) to counter holiday absence & JS's commitment to his other TV work. Ed's last TOTP was a one -off in 1977 to cover for Tony having his well- publicised nervous breakdown. Just been looking through the new BBC online RT archive - and Stewpot's first TOTP was down as being scheduled to be hosted by Jimmy... which does indeed suggest he was added to the 2-man TOTP 'team' with some haste - quite possibly to upset the applecart re: this LWT "rival" show in the pipeline
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Post by Tony Walshaw on Oct 18, 2014 10:20:19 GMT
Interesting observations Chris
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Post by Tim Disney on Nov 27, 2014 19:38:46 GMT
For reference, here's a list of the music used in The Best of Ev compilation that was found at ITV some years ago. I've been meaning to add this information to this thread for reference for a while. Bluer Than Blue - Rolf Harris (Over opening sequence while Kenny slaps custard pies in the faces of passers by on Harrow Road and The North Circular outside Station House (Now Wembley Point) (Film) EV TITLES followed by (Linking piece on film, Kenny in the countryside, he shows us a couple of spiders spinning their webs. "Think how fortunate Spiders are, it's impossible for them to listen to the Jimmy Young Show!")
Patches - Clarence Carter (Film of Ev set on a farm yard, Kenny plays Patches and his Dad) (Film) Keep On Running - Tom Jones (Ev explores the new Jumbo Jet at Heathrow and this plays while he runs from one end of the plane to the other on the tarmac in order to demonstrate how big it is. (Film) Gasoline Alley Bred - Hollies (Kenny shows us his home radio studio and cues up a 7" Parlophone promo of The Hollies track, this is then accompanied by a literal interpretation of the lyrics, animated by Kenny's illustrations. At the end, he stuffs his face with Wonderloaf) (Film) Go North - Richard Barnes (Footage of Kenny visiting a model railway, he drives the steam train with kids on the back, while Richard Barnes mimes his song at The Transport Museum.) (Film) One More Mile - Kes Wyndham (Behind the scenes footage, showing Bryan Izzard directing a shoot with an actor playing a long-distance truck driver in a lorry, possibly parked in the yard or a garage at Stonebridge Park at night time. The former Rediffusion O.B van, now painted white with London Weekend Television signing can be seen parked in the background) (Film) (Linking piece on film, Ev demonstrates the boarding music that can be selected by the crew on arrival in the different countries that the plane travels to)
New World In The Morning - Roger Whittaker (Kenny in an open top American car, driving along Westway, talking about how Britain gets more like America every day. "Just look at this motorway, slapped across London") (Film) Heaven Is Free - Julie Felix (Studio piece with escapologist Jimmy Crusini(?) dangling from the ceiling. Ev explains he thought it was easy and that he could do that. Cuts to Ev trying it, footage sped up and accompanied by It's So Easy - Wishful Thinking He can't do it and is cut down by the crew.(VT) (Linking piece on film, Ev, all alone in the cockpit of the Jumbo; he flicks a switch and the 747 takes flight... to Las Vegas)
Las Vegas - Lou Christie (Ev supposedly in Las Vegas, playing the slots and the Roulette table. He loses everything!) (Film) Fairport Convention - Sir Patrick Spens (Ev fights for a maiden's hand in a jousting match) (Film) Baby I Won't Let You Down - Pickettywitch (Performance runs under the end credits) (VT)
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Post by John Green on Nov 27, 2014 19:59:01 GMT
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Post by Simon Mclean on Nov 30, 2014 20:17:43 GMT
For reference, here's a list of the music used in The Best of Ev compilation that was found at ITV some years ago. I've been meaning to add this information to this thread for reference for a while. [/i] Patches - Clarence Carter (Film of Ev set on a farm yard, Kenny plays Patches and his Dad) (Film)[/quote] Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure when I saw this at the BFI a few weeks ago, it wasn't Clarence Carter's version of Patches that was used - it was actually the MFP budget label cover version from the LP 'Hot Hits 3'. Am I going mad here?
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Post by Tim Disney on Dec 1, 2014 13:17:26 GMT
You're right. It's not the Clarence Carter version.
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Post by johnstewart on Dec 4, 2014 17:30:40 GMT
Backtracking on myself am not sure now if the animation used on Ev I recall from OGWT is the Ian Emes one or not. I thought I saw another track on OGWT set to it where it continued to a second subject and that piece was set again to a Joni Mitchell track in 1975. The piece for Joni Mitchell includes a cartoon figure over photographic background. Later I think a twirlytop object is seen rotating before this. Thats the bit I recall being set to 'the hens march' on Ev. (Fairport Convention trad. track)
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Post by williammcgregor on Jan 28, 2015 21:02:53 GMT
Was Stewpot still at the Beeb in 71? Yes, he was doing 'Junior Choice' and probably 'Crackerjack'.
Just back from the library; unfortunately no new info on 'EV' all I found was this extract from the NME NME dated 13/2/71LW-TV PLANS 'TOP OF THE POPS' RIVAL-STEWART AND EVERETT SACKEDLWT were planning a weekly teenage show to rival Top of the Pops only it was to be 'Live' it was to be shown on a Saturday at Tea-Time. it was to be shown in place of Ed Stewarts "Stewpot" series and was brought about by Rupert Murdoch the largest shareholder at LWT "Stewpot" was to finish it's run on the 20th Feb 1971 but a new series was not to be introduced for several weeks. A spokesman for LWT told the NME that 'EV' would not be brought back.
As a result of these decisions Barry Took LWT's head of Light Entertainment who introduced Stewart and Everett has resigned.
William, I don't know if, as part of general researches, you have come across any music paper articles where Kenny has spoken about the BBC & needle time policies? Different books refer to him 'speaking to a music paper', but there is no precise information about an article in any such paper, and when it was. I wonder if an article actually appeared, or whether e.g. random mutterings were made in the tabloids or news section of NME etc. Hi Tony,
I've found an interview with Kenny Everett just after he'd been sacked by the BBC. One of the questions deals with "Needle Time" It's in the MM dated the 01/08/70 William
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Post by Tony Walshaw on Feb 3, 2015 8:12:42 GMT
Superb stuff William! Kenny was on the ball with BBC politics, and the imminence of commercial radio. Also his observation that the BBC should have let the fuss die down, then re-allocate him to an evening show. How true that it would have been better if Radio 1 was in one self-contained place (as per the pirate ships). But obviously this was down to money, and practices that had been built up over many years. Change would not be so simple. I understand though that the BBC were discussing more 'needle-time' with the MU, but Kenny didn't seem to know this. It suggests that the BBC hierarchy, whilst being as staid as Kenny claimed, were becoming exasperated with him and finally 'bit', making an immediate compromise difficult. Kenny did eventually get back to Radio 1 two years later, with a pre-recorded Sunday show. Shortly after this, he went to Capital when it started. Interesting letter also from David Jacobs in support of Kenny.
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Post by Liam Joseph on Feb 3, 2015 8:38:55 GMT
Thanks for that William, very interesting reading. And David Jacobs' home address actually being included at the bottom of his letter is not something you'd see with public figures these days!
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