Mess Mates (1960) Granada / The Squirrels update

Jeff Leach
Member

Posts: 725

Mess Mates (1960) Granada / The Squirrels update Apr 5, 2015 22:10:17 GMT

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Post by Jeff Leach on Apr 5, 2015 22:10:17 GMT

Was watching the 1st Carry on forever doc over the weekend and it prompted me to look at the career of Talbot Rothwell on IMDB and i happened to see the listing for the 1960 Granada series "Mess Mates" which he was one of the writers.

www.imdb.com/title/tt0053520/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast

This prompted me to check on the survival of the series on Lost show's

www.lostshows.com/default.aspx?programme=63de2699-dd97-4b12-be1b-8f382b4fd5f0

Bugger I thought - another series with 40 episodes wiped.

So I thought, I'll just check ITN Source and success 1 episode listed with all technical details

www.itnsource.com/en/shotlist/ITVProgs/1960/09/20/101490011/?s="mess%20mates"

Surely this is a genuine existent programme.

Production ID: 1/0149/0011
Programme ID: 1/0149
Gm library type: GRA Production
Programme title: MESS MATES
Production title: EPISODE 0011
Synopsis: One of a sitcom series set on a naval vessel. Commander Smart, a Royal Navy type with ideas about discipline, arrives aboard the SS Guernsey causes no end of trouble for Tug Nelson and his mess mates. For Commander Smart intends to smarten up the SS Guernsey and he puts the crew to work with soap and water, scrapers and paint brushes. Not even Captain Biskett can help the boys out of trouble. He comes under fire himself when the indefatigable commander decides to check all the cargo manifests and ship's accounts. But Tug gets a few ideas of his own anout how to deal with the situation...
Series title: MESS MATES (SERIES 1)
Series ID: 1/0149-01
Credits text: Producer: G. Cross Director: K. Carter Author: Talbot Rothwell Cast: Archie Duncan - Captain Biskett Victor Maddern - Tug Nelson Sam Kydd - Croaker Jones Fulton McKay - Willie McGinnis Dermott Kelly - Blarney Finnigan Nicholas Parsons - Commander Smart Jay Wood Norman Mitchell
Paris company: GRANADA TELEVISION
Genre: COMEDY
ITC class ID:
Running time - minutes: 24
Running time - seconds: 32
First TX date: 1960-09-20
Production area: ENTERTAINMENT
Production type: PROGRAMME
Version type: UK VERSION
Local series ID:
Local episode ID:
Picture style: Monochrome
Sound style: Mono
Slot time: 30
Commissioner: ITV NETWORK LIMITED
Exploit Issues:

Last Edit: Apr 23, 2015 0:41:12 GMT by Jeff Leach

Jeff Leach Member Posts: 725	Mess Mates (1960) Granada / The Squirrels update Apr 6, 2015 16:53:06 GMT via mobile Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Jeff Leach on Apr 6, 2015 16:53:06 GMT Some additional information here nostalgiacentral.com/television/comedy/mess-mates/ it seems to have been a very popular programme.

kieranc
Member

Posts: 38

Mess Mates (1960) Granada / The Squirrels update Apr 7, 2015 18:38:11 GMT

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Post by kieranc on Apr 7, 2015 18:38:11 GMT

Let's hope that episode exists. However after checking with ITV recently about a Bootsie and Snudge episode listed on ITN Source it appears that a listing on ITN doesn't necessarily mean they hold any material.

Jeff Leach Member Posts: 725	Mess Mates (1960) Granada / The Squirrels update Apr 7, 2015 20:29:05 GMT Ray Langstone (was saintsray) likes this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Jeff Leach on Apr 7, 2015 20:29:05 GMT kieranc, I'm going to email ITN source to get a confirmation of it's existence and I will contact Kal if it proves to be with them. I'm post the outcome.

Jeff Leach
Member

Posts: 725

Mess Mates (1960) Granada / The Squirrels update Apr 23, 2015 0:40:26 GMT

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Post by Jeff Leach on Apr 23, 2015 0:40:26 GMT

Well here's the update - Got message back from ITN Source, unfortunately they do not hold any episodes of Mess mates, so the database entry has no corresponding tape.

On the plus side, I also messaged them about listed episodes of the Squirrels ATV comedy series that are missing and they do hold what they refer to as a Screener copy of a missing episode

Thanks for your enquiry.
We hold no archive materials for 'Mess Mates' and nothing for any of the listed episodes of 'The Squirrels' with the exception of episode 3 (The Yes Man) for which we appear to have a screener DVD copy only.
Regards

Programme Copy Sales
ITV plc

Missing or incomplete episodes for programme THE SQUIRRELS.

08.07.74 [pilot] (missing)
Series 1
18.07.75 We Don't Want To Lose You (missing)
08.08.75 The Yes Man (missing)
15.08.75 The Fiddle (missing)
22.08.75 The Favourite (missing)
29.08.75 The Whizz Kid (missing)

Out of an original total of 28 episodes, 6 episodes are missing.

I will email Kal with this information

John Green
Member

Posts: 8,369

Mess Mates (1960) Granada / The Squirrels update Apr 23, 2015 7:22:43 GMT

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Post by John Green on Apr 23, 2015 7:22:43 GMT

Nice one,Jeff!
If it's the series I'm thinking of,when Network released the DVD of Squirrels,it was announced that,while several episodes were missing,two lost ones had been discovered,although one which was thought to have survived couldn't be found.I wonder if this is the one that had gone walkies?

I see that I've posted that the Mausoleum Club has a dedicated thread about the series,including a discussion about an episode thought to exist on NTSC and listed as such in the Kal guide.Sounds unlikely.I'll have to find the thread...

Added: Yes,it's The Yes Man: www.mausoleumclubforum.org.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=270&p=5910&hilit=squirrels#p5910

Last Edit: Apr 23, 2015 23:52:03 GMT by John Green

Mess Mates (1960) Granada / The Squirrels update

Post by Jeff Leach on Apr 5, 2015 22:10:17 GMT

Post by Jeff Leach on Apr 6, 2015 16:53:06 GMT

Post by kieranc on Apr 7, 2015 18:38:11 GMT

Post by Jeff Leach on Apr 7, 2015 20:29:05 GMT

Post by Jeff Leach on Apr 23, 2015 0:40:26 GMT

Post by John Green on Apr 23, 2015 7:22:43 GMT