A-R/Rediffusion London Shows and Series

[williammcgregor]

NB: This totally new thread aims to focus on and discuss the missing programmes from the RTV archive - on a year by year basis.

It also aims to compliment Neil Hendry's Rediffusion TV Archive thread which will focus more on researching and telling the overall story behind the missing archive material.

Neil suggests 'we share info between the two threads when relevant.' ...

The following shows are from the TV Times...


1. Mother Michel And Her Cat 4/10/55
2. The High-Flying Head 18/10/55 25 minutes.
3. Words And Music 3/11/55 50 minutes
4. Downbeat 15/11/55 Eric Delaney and 29/11/55 John Dankworth. 30 minutes
5. Here We Go 17/11/55 and 15/12/55 Billy Dainty and Bruce Forsyth 50 minutes
6. Sportspot 21/11/55 More athletics with John le Mesurier 15 minutes
7. Barbie 22/11/55 a serial play in seven parts. 30 minutes.
8. Twenty To Twelve 22/11/55 a morning revue of music and laughter. 20 minutes.
9. Penny For A Song 22/11/55 Shirley Abicair and Denis Quilley..set in a coffee bar. 15 minutes.
10. For Members Only 25/11/55 Cy Grant invites you to his guitar bar. 15 minutes.
11. The Snow Queen 25/11/55 Redvers Kyle, Hugh Manning 15 minutes.
12. Melody Maid 25/11/55 Shirley Norman and Four In A Chord singing Current Hit Parade 15 minutes.
13. Laurier Lister's Late Show 25/11/55 a revue with Ian Carmichael, Joan Sims. 30 minutes.
14. Your Kind Of Music 28/11/55 50 minutes.
15. Jazz Train 1/12/55 50 minutes.
16. Dance To The Music 8/12/55 Terry-Thomas.
17. Twelve Days To Christmas 12/12/55 25 minutes
18. Lights Of London 19/12/55 25 minutes
19. The Merry Christmas 21/12/55 40 minutes
20. The Dick Lester Show 23/12/55 25 minutes
21. Babes In The Wood 23/12/55 Arthur Askey.
22. Once Upon A Bank Holiday 26/12/55
23. Rum Punch 26/12/55 50 minutes
24. A Night At The Moulin Rouge 29/12/55
25. Sixpenny Corner 1955-6 daytime soap.
26. Granville Melodramas 1955-6 25 minutes
27. Hylton Half-Hour 1955-6 25 minutes
28. Youth Takes A Bow 1955-6 25 minutes
29. Are Husbands Really Necessary? 1955-6 5 minutes
30. Confidentially 1955-6 25 minutes
31. Here And Now 1955-6 Ian Carmichael, Nicholas Parsons 25 minutes
32. The Ambermere Treasure 1955-6 20 minutes
33. Job Stoppers Mick and Montmorency 1955-6 Charlie Drake
34. Round At The Redways 1955-6 weekly serial 15 minutes
35. Steve Hunter - Trouble Merchant 1955-6 25 minutes.

All comments, information, additions welcome...hopefully something will be found from them?

[Alan Turrell]

Interesting list William and some very obscure stuff

[williammcgregor]

Let's get the ball rolling on this thread


Number 26 on the list...

Granville Melodramas

1955-6

25 minutes.

In 1955 Associated-Rediffusion acquired The Granville Theatre in Fulham as the first operational Independent Television
studio.

The Granville Melodramas was a popular fortnightly series resurrecting stage melodramas of the 19 century
such as East Lynne and The Poor of New York.

Hattie Jacques appeared in all eleven episodes and her husband John
le Mesurier also appeared.

Erik Chitty was in most episodes, Peter Tuddenham made his small-screen debut and the celebrated playwright Alun Owen had a bit part in one episode.

The Granville Theatre enjoyed 15 years of broadcasting and Opportunity Knocks was also broadcast from there.

The theatre was demolished in 1971.

Does anyone know more about the Granville Melodramas or the theatre itself?

[williammcgregor]

Number 5 on the list...

Here We Go

17/11/55 and 15/12/55 Billy Dainty and Bruce Forsyth 50 minutes.

There is a reference in the following article ..paragraph 7

www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/839298/

June Whitfield appeared in both episodes, one as a roller-skating Lady Macbeth with Bruce Forsyth, that must have
been hilarious to watch. It must rank as one of the magic moments of golden television...what say you?
They knew how to make people smile in those days.
June and Bruce, some 60 years on, are still very much with us and because both have enjoyed illustrious careers, perhaps they would be prime candidates for...a passing thought..Whom would you like to see contribute to the forum? missingepisodes.proboards.com/thread/11198/contribute-forum


again can anyone say more about Here We Go.

[Alan Turrell]

William this is probably not going to come to anything but i've just found a streaming site of which i will not mention the name it says you can stream certain episodes of Granville Theatre but i'd take that with a pinch of salt and stay well clear of it.

[williammcgregor]

Hi Alan,

I would probably steer well clear if you think it's a dodgy site (that's only my opinion)

[Alan Turrell]

Yes your right William in fact i'll remove the post.

[williammcgregor]

Good man!

[williammcgregor]

Number 33 on the list...

Job Stoppers

Mick and Montmorency

1955-6 Charlie Drake





Charlie Drake 5' 1" and Jack Edwardes 6' 4" had originally met whilst serving in the RAF.
In 1955 the newly formed Associated-Rediffusion company signed them up as the first children's comedy
double-act for ITV and they debuted on Independent Television on 30 September for 22
15 minute fun-filled disastrous adventures where they appeared in a variety of jobs from removal men to scientists.
For some reason only the first episode went out as Mick and Montmorency, then from episode two the series was
called Jobstoppers. But after 34 episodes the title reverted back.
The final stand-alone series ran from 1956-7 and then became part of another Children's programme, Jolly Good Time.
At the end of the second run (May 1958) Drake decided he'd had enough of children's TV and wanted to aim his
material at adults and he and Edwardes went their separate ways.


Does anyone else know anything more about this number 33? please.

[williammcgregor]

Number 33 on the list...

Job Stoppers

Mick and Montmorency

1955-6 Charlie Drake

TV Times 30th September 1955

1st ever episode



TV Times 7th October 1955 episode 2

[williammcgregor]

there are 181 lost episodes of this serial


please see this Lost Shows link...www.lostshows.com/default.aspx?programme=03cff8e7-a2aa-40ac-8618-8b323e4bd02a


Number 25 on the list...

Sixpenny Corner

TV Times listing...



and TV Times article...




can anyone add any more details about Sixpenny Corner?

[williammcgregor]

Numbers 6 and 35 on the list...

Sportspot

and Steve Hunter (Trouble Merchant)

Unfortunately I do not have details of the first 3 episodes of Steve Hunter (Trouble Merchant), I'll try and obtain them from the library; but here are details of the 4th in the series

details from the TV Times...



according to Lost Shows all 15 episodes are missing...

www.lostshows.com/default.aspx?programme=93d0c3f6-bfee-4c65-b1e7-922b2bbac097

does anybody know how many Sportspot episodes there were? and how many are missing? I tried to access Lost Shows can can't get anything to come up.

can anyone add any more details about Steve Hunter (Trouble Merchant)? and also if anyone can give us anymore details
about Sportspot and John Le Mesurier being a Sports presenter/commentator!...as this is a complete surprise to me and perhaps everyone on the forum?

[williammcgregor]

Number 33 on the list...

TV Times article

on Charlie Drake and Jack Edwardes

[williammcgregor]

Numbers 10 and 25 on the list...

Sixpenny Corner and For Members only

TV Times



can anyone add any more details about Sixpenny Corner or For Members Only?

[williammcgregor]

Numbers 11 and 33 on the list...

The Snow Queen and Jobstoppers Mick and Montmorency: The Steeplejacks

TV Times



can anyone add any more details about The Snow Queen?