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Zokko!
May 6, 2007 4:13:14 GMT
Post by lfbarfe on May 6, 2007 4:13:14 GMT
Paul Smith, founder of Celador, directed quite a lot of the film inserts for the 1st series of Zokko, and then did the studio direction for the 2nd series, as well as Ed and Zed. He was only an assistant floor manager at the time, and he had to resign and direct as a freelance.
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Zokko!
May 6, 2007 15:22:19 GMT
Post by paul welton on May 6, 2007 15:22:19 GMT
God,the memories! I remember such series as "Forest rangers"from my childhood. Being Canadian,the whole series survives.(I think) I have vauge memories of zokko,certainly remember the Laurel and Hardy shorts being shown. I guess such series as "Here come the Double Deckers"and "Banana Splits" saturday morning showings were a bit later. I agree that it's an important show for the reasons that you give, John - and viewing it from outside the parameters of purely personal opinion, it's also notable as being the first truly home-grown Saturday morning kid's show. Before this point it was all a melange of Hanna Barbera cartoons, silent films and other imports. So it has a historical significance too. The sort of thing you refer to would be what I recall my older brother & sister watching in the '62 - 64 period, mainly late 50s import repeats. The main cartoons were 'Yogi bear', 'Huckleberry hound' and 'Pixie & Dixie' on ITV I think. Possibly 'Flintstones' also, which was very popular but took abscence I recall for a long time before appearing with 'Voyage to bottom of the sea' on 1972 teatime Friday repeats. The live serials were 'Adventures of Davy Crockett', american, which ended with a painting of his fur hat under the titles, similar to the 'Hogans heroes' titles. Also from circa 1964 canadian 'Forest rangers'. I clearly recall that being on Xmas 1966 after which it disappeared I think till resurfaceing Xmas 1970 when I recalled it from the 60s (with great affection, its emotion remains with me today). In early 68 ITV seemed to only run Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck cartoons. Transmission wasn't prior to 11 a.m. I don't think. B.B.C. had nothing or the test card, but by 1968 regularly ran 'Laurel & Hardy' shorts starting around 11.30. This was followed by the weatherman, a public information film (usually from 'castles & walkways of Gt Britain' series) and Grandstand. When Zokko began c. Nov 68 (when 'Invasion' was on DR WHO) the BBC continued its run of Laurel & Hardy, but slotted Zokko in between it & Gandstand. Later as Zokko was successful, I think L & H were moved to a weekday slot. Presumably when it was felt a strong enough item to draw audiences in on its own merits.
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Zokko!
May 8, 2007 0:18:06 GMT
Post by johnstewart on May 8, 2007 0:18:06 GMT
Yes they do, I think 5 of 8. Unfortunately avoiding the week Ali Bongo guested!
These are on VT as is the final edition of ZOKKO which is held and was produced by Paul Ciani who also did 'ED AND ZED'.
It was suggested some time ago that Paul Ciani might have been instrumental in getting examples of his work saved as there is such from each of these series. The earlier ZOKKO episodes don't appear to have involved him and weren't preserved. Presumably that last 1970 master came up for release option c. 1972.
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Zokko!
May 8, 2007 0:23:18 GMT
Post by johnstewart on May 8, 2007 0:23:18 GMT
Certainly most, if not all, of Outa Space survives on tape. He says above - meaning to quote this post!
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Zokko!
May 8, 2007 10:52:51 GMT
Post by Deleted on May 8, 2007 10:52:51 GMT
Pity the earlier Zokko! episodes weren't saved as it has a slightly different format (better) and are the ones I recall more. They tampered with the format for series 2 - or watered it down - and it lost some of it's character.
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Zokko!
May 14, 2007 22:44:08 GMT
Post by johnstewart on May 14, 2007 22:44:08 GMT
I admit I was initially disappointed and mystified at the time as to why the centre piece had changed for series two. It could be for the reasons Oliver Cox states; in the same way that Doctor Who monsters seemed to be updated on each appearance for better or worse on an obligatory basis. But it could also be that during its years absence the original prop; which presumably had glass or perspex panels got damaged or junked.
I was able at the time to apply my own childs logic and decided that the funfair organ thing seen in links on series two was a featureless 'Cyber planner' type modification on the original robot - which had an obvious face. (I remembered this comparison reflecting on 'Zokko' over the years). It wasn't clearly pointed out but I also assumed the electronically treated voice between at that stage was the new voice of the robot. apparently this was 1970s Capital D.J. Tony Myatt!
I did have specific clearer memories of individual Saturdays of that period, because I kept a school diary (which was kept over the years); which would outline what toy or recreational article I had bought from the toy shop, Smiths or Woolworths each Saturday. This would have been around the period where my parents stopped taking me out and you would be allowed something as a treat, and you would be given pocket money to go out and make your own decision and buy something yourself.
I clearly remembered that on occasions described in this diary; I had gone to Smiths and bought on successive weeks the new 'giant' variant on a toy called 'action transfers' from the local Smiths. They were basically a card illustrated background about half an A4 page size, with a small set of transfers of characters and vehicles to apply either as shown on the wrapper or as desired. I'd had two in the previous year 1969, one of WWII Bi planes, another on space, Apollo mission style.
The new variant was 'Super action transfers' and was bigger; A4 with two folded over end doors so out of the packet it was even bigger, and had a much bigger selection of transfers included. I recalled the titles 'Carnival' and 'The Enchanted land'. The latter being knights and Dragons. There was a specific memory of 'Carnival' where I was sitting carefully rubbing the transfer of a dancer in veil with pencil, cradled over the sitting room table, and glancing over at a regular compendium item on that series of Zokko which featured an Indian rope fakir. It was a totally visual item, possibly intended to echo Ali Bongos appearances in series one.
I also remember that every other programme around that time; Disney time; the Kenny Everett explosion; nationwide; being examples, had clips from 'Fantasia'. The one Kenny Everett liked was a scene where Mushrooms are seen dancing in a circle like China men. This was shown also on ZOKKO.
I admit that I did very much prefer the 'Zokko' device seen in the first series. Memories linger. A friend recalled something I'd forgotten called 'The Weather man'. It wasn't a weather forecaster as such but a spoof in which a voice over would announce over a blank background what the weather was going to be like for the day, then a man would walk on dressed in gear appropriate to the weather. It was both stupid and humourous, like Monty Python. Apparently he always had a crash helmet with a weathercock on the top. If the weather was 'snow' he would appear dressed in snow goggles and thick gloves with pilot style overalls and an ice pick. If it was 'sunny' he would come on dressed on Polka dot shorts holding a beach ball, but still with the Weathercock crash helmet on.
Friend said he didn't understand it though it registers as a dry joke now. There was a type of sequel in series two 'The Jungle man' who was a parody of a Blunderbuss style Sergeant Major in an African jungle. It seems there was no real plot to either, they were just concoctions to act as a device for joke content. There were also actual jokes read out by actors voices, often girls; where children had sent in written jokes; which were displayed 'Points of view' style as they were read on screen. Then an address was given to send jokes to.
Another friend found the title music single in the 1980s. I remember being surprised that it was a 'GRANDSTAND' type theme tune by Brian Fahey. I couldn't remember this at all. As far as I could remember the only music used in the first series were two stock radiophonic workshop pieces that were later used in the shows 'Why don't you switch off your TV set and go and do something less boring instead' and 'The Rolf Harris show'. One was a twiddly bonk type organ rhythm machine through an echo effect; sort of 'Gu doinga tee doinga ting!' repeated then followed with an ascending bubbling sound 'G dada dada dur dur'. Rather like electronic spoons!! The other was used originally for the 'what goes ninety nine - bonk? - a caterpillar with a wooden leg' joke. This had a sound like Sweep (from the 'Sooty show); or 'Tivvy' (remember him??); doing an unmusical version of a famous music hall 'punch line theme' 'dum, - dum dee dum dum (pause) - dum DUM'; followed by a wrestling bell sound. Yes ridiculous I know.
To my memory of it the original show had no start title but just faded on to a white empty studio, with visible back horizon line, and panned down and in to the pinball machine; without explanation. It may have gone from silhouette view with studio lights then fading up. also then unexplained; a series of LED lights in a circle would flash fast across the robot head and chest section of the machine. there was then an aerial shot demonstrating the interior of the Pinball machine with the ball ricocheting around off various plastic lever catches with smaller close ups until it entered a numbered hole. Then the machine would be seen from the front again, with the mouth illuminating as it announced the score. As outlined; every score would be preceded by the word 'Zokko'; so you could assume the machine was referring to itself as a name. The voice used would used split each word into two marked syllables and dip downwards on the second. They were both expressionless robotic monotones at a set pitch.
Could have been Peter Hawkins but if not, I suspect the BBCs Brian Hodgson ('Doctor Who') might have engineered it.
Someone reminded me that Ali Bongo would be seen demonstrating his usual style tricks in the Turban gear as an item; and this would be one of the few items with any dialogue; the only sounds usually heard were music. It would be an ideal show for deaf children in the same way as 'Vision on'.
The only main items I recall were stock films. There was one on a button factory which was also used in 'Play School' (through the window); and 'speed ride' (= score 13). There are three I recall, the earliest being the Cinerama style Big dipper ride (possibly Battersea park, or bought in); a train (like 'London to Brighton in three minutes'); and an ice sled (toboggan). In the third item described, a man dressed in black leotard style gear with a white crash helmet, goggles and white scarf around the mouth and nose area, was seen crouching, almost lying holding onto two internal side handles in a small white polished ice sled. One camera was front mounted looking back at him, the other similar but in the opposite direction showing the path of the winding ice troughs the ride took. I'm sure this was featured but would be the only 'speed ride' which was genuinely fast and not sped up.
The only other big detail I recall were the show ends. I think the score announced as 'show end' would come on; and the camera pan across the studio to the right of the pinball machine where an antique funfair organ stood. This was similar to 'Banana splits'; where the organ plays a typical steam fair tune then close ups of minatures; usually in period costume with Mozart type wigs; would emerge from tiny doors with automaton arms bashing cymbals together or big bass drums. I recall this item went on a bit and bored me. The end of the show is the point at which I think, come to think of it, the 'Grandstand' type theme may have come on. I have a memory of a static shot of the pinball remaining silent just being shown, lights fading down to shadow, then the LEDS around the face and chest going mad at a fast speed in a circle over and over against the silhouette. Over this background the credits rolled up, but I seem to recall the words 'ZOKKO!' in a 'Monty Python' style Funfair sort of typeface, followed by smaller conventional credits.
In 1970 the BBC I'm sure ran 'Felix the cat', which it had shown as an item in series one, as a separate item. I recall going through being a fan and staying or getting in to tune in to every showing of that around that time.
By the way, the Victor Lewis Smith paperback 'BUYGONES' from a few years back contained a still of the original pinball machine on the show if anyone wants to see it. It may be out of print but some Libraries must have it.
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Zokko!
May 14, 2007 22:45:43 GMT
Post by johnstewart on May 14, 2007 22:45:43 GMT
One more thing on "zokko!"; www.offthetelly.co.uk/childrens/zokko.htmI missed out on "zokko!" by a number of years, as I'm nowhere near old enough to remember it! But it sounds fascinating - has anything in the way of new information or recordings emerged at all recently? ljones Re; recordings. Unfortunately; though the BBC did seek to monitor a general cross section of their output periodically; this genre of programme; a childrens umbrella of items buried on a Saturday morning; designed specifically for a given purpose at the time; isn't the sort of thing that tended to be retained. Tapes presumably would have been initially kept to see if they were needed for repeat (a standard economy practice); but in those days often during the week of transmission, viewers would request clips on 'Points of View' or 'Junior points of view' also. We know that last tape survives but I wonder if that due to a production request by Paul Ciani. In terms of archiving, the available edition, unless it was just left amongst a few forgotten tapes in piles or on shelves appeared to be the last recording; so it seems the intention to keep an example must have been made around the assumed release date I alleged in my previous post. However there does seem to be the additional T-R Laurence Piper mentions from an earlier date. I wasn't aware this was a T-R, but when I enquired through Steve Bryant on the series in the late 1980s (kept the letter and have studied it since); it clearly stated there was one edition only in the BBC collection. During later enquiries by friends (about 3 or 4 years later); Adam Lee who had then taken over said that 'two editions of ZOKKO exist from 1970'. It implies the second recording had been recently found, and as this was a telerecording it suggests the series could have been sols to Europe and that more might be out there. It would have translated well to overseas buyers in Europe as it was largely dialogue free; the earlier series even more so; and at least series two had a sort of European feel to it, like one of the Dutch trade test films shown on BBC2 around the same time.
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Zokko!
Mar 19, 2011 16:16:35 GMT
Post by markhodgson on Mar 19, 2011 16:16:35 GMT
I remember watching the first series of ZOKKO. My only vague memories are of the pinball machine, which I remembered as a robot, and the space serial. I get the presentation completely mixed up with Bleep and Booster, which was also show by camera's panning over static paintings. I remember a scary cliffhanger with a bright light getting closer to two astronauts on a planet surface - it gave me nightmares!
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Zokko!
Mar 21, 2011 18:08:08 GMT
Post by jameshope on Mar 21, 2011 18:08:08 GMT
Don't remember ZOKKO i'm afraid
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Zokko!
Feb 11, 2012 23:54:48 GMT
Post by John Wall on Feb 11, 2012 23:54:48 GMT
Bleep and Booster were, I'm sure, on Blue Peter.
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Zokko!
Feb 12, 2012 10:06:49 GMT
Post by Ian Wegg on Feb 12, 2012 10:06:49 GMT
Me too. I remember Bleep and Booster very well but only on Blue Peter. I have vague memories of a space adventure on Zokko but I'm sure that was something different.
~iw
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Zokko!
Feb 12, 2012 10:23:58 GMT
Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2012 10:23:58 GMT
The space adventure in Zokko! was called Skayn. A bit like Garth in the Daily Mirror. It was replaced in later episodes by Susan Starr Of The Circus. Bleep & Booster were definitely in Blue Peter, although the style of presentation was similar, which is probably where the confusion comes from.
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Zokko!
Feb 13, 2012 0:41:01 GMT
Post by Ray Langstone (was saintsray) on Feb 13, 2012 0:41:01 GMT
I remember Bleep and Booster from an old Blue Peter annual....so yes, Blue Peter, I believe.
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Zokko!
Feb 13, 2012 1:29:38 GMT
Post by LanceM on Feb 13, 2012 1:29:38 GMT
HMMM. I seem to remember this series being brought some time ago now.
Sounds fascinating in regards, fond memories all around here it seems.
That would seem to make complete sense there Laurence in regards to the confusion there.
Cheers, Lance.
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Zokko!
Feb 13, 2012 20:15:05 GMT
Post by markandresen on Feb 13, 2012 20:15:05 GMT
Interesting thread all round, guys. Yes, I thought I saw Bleep and Booster on it APART from BP. Then, children's characters often overlapped into other programmes then. Pinky n' Perky, Shari Lewis and Lambchop, the Diddymen, all did turns in others shows. To what extent they were all just clips from their main shows or new guest turns has probably dissolved in time. I certainly felt, then, that Screen Test was doing nothing new in this regard.
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