Saturday Banana

[Ray Langstone (was saintsray)]

Here are a few clips - all domestically recorded and of varying quality - of the ITV children's morning show 'Saturday Banana'.

I am unsure of the archive status - perhaps some Southern experts could help with this one, allegedly only one remains!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoPUFHoC2vM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vmD2iG7cJw
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjHsZi-8zsQ
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz0oLxCm6QY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOfJMF1LTbM

Thanks to Troy Walters for reminding me to do some quick reseach on the show!

[Jeremy Williams]

Only one is known to exist, wouldn't be surprised if copies exist in private hands.

The Mersey Pirate fared better, that has two surviving editions, though their maybe more if someone can get in contact with the person who played the cook! He has a few clips on You Tube.

[Ray Langstone (was saintsray)]

Can you send me the link?

Actually, I've just youtube messaged someone who appeared on Saturday Banana and has 15 minutes of the show on DVD (transferred from their own video). Will let you know if I hear anything, of course.

[Ray Langstone (was saintsray)]

Have just youtube messaged Bernard Wrigley - for it is he - about said Mersey Pirate clips....as usual....if I hear anything....

[Simon Winters]

I can confirm that only one edition officially survives. I was told this by the archivist for Southern Star just before the Southern collection was licensed out to Renown. In fact, Southern Star were trying to track down other editions themselves, to no avail.

Other than that, just bits of off-airs in poor quality here and there.

Some alternative title sequences do exist, though. Wonder if Bill Oddie taped any himself?

[Ray Langstone (was saintsray)]

I know off-airs aren't as good as the original film format, but it's good we have them. Way Way Way better than nothing!

[Ian Wegg]

There is one episode in the Wessex Film Archive.

calm.hants.gov.uk/DServe/DServe.exe?dsqIni=DserveC.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqCmd=Show.tcl&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqPos=14&dsqSearch=((text)='banana')
calm.hants.gov.uk/DServe/DServe.exe?dsqIni=DserveC.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqCmd=Show.tcl&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqPos=16&dsqSearch=((text)='banana')

It includes the dancing JCB and Streetband singing "Toast", both subsequently used on archive clip shows. Most of those youtube clips seem to come from the same show although there is one segment from a Christmas show which is a different edition.

Those LWT "interval" clips are bizarre. "Coming shortly from our Southampton studio, but first some music..."

~iw

[Ray Langstone (was saintsray)]

Ian - I believe this is a different edition to the one held officially on master tape. That edition is from Xmas 1979 (the final show). This I believe is a different edition.
"STV625/V1

Title
Southern Gold archive (from SG15) - The Saturday Banana Reel One, etc.

Date
1979

Description
1: The Saturday Banana

0.00 Title sequence.

0.55 Bill Oddie introduces the show.

2.53 Outside the studio, 4 JCB excavators. Susanna introduces them as part of the JCB excavator circus.

3.54 In the studio Susan speaks to Streetband about their song 'Toast'.

4.53 Bill Gamon arrives in an old beaten-up car.

5.50 Bill Oddie in the studio

10.58 End of part 1. Advert break.

11.38 Part 2. Bill Oddie in the studio.

17.53 Clip from Disney's 'Fantasia'.

22.51 Bill Oddie in the studio.

23.25 The JCB excavator circus perform.

30.08 Bill Oddie in the studio takes phone calls from viewers.

35.21 Outside with the beaten-up car, it will be entered in to a banger race.

37.12 Bill Oddie in the studio reading letters.

40.05 End (Continues on STV626)

2: The Famous Five

0.00 An episode of the childrens tv show: 'Five on Finniston Farm'. The children uncover ancient buried treasure.

24.25 End""

The final show is meant to have an interview with Sparks, and interview with George Chakaris, and a discussion about fruitbats!

Also, great you located this through my local CC website!

[Simon Winters]

The one at Wessex is off-air, mediocre quality. Returned by an enthusiast.

[Ray Langstone (was saintsray)]

So there ARE two! BETTER THAN NOTHING! Simon, were you aware there were two different editions?

I will change the Wikipedia entry thus.

[jameshope]

I used to love the Saturday Banana when i was a kid

[Ian Wegg]

Ah, that's interesting. The JCBs and Streetband are the clips I've seen most frequently so I always assumed that the "one episode" was the one at Wessex. Good to know there's another.

~iw

[Dan S]

Does anything of "Fun Factory" survive. From memory it was approx 1980/81 during the months Tiswas was off air. There was a character called something like "Mr Nasty" and he encouraged kids to send him nasty things, much to the annoyance of the GPO who had to deal with all sorts of nasty smelly packages of things like old fish and allegedly a dead cat.

It proves hard to search for on places like youtube because other things (a band and something on the Sky channel) have also used the same name.

[Matthew Brannigan]

Dec 26, 2010 2:33:28 GMT Dan S said:

...There was a character called something like "Mr Nasty" and he encouraged kids to send him nasty things...

I remember that character from Fun Factory, I also remember at the time my dad mentioning that the same guy appeared on another show a decade or so before as the same character - did the "Mr Nasty" character appear on any other kids show - maybe on Rediffusion/early Thames?

[Ray Langstone (was saintsray)]

www.paulmorris.co.uk/satkids/index2.htm

I couldn't find any clips, though.