Oh Boy excerpt find?

[Ray Langstone (was saintsray)]

Ok - this is how it goes....

ABC of ABC - A Souvenir of Music, apparantly exists at the BFI.
(BROADCAST 30/04/196G)

jgreen's post on the BFI 'finds' thread (http://missingepisodes.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=7270&page=14) got me thinking.

I found out Cliff was on it....if only I could find out what clip was on there, if it was a clip....

""30 April 1966 The ABC Of ABC ABC Television UK
This show was a compilation of clips of shows produced by ABC Television. Cliff did not directly participate in the show, but was shown singing "Mean Streak" from "Oh Boy!" broadcast.""
(http://www.cliffrichardsongs.com/clifftv.htm)
From the same site....
""23 May 1959 Oh Boy! 37 25 minutes ABC Television UK Cliff Richard Mean Streak""

and from lostshows.com

""23.05.59 with Jimmy Henney, Renee Martz, Cliff Richard, Marty Wilde, Red Price, The Dallas Boys, Cherry Wainer, Dickie Pride, Billy Fury, Bill Forbes (missing)""

[Paul Rumbol]

Hi Ray,
I located and dated this clip about 10 years ago and a short sequence from it was included in a 2003 docu I worked on called 'The Real Cliff Richard' broadcast on Channel 4.
Here's my notes relating to it:
<Cliff's 18th appearance on “Oh Boy!”and the penultimate show of the series. A rare outtake from this show (Cliff performing his newly released 4th single “Mean Streak”) only survives today because it was included in the documentary the 'ABC of ABC' - A Souvenir with Music' made in April 1966 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of ABC Television. The complete telerecording of the full 23rd May 'Oh Boy!' 1959 show was obviously available to producers at that time but has since gone missing.>

UPDATE ON DOCUMENTARY PROPOSAL
My attempts to get my documentary about 'Oh Boy! commissioned have thus far proved unsuccessful. I found out just a fortnight ago that BBC4 controller Richard Klein turned it down.
It's a decision i find hard to swallow, considering my home-made edit of the docu includes footage from the newly discovered lost show from 28th March 1959, as well as restored clips from the 2 surviving editions in Canal Image's archive. Rare 'Oh Boy!'soundtracks recorded live from the Hackney Empire are also featured plus a cache of 400 previously unseen pictures. I'd also lined up a number of celebrities who'd agreed to be interviewed, including a couple of 'The Shadows' and producer Jack Good who has been so supportive throughout.

All may not be lost however. I'm due to see yet another BBC 'Chief' early next month and i live in hope he will finally get this project moving elsewhere within the BBC. If that fails, then my archive and my project all get consigned to the bottom draw i'm afraid.

[Greg H]

If the Beeb aren't biting I would produce it independently. I am sure it would find an audience.

[Gary Critcher]

You'd think that this programme would be a real go-er for a proper broadcaster.
I'm not sure about self-financing the production. I'm wondering how much it would cost to a) shoot the interviews and b) licence all the clips that'll be needed.
After that you'll need to try and get your money back by selling the programme, something I'm not too sure about.

[Paul Rumbol]

Exactly right Gary. With interviews, professional editing and most expensive of all clearances of pictures, music and tv footage (commercial rates for film are currently £1000 -£1500 for each minute used) you wont see much change out of £50k.
Also tv companies dont accept docus made by individuals. Pitches have to be made via one of the reputable production companies they recognize.
That's why all these independent production houses won't do anything to help develop a project until that promise of a commission. When they knew the Beeb were sniffing around, they all suddenly got interested.
But despite convincing all the seemingly-right people at the BBC -ie commissioning editors (as in this case) - none of that matters if the controller doesn't care for it. He/she effectively plays God.

[Greg H]

Film clearances are obviously going to be the big issue with this financialy, but film editing can be done to a professional level with a decent PC or Mac running final cut or after effects or similar these days. Hire of a decent camera for interviews would also be feasible surely?
Never say never. Good luck with it anyway.

[Paul Rumbol]

Thanks Greg. Hiring a camera will be my next task if this latest pitch to the BBC proves unsuccessful.

[Peter Stirling]

Jun 16, 2012 10:39:26 GMT Paul Rumbol said:

Hi Ray,
I located and dated this clip about 10 years ago and a short sequence from it was included in a 2003 docu I worked on called 'The Real Cliff Richard' broadcast on Channel 4.
Here's my notes relating to it:
<Cliff's 18th appearance on “Oh Boy!”and the penultimate show of the series. A rare outtake from this show (Cliff performing his newly released 4th single “Mean Streak”) only survives today because it was included in the documentary the 'ABC of ABC' - A Souvenir with Music' made in April 1966 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of ABC Television. The complete telerecording of the full 23rd May 'Oh Boy!' 1959 show was obviously available to producers at that time but has since gone missing.>

UPDATE ON DOCUMENTARY PROPOSAL
My attempts to get my documentary about 'Oh Boy! commissioned have thus far proved unsuccessful. I found out just a fortnight ago that BBC4 controller Richard Klein turned it down.
It's a decision i find hard to swallow, considering my home-made edit of the docu includes footage from the newly discovered lost show from 28th March 1959, as well as restored clips from the 2 surviving editions in Canal Image's archive. Rare 'Oh Boy!'soundtracks recorded live from the Hackney Empire are also featured plus a cache of 400 previously unseen pictures. I'd also lined up a number of celebrities who'd agreed to be interviewed, including a couple of 'The Shadows' and producer Jack Good who has been so supportive throughout.

All may not be lost however. I'm due to see yet another BBC 'Chief' early next month and i live in hope he will finally get this project moving elsewhere within the BBC. If that fails, then my archive and my project all get consigned to the bottom draw i'm afraid.

Have you thought of independents like the "yesterday" channel?

[Paul Rumbol]

I've never heard of that one Peter. Will check with ITV , but i suspect like Jack Good's edition of 'This Is Your Life' broadcast (i think) sometime in 1969, it no longer survives.

'Oh Boy!' was rehashed by ATV in 1979 of course, and those editions all survive. Clearances on those clips and Jack's US series 'Shindig' in particular- will prove too costly for me to produce this independently.

Agree with you re. Flirtations being underated. They appeared weekly on the 1972 'It's Cliff Richard' series for the BBC (all wiped!). Wasn't the lead singer Pearly Gates? She became a regular solo guest on Cliff's series a couple of years later in 1974.

[Deleted]

If something like this was made independently and released on DVD, I'd buy it in a flash! Such a shame that the broadcasters have so far not taken up such a promising idea.

[Paul Rumbol]

If this gets commissioned for tv Laurence, my subsequent goal would be to release a much more fuller comprehensive version on DVD. My home-edit runs just short of 2 hours.
If the BBC disappoint, then my hopes rest with either ITV, Channel 4 or Sky Arts. So far none have responded.
A commercial tv version will no doubt have all detail extracted and dumbed down to please your average gormless ITV audience. That's why i was pinning my hopes on a BBC4 commission to do it justice.
Worst case nightmare scenario would be a banal half hour ITV slot and Paddy McGuinness doing the narration! God forbid!

[Peter Stirling]

Jun 17, 2012 6:00:13 GMT Paul Rumbol said:

I've never heard of that one Peter. Will check with ITV , but i suspect like Jack Good's edition of 'This Is Your Life' broadcast (i think) sometime in 1969, it no longer survives.

'Oh Boy!' was rehashed by ATV in 1979 of course, and those editions all survive. Clearances on those clips and Jack's US series 'Shindig' in particular- will prove too costly for me to produce this independently.

Agree with you re. Flirtations being underated. They appeared weekly on the 1972 'It's Cliff Richard' series for the BBC (all wiped!). Wasn't the lead singer Pearly Gates? She became a regular solo guest on Cliff's series a couple of years later in 1974.

Yes that is right I believe Paul , Pearly Gates.

Cant you take your idea to an independent programme maker? who can help you develop it while they get on with the commissioning process.

[Ray Langstone (was saintsray)]

Jun 16, 2012 10:39:26 GMT Paul Rumbol said:

Hi Ray,
I located and dated this clip about 10 years ago and a short sequence from it was included in a 2003 docu I worked on called 'The Real Cliff Richard' broadcast on Channel 4.
Here's my notes relating to it:
<Cliff's 18th appearance on “Oh Boy!”and the penultimate show of the series. A rare outtake from this show (Cliff performing his newly released 4th single “Mean Streak”) only survives today because it was included in the documentary the 'ABC of ABC' - A Souvenir with Music' made in April 1966 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of ABC Television. The complete telerecording of the full 23rd May 'Oh Boy!' 1959 show was obviously available to producers at that time but has since gone missing.>

UPDATE ON DOCUMENTARY PROPOSAL
My attempts to get my documentary about 'Oh Boy! commissioned have thus far proved unsuccessful. I found out just a fortnight ago that BBC4 controller Richard Klein turned it down.
It's a decision i find hard to swallow, considering my home-made edit of the docu includes footage from the newly discovered lost show from 28th March 1959, as well as restored clips from the 2 surviving editions in Canal Image's archive. Rare 'Oh Boy!'soundtracks recorded live from the Hackney Empire are also featured plus a cache of 400 previously unseen pictures. I'd also lined up a number of celebrities who'd agreed to be interviewed, including a couple of 'The Shadows' and producer Jack Good who has been so supportive throughout.

All may not be lost however. I'm due to see yet another BBC 'Chief' early next month and i live in hope he will finally get this project moving elsewhere within the BBC. If that fails, then my archive and my project all get consigned to the bottom draw i'm afraid.

Paul! Firstly, I had no idea you'd already located this clip, but as it was not known to the wider public - or even members of this Forum, and not listed in previous finds, I will amend my find listings, and credit you for something you should have been credited with ten years ago. Any publicity for this is good, I think!!!!

[Paul Rumbol]

Thanks Ray, for the record Cliff and the Shadows do perform on the show (albeit a mime) of their latest single- 'Blue Turns To Grey' - a cracking good song written for them by the Stones' Keith Richards & Mick Jagger.

[Deleted]

Wow! Thrilled to learn that a contemporary performance of "Blue Turns To Grey" does exist. For me, that was the best Cliff and The Shadows single - great song and typically, seems to be the only one of their hits they DIDN'T do in their mammoth reunion tour few years ago much to my disappointment. It proved they could keep with the times and had some balls but unfortunately not long after that, Cliff did his infamous gig with Billy Graham and things were never the same after that.