'UFO' late night transmissions query (o/t)

[johnstewart]

Not a missing programme - hence off topic. But recently I've been discussing the late night selected episodes deemed unsutable for earlier broadcast in the Gerry Anderson series 'UFO'.

This has led to my general memories of the transmission of the series. There seems to be discrepancies between what I thought I saw and what is siad to have been transmitted so I wondered if any others can come in confirm the following transmission detail memories.

As far as I recall; my Sisters boyfriend who had an interest in sci - fi; tuned in to a new series I recall being first transmitted around the time I saw my first episodes of 'OUT OF THE UNKNOWN'. To my memory this was around APRIL 1971.

As far as I recall the London Weekend area transmissions started on Saturday 5.0 p.m. - ish time.

I recalled it as 5.20; but if it was April the 'DR WHO' current series would still be running and as UFO would overlap; I would have been allowed to turn over at that point. UFO was 50 minutes; so my guess is it would have run approximately 4.55 - 5 p.m. start (17.00 hrs). WHO was on around either 5.50 or 6 then as I recall they moved the series back to attract adults to the new Pertwee look show.

I seem to recall this slot was unsuccessful and short lived. Impressions are that there was a break between weeks; perhaps after the pilot episode; and that the ratings were poor so it was stopped after a handful of episodes and changed times.

I then have a memory that London ITV changed it to the old 1970 THUNDERBIRDS repeat slot - 12.00 on Saturdays. This would have been in the Dec. 1971 - Jan. 72 period; when 'COUNTDOWN' comic came out featuring a 'UFO' strip and stills from episodes.

I recall 'A question of priorities'; featuring the blind woman; being run in this slot.

I recall then London ITV moved it again; stopping it until Jun - Aug 1972 when they moved it to Tuesday night. The time would be around 7.00 or 8.00 p.m.

Recently discussions arose around the remainder clutch of UFO episodes that were held back and transmitted at a later date and time. They were considered too adult in content to be shown in its original earlier time slot.

I clearly recall catching 'The Long sleep' inexplicably turning up one night - possibly a Monday during the Easter holidays 1973; March or April again?

This was after the last transmissions ceased in 1972. I don't recall the late time - think 11.30 p.m.; being explained. All I recall was that the intro ITV logo was held whilst Peter Lewis or someone similar voiced over this announcement.

'Now UFO. We must point out that this programme is not suitable for children' (or 'the content of').

In recent discussion it was stated that amongst the 'censored' late night showings were; THE LONG SLEEP; PSYCHOBOMBS; ESP and THE CAT WITH TEN LIVES.

I questioned this though; as when I saw THE CAT WITH TEN LIVES again in the late 1980s (regional transmission); it prompted a memory of it.

I recalled that this had been run in the third UFO time slot batch Summer 72. It had been a weekday in this period (Tuesday) and about 8 in the evening. I recalled that I used to regularly go to a friends over the hill; and would be allowed to stay till 8 or 9 then walk back; as it was only 10 to 15 minutes from home.

I had to walk through a winding alley between the two roads; lit by dim orange lamp posts. Now I seemed to recall seeing the end bit of CAT where Alexis Kanner as a pilot is seen zooming to his demise whilst an eye image torch beam is seen tranmitted on his head.

The story is he was linked in intelligence by the Aliens to a Cat who is acting as a spy for them.

I remember this scene disturbed me and I kept thinking of it walking home in the dark and looking back over my shoulder then running.

This seems to indicate that episode; despite its content; slipped through in the summer 1972 London transmissions at 8 p.m. Though apparently it was one of the 'late night' censored ones.

Can anyone verify?

[Stephen Doran]

Hi John,Certainly recall Saturday afternoons seemed to be on around 5.15pm funny enough only this morning i was looking at some UFO DVDS over on ebay with those episodes you mentioned above,Spooky eh?

[hartley967]

Hi John

The only one that was transmitted with a warning was The Long Sleep. This had a warning about hallucinogenic drugs and that children should not be watching.

The Sunday late night LWT summer showings were basically the last 4 or so made episodes in production order. Thus I recall Timelash but not The Cat with ten lives. The Long Sleep came a while after the other late night showings, and was later in the night around 11.40 on a Friday.

Confetti check aok was actually shown in the afternoon in some regions. A few women thought it was the start of an exciting new soap opera.


of course IIRC

hope that is of help?


ps we might laugh at their late night caution in the 1970s , but I recall
even the BBC repeat in the 1990s of The Long sleep seemed to have some large chunks of it cut out?

[johnstewart]

Thanks for this Hartley - very helpful.

So it seems 'CAT WITH TEN LIVES' wasn't a late nighter after all?

The only scene I recall from the 10 - 11.30 'LONG SLEEP' transmission is the Piccadilly Circus sequence where a hippy type young girl goes up to a young man playing guitar. I clearly recall I didn't sit through it; had I done; seeing the rest of it in the 1980s I probably would have ended up with a few sleepless nights.

Though the corny trimmings might prepare the audience to laugh at UFO; I noted with great surprise in the 80s; as with SPACE 1999; that the actual writing was of a very high standard indeed. It's also noteable that many of the performances are really strong and emotionally convincing heightening the sense of menace.

No - I can't imagine the under 11s of the 70s or that age being influenced into becoming LSD taking drop outs either!

[lpmoderator]

I can remember Timelash and The Long Sleep being shown in a late night slot in the London area (the only two I personally recall seeing myself although i'm sure the other two were seen as well). At the time (and being as they were quite some time after the rest of the series), I thought it was a new, second series which they'd decided to screen in a graveyard slot! I remember thinking that the tone was very noticeably more adult in these episodes and that the cast had slightly changed..

[johnstewart]

I seem to remember thinking it was just a continuation and there seemed to be just a few held over and wondering why it was on late; either when it came on or in the paper.

I thought 'UFOs a kids series though' and didn't get it. Thinking now it may have been on a Friday as I seem to recall Peter Lewis giving the warning and the London Weekend logo faded in.

For some reason - either I got spooked out - sent to bed - or feel asleep or even thought the start looked corny; I only saw the first 10 minutes of LONG SLEEP.

[Robin Davies]

If I remember right the following episodes were shown quite a while after the main batch in the London area: The Man Who Came Back, The Cat With Ten Lives, Timelash, Mindbender, The Long Sleep and The Responsibility Seat. I thought these were all shown late at night but I could be wrong on that point. In Chris Bentley's UFO book he lists those eps as screening over 10 months after the main series but he also includes Ordeal which I'm 99% sure was shown with the rest in the early evening slot so I don't think his information is totally reliable. I think ESP and The Psychobombs were also shown early evening in the London area but they may have been shunted into the late night batch in other ITV regions. We need someone with a complete collection of TV Times to sort this out!

[johnstewart]

yes I agree -

I can't imagine that I would have been allowed out till 10.30 on a week day to my friends; unless it was later than I propose here; i.e. 1973. In which case it must have been a school holiday - probably easter.

So; for 'Cat with ten lives'; I still think this was the 7.30 to 8 p.m. slot suggested in late Summer 1972.

[lpmoderator]

Purely from memory, the late night episodes went out after 11pm in the London area.