Lost Cliff Richard Show Find

[rumbers]

I have on video a poor quality 10 minute edit of one of Cliff Richard's lost BBC shows from 1970.
I cannot trace the source though it is likely to have come from the continent, possibly Holland.
Im wondering if anybody can throw any light on the survival of the original... on quad tape maybe??!?

His first series of 13 "Its Cliff Richard" shows (in colour) ran from early Jan to late March 1970. Only one show.... no 5 from 31st Jan is know to survive in the BBC archives.

This clip (in striking early BBC colour and very entertaining to watch) comes from show 12 of that season broadcast on 21st March 1970.
Cliff's opening song "On The Beach" is included as well as the show's finale - a rock n roll medley -complete with dancers, Una Stubbs and Hank Marvin.

I would love to see more of the "Its Cliff Richard" series as the BBC apparantly wiped all 13 shows in both the 1971 and 1972 series also.
Cliff certainly doesnt have any copies. Cliff's former manager told me the series didnt sell abroad at the time so the chances of their survival look slim.

[John Stewart Miller]

72 film special exists. Theres a T/R either 69 or 70 and one 70 'Its cliff'. What appears to be a film insert of a 1971 sketch featuring Olivia Newton John (showing a wedding set to a song) exists. The shows exist largely from the 73 - 74 series onwards.
Apart from Cliff, Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch, Olivia N J and even past Managers may be a potential source for lost items. Also 'Pop Quiz's Mike Reid, who apart from being a No. 1 Cliff fan is rumoured to have a collection of t.v. pop items.

[Richard Hunter]

Interesting last comment about Mike Reid John.

I have long believed that MR would have a complete copy of The Shadows performing "Don't Make My Baby Blue" from TOTP.

A short clip of this was shown on the 25th anniversary edition which saw a large collection of clips from the previous three decades being introduced by Mike Reid and Paul Gambacini who were responsible for putting together the choice of clips.

MR must have asked the editor of that show to let him have a complete copy of that Shadows clip seeing as he is a big fan of The Shads himself.

[Gary]

Also I seem to recall early Pop Quiz shows with uncommon clips of acts that don't get shown often if at all. Sure that I saw a clip of See Emily Play from totp on here once. Maybe some missing stuff resides with mister Read?

[rumbers]

All the footage so far mentioned i can account for.... none of it comes from the missing "It's Cliff Richard" series.
1972 film (as John says above) is The Case... an hour long musical comedy -thriller made in Scandinavia in the summer of 1972 which co-starred Tim Brooke Taylor and Olivia Newton John as guest. The BBC have this show.

The other 2 surviving shows at the BBC are both August Bank Holiday shows from 1970 and 1971. The former although made in colour only survives as a T/R and has Aretha Franklyn as Cliff's main guest. The clip of her singing "Say A Little Prayer" has been used quite
often in recent years.

The well known clip of Cliff and Olivia getting married to the soundtrack of "When I'm 64" is taken from the other surviving Aug Bank Holiday show of 1971.

With reference to Gary's e mail and the clips shown on BBC's Pop Quiz during the early 80's........ this was simply taken from "Pop Goes The Sixties" ...The BBC's new years eve show of 1969 to bid farewell to the decade.

[Laurence Piper]

Actually (with reference to Gary's post), there was a lot more shown clip-wise in Pop Quiz than items from Pop Goes The Sixties. I can recall lots of things in that show that I haven't seen elsewhere. I think the comment about See Emily Play is correct; I have several colour stills from Floyd's appearance on TOTP and was familiar with these images at the time. There was a brief clip showing the band against a similar mirrored backdrop. At the time I didn't think any more about it as I didn't know it was nessesarily missing! I never saw it anywhere else before or since though. There were other clips in there too. Did anyone tape the whole run off-air to be able to confirm / disprove and even provide a complete list of clips used in the series?

[William Martin]

From time to time I have tried to contact these people, DJs and the like, but I've never had any luck other than those who said no, they didn't have anything. The best appraoch is probably from within the industry or via an aquaintance who is one one the DJ in-crowd. From personal experience of such people, I still think its likely that many TV pop performances exist in the hands of DJs, musicians and ex totp type staff.

[Deleted]

i have one of the largest Olivia newton john Audio video Collections in the world 'and i can say for certain that of 1971
The Geteway Special still exsists where Olvia sings Love song and a duet with cliff of Dont move 'away a friend pulled those 2 songs direct from bbc archives in recent times' so they definitly still have that special in high quality.
They also have the 1972 TVM Called The Case in there archives in high quality. The only its cliff show that they have with olivia is From 1974 where she did a return and performed 'I honestly love you.
i wish there was more as i want any olvia stuff i can get but unfortunityly it dosnt seem to exsist'just like most of Olvia on totp.
If a miracle happens and anyone knows of any please email me at [e-mail]

[rumbers]

Getaway With Cliff you mention was in fact the 1971 August Bank Holiday Special.
I have lovely clear audio recordings of Olivia on some of Cliff's BBC "Its Cliff Richard" series. E mail me at [e-mail] if interested.

[Tim]

Guest-Laurence said:

Actually (with reference to Gary's post), there was a lot more shown clip-wise in Pop Quiz than items from Pop Goes The Sixties. I can recall lots of things in that show that I haven't seen elsewhere. I think the comment about See Emily Play is correct; I have several colour stills from Floyd's appearance on TOTP and was familiar with these images at the time. There was a brief clip showing the band against a similar mirrored backdrop. At the time I didn't think any more about it as I didn't know it was nessesarily missing! I never saw it anywhere else before or since though. There were other clips in there too. Did anyone tape the whole run off-air to be able to confirm / disprove and even provide a complete list of clips used in the series?

I also saw (as a Pop Quiz question video link) in roughly 1982 the David Bowie 'Jean Genie' TOTP's performance!
It was a 'Live' performance the clip was about 20secs long.
It's not turned up anywhere at all & is generally believed 'Wiped' but i DEFINETLY saw it & IT was this performance (I saw the original in 1973!) not some other stock item (Starman TOTP's etc!)
Can someone PLEASE search to see if anyone has this Pop Quiz series or contact Mr Read directly in a professional way (He didn't reply to my Email)
I too believe there were many other odd items shown in the series.

Tim

[William Martin]

I know this is the subject of the thread but,is there any chance that the full clips exist as well? does anyone know?