Ace of wands Audios

[John Curley]

I have read that there some missing episodes of Ace Of Wands off air audio recordings out there somewhere.Does anyone know if they are of a good enough quality to be released on a cd...just like the missing "who" episodes?
Anyone know which stories still survive on audio? Anyone have any???!
I can remember writing to Thames TV some about 22 years ago to ask which countries the series had been sold to.I have lost the reply but I think one of them was Malta which I found surprizing at the time.

[Greg H]

The audios ive heard were pretty low fi. Listenable, but with a host of audio problems, so probably not for commercial release. I really cant remember if they were from the source or not though.

[B Thomas]

If I recall correctly, these audios were taken from series two (1971) comprising:

"Seven Serpents, Sulphur and Salt" (all three episodes);
"Nightmare Gas" (all three episodes); and
"The Eye of Ra" (minus the first episode).

I've also heard/read it mentioned that the audio for the first title is of particularly poor quality...

[John Curley]

Thanks guys...thats a shame..I remember Eye Of Ra quite well ...especially the chalk statues and the giant moving chess pieces! Great stuff!

[johnstewart]

Can you recall any of the visual details? I seem to recall Tarot crouching behind a pillar in what looked like the real interior of the British Museum.

Also the music studio type environment in which the chess board was placed. What I can't exactly recall is how the Chess pieces looked or Cerebraun. I recall Tarot diving to miss one moving; and a shower of sparks as it impacts against another.

Memories of Seven Serpents and Nightmare Gas are more vivid.

[davemachin]

Sorry to bump this thread up again but I was browsing down them all and Ace Of Wands is something I used to watch in the seventies. The Eye Of Ra is the only one from those early stories that I can remember in any detail but I am pleased there is an audio. I have the dvd of the series but these were not included. I suppose this is because they were not good enough sound quality?

I recall that the early ones had a different opening title. No one seems to talk about this anymore but can anyone share my memories?

[johnstewart]

Nov 10, 2009 12:35:59 GMT @davemachin said:

Sorry to bump this thread up again but I was browsing down them all and Ace Of Wands is something I used to watch in the seventies. The Eye Of Ra is the only one from those early stories that I can remember in any detail but I am pleased there is an audio. I have the dvd of the series but these were not included. I suppose this is because they were not good enough sound quality?

I recall that the early ones had a different opening title. No one seems to talk about this anymore but can anyone share my memories?

Someone on the 'Ace of Wands' website posted something and also a title header from the early serials appears on the scripts on the ACE OF WANDS - DVD.

Basically the titles started with an oscilloscope sine wave pulsing in time to the theme tune. Its debated whetehr the background was black or dark blue. I saw a couple in colour and seem to think the line was dark blue against black. This then transformed into a side view with shadows of Mike Mackenzies face. I seem to think this outline was a goldy yellow and shimmered.

The line appeared horizontally for the end titles and the credits either appeared above and below or scrolling up into the outline.

I believe the series title just 'popped' into view as it does in series 3 but it was a 70s 'fat' style writing rather than the later chinese style.

'Eye of Ra' is the one where the chalk statue in image of Tarot is squealing 'help me Sam' to the assistant. I still struggle to recall the design of the giant chessboard seen but the set included a sort of recording studio type partition. I think the Villain had the chess moves plotted on a lighting up diagram for each move.

[davemachin]

Your memory for detail is very good, John and you have painted a vivid picture. I can remember the oscilloscope sequence a bit too but it seems to be forgotten mainly because there are no episodes to jog the memory. All there is is the later titles. I spoke about the series to a friend of the same age but all he could visualise was the series three titles.

I like the later assistants ok but preferred Lulli and Sam. I thought Chas too humourous. It is a shame that there is not even a single episode of theirs to watch now. When Tony Selby and Judy Loe were reminiscing about the series on the dvd documentary, there were no clips to show what they were on about and only stills. A pity. What are the chances of an episode turning up? The pictures just make you want to see the episodes moving.

Dave

[johnstewart]

Nov 12, 2009 11:25:16 GMT @davemachin said:

Your memory for detail is very good, John and you have painted a vivid picture. I can remember the oscilloscope sequence a bit too but it seems to be forgotten mainly because there are no episodes to jog the memory. All there is is the later titles. I spoke about the series to a friend of the same age but all he could visualise was the series three titles.

I like the later assistants ok but preferred Lulli and Sam. I thought Chas too humourous. It is a shame that there is not even a single episode of theirs to watch now. When Tony Selby and Judy Loe were reminiscing about the series on the dvd documentary, there were no clips to show what they were on about and only stills. A pity. What are the chances of an episode turning up? The pictures just make you want to see the episodes moving.

Dave

The main reason I think the series 3 titles eclipsed memories of series 1 and 2 for me I think is that they introduced an animated title in the style of 'Magpie'; and 'David Nixons magic box'.

Whatever the merits of the actual earlier stories; the later titles were more impressive than the earlier; which was minimalist. I also seem to recall for some reason the series 1 titles images were electronic and seemed to be on VT with a CSO quality to them.

Actually a correspondent to the 'AOW' website called Lila must be given credit for prompting my memory of the start titles. Also Andrew Pixley and Simon Coward who traced the scripts for 'JOKER' which carry a screen shot for the start title.

From the time I could only recall the end titles and confirmed they were different when debating with Moderator Laurence.

Pam Lonsdale does point out she did not give Thames permission to wipe her episodes and was dismayed by it. The release list had apparently been sent round when; in her role as Producer; she was busy rehearsing in the studio and out of her office. At the time the tapes were probably wiped you can see Thames generally economised by targeting their childrens output for tapes to recycle; probably with adult series.

There was a new Controller c. 1972 and something clearly happened as from then on; the vast majority of their childrens series were kept. It's probable there was a change in politics which allowed them to clear the chidrens programmes for commercial sales; thus they needed the masters to duplicate over the years. What isn't explained is that 'SEVEN SERPENTS' alone from the earlier shows was cleared for sale along with the series 3 batch and yet the masters were not at Thames' Library or Thames Enterprises. I suspect that story was the only one held; as they picked it to repeat in early 1973 by which time they had cleared rights to sell 'ACE OF WANDS'. It's certainly possible as it was so well remembered from the time that when it appeared no one wanted it to use anymore an interested party removed surviving copies; but who and how is another question.

As a sub note - the surviving audios and my memories indicated Mike Mackenzies portayal was more subtle and underplayed in the earlier series. He later has put this down to 'not knowing my way around for the first few stories' which explained standing around frowning and saying less. The audios I have heard actually show that Pam Lonsdale gave Mackenzie more of an acting range; and handled the Character slightly differently; in a more subtle and emotional way.

I think the part of Tarot and his various parafanalia were stronger in the first two series. Producer John Russell seemed less concerned with concentrating on details around Tarot; and more with outlandish storylines and weird Villains. However I feel the first series was definitely not as good as the others as it was more straightforward generally. The Villains were 'Avengers' style eccentrics or Gangsters and not really menacing. There were some way out visual effects though and some sophisticated lines and humour.

[davemachin]

What you have to say here about the Thames archive policies is very interesting, John. Hand Of Stabs was a saying that the kids at school used to chant for a long time after that story Seven Serpents. So it entered the public consciousness in a big way. It's a real shame there is nothing left from that earlier series. I hope that your theory is correct and a copy is out there of that one story at least. Were prints made of any other stories and what are the chances of the one story existing at very least? I wonder who made the audio recording? It proves that there was interest in Ace Of Wands at the time it was on.

Dave

[johnstewart]

Nov 14, 2009 22:46:42 GMT @davemachin said:

What you have to say here about the Thames archive policies is very interesting, John. Hand Of Stabs was a saying that the kids at school used to chant for a long time after that story Seven Serpents. So it entered the public consciousness in a big way. It's a real shame there is nothing left from that earlier series. I hope that your theory is correct and a copy is out there of that one story at least. Were prints made of any other stories and what are the chances of the one story existing at very least? I wonder who made the audio recording? It proves that there was interest in Ace Of Wands at the time it was on.

Dave

Hi Dave - I should add there were a couple of long in depth threads over on 'Mausoleum Club' on the subject you may want to check out too.

Most of those details were verified there. Andrew Pixley learned that the rights were not sold to sales of AOW series 1 and 2 at an earlier date - 1992 or 93.

Later he said that; though that was true; for some odd reason 'Serpents' alone had been passed for sales with series 3. I just put 2 and 2 together there.

Someone also said they had been sent or checked a Thames sales list from 1981 or 82 and 'Seven Serpents' was still listed on the programmes sales list.

Now in addition to the videotapes we know that some AOW episodes were transferred to B+W film for sales; as oddments of these survive form series 3.

If they made TRs of those it would be reasonable to suppose ones were made of 'Serpents' from the same batch for sales purposes. In this form they would be easier to miss than bulky VT cans; but also would Thames be bothered once the prints sales rights have expired what happened to them.

I can verify that the audios heard by most have a TV signal 'C' hum running - disappointing as they must be made off TV; not sales copies.

[davemachin]

Thank you for the background facts, John. Interesting that Seven Serpents seemed to still be around in the eighties. I hope you're right that prints do survive somewhere as the later episodes only tell part of the story of how Ace Of Wands was.

Dave

[johnstewart]

Nov 16, 2009 14:16:14 GMT @davemachin said:

Thank you for the background facts, John. Interesting that Seven Serpents seemed to still be around in the eighties. I hope you're right that prints do survive somewhere as the later episodes only tell part of the story of how Ace Of Wands was.

Dave

I know that there was also a strange rumour around the comic fairs that Mike Mackenzie had a B+W print of the first episode. If we go on Andrew Pixleys research no T/R should have been made of that so it would be a specially made private print.

However I'm sure that info would have been cleared up during the interviews for the DVD.

'Pardon my Genie' series 1 was also copied to B+W film and held only at ITC for some reason leading to most believing it had been totally lost.

[davemachin]

What episodes are known to exist on film prints John? I've not come across this before. Just bad luck that they are all from the last series and such a shame it does not seem to have been sold abroad before that stage. Apart from Seven Serpents Sulphur and Salt any way.

Dave

[johnstewart]

Nov 21, 2009 16:23:20 GMT @davemachin said:

What episodes are known to exist on film prints John? I've not come across this before. Just bad luck that they are all from the last series and such a shame it does not seem to have been sold abroad before that stage. Apart from Seven Serpents Sulphur and Salt any way.

Dave

'Meddlers' (complete); 'Peacock Pie' (think just episode 2) and I think 'Sisters Deadly'. 'TIMESCREEN' magazine published this information in the early 1990s and the editions may still be available as an online page.

It's a great pity that of the surviving material for missing eps; theres no script for the first episode or 'MIND ROBBERS'. Thus we can't confirm my and a friends memories of the first scens of Tarots 'pad'.

According to the later continuity of series 1 scripts; and stills; this was a large warehouse with white painted brick walls. I think they just used a garage type building in with general location shots to be the exterior. Like series 3 it had a side door; but into an alley not the street outside. It also had a CCTV camera above the extern and a TV screen above the door inside to show who was outside. Tarot entered by turning a lid on a fountain pen which had either a light or sensor which electronically opened it.

In the first story though I thought a studio lot mock up of a street like Carnaby Street was shown with a Boutique in it. Tarot went in with the companions but when they went with him to the changing booths; there was a lift entrance behind the curtains. This memory is odd but seems likely as Producer Pam Lonsdale also produced the 'Lion Witch and the Wardrobe' adaption for ABC TV U.K.

Maybe the door was not to an upper level but just floor level as the rest of the series showed that flat to be.

'Mind Robbers' a friend got mixed up with 'Peacock Pie' as it was so similar as we recall. In 'Robbers' it was Tarot himself who traced the Villain back to a large house; like Mr Peacocks; in which Government Ministers were being imprisoned. It was a conventional 'held to ransom to bribe the super powers' type story. But the Villain; Senor Zandor; had a brain washing box which could make people see what he wanted them to in order to affect his plot.

So far as I recall Tarot was blinking his eyes as he saw this figure; dressed in a brimmed hat and coat; disappear from walking one way away form him; and appear walking to the other end of a Suburban Street.

It was very similar in this scene to the later 'Peacock Pie'.

P.S. It seems audios exist for all series 2 bar 'Joker' and episode 1 of
The Eye of Ra'.