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Post by John Harwood (bjblackpool) on Mar 20, 2012 13:50:16 GMT
Does anyone else remember the occasion when John Slater had a coronary live on air during a Z Cars episode? I recall this clearly; he was incredibly brave to carry on, and asked fellow actors to call an ambulance - as if it was part of the script! I presume - given the above comments about transmission - this must have been no later than 1967. Colin. As far as I can see no episodes of the revamped twice-weekly Z Cars went out live: they're all down as VT. Since (as has been noted) Stone (Slater's character) only appeared after the relaunch, it's possible that you're just remembering a very good performance. |
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Post by Colin Anderton on Mar 20, 2012 14:15:14 GMT
Sorry, my memory may have been clouded by time, but upon reflection....
I believe this happened during the recording of a Z Cars episode, as I now recall my brother and I watching - and waiting for it to happen. I think it had been in the newspapers before broadcast.
I am 100% positive, however, that it happened. I've absolutely no doubt of that!
As it's possible the episode title may have been changed after he was taken ill (with possibly part two being re-written), I have done some searching, and discovered there was a two-part episode called "Attack" broadcast on 2 and 3 September 1968. Just a hunch....
Colin.
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Post by John Harwood (bjblackpool) on Mar 20, 2012 16:29:13 GMT
As it's possible the episode title may have been changed after he was taken ill (with possibly part two being re-written), I have done some searching, and discovered there was a two-part episode called "Attack" broadcast on 2 and 3 September 1968. Just a hunch.... Slater isn't in those episodes, according to the Drama Guide. I've trawled through his credits, though, and I would suggest it may be Stop Over (tx 30/11 and 01/12/1970): he isn't credited again until Little Girl Lost (tx 15 and 16/03/1971), which would allow for convalescence. I'm afraid neither story exists in the archives. |
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Post by Anthony Clark on Mar 20, 2012 21:34:53 GMT
Slightly off track… but here goes.
I remember a Z Cars episode about counterfeit coins. The mould for them was hidden in a toy racing car and a blind man tipped off the police to the fakes because ‘he saw with his fingers’ – he could tell the coins were fakes.
A couple of scenes are very fresh in my mind. Anyone know what the episode was?
Thanks…
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Post by David Cann on Mar 21, 2012 18:13:30 GMT
Oh please let this be true! im desperate to get this series and Z-Cars on DVD Agreed  I am so glad that the BBC have finally seen sense and decided to release some of the existing Dixons, which I'm sure could have had massive marketing potential and would have been released long ago was it not for the fact that nearly all of them are missing  Having checked the Wikipedia article, its list of missing episodes misses out the first season altogether, though actually none of it exists, so that may be why they say that there are 51 not 33 exisiting episodes. Also the Wikipedia article may be counting those with film inserts/clips existing as not missing... or they could just be wrong. It is Wikipedia after all  It's such a tragedy that shows such as Dixon, United! and others suffered so badly. At least Z-Cars has long periods where all episodes exist, though they also have even longer ones where nothing exists. But, as said previously, for Dixon only about 2 or 3 eps exist from the 60s, when my Dad watched it religiously every week! If only we had a mind probe.. Anyway, it's great to see discussion about Z-Cars and Dixon springing up as despite their cult status, they have never gained the recognition they deserve. If they had, then perhaps there would be a few more film cans residing on BBC shelves. It's a shame that for shows like TOTP clips are known/thought to exist but are not in the archive, and I've heard that apparently some Dixon clips are thought to exist in various other programmes from the era but aren't recognised in the archives... had this been Doctor Who then someone posting a video of a missing clip on YT (as sometimes happens with TOTP) would be chased down by an angry mob *sigh* Ah well, I know that those who do care (most of whom are on this fantasatic forum) do their very best to recovcer what they can and we are eternally grateful to you guys for that. It's just a shame that there aren't more of you  |
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Post by Rob Moss on Mar 21, 2012 19:54:47 GMT
If you're that concerned, then why don't you become the angry mob and chase up the footage..? Look where it's got Ray..!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2012 20:03:51 GMT
Yes... Z Cars is a bit strange in the archive with like you say, good complete runs of so many episodes then whole chunks missing. I seem to recall there being a batch from 1967 then all of a sudden absolutely nothing until 1969... and nothing for 1971 either. I was initially excited when last years findings were published since for a short moment, it looked like a 1968 episode had been recovered but alas, it was the silent opening credits only. Various film inserts from lost episodes have been recovered in recent years but again, these raise mixed feelings... will we ever get to see them, let alone complete episodes?
Also, another problem with Z Cars which unfortunately, Brian Blessed made worse in the last documentary on it, is everybody automatically thinks of the original run from 1962 to 1965. It was superb, no getting away from it but the "crap" (Brian's word, not mine) colour episodes - at least most of what I've seen are enjoyable as well. If by any chance we do get a Z Cars DVD you can be certain it'll be the earliest run and nothing from 1967 onwards.
An ideal Z Cars DVD set (lets face it, sets devoted to each series would be unlikely) would feature one or two selected examples from each year of the show's history giving us all a taste of the many changes of casts it went through. Would be nice to see episodes from the short periods John Thaw and Leonard Rossiter were involved. But it's doubtful to ever happen... maybe a one off set featuring some episodes from series one and that'll be our lot... and then they won't be VidFired or cleaned up to Doctor Who standards which would be criminal... but I've never quite forgiven 2Entertain or the BBC for letting the Steptoe b+w DVD's be released in such shoddy states.
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Post by John Harwood (bjblackpool) on Mar 21, 2012 20:56:34 GMT
There is, however, absolutely no excuse for the god-awful version of the theme tune used in the early seventies.
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Post by John Harwood (bjblackpool) on Mar 21, 2012 22:47:33 GMT
Having checked the Wikipedia article, its list of missing episodes misses out the first season altogether, though actually none of it exists, so that may be why they say that there are 51 not 33 exisiting episodes. Also the Wikipedia article may be counting those with film inserts/clips existing as not missing... It's the latter: there are 18 inserts/clips and 33 full episodes (and I think they're counting the 7 minute mini-episode recorded for 1958's Christmas Night With The Stars as a complete episode) - and one soundtrack. |
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Post by George D on Mar 22, 2012 2:43:55 GMT
When we look for the error in wikipedia, I think the difference is in the 1960s. Sources indicate there are 2 or 3 episodes from the 1960s.
Wikipiedia says:
Series 7 (1960): two episodes
Series 9 (1962): three episodes
Series 11 (1964): one episode
Series 13 (1966): five episodes
Series 14 (1967): seven episodes
Series 15 (1968): three episodes
Granted its probably an error, but Im curious if they could be looking at a different archive that had them?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2012 9:50:51 GMT
When we look for the error in wikipedia, I think the difference is in the 1960s. Sources indicate there are 2 or 3 episodes from the 1960s. Wikipiedia says: Series 7 (1960): two episodes Series 9 (1962): three episodes Series 11 (1964): one episode Series 13 (1966): five episodes Series 14 (1967): seven episodes Series 15 (1968): three episodes Granted its probably an error, but Im curious if they could be looking at a different archive that had them? I'd guess at a glance that a lot of those are the existing insert material, of which there is quite a bit (but there is only one complete episode surviving from 1967, for instance). So this may be clouding the issue. An ideal Z Cars DVD set (lets face it, sets devoted to each series would be unlikely) would feature one or two selected examples from each year of the show's history giving us all a taste of the many changes of casts it went through. Would be nice to see episodes from the short periods John Thaw and Leonard Rossiter were involved. But it's doubtful to ever happen... maybe a one off set featuring some episodes from series one and that'll be our lot... and then they won't be VidFired or cleaned up to Doctor Who standards which would be criminal... but I've never quite forgiven 2Entertain or the BBC for letting the Steptoe b+w DVD's be released in such shoddy states. It's very strange that there has not been even a token DVD release for either Dixon or Z-Cars up till now as they are two of the most iconic BBC series; think of the BBC historically and they are two of the shows that first come to mind! The state of Dixon is the archives is truly bizarre (especially in relation to Z-Cars). The almost total absence of any '60s episodes - and even more puzzling, very few from the '70s right up until the very end at the middle of the decade - is strange when you consider that most series of it's stature have at least a fair sampling of existing episodes across the years. Dixon's are all bundled in a few places. It's a shame because it was a big part of TV life for 20 years that has just been wiped away. Still, i'm very pleased that something is finally coming out (although Network would have probably made a better job of gathering it all in one place). I hope they stay the course and release all that survives. Z-Cars next please! |
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Post by Ray Langstone (was saintsray) on Mar 22, 2012 11:17:06 GMT
If you're that concerned, then why don't you become the angry mob and chase up the footage..? Look where it's got Ray..! It hasn't REALLY got me anywhere in terms of money or anything, although I am pleased to write an occasional column and....shall we say...."""bend""" the eardrums of certain broadcasters (by that I mean berate loudly....), and it has got three clips broadcast so far. A start, no more, no less. And I am regarded as a pain in the arse by many people who work for archives, broadcasters, etc. And with respect to those good people - the vast majority are good people, you know - thank you for tolerating me, and I will continue to be a PAIN! We need another Raiders of the Lost Archive thingie, massive press publicity. NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (swears profusely....). Sorry to wander off topic, but.....................well, couldn't let it lie. Evenin' all.  |
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Post by John Harwood (bjblackpool) on Mar 22, 2012 12:16:34 GMT
When we look for the error in wikipedia, I think the difference is in the 1960s. Sources indicate there are 2 or 3 episodes from the 1960s. Wikipiedia says: Series 7 (1960): two episodes , tx 15.10.1960: complete episode, 16mm t/r River Beat, tx 18.02.1961: incomplete, 35mm sequences A Home Of One's Own, tx 24.11.1962: complete episode, 35mm f/r Green Wedding, tx 05.01.1963: complete episode, 35mm f/r Before The Ball, tx 16.03.1963: complete episode, 35mm f/r A Scrap Of Paint, tx 24.10.1964: complete episode, 16mm t/r The Wife, tx 29.10.1966: incomplete, 16mm sequences Dragons' Teeth, tx 12.11.1966: incomplete, 16mm sequences Street Of Fear: 1: The Job, tx 03.12.1966: incomplete, 16mm sequences Street Of Fear: 2: Find Me A Witness, tx 10.12.1966: incomplete, 16mm sequences The Accident, tx 17.12.1966: incomplete, 16mm sequences The Mercenary, tx 30.09.1967: incomplete, 16mm sequences The Collectors, tx 14.10.1967: incomplete, 16mm sequences Zandra, tx 21.10.1967: incomplete, 16mm sequences The Team, tx 25.11.1967: complete episode, 16mm t/r Six Till Two, tx 23.12.1967: incomplete, 16mm sequences Nightmare, tx 06.01.1968: incomplete, 16mm sequences The Attack, tx 13.01.1968: incomplete, 16mm sequences Find The Lady, tx 07.09.1968: incomplete, 16mm sequences An Ordinary Man, tx 28.09.1968: incomplete, 16mm sequences A Quiet Sunday, tx 12.10.1968: incomplete, 16mm sequences So six complete episodes and 15 sequences/inserts. Granted its probably an error, but Im curious if they could be looking at a different archive that had them? Probably not: when you're going through a list of 400+ titles (and haven't bothered to read the key), it's easy enough to read anything other than "junked" as a surviving episode. |
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Post by George D on Mar 22, 2012 22:56:55 GMT
Well, six episodes arent what I was hoping for, but it is a little better than the two or three. Hope more of this as well as other shows are found. I hope more show up.
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Post by Peter Stirling on Mar 22, 2012 23:38:22 GMT
Yes... Z Cars is a bit strange in the archive with like you say, good complete runs of so many episodes then whole chunks missing. I seem to recall there being a batch from 1967 then all of a sudden absolutely nothing until 1969... and nothing for 1971 either. I was initially excited when last years findings were published since for a short moment, it looked like a 1968 episode had been recovered but alas, it was the silent opening credits only. Various film inserts from lost episodes have been recovered in recent years but again, these raise mixed feelings... will we ever get to see them, let alone complete episodes? Also, another problem with Z Cars which unfortunately, Brian Blessed made worse in the last documentary on it, is everybody automatically thinks of the original run from 1962 to 1965. It was superb, no getting away from it but the "crap" (Brian's word, not mine) colour episodes - at least most of what I've seen are enjoyable as well. If by any chance we do get a Z Cars DVD you can be certain it'll be the earliest run and nothing from 1967 onwards. . So nothing left of those with the MK 4 Ford Zodiac title scene then? and just those ghastly (as some one pointed out) 70s titles and music |
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I am so glad that the BBC have finally seen sense and decided to release some of the existing Dixons, which I'm sure could have had massive marketing potential and would have been released long ago was it not for the fact that nearly all of them are missing 
