The Adventures of Francie and Josie

[williammcgregor]

Jan 25, 2014 12:32:11 GMT Alistair Gordon said:

Mar 4, 2006 20:46:19 GMT Ian said:

"Nothing remains of popular 60s programmes such as 'Francie & Josie' (two Glaswegian Teddy Boys). Some good news is that at least one enthusiast taped these on reel to reel. All of these recordings are in private hands"

What ! u mean someone out there has copies of " the adventures of francie and josie " , i read in the recent script book that Stv for some reason wiped them all which was strange because it got more viewers than coronation street !

If someone does have them does anyone know if they are prepared to give them up to Stv ?

I realise that this is a very old post but I would love to find an audio recording of Francie and Josie. If anyone has any clues re how to locate them please PM me. Many thanks.

The articles/pictures below are taken from "The Viewer" a TV magazine which pre-dated TV Times in Scotland dated the 20th October 1962

[Tom McPhillips]

Interesting articles. What did catch my eye on the opposite page was the talent show. It mentions that one of the finalists was guitarist Leslie Harvey. Surely this must be Les Harvey, later of Stone The Crows who was tragically electrocuted on stage in 1972. I'd never come across this series before but I was only 7 years of age and it would probably have been shown after my bedtime. Francie & Josie however were a favourite then (and now).

[Ray Langstone (was saintsray)]

Les Harvey was also brother of Alex, as Albaphiles, Scots and 70's music fans will probably know.

[williammcgregor]

May 31, 2014 9:37:13 GMT Tom McPhillips said:

Interesting articles. What did catch my eye on the opposite page was the talent show. It mentions that one of the finalists was guitarist Leslie Harvey. Surely this must be Les Harvey, later of Stone The Crows who was tragically electrocuted on stage in 1972. I'd never come across this series before but I was only 7 years of age and it would probably have been shown after my bedtime. Francie & Josie however were a favourite then (and now).

Hi Tom and Ray,

Tom,I did'nt really look at that page,I was pre-occupied with Francie and Josie, I did'nt know that Les Harvey was in Stone the Crows (well spotted)it's brilliant the bits of pop/rock info you learn on this forum.

Ray,I did'nt realise Les Harvey was Alex Harveys' brother thanks for the info.

[George D]

I'm still curious what the status of the audio recordings.
Since all episodes are missing, the preservation of those audio recordings is critical.

[williammcgregor]

Good question George,hopefully the audios survive somewhere?

meantime I've found more articles on Francie and Josie, good to see actual pictures from one of the episodes






last line * likes using BIG words usually with the wrong meaning

[George D]

It appears some of the old messages in this series have been deleted.
Would great to find out who said the audios exist and see what else they know

[George D]

The pictures are great and are greatly appreciated.
However, because I have never seen the series, the photos are not enough to give me a feel for the series without the audios.
I'm hoping some of the more knowledgeable will chime in with info. So far, sadly, they haven't.

[williammcgregor]

1965 series

02/02/65 "The Good Deed"(Francie and Josie hark back to their schooldays and have a high old time discussing old colleagues nicknames....see articles below...










09/02/65 "The Decoy"...see article/pictures below







"Decoy" Picture 1 above)...Josie tries to grin and bear it as two gangsters, Glen Michael and Walter Jackson threaten him

"Decoy" Picture 2 above)...Francie came to see the birds...but it seems as if they're all looking at him

16/02/65 "The Birds" (Two young Edinburgh actresses Elizabeth Carney and Rosemary Davy,appear as a couple of cute Danish au pair girls,Ingrid and Hedy,"A couple of stoaters" is how Francie and Josie describe them,when they meet up with the girls in a railway compartment travelling to Glasgow. Glen Michael and Clem ashby play the girls bearded Danish naval officer friends,Elrich and Ulrich,while ethel scott and Alice Dalehave their accustomed roles of Lizzie and Isa,the long suffering lassies so used to being "stood up" by Francie and Josie.

23/02/65 "The Stowaways" (The duo are invited over to Belfast for the christening of Josies' sister's wean,and just happen to get on the wrong boat and end up in an Arab country)see pictures below ...








02/03/65 "The Volunteers" featured Ethel Scott, Glen Michael and Clem Ashby, with Maud Risdon, Ros Drinkwater, Carol Page, Brian Carey, Paul Johnson, and David McCall.

09/03/65 "The Legacy"

16/03/65 "The Toff"

2nd Series of 1965 below...

11/07/65 "The Luck o' the ...?"

This critique by Bob Millar is from the Glasgow Evening Times dated 12th July 1965...

All Scotland according to the TAM ratings is supposed to be in love with "Francie and Josie" but after last night's introduction to their new series surely I'm not the only exception to that rule? The only smile I could muster in a corny and predictable half hour (a stilted and poorly edited compression of 12 hours in Francie's lucky day was a crack about the modern wrappings with which supermarkets display bacon. No matter how you look at it, remarked Rikki Fulton, it's still a pig in a poke. Quite good but they had to spoil the effect by spelling it out for Josie and by setting this comparative pearl in the midst of some woeful malapropisms(Ah'm a septic (sic) ah don't believe it") and Glasgow-ism's such as "drap deid" which are supposed to make an audience dissolve in mirth. Oh no lads, this just isn't good enough.

(High jinks in a Supermarket and in an exclusive Roulette club)see picture below...


18/07/65 "The Meat in the Sandwich"

25/07/65 "The Lovebirds"

01/08/65 "Licence to Kill" secret agents 000 and 006

08/08/65 "The Arty Crafty Brigade" this episode was critiqued by the Glasgow Evening Times the night after broadcast please see below...


15/08/65 "Song Makers" (they join the pop song parade)

Attachments:

[Ronnie McDevitt]

Im pretty sure it was the STV fiftieth anniversary celebration programme that stated none of the original series survived William.
Remember seeing it somewhere and to prove this they used a colour clip from later. Might even have been a Scotland Today feature

[christian bews]

the colour clips of francie & Josie is the only footage STV has & it was taken from the 1978 21st anniversary show with the 21 logo behind them & was broadcast from their former studios at the theatre royal in Glasgow.

[williammcgregor]

Thanks Ronnie and Christian

Depressing news,but c'est la vie

[williammcgregor]

Here's an article on Josie from the Scottish "Viewer" TV magazine of the mid-60's

[williammcgregor]

1962 series



26/10/62 "The Errant Knights"The series should have started a year ago. The first one "Errant Knights" had been filmed when the Equity dispute put a stop to the project. It isn't revealed how Francie and Josie came into the possession of £10,since they're "Aye Skint" but they naively imagine it will provide them with a holiday in Majorca. It's quite a comedown when the travel agent suggests Rothesay as an alternative,but the boys bravely accept the compromise. There they try to raise the wind at a talent contest,and have trouble with their waspish land-lady who bans fish-suppers and feminine company in the digs.(see picture and article below)...




Here's what the Glasgow Evening Times had to say about "The Errant Knights" episode


and The Stage magazine of 01/11//62 had this to say ...

02/11/62 "The TV Fans" Francie and Josie find themselves in the middle of a TV quiz,strangely enough they win a prize-a trip to Paris under the bossy guidance of a Miss Georgina Cosy (played by Effie Morrison) Her ideas of Paris differs from that of the boys,and they soon make an escape from the tours of museums and art galleries. They end up in a Paris "dive"

09/11/62 "The Souvenir Hunters" Francie and Josie get locked in at Holyrood Palace Edinburgh by mistake

16/11/62 "The Penpal" (sorry no other information...yet)

23/11/62 "The Donors" Luigi is in hospital,with an ingrowing toenail. The two faithfuls visit him-and soon the hospital is in an uproar. When they find themselves in a blood donors queue by mistake,a couple of white coats catch their eye and soon they become "doctors."

30/11/62 "The Patriots" Francie and Josie visit a charm school to try and get some 'Poalish' but they end up in the luxury flat of a foreign spy (see picture below)


I will update this list as and when I find anymore information

[williammcgregor]

22/12/62 interview