|
|
Post by williammcgregor on Oct 14, 2018 7:28:21 GMT
The Stage 3rd October 1963About the episode from the 1963 series "The Guinea Pigs" shown in Scotland on STV on the 18/09/63
|
|
|
|
Post by williammcgregor on Apr 15, 2019 9:49:49 GMT
Francie and Josie visit Dundee appearing at opening of many British Relay TV rental shops. The first they opened, in Airdrie, caused such mayhem that crowds smashed the shop windows.
(I prefer to watch this footage without the added music)
|
|
|
|
Post by williammcgregor on Apr 15, 2019 9:54:49 GMT
The Francie and Josie concept first appeared on The Five Past Eight Show in the Alhambra Theatre Glasgow during the
1958 season, and was a brainwave of Stanley Baxter, Stan Mars and Rikki Fulton. Over the season the idea grew and they
refined the concept. Often there would be a sketch from Francie alone and a sketch from Josie alone and then the two
together at the end.
In 1962 Scottish Television gave them their own show. The show became a hit; being shown by Anglia, Border Television,
Grampian Television, Tyne Tees and UTV
In 1965 the last series was produced, with the pair returning to The Five Past Eight Show the following year (1966). Both
Jack Milroy and Rikki Fulton were given their own show on Scottish Television. The double act toured around Scotland and
also created a Panto. During 1970 the pair did a successful tour around Northern Ireland.
Over its course 32 episodes were created between 1962 and 1965. No series was made in 1964 due to a technician strike,
but Series 1 and 2 were repeated instead.
So Series 1 and 2 still survived in 1964!
|
|
|
|
Post by williammcgregor on Apr 19, 2019 13:44:11 GMT
Taken from the Scottish TV Guide dated 26/10/61 ...  Taken from the Scottish TV Guide dated 2/11/61 ...  |
|
|
|
Post by williammcgregor on Apr 27, 2019 6:16:10 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by williammcgregor on Aug 9, 2019 7:36:58 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by richardwoods on Oct 11, 2021 9:28:11 GMT
Bump!
|
|
|
|
Post by williammcgregor on Oct 16, 2021 10:22:01 GMT
Sorry Richard ... but what do you mean ? |
|
|
|
Post by richardwoods on Oct 16, 2021 12:01:44 GMT
Its just a phrase, if you “bump” the thread it makes it current on the forum & hopefully someone new or a lurker might have something new to add, hopefully for example on those rumoured audio recordings. Thought it had gone quiet & slipped down into old threads.
|
|
|
|
Post by williammcgregor on Oct 16, 2021 19:24:46 GMT
Great idea thanks for that Richard ... you've given new life to this favourite thread of mine
|
|
|
|
Post by williammcgregor on Nov 2, 2021 10:20:17 GMT
This is an extract from the eBook (Forever Francie: My Life with Jack Milroy) by his wife Mary Lee. Permission granted by Black & White Publishing.
Then Rikki was offered a series for Scottish television. He proposed doing six half-hour shows, 'The Adventures of Francie and Josie' incorporating the stage sketches, and STV readily agreed. The public loved them and as Jack often said, 'It was like taking sweeties of a wean'
After they recorded the first show, we went on holiday. When we returned, the very first show had gone out. It was 1963 and it was an instant success. After just three episodes, the viewing figures were enormous.
The story goes that the children were the first to cotton on to it. The shows went out at 6.30pm, the kids loved them, told their parents and soon everybody was watching. If parents wanted their kids to come in the house, they just had to open the window and call 'Francie and Josie are on the telly' and in they would rush. Half the wee boys in Glasgow were walking around doing the famous ' Francie and Josie' walk ... do you remember that gallus swagger ? And people started saying 'Hullawrerr' instead of 'hello'. It was great having such an immediate, warm reaction.
I knew what recognition show business could give but this was something else ... instant stardom! Though Jack said it did'nt really hit home to HIM until one afternoon in Airdrie, when it dawned on him that he and Rikki really were famous!
They had been invited to declare a large new electrical goods store open - pretty routine stuff they thought. A jeep was waiting to drive them into the town centre in their red and blue suits and the famous wigs and, as they drew nearer to the main square, they were surrounded by a huge crowd. Even with four policemen surrounding the jeep they could barely move. There were literally thousands of fans surging forward and shouting 'shake my hand, Francie ... shake my hand Josie.
When Rikki leaned over the side of the jeep and DID shake someone's hand, he was dragged off and disappeared into the crowd. Two policemen had to rescue him!
The scene was amazing and the sheer crush of the crowd surging forward knocked in the windows of the new store. Jack said they were like royalty arriving, complete with police escort, and that was when the penny finally dropped for him about how popular they were.
By then, they had been on TV for two years and had reached audiences in Scotland, the Borders and Northern Ireland. We could'nt go shopping without Jack being followed for autographs. And we could'nt go on holiday as a normal family would because no sooner had we settled ourselves round a pool abroad than someone would come up and say 'Howzit goan Francie?' Or, when we came home there would be a knock on the front door and there would be two wee boys saying 'Is Francie coming out?'
One day the phone rang and lo and behold it was STV offering me a small part in one of the Francie and Josie episodes. My first reaction was, 'My, fancy someone remembering me!' Don't forget I'd been out of show business for quite a few years by this time. Then the terror struck! Could I still produce the goods? Jack did'nt know anything about the offer, but of course I said yes, signed the contract and had two days to work with Rikki and Jack.
I soon received my script and noted I was to be one of the two girlfriends of the duo - Una McLean being the other. I was glad that it was Una. She was so clever and always good for a laugh, but you know a funny thing? I did'nt enjoy it. It frightened the hell out of me. I'd never worked with Rikki Fulton and come to think of it, I had'nt done much television, so I was like a fish out of water. i just had a couple of lines - I could have telephoned it in- but it was still a struggle to get through the scene. I distinctly remember sayingto Una McLean, 'Do you know something Una? I'd rather be at home making the mince' it just was'nt my scene.
I did'nt get asked to do any more episodes, so I have a good idea the feeling was mutual, but for Jack and Rikki, alias Francie and Josie, it was instant and enduring stardom.
|
|
|
|
Post by richardwoods on Nov 2, 2021 12:22:16 GMT
Many apologies if I’ve asked you this before William but do you know if the series was shown or repeated on Border between Feb 66 & July 71. The reason I am asking is that the program seems very familiar to me and that’s the timescale we were living in the Border reception area?
|
|
|
|
Post by williammcgregor on Nov 2, 2021 14:08:36 GMT
I personally don't know Richard ... hopefully someone on the forum can find out ?
|
|
|
|
Post by T Morgan on Jan 25, 2022 2:25:16 GMT
I hadn't heard of Francie and Josie until I discovered Mary Lee, Jack Milroy's wife, who is the last surviving British dance band singer who was active in the 1930s. I have her book, mentioned above. She apparently played Auntie Jessie in the TV series - I wonder how many episodes she was in?
|
|
|
|
Post by williammcgregor on Jan 25, 2022 9:52:45 GMT
I hadn't heard of Francie and Josie until I discovered Mary Lee, Jack Milroy's wife, who is the last surviving British dance band singer who was active in the 1930s. I have her book, mentioned above. She apparently played Auntie Jessie in the TV series - I wonder how many episodes she was in? I don't know how many episodes Mary Lee was in but I will try and find out. the answer might lie in my long planned trip to the University library in Glasgow where they seemingly have Francie and Josie scripts how many I don't know |
|
