Sweep

[George 1978]

In 1957, Harry H Corbett introduced Sweep the squeeky dog to the Sooty Show as Sooty's bestest friend.

Sorry to be pedantic, but it was actually Harry Corbett and not Harry H Corbett of Steptoe fame, who had introduced Sooty and Sweep to the general masses - the confusion in the 1976 New Year's Honours List actually meant that both Harry Corbetts were given honours at the same time.

[Mulletino]

I have a Sweep puppet, bought it from eBay last year for my Sons as we had a Sooty puppet and they enjoyed "Sooty Shows", Sweep has added some extra noisiness to the act (it squeaks, as did the one my brother had in the 70s as a kid).

I also have a couple of Sooty Show DVDs with episodes from the Matthew Corbett era, which my kids enjoy watching sometimes (They also watch Button Moon, they've not got into Bagpuss yet or Trap Door)

[tex]

Oops... just realized I wrote something discriminatory above... "hate clowns". Then I thought of our tex

So... exception to the rule for evil clowns! Evil clowns are okay in my book because they are honest about it.

It's the unnaturally white skin that gives the evil bit away really... but as my Yorkshire Grandad might've said (except he never did), "there's nowt wrong wi' bein' evil."

But back to Sweep... I have a Sooty hand puppet (with wand), but I've never had a Sweep. Do the Sweep hand puppets all squeak I wonder?

Nice to be thought of Beccabear...whatever the context, that's a painting i did a while back.

[beccabear67]

It was a family business. I saw a series where Matthew travels around canals and sort of makes references to the missing former sidekick. I want to see the 'Sooty Ungloved' documentary, if they ever make it available outside a northern theatre or two, and find out what the behind the scenes family tensions were there!

Calico Joe was sort of a spiv cat. I'm not sure I'd buy a wrist-watch from him.

[George 1978]

I remember one comedian saying something was as pointless as giving Sooty his own radio show!

In the 1980s show I remember the props like the bath and shower were cleverly designed for the puppets to use.

It was like an open-planned dolls' house set, wasn't it? What a middle-aged man such as Matthew Corbett doing with a dolls' house was anyone's guess.

[beccabear67]

Oops... just realized I wrote something discriminatory above... "hate clowns". Then I thought of our tex

So... exception to the rule for evil clowns! Evil clowns are okay in my book because they are honest about it.

It's the unnaturally white skin that gives the evil bit away really... but as my Yorkshire Grandad might've said (except he never did), "there's nowt wrong wi' bein' evil."

But back to Sweep... I have a Sooty hand puppet (with wand), but I've never had a Sweep. Do the Sweep hand puppets all squeak I wonder?

[beccabear67]

I was looking over some of my vintage Sooty books and I think Calico Joe the cat character was only ever in the comics and books. There was also a clown in many of the early annuals (hate clowns). There was a cat puppet named Kipper though in some of the later tv series... they've also had Butch back in later ones as a sort of Windsor Davies type of fellow who things often backfire on. And there's a young bear in schoolboy uni named Scampi that looks like an early '50s b&w Sooty!

I remember some episode, perhaps Matthew Corbett era, where there are a whole lot of Sweep type dogs, his extended family visiting! The Matthew Sooties are quite manic I find, but all three hosts bring their own strengths. Harry was a bit more paternal and longer suffering, Matthew maybe more on their own level and of shorter fuse, and Richard Cadell something of both and with his own good nature taking the edge off things inevitably going awry!

I did a browse on ebay and can hardly imagine how many different egg cups were made! The more unusual have the top of Sooty's head off! There are various tv framed ones with Sooty, but I didn't see a single Sweep egg cup! Perhaps something more associated with sausages for him?

[beccabear67]

I heard one of the old 7" Sooty records and it's mostly Harry saying things like "Oh Sooty, look what you've done now", and "Calm down Sweep!" followed by lots of squeaking. I wish there were a lot more of the old Harry Corbett shows around to see now, he could manipulate Sooty extraordinarily well sometimes... I saw one where he puts on glasses, answers a phone, puts it down, takes off the glasses, picks up a pencil and writes something down, then picks up the phone again!

[George 1978]

Re: Sweep

Never off the turntable!

Unless Russ Abbot or Des O'Connor is on there.

[zabadak]

Re: Sweep

Do you play it regularly?

Never off the turntable!

[Clare]

Re: Sweep

Sweep's stunning rendition of Nessun Dorma...

[tex]

Re: Sweep

I picked up a free Sooty and Sweep album many years ago. Strange, considering Sooty was silent...

Do you play it regularly?

[I. R. Fincham]

Re: Sweep

In 1957, Harry H Corbett introduced Sweep ...

NB - it was Harry Corbett, no middle initial. Harry H Corbett was an actor most famed for his role in Steptoe And Son. He added the H to his name in order to distinguish himself from the puppeteer. Apparently it didn't work. When people asked him what the H stood for, he replied "Hennything you like".

[zabadak]

Re: Sweep

I picked up a free Sooty and Sweep album many years ago. Strange, considering Sooty was silent...

[Clare]

Re: Sweep

I loved Sweep! He was my favourite character!