Television of Yesteryear.

[Donald the Great]

Re: Television of Yesteryear.

And it was no wonder why the deceased Marty Hopkirk kept a close eye on what his missus was up to...yum. Also, Randall seemed to be on the receiving end of a good duffing nearly every episode.

I am not sure if it was an ITC production but there was a short-lived series called The Zoo Gang in 1974. It was set in the south of France and was about a group of ex-resistance fighters and SOE agents who meet up and decide to use their talents to fight crime. John Mills and Lilli Palmer starred.

The Zoo Gang.. not heard of it and reckoned I had seen just about everything John Mills had made. Will take a look ..You Tube may have it.

[Donald the Great]

Re: Television of Yesteryear.

The Strange Report has that swingin' sixties aspect to it as well with Anneke Wills (she was in a genuine swingin' sixties film too, The Pleasure Girls, 1965). Apparently they wanted to make a second series of Strange Report in America but Quayle didn't want to go and Wills decided she didn't want to either, and so without them the possibility was scrubbed. Oddly though Anneke ended up for quite a while living on an island out here in Western Canada while back home Doctor Who fans considered her 'disappearance' some kind of huge mystery!

I have a set of Ghost Squad, a b&w special ops type of police show made in the earliest '60s... lots of great names turning up as guests in it too, William Hartnell is excellent in his episode of it. Honor Blackman is in another, but a very small part.

I should be getting a set of Van Der Valk's earliest series second-hand and reasonably priced. Ought to be quite a trip to watch!

Ghost Squad? A lot of those early Brit b&w shows are poor quality. Interesting story about Anneke Wills.

[staffslad]

Re: Television of Yesteryear.

Theme by Wings on the B-side of their Band On The Run single!

Thanks for that. I think the series was shown on friday evenings and the characters had animal codenames---Mills being elephant and Palmer possibly leopard.

[zabadak]

Re: Television of Yesteryear.

...there was a short-lived series called The Zoo Gang in 1974. It was set in the south of France and was about a group of ex-resistance fighters and SOE agents who meet up and decide to use their talents to fight crime. John Mills and Lilli Palmer starred.

Theme by Wings on the B-side of their Band On The Run single!

[beccabear67]

Re: Television of Yesteryear.

The Strange Report has that swingin' sixties aspect to it as well with Anneke Wills (she was in a genuine swingin' sixties film too, The Pleasure Girls, 1965). Apparently they wanted to make a second series of Strange Report in America but Quayle didn't want to go and Wills decided she didn't want to either, and so without them the possibility was scrubbed. Oddly though Anneke ended up for quite a while living on an island out here in Western Canada while back home Doctor Who fans considered her 'disappearance' some kind of huge mystery!

I have a set of Ghost Squad, a b&w special ops type of police show made in the earliest '60s... lots of great names turning up as guests in it too, William Hartnell is excellent in his episode of it. Honor Blackman is in another, but a very small part.

I should be getting a set of Van Der Valk's earliest series second-hand and reasonably priced. Ought to be quite a trip to watch!

[Donald the Great]

Re: Television of Yesteryear.

I think I remember something titled Doctor At Sea. It seemed like there was one series with the same main character but a slightly altered title, based on some books if I remember correctly. I always remembered the theme music whatever it was called.

I'm sort of immersed in old Z Cars shows, the first year or so with Bert Lynch, 'Fancy' Smith (Brian Blessed) and the Scots Rugby bloke, Webb? Lynch and Rugby bloke were in it later on even after Softly Softly had broken off from it. I have the set of 1971-72 episodes too. 'Zed' was a quality show, seemed to get some directors like Paddy Russell and Derek Martinus who had also done Doctor Who, maybe that's why? If Douglas Camfield did one I haven't seen that one. I'd watch anything he worked on.

I also like the original professionals with Gordon Jackson (hope I haven't mentioned that before), and wondering if there is anything I might dig up from the '60s-'70s along the lines of either show I would like? The Sweeney with John Thaw? Never seen the old original but heard about it. And maybe Van Der Valk? Is that the one shot in Holland?

I do like The Strange Report and The Omega Factor well enough, but not enough to spend what they would want for Department S. Maybe if I find a second-hander on cheap though...

I am watching The Strange Report for the first time as at the time of its release it was not shown in Australia. I have always enjoyed the work of Anthony Quayle. I did watch van Der Valk in OZ at the time as well as Department S, The Champions and Return of the Saint is another from that era.

[staffslad]

Re: Television of Yesteryear.

The original Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) was amazing! Great theme tune, too!

And it was no wonder why the deceased Marty Hopkirk kept a close eye on what his missus was up to...yum. Also, Randall seemed to be on the receiving end of a good duffing nearly every episode.

I am not sure if it was an ITC production but there was a short-lived series called The Zoo Gang in 1974. It was set in the south of France and was about a group of ex-resistance fighters and SOE agents who meet up and decide to use their talents to fight crime. John Mills and Lilli Palmer starred.

[zabadak]

Re: Television of Yesteryear.

The original Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) was amazing! Great theme tune, too!

[Richard1978]

Re: Television of Yesteryear.

Department S & it's spin off Jason King were some of the last of the classic ITC thriller series.

[staffslad]

Re: Television of Yesteryear.

I'll see if I can get to see some of the earliest Van Der Valk and The Sweeney. I have The Champions, it's a bit like Sapphire And Steel in some ways. My BF wants to see the old Randall And Hopkirk so maybe I can get him that for a pressie (got him the complete Prisoner one birthday). I should also look at The Protectors someday an Anderson fan, the one most people overlook that he produced, I've read good things about it for the kind of thing it was even if there were problems with Robert Vaughn.

The original Randall & Hopkirk from 1969 is far better than the Reeves/Mortimer effort imo. If you like the other ITC shows I think you will also like R & D.

I remember watching The Protectors when it was first broadcast. It was a good series and was a 25 minute show so it had a fast pace but didn't have the time to develop plots like the 50 minute shows could.

A few more 60s/70s show you might like:

UFO and Space: 1999 were both live action Gerry Anderson sci-fi series with top-notch SFX.

Callan was a very gritty espionage drama and certainly one of the best ever produced here. Very dour and depicted a world where no-one could be trusted.

Adam Adamant Lives! A BBC series from the swinging mid 60s with Gerald Harper as an Edwardian adventurer frozen for 60 years and emerging into permissive 60s London to continue fighting crime, picking up a proto hippy girl as a side-kick. Great fun in black & white.

Special Branch was a series from the late 60s to around 1974. The first couple of series were very serious dramas and featured Derren Nesbitt tackling various threats to national security. Later series were in colour and George Sewell replaced Nesbitt, with the plotting becoming slicker and with more action.

[beccabear67]

Re: Television of Yesteryear.

I'll see if I can get to see some of the earliest Van Der Valk and The Sweeney. I have The Champions, it's a bit like Sapphire And Steel in some ways. My BF wants to see the old Randall And Hopkirk so maybe I can get him that for a pressie (got him the complete Prisoner one birthday). I should also look at The Protectors someday an Anderson fan, the one most people overlook that he produced, I've read good things about it for the kind of thing it was even if there were problems with Robert Vaughn.

[del37]

Re: Television of Yesteryear.

I also like the original professionals with Gordon Jackson (hope I haven't mentioned that before), and wondering if there is anything I might dig up from the '60s-'70s along the lines of either show I would like? The Sweeney with John Thaw? Never seen the old original but heard about it. And maybe Van Der Valk? Is that the one shot in Holland?

The Sweeney is absolutely terrific, one of the greatest UK police dramas ever. I would very highly recommend it.

[staffslad]

Re: Television of Yesteryear.

Yes, those ITC shows are not cheap on DVD now. Van Der Valk was indeed set in Holland with Barry Foster as the title character.

Other ITC shows to check out....Man in a Suitcase, The Baron, The Champions, Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased), The Persuaders.

I remember seeing Edward and Mrs Simpson, and Edward VII at the time. There was also Upstairs, Downstairs and The Duchess of Duke Street.

[beccabear67]

Re: Television of Yesteryear.

I think I remember something titled Doctor At Sea. It seemed like there was one series with the same main character but a slightly altered title, based on some books if I remember correctly. I always remembered the theme music whatever it was called.

I'm sort of immersed in old Z Cars shows, the first year or so with Bert Lynch, 'Fancy' Smith (Brian Blessed) and the Scots Rugby bloke, Webb? Lynch and Rugby bloke were in it later on even after Softly Softly had broken off from it. I have the set of 1971-72 episodes too. 'Zed' was a quality show, seemed to get some directors like Paddy Russell and Derek Martinus who had also done Doctor Who, maybe that's why? If Douglas Camfield did one I haven't seen that one. I'd watch anything he worked on.

I also like the original professionals with Gordon Jackson (hope I haven't mentioned that before), and wondering if there is anything I might dig up from the '60s-'70s along the lines of either show I would like? The Sweeney with John Thaw? Never seen the old original but heard about it. And maybe Van Der Valk? Is that the one shot in Holland?

I do like The Strange Report and The Omega Factor well enough, but not enough to spend what they would want for Department S. Maybe if I find a second-hander on cheap though...

[Donald the Great]

Re: Television of Yesteryear.

• Early Edition was a series about a man who receives tomorrow's newspaper the day before it's published, which is delivered by a ginger cat, and uses it to stop bad things from happening The series was on in the late ...
  
  
• East European children's programmes. Growing up in the 70's meant watching a lot of imported east european childrens programmes on the beeb. there was the Singing Ringing tree with scary dwarves, The Mole which was possibly Polish and something quite bizarre called Ludwig which ...
  
  
• EastEnders: Long running London-based soap opera set in the fictional Albert Square, Walford. EastEnders shows the highs and lows of everyday life for the residents of the square.Some of the characters from the first episode are still in the show ...
  
  
• Edge of Darkness was a conspiracy thriller staring Bob Peck and Joe Don Baker, plus a teenager called Joanne Whalley. The Plot revolved around Peck trying to find out the truth surrounding the past of his daughter.
  
• • Educating Marmalade was one of my favourite children's programmes that aired back in 1981 - I remember getting a Marmalade Atkins Annual.Marmalade was an extrememly naughty and mischevious girl - rather like a female Dennis the Menace in many ways. ...
    
    
  • Edward and Mrs Simpson...
    
    
  • Edward the Seventh was a Sunday teatime drama about the life of King Edward the seventh. Many well known actors stared in it including Timothy West who played King Edward. Whenever I see him on screen even now I still ..
    

•