Face the Facts

[robpage]

Winifred Atwell was a name I barely remember , but then there was Russ Conway , who I am sure did one irritating piano hit before returning to oblivion . I know at the time of the late nineteen fifties and early sixties , I cringed at Bruce and Sunday Night at the London Palladium , Billy cotton and the Black and White Minsterals , but even , I , after all thiss time would prefer that to the self promotiong Wives and Girlfriends of sports stars and minor celebrities , and entertainers that should have retired gracefully years ago , all enjoying the Celebrity status found in I am a celebrity ,, get me out of here type shows . We seem to have spawned a generation in the UK that when asked whaat their ambitions are as they progress through teenage , they are desiring to be a singer or a footballer , or a singing footballer . Instant fame and fortune is the order of the day , all promoted by the television channels filling their airtime with low budget junk . I cannot remember the figures but years ago remember a breakdown that showed a costume drama was over ten times the cost of game shows an hour to produce . We seem to want 24 hour a day television , the licence fee is £120 a year , so we are going to end up with a lot of cheaply produced rubbish to fill the airtime . I wonder if the BBC offered to double the quality for 's of thousands of pounds a show doubling the fee how many of us would accept the payments without argument .

We have created a culture where we pay presenters who have a skill to read an autoque , footballers , soap stars , and weather girls , fantastic wages , so our Grandchildren see the popular culture and think that one hour of presenting is eqivalent to ten years work as a motor mechanic , then attempt to exercise themselves as a DJ , a Singer , or a future celebrity . I can just remember the Potter's Wheel interlude , and Childeren's television Hour going off so children could get their tea in the afternoon , but the actual shows seemed better , so I vote for less celebrity , more Potter's Wheel and Test Card

[Tony Morcom]

I have to agree that British TV is pitifully lacking in any real entertainment value these days. BBC is on the whole a complete joke. Only programme we ever watch on their is Holby City. ITV is marginally better as we enjoy some of the detective series such as Midsomer Murders, Whitcliff etc.. My favorite challenges though are the Discovery range. There are some brilliant progs on them. Those and some of the other associated channels provide most of our viewing pleasure. I love those Mega Ships and Extreme Machine, Build etc. The half hour How do they make that series are excellent as well. I am always intrigued how they actually design the machinery that produces the things that they make. Its half term now so we are subjected to a glut of Spongebob and iCarly, but at least they throw in the occasional Tom and Jerry which I defy anyone to say that they have not enjoyed at one time or another. Since we have to pay for the satellite progs anyway I would happily forgo all the UK progs if it meant not having to waste money on the license fee.

[Doc Vernon]

One of my old Favourites was Crazy Otto! Piano!
Cheers

[Trader]

At the risk of going off subject Len, That Mable played the piano on that show, and later became Ena Sharples of Coronation st, And NO I never watch it. Albi

Albi, it was Violet Carson who played the piano and later became Ena Sharples. Mabel was Wilfreds Piclkes' wife who was "Mabel at the Table"

Alec.

---------- Post added at 06:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:30 PM ----------

Rob, I believe that Russ Conway was ex. Merchant Navy.

Alec.

[robpage]

Well I did not realise that Russ Conway had twenty No 1 hits between 1957 and 1963 , I looked up his carreer on Wikipedia and it says that
Conway was born Trevor Herbert Stanford in Bristol, England.^[2] He had no formal piano training, but won a scholarship to Bristol Cathedral Choir.^[2] He was largely self-taught on piano as he whiled away hours as a youngster in a three-year Borstal stay. His father then let him join the Merchant Navy.

Conscripted into the Royal Navy 1942, he served in the Merchant Navy from 1942 to 1948, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal as signalman in a minesweeping flotilla "for distinguished service, efficiency and zeal" in clearance of mines in the Aegean and operations during the relief of Greece 1944-1945.

During his Navy service he lost the tip of his 3rd finger right hand while using a bread slicer.^[2]. He was discharged on health grounds due to a stomach ulcer.

Dangerous things those Bread Slicers !!! A junior catering guy once tried to slow the blade with a knife steel on the Pendennis as we left Cape Town , North Bound on the homeward journey . eleven days of cutting bread for a full load of Bloods and crew homeward bound with a bread knife convinced him that the slicer was his best friend .

[Albert Bishop]

Thanks Trader, I knew there was a tie up with wilfred pickles somewhere. Cheers, Albi

[Red Lead Ted]

RLT I think it is about time you changed the brand of gold watch you have as it does not seem to be doing the trick mate. You are recalling programs that us older than you are having trouble remembering.

Les my old cobber Take Your Pick ran from 1955 to 1968 and i can also inform you the name of the guy with the gong was Alec Dane the goggle box i first watched it on was a 14 inch screen the t.v. set had a back on it like a telephone box which had a steel door attatched for the t.v. repair man to get to the back of if things went wrong OH Yes i was around even for the first episode

[Les Woodard]

Now you are boasting about how effluent you where back then as us poor sods down south where still tinkering with cats whiskers. Still the best show was on the wireless and that was and still is? The Goon Show

[happy daze john in oz]

Tony I have to agree with you on that. All the so called 'reality' shows are nothing more than crap on top of crap served with crap and more crap. But here in Oz all the channels have added new channels, and what do we get, indegestion and a lot of it. But now they add insult to injury, Dads Army, black and white editions of On The buses, Constipation Street eight years behind. Midsomer Nights Murders are good but not sure about the new lot. Heartbeat finnished here last year and then they began the repeats from episode one. Along with The vicar, Mrs Bucket, even George and Mildred and believe it or not Love Thy Neighbor!!!!!