Radio and TV - Memories and Favourites

Wakey wakey!

Hi all My piano lessons. As silly as it might sound, this was such clever stuff. I couldn't do it & I have yet to hear anyone else that can. Les got the wrong notes in the right places.

Eric Morecambe did a similar thing in a sketch with Andre Previn the orchestra conductor. He said that he was playing all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order.

Ah, yes. I remember 'Watch With Mother' from my very young days. It was a different one every day. Monday: Picture Book, Tuesday: Andy Pandy, Wednesday: The Flowerpot Men, Thursday: Rag Tag & Bobtail, Friday: The Woodentops. I also recall many of those radio programmes, although some weren't very popular in our house. Billy Cotton was detested by my parents, as was the dire 'Sing Something Simple'. None of us liked the Goons either. I also found it infantile nonsense from a young age. I did like the Navy Lark, the Clitheroe Kid and even Round the Horne, even though I hadn't quite grasped some of the humour at the time. Music & Movement on the radio. I recall it just as you do. Taken by Mrs Gates in the junior school in the room opposite the head's study. Not my favourite lesson, but it sure beat the hated 'hymn practice' in the same venue once a week, and usually concluded by one or two lads fainting.

Slim you are correct, I think the character`s name was " Mrs Mopp" - probably a harmless bit of innuendo as the "doing" was only cleaning out wherever Tommy Handley happened to be. Another catch phrase from the show was "TTFN" (ta-ta for now) I think Jack Train was Colonel Chinstrap, I think his phrase was "I don`t mind if I do" (bit of a boozer!)

Sorry but having read the last dozen or so memories, I`ve got one or two to add. Much Binding in the Marsh - "Stinker" Murdoch and Kenneth Horne (I think they started this in 1944 while they were both serving with the RAF). The Charlie Chester Show. The Sam Costa Show. Educating Archie. The Bradens or was it Life with the Bradens - Bernard Braden, his wife Barbara Kelly and the Scottish maid Aggie. The Braden Beat. All the Dance bands - Geraldo, Edmundo Ross (latin American) etc. Big Bands - Ken Mackintosh, Ted Heath and band singers like Lita Rosa, Kathy Kirby. Anybody remember "Grand Hotel" - Sunday nights, a bit "up-market". PS did somebody mention "It ain`t `arf `ot mum" - I believe that is now non-PC. "Un(e?) programme de music leisere, interprete par Tom Jenkins et son orchestra" was the introduction in my lousy French.

Bravo Roger, I was a 'big band' fanatic, mostly without the vocals, also Ted Heath. Always used to listen to Family Favourites. Victor Sylvester with his dance steps over the airwaves. Just one more to add to the comedy list. Raise a Laugh - was that Ted Ray? I have no doubt there are many more but I am sure Kaga would have been on his travels and not able to listen to the funnies.

Probably the right time to revive this link from post #88

Dreamtime. Somewhere we have gone all through this before. Yes, I not only listened to them, I was a personal friend of Beryl Bryden, the top blues singer in England - I helped her paint her kitchen, I went to London just to hear Humphrey Lyttleton because I heard he had stormed up the beach, rifle in one hand, trumpet in the other. I went with a girl to Torquay and lost her to Ted Heath's lead male singer - nearly all these big band guys played in each other's bands at some time, but the musician that had the best musical education I believe was clarinetist Sid Phillips, but no doubt Longford Lad will know.

Kaga - I think this was mentioned in the 'Big Bands' and 'Our Kaga' threads

Midland Red. I did say we had gone all through this before, the same for the funnies - Charlie Chester, Max Miller, Mike and Bernie Winters, and a whole host of them.

`Mind the glass doors please` comes to mind (Palm Court?)

Mike and Bernie Winters - funny?

Morecambe and Wise, when asked what they would be if they weren't comedians, Eric replied 'Mike & Bernie Winters'