• Replies 84 replies
  • Subscribers 44 subscribers
  • Views 34492 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Childrens television programmes of the past

Trainspotter

Being born in the fifties, and having my formative years in the sixties and seventies, I believe some of the best television programmes were those made for children. I am a great fan of programmes made for children, and even now think there is some quality work there.But some of the programmes of rhe past excelled in real quality.

For starting this thread I will include one or two of my favourites from the sixties to the eighties.

I will come back to this later with others, I think my avatar would indicate one of my favourites so that goes without saying, for the moment.

The Owl service, a programme made in the late sixties, a mystery about a tea service and the remote.locarion it was set in.

Follyfoot, with its theme tune about a farm for retired horses, the characer of Dora every lad in my year fell in love with

Children of the Stones, a very creepy tale set in Avebury, with similarities to the Wicker Man

The Witches and the Grinnygog, a tale of a gargoyle with a seemingly strange power.

Worzel Gummidge, with Jon Pertwee and Una Stubbs at their best.

Others to come, but opening up to reminiscences from other people.

Parents

  • There was a time that my ambition in life was to become a Womble (I'm rather flabbergasted that they haven't been mentioned yet!)  I think something about them being hidden away under the noses of human beings in a little hidey hole, sneaking out to find other people's junk to tinker with, really appealed to me. Bernard Cribbins is always so good at doing that kind of multi-character narration, too - one of those voices, like Oliver Postgate, that I always enjoy to hear. The very first records I owned were the Wombles too, though I must admit, I'm not really much of a fan of that Glammy kind of sound. I wonder sometimes whether being a Wombles fan influenced my decision to take up caving when I got a bit older!

    When I got a bit older, it was mainly more factual programmes that I preferred. Blue Peter was a household favourite - my Mum's into handicrafts like me, so we were always collecting yoghurt pots so that we were prepared for Biddy Baxter's latest brainwave. I was hooked on Johnny Ball's shows (Think of a Number etc.); he played a big part in my lifelong fascination with science and history.

    And who could forget Why Don't You (Just Turn Off Your Television Set and Go Out and Do Something Less Boring Instead?). I've no idea if the show was any good (I usually ran with their suggestion), but it wins the title for the best name!

Reply

  • There was a time that my ambition in life was to become a Womble (I'm rather flabbergasted that they haven't been mentioned yet!)  I think something about them being hidden away under the noses of human beings in a little hidey hole, sneaking out to find other people's junk to tinker with, really appealed to me. Bernard Cribbins is always so good at doing that kind of multi-character narration, too - one of those voices, like Oliver Postgate, that I always enjoy to hear. The very first records I owned were the Wombles too, though I must admit, I'm not really much of a fan of that Glammy kind of sound. I wonder sometimes whether being a Wombles fan influenced my decision to take up caving when I got a bit older!

    When I got a bit older, it was mainly more factual programmes that I preferred. Blue Peter was a household favourite - my Mum's into handicrafts like me, so we were always collecting yoghurt pots so that we were prepared for Biddy Baxter's latest brainwave. I was hooked on Johnny Ball's shows (Think of a Number etc.); he played a big part in my lifelong fascination with science and history.

    And who could forget Why Don't You (Just Turn Off Your Television Set and Go Out and Do Something Less Boring Instead?). I've no idea if the show was any good (I usually ran with their suggestion), but it wins the title for the best name!

Children