Childrens television programmes of the past

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
  • Born in 1965

    Perhaps there aren't any other people who grew up in ATV land here, but I can't believe nobody has mentioned TISWAS which IMHO was the greatest ever Saturday morning kids show. Despite the BBC's recent attempt to re-write history with its 'It all Began with Swap Shop' program the truth was that TISWAS started in Jan 1974 (I watched it from the very first episode) over 2 years before Noel n co appeared as a desperate attempt by BBC bosses to claw back viewers in the Midlands. TISWAS had waaay cooler bands on the show; Clash, Motorhead, Kate Bush, The Who, Robert Plant, Iron Maiden, Pretenders, Slade.... where as over on the other side it was usually boring safe adult stuff like Cliff, The Dooleys, Barbara Dickson, Sky etc. Sorry if I'm getting a tad ranty here but the Beeb did not invent the blue-print for Sat morn kids TV shows, that happened 100 miles further north on the 'other side'.

    Getting off my soap box now.... other progs that I liked...

    My first memories were all the Watch With Mother programs after the news at lunchtime as a pre-schooler; Trumpton, Camberwick Green, Chigley etc Mary Mungo and Midge and Poggles Wood were favorites. The first programs that really inspired me were Gerry Anderson's creations like Capt Scarlet, Stingray, Joe 90 and in particular Thunderbirds... I really wanted to fly Thunderbird 3 like Allan as he seemed the cool one, but I also wanted the option of disappearing off up to the space station for some peace and quiet not to mention using all that high tech radio monitoring gear!

  • ..."CRACKERJACK"!

    (Replies, anyone? Or are we all  just thinking it, now in our "old age"?)   :-)

  • You’ve won a Cracker Jack pencil !

    Loved watching the kids on stage trying desperately to hold onto the prizes if a question was guessed correctly or a cabbage if you got it wrong. And didn’t they used to throw sweets out to the large theatre audience, and the little fella with glasses used to say,,doh,

  • Got a feeling I saw Peter Glaze in a pantomime in Brum in the early 70s.

  • Peter Glaze was an actor, and I believe he was one of the members of the Crazy Gang.  He originally appeared in Crackerjack with Leslie Crowther and they made a great double act.  After leaving Crackerjack Peter Glaze appeared in one or two serious tv dramas.

  • (Picture taken from: www.cliveconwayproductions.com/.../bob-carolgees.html )

    Thanks Mr. LoneWarrior... I post this picture of Mr.Carolgees and Sir Spit as if for closure (?!) -I do not edit my previous Posts, as I think it good to remember my getting things mixed up that way...

    Here, now, This is a cute picture of "Spit" yet I would not like such things as "spitting" now (...!)  Also Thanks again, I have by now finished eating the Crackerjack Pencil...    :-)

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