12:45 – Sheepy’s opening caption and music.
12:49 – Insignificance Blu-Ray Extra: Trailer for Insignificance (1985) – what it says on the tin.
12:50 – Insignificance Blu-Ray Extra: Gone Roeg – If you’ve ever wanted to see interviews with the Continuity Person, Set Dresser, and Production Manager of Insignificance (1985), now’s your chance. A bit of a shame they couldn’t get anyone else… but it’s not unenjoyable.
13:36 – Insignificance Blu-Ray Extra: Imitation of a Scene – An interview with one of the actors! Oh… the bloke who played one of the guys manning the fan under the subway grille beneath The Actress. Still, it’s mildly interesting.
13:40 – Insignificance Blu-Ray Extra: That’s Insignificance – This is more like it! A short contemporary behind-the-scenes promo for the film, with some interviews.
13:55 – FILM: Children’s Film Foundation: Big Wheels and Sailor (1979) – The children of long-distance lorry drivers are taken prisoner by a gang of lorry hijackers led by the owner of a cab company, but the captive children have a trick or two up their sleeves. One of the kids is played by someone very surprising, not known for their acting; see if you can spot them!
14:48 – FILM: Mädchen in Uniform (1931) – a German romantic drama film, shown here with English subtitles. After the death of her mother, teenage Manuela (Hertha Thiele) is sent off to a boarding school run by the autocratic Fräulein von Nordeck (Emilia Unda). Initially withdrawn from the other girls due to her grief and anger at being sent away, Manuela is drawn out of her shell by the beautiful and sympathetic young teacher Elizabeth von Bernburg (Dorothea Wieck). But when Manuela’s fondness for her teacher turns into a romantic attachment, it becomes a school-wide scandal.
Based on the play Gestern und heute (Yesterday and Today) by Christa Winsloe (who also wrote the screenplay and was on the set during filming), and directed by Leontine Sagan with artistic direction from Carl Froelich (who also funded the film), Mädchen in Uniform is an undisputed landmark of queer cinema and a key film of the Weimar era that also carries a potent anti-fascist message. This led to it being banned by Joseph Goebbels, not so much for the lesbian theme of the film, but rather for the depictions of Prussian ruthlessness and the criticisms on authority and discipline.
16:16 – Mädchen in Uniform Blu-Ray Extras – some fun stuff not directly related to the film, but included on the disc as “a selection of treasures from the BFI National Archive to charm and delight.”
16:17 – Mädchen in Uniform Blu-Ray Extra: Tilly and the Fire Engines (1911) – Two tomboys drive a fire engine through a fairground and hose the firemen. Apparently just the last couple of minutes of a slightly longer short film, now lost.
16:19 – Mädchen in Uniform Blu-Ray Extra: Hints and Hobbies No. 11 – Hints to the Ladies on Jiu-Jitsu (1926) – Ever wanted to see a flapper take down a ruffian? Want to see how it’s done? Now you can! Mr. J. G. Reeder would be either proud, or horrified, not sure which!
16:23 – Mädchen in Uniform Blu-Ray Extra: 4 and 20 Fit Girls – The National Fitness Council for England and Wales presents, as part of its “Fitness Wins” series, a documentary looking at women’s local village hall fitness classes during WWII.
16:35 – UFO S01E01(P01) – Identified [WITH COMMENTARY BY GERRY ANDERSON] – This week, SHADO – an acronym for Supreme Headquarters Alien Defence Organization, located beneath a supposed film studio – officially goes into operation and encounters its first UFO. An alien pilot is captured and discovered to have transplanted human organs within him. First broadcast on Wed 16th Sep 1970 at 8pm by ITV in the ATV region.
17:26 – UFO S01E01(P01) – Identified [Original Opening Sequence] – Remember how bloody and violent you thought the opening to this episode was? Well, this is the original version before they cut the gore out!!
17:32 – UFO S01E01(P01) – Identified [Alternate Ending] – This was the original ending of the episode, replaced by (I think, instead of after) the funeral scene.
17:35 – UFO Blu-Ray Extra: Tomorrow Today – a fascinating-looking magazine programme (which I’ve never heard of, but has a fabulous title sequence with what sounds like a John Baker radiophonic composition as theme music), the first item of which is Sylvia Anderson discussing the fashions of UFO. The rest is thoroughly worth a watch too, a gorgeous period piece.
There are oodles more UFO Blu-Ray extras, but they’re all spoilery, so shall have to wait… and yes, that is a custom Network ident for the UFO Blu-Ray set! No expense spared back then…
17:47 – Thames TV morning start-up music (slightly shortened).
17:51 – Only When I Laugh – S04E06 – When Did You Last See Your Father? – This week, Charlie, an elderly drunk, arrives at the hospital, claiming that he is looking for his son, from whom he has long been estranged, and Figgis is employed to find out more… First broadcast on Thu 9th Dec 1982 by ITV. Previously shown on CABTV on Sheepy’s Show #57 – Mon 2023/06/19.
18:15 – You Must Be Joking! S02E07 – The last-ever instalment of this particular dodgy mid-70s japery from the kids, apart from the 1974 pilot that I’ll be showing next week. First broadcast on Fri 4th June 1976 by ITV. Warning: this episode actually contains a moderately-amusing sketch!
18:40– The Doombolt Chase E06/06 – Assault On Cragfest – a naval-themed British science fiction/action television series aimed at a teenage audience, written by Don Houghton, whose writing credits include DW: Inferno, DW: The Mind of Evil, Dracula A.D. 1972, and half of Sapphire & Steel Assignment Five (“Doctor McDee Must Die”). It stars Peter Vaughan, Frederick Jaeger, Donald Burton and Ewen Solon, with appearances by John Woodnutt and Simon MacCorkindale. This week, in the final episode, the boys distract Vallard while Lucy makes a break for freedom. They are taken to Cragfest – a remote place surrounded by armed guards – and watch helplessly as Bayard sets up his Doombolt test. First broadcast on Sun 16th Apr 1978 by ITV.
19:04 – Clangers (New) S01E47 – All Change Day – This week, Major Clanger is making too much noise in his workshop and Mother is fed up with it. She suggests they should swap jobs. But Granny’s attempt to make the soup proves tricky, and the less said about the Soup Dragon’s knitting the better! First broadcast on Thu 16th June 2016 at 6pm by CBeebies.
19:15 – UFO S01E04(P06) – Survival – a 1970 British science fiction television series about the covert efforts of an international defence organisation (under the auspices of the United Nations) to prevent an alien invasion of Earth. It was created by Gerry Anderson and Sylvia Anderson with Reg Hill, and produced by the Andersons and Lew Grade’s Century 21 for Grade’s ITC Entertainment company. This week, Lunar Module 32 is destroyed when a limpet craft operated by the aliens attaches itself to its side and causes it to enter Earth orbit at too steep an angle, by which it burns up in the atmosphere. The craft had been hiding behind space debris. Straker wishes to launch a program to clean up all space debris believing it could be used by UFOs. However, General James Henderson believes such a program will cost too much and believes SHADO as a separate entity should be disbanded. First broadcast on Wed 7th Oct 1970 at 8pm by ITV in the ATV region.
20:05 – Tales of the Unexpected S04E04 – The Best of Everything – Arthur Price is in love with the boss’s daughter but lacks confidence. Then he meets Charlie Prince. First broadcast on Sun 26th Apr 1981 by ITV. Starring Michael Kitchen.
20:30 – The Sweeney S01E02 – Jackpot – Jack Regan and George Carter are hard-edged detectives in the Flying Squad of London’s Metropolitan Police. They pursue villains by methods which are underhanded and often illegal, frequently violent and – more often than not – successful. This week, Regan’s flying squad falls under suspicion after they apprehend a gang of hijackers, but a bag with £35,000 in it has somehow disappeared. First broadcast on Thu 9th Jan 1975 by ITV. With Ed (“Skippy the Bush Kangaroo”) Deveraux, and Charles “Moxon” Perry in the first of his four appearances.
21:20 – Keep It In The Family S05E02 – Trouble Aloft – This week, Duncan owes Dudley royalties for his work but is reluctant to pay him. He knows that with Muriel away, Dudley will stop working altogether. However Dudley decides to have the loft converted into a studio. First broadcast on Wed 14th Sept 1983 by ITV.
21:45 – The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder S01E02 – The Stealer of Marble – a British television series which was originally broadcast on ITV in two series from 1969 to 1971. It is based on a series of novels and short stories written by Edgar Wallace featuring the character of J.G. Reeder, who had appeared in several film adaptations in the late 1930s. Sixteen episodes were made, all but two in black-and-white. Reeder is a mild-mannered civil servant at the Department of Public Prosecutions with an extraordinary gift for solving complex crimes, due to being able to think exactly like a criminal. He is played by Hugh Burden (Channing in DW: Spearhead from Space, which would’ve been filmed between the two series of this!), working under the overbearing Sir Jason Toovey (Willoughby Goddard, who popped up a few times in NTNOCN). It features amusing confrontations with his long-suffering housekeeper, Mrs Houchen (Mona Bruce, who played Mrs Armitage in Within These Walls), and a succession of hapless secretaries and prospective ladyfriends. Windsor Davies also pops up in some episodes as a police inspector. It is set in the 1920s, when the stories were originally written, and the graphics of the opening credits reflect this Jazz Age setting. Not so sure about the banjo music, though…
This week, called to investigate the disappearance of Billingham, Managing Director of Telfers Trust, who has absconded with £150,000, Mr Reeder finds himself involved in a complex case of murder and extortion. First broadcast on Wed 30th April 1969 by ITV.
22:36 – Eurotrash S10E08 – The legendary late-night magazine show starring Antoine de Caunes, exploring unusual and bizarre topics from Europe and around the world. This week, we have Dana Borisova – Russian Pin-Up, Jean-Daniel Cadinot, Lolo Ferrari, Mr Penguin, Sister Bendy, Karen Oldenburg, Plastic Bertrand, Eddy Wally. First broadcast on Fri 13th Nov 1998 by Channel 4.
23:00 – Thriller S01E09 – The Eyes Have It – a British television anthology series, made by ATV for the ITV network and originally broadcast in the UK from 1973 to 1976. As the title suggests, each story is a thriller of some variety, from tales of the supernatural to down-to-earth whodunits. The series was created by Brian Clemens (of The Avengers, The Professionals, and many others fame), who also scripted the majority of the episodes and story-lined every installment.
This week, a group of terrorists posing as plumbers set up base at a school for the blind. The students remain blissfully unaware, while the terrorists plan the assassination of a politician who will soon be passing the school on a parade route. Only one student, Sally, suspects that the men upstairs may be dangerous… First broadcast on Sat 9th June 1973 by ITV. This episode has a spectacular cast!: Peter “Grouty” Vaughan, Dennis Waterman, William Marlowe, Sinéad Cusack, Leslie Schofield, David “Gan” Jackson and Alun Armstrong. Also with Michael Lees, Colin McCormack, Angela Walker, Catherine Chase and David Sands. Directed by Shaun “Sapphire and Steel” O’Riordan.
00:07 – Thriller S01E09 – Alternate USA titles – When “Thriller” was exported to the USA, the Americans completely redid the opening and closing titles in a rather trippy manner, sometimes inserting their own newly-shot teasers (using actors shot from a distance or from the neck down!). Here are the ones for this episode.
00:12 – Closedown music.
00:17 – Closedown.