At last - an episode from the very first series of Emu's World! Unfortunately, this is the only one we currently have, so if you were one of the "Dancers from The Betty Pattison Dancing Academy", or you know somebody who was, or even if you have no connection at all with the show but you do have some recordings, please contact us. We'll arrange for any necessary transfers to be made to a professional standard, all tapes will be returned, and DVD copies provided. The easiest way to get in touch is to send an e-mail to my username (above, starting Videot...) at gmail dot com. We know that these episodes are out there somewhere, and the search is on!
So what great surprises await? Well, there's a pre-credits gag at the start, the set hasn't quite been finalised with barely any 'outside', Streak and the gramophone seem to have swapped home, Rod breaks the fourth wall and speaks to the viewers, non-cartoon realistic Hovergrot clouds, a "Goodnight, Emu" over the end credits... lots of minor differences from what followed, but most obviously, we've got a dumpy little Croc. He's voiced by Freddie Stevens, but going by the end credits, I suspect he was played by young Richard Pitt:
youngfrankenstein.co.uk/cast/...
www.scottsboromusicallondon.co...
Look out also for a cookery lesson, and an educational bit featuring some children from the Far East showing off some traditional Chinese food and demonstrating how to use chopsticks. Diversity was one of the main tenets of the show right from the start. The songs, meanwhile, are This Ole House - an old standard that was a UK number one for both Rosemary Clooney and Shakin' Stevens - and a medley of Alexander's Ragtime Band (by Irving Berlin), Hey, Mr Music Man (by Peters and Lee) and Sing (made famous by The Carpenters, and written by the bloke who did the Sesame Street theme tune). I'm told that the jazz band joining in for the medley are The Brownhills Tartans.
Although we don't know specifically which episode this is, we do know it was originally broadcast within the first six weeks of 1982, which is straight after Central Television took over from ATV. [EDIT: We now believe it to be the second episode of the series, which aired on Tuesday, 12th January, 1982, at 4.20pm.] That said, the fact that the continuity either side is Children's ITV rather than Watch It proves that this is a repeat from mid-1983 (probably July). Of course, that's Pat Coombs presenting, who would later fill in for Grotbags in 1986 and play King Boggle's love interest in 1987. I'm pretty sure she's meant to be on the set of Ragdolly Anna here.
Huge heaps of gratitude to Spencer for lending me this tape.
(To the best of my knowledge, the contents of this video have never been available commercially anywhere in the world. Please also note that I don't monetise any of my uploads. Nevertheless, if you are a copyright holder and have an objection, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
18 янв 2018