The Famouus Five

wideangle

We are the famous five,
Julian,Dick,Ann,George,
and
Timmy the dog.

Great memories of that show,they were so sospicious of everyone.

meldrew

Great show definitely long overdue for a remake !

full forward

I always had a soft spot for Ann...



THe books were not great though. Secret seven was way better.

Earthhorse

The Famous Five spent more time eating than solving mysteries. Seriously, they were always sneaking into the pantry or else having tea/breakfast/lunch/brunch/dinner/elevenses/a picnic. There was always a tongue of ham involved as well which I couldn't help but picture literally as a child.

Tar.Aldarion

just read the books, they must have been a 100 stone with the feasts they ate, good memories!

c - 13

Was it always smugglers though ? I seem to remember it always being smugglers.

KevIRL

Earthhorse wrote:

The Famous Five spent more time eating than solving mysteries. Seriously, they were always sneaking into the pantry or else having tea/breakfast/lunch/brunch/dinner/elevenses/a picnic. There was always a tongue of ham involved as well which I couldn't help but picture literally as a child.

Ginger beer and ices!

Earthhorse

Yeah, ginger ale and tongues of ham. How can this stuff be good for kids?

c - 13 wrote:

Was it always smugglers though ? I seem to remember it always being smugglers.

Nah, there was one about pirates, it was called "The Smugglers of Pirate Cove".

irishgeo

ahh the memories. i wonder do i still have the books in a box in the attic somewhere.

nlgbbbblth

meldrew wrote:

Great show definitely long overdue for a remake !

The series was remade in 1997 but was set in the time when the books were written (1940s/1950s) and was rubbish.

Naturally the ultimate Famous Five experience is watching the Southern TV series from 1978-1979 (which had a contemporary setting).

This series needs a DVD release - I bought five VIDEO HOME SYSTEM cassettes (three episodes on each) when they came out in the mid 1990s.

I also interviewed Gary Russell (who played Dick) for a fanzine I used edit/write back in 1998.

mike65

The opening credit sequence was filmed only down the road from where I lived in the early 70s, many of the locations used were familair to me.

Crap show though, the Comic Stip did it better!

Mike.

MsMolko

I remember dressing up as Timmy the Dog. Heh.

TempestSabre

nlgbbbblth wrote:

The series was remade in 1997 but was set in the time when the books were written (1940s/1950s) and was rubbish.

Naturally the ultimate Famous Five experience is watching the Southern TV series from 1978-1979 (which had a contemporary setting).

This series needs a DVD release - I bought five VIDEO HOME SYSTEM cassettes (three episodes on each) when they came out in the mid 1990s.

I also interviewed Gary Russell (who played Dick) for a fanzine I used edit/write back in 1998.

Saw the 97 one I think. But it was a bit weak. Great series.

Fabritzo

Those pesky kids! I found the theme tune a couple of years ago, here's a link: http://rapidshare.de/files/11017711/Famous_Five.mp3.html

mike65

Ah I see then in my minds eye skipping down the health land towards the coast!

Mike.

Siogfinsceal

didnt like any of the shows but loved th ebooks. its so funny now you think of it 4 little kids taking on big gangs of criminal men and winning lol as if. and the constant eating of ginger beer and ham and bread. the funniest was how they always found some nice person who would just take them in and feed them

DublinWriter

nlgbbbblth wrote:

I also interviewed Gary Russell (who played Dick) for a fanzine I used edit/write back in 1998.

That's pretty freakin' hardcore!

Funnily enough, I was just looking at the last post about stilly crushes you had when a kid about people off the TV and George (ina!) came to mind.

This was back in 6th Class when I was 12 (that's a 1982 '12', I think it's equal to about 7 years old in this day and age).

Anyways I was mocked about this in class, so I took a pole over of the guys over who was prettier - George (ina!) or Anne. Anne won by just one vote!

A moral victory for me I think.

Now if you'll excuse me, I just have to go prepare for my drag act...

Now that the complete Comic Strip has been released on DVD, you've no excuse not to see 'Five go mad by the sea' and 'Five go mad on Mescilin'.

But I'm still trawling uknova for the original Southern TV programmes.

wideangle

Remember when the circus came and they were camping near by.There was something dodgy about those circus people.

deaddonkey

oh man

I haven't read those books for years, I used to love them, there was some kind of weird security in them... all the homeliness and love and respect.

good times.

nlgbbbblth

wideangle wrote:

Remember when the circus came and they were camping near by.There was something dodgy about those circus people.

Five Go Off In A Caravan

Lou and Tiger Dan are the bad guys.

Circus people are generally pricks.

cgf

And C4s 'The Comic Strip presents, Five go mad on mescaline', classic.

Den_M

Does anyone remember the piss-take of the Famous Five that RTE showed around 5 or 6 years ago? It was something else, I nearly died. I think Dick started a fight with some guy and broke his nose. It was done in the same style as the series and looked pretty old. (as in late 70s early 80s).

Think it was a one off programme.I'd love to see it again.

DublinWriter

Den_M wrote:

Think it was a one off programme.I'd love to see it again.

See above posts - it was the Comic Strip - one of the first programmes on Channel 4 back in 1982. Most of the cast came from the Comedy Store players and went on to become Alexie Sayle, the cast of the Young Ones, French and Saunders and Lenny Henry to name just a few.

There were huge legal problems about getting the Comic Strip released on DVD, but thankfully everything was resolved and there was a complete box set last year.

Den_M

Thanks a lot. I saw the posts you mentioned but thought they were about a more recent programme. I'll check that series out.

jupiterjack

they should just re-run it again...love it..

nlgbbbblth

Region 2 DVD of the 1970s series finally on its way.

darkdubh

I remember the 70's series fondly.I had no idea George was a girl until one episode where she was wearing a dress.I got some shock.

mikemac1

.......and lashings and lashings of ginger ale

I fancied Ann, she was such a girly girl
Fancied is the wrong word, childhood crush maybe. Twas all very innocent

Disliked the bossy one, that was George I think

Jim Comic

nlgbbbblth wrote: »

I also interviewed Gary Russell (who played Dick) for a fanzine I used edit/write back in 1998.

would you have the text of that by any chance? it was a great article, i'd love to read it again, was telling some friends about it last night


jim.morrish.cmj.print@gmail.com

Zaph

Jim Comic wrote: »

would you have the text of that by any chance? it was a great article, i'd love to read it again, was telling some friends about it last night


jim.morrish.cmj.print@gmail.com

That post you quoted was from 2006 and the poster hasn't been online since 2015 so I'd guess you're not going to have much luck.

Pelvis Parsley

How helpful.

_Brian

We watched some episodes with the kids over last Christmas, was fun, also watched the Waltons.

Zaph

Pelvis Parsley wrote: »

How helpful.

I was just making the poster aware that he's probably going to draw a blank, especially as the poster he quoted hasn't been online for over two years, which he may not have been aware of. What would you have preferred I post?

Ralf and Florian

Opening and closing sequence with subtitles to the song. I always thought at the time the bit where they were saying the ruined castle was "the moving castle". I remember always avidly watching them disappearing off into the distance in the closing sequence.

Ralf and Florian

Sadly Michelle Gallagher, who played George went off the rails in her 20's and was involved in a motorcycle accident that left her paralyzed. Apparently she took her own life in 2000 or thereabouts.

Del.Monte

Ralf and Florian wrote: »

Sadly Michelle Gallagher, who played George went off the rails in her 20's and was involved in a motorcycle accident that left her paralyzed. Apparently she took her own life in 2000 or thereabouts.

Better off sticking to the books and letting your imagination run wild. I still love lashings of ginger beer.

branie2

Gary Russell, who played dick, was actually older than Marcus Harris (Julian)

darkdubh

branie2 wrote: »

Gary Russell, who played dick, was actually older than Marcus Harris (Julian)

He's also gone on to be a scriptwriter for Dr Who.

Ursus Horribilis

I stumbled upon a radio interview ages ago. Fans of the 70s TV series might enjoy this jaunt down memory lane with Julian, Dick and Anne.

http://www.sunshinehospitalradio.co.uk/famous5reunited.htm

MysticMonk

As a kid i preffered the Five Find Outers books..they had a much more interesting cast of characters,especially the aptly named Fredrick Algernon Trotteville..known as Fatty.:D

Imagine calling a kid in a young-adults book Fatty nowadays!

branie2

Enid Blyton made boarding school sound exciting with her St Mallory stories

Del.Monte

branie2 wrote: »

Enid Blyton made boarding school sound exciting with her St Mallory stories

It was - for me anyway!

Hangdogroad

Was just thinking about the Famous Five books the other day. I remember in one where they're staying in a creepy house or something and Anne screams that she saw a face at the window. She says something like "it was horrible, like a black mans face". Years later I read an interview with Lenny Henry where he referenced reading that book as a kid and the reference to the black mans face put him off Edith Blyton.

There was another book where there was something about gypsies, they were described in a similarly unflattering way.

the heathen

Earthhorse wrote:

Nah, there was one about pirates, it was called "The Smugglers of Pirate Cove".

Don't think so. The books were all started with 'Five' so 'Five run away together' or 'Five fall into adventure'.

The smugglers one was called 'Five go to Smugglers Top'.

Del.Monte

Hangdogroad wrote: »

Was just thinking about the Famous Five books the other day. I remember in one where they're staying in a creepy house or something and Anne screams that she saw a face at the window. She says something like "it was horrible, like a black mans face". Years later I read an interview with Lenny Henry where he referenced reading that book as a kid and the reference to the black mans face put him off Edith Blyton.

There was another book where there was something about gypsies, they were described in a similarly unflattering way.

And, OMG, she supported the sugary drinks industry with her "lashings of ginger beer" in every book. I still drink Fentiman's whenever I can get it.

branie2

Del.Monte wrote: »

And, OMG, she supported the sugary drinks industry with her "lashings of ginger beer" in every book. I still drink Fentiman's whenever I can get it.

She'd hate the sugar tax, then.

Pawwed Rig

Hangdogroad wrote: »

Years later I read an interview with Lenny Henry where he referenced reading that book as a kid and the reference to the black mans face put him off Edith Blyton.

There was another book where there was something about gypsies, they were described in a similarly unflattering way.

There was nothing controversial in using those sentiments at the time though. I recall we had one of her books called the 3 Gollywogs whose names were Golly, Woggy and N*****.
It is difficult to view older works through a lens of modern sensitivities sometimes. For example Little House on the Prairy has fallen foul of this in the US now for its lack of sensitivity towards blacks.

branie2

At one point, she even wrote a book about Jesus for children.

The Ford Cortina station wagon. Would "act up" too. Kinda surprised no model was brought out like mr beans mini.

Posy

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

There was nothing controversial in using those sentiments at the time though. I recall we had one of her books called the 3 Gollywogs whose names were Golly, Woggy and N*****.
It is difficult to view older works through a lens of modern sensitivities sometimes. For example Little House on the Prairy has fallen foul of this in the US now for its lack of sensitivity towards blacks.

I took the gollywog book on face value when I read it as a child.
One of them would go to the shop and buy cream for a pie he was having. Then the other would go to the shop later and the owner would say 'but you were already here!' leading to an argument, because it was the brother. Then the third golly would have the same experience. 'I haven't been here today!' etc.
As a child, I thought they were idiots, because surely if you have two identical siblings, wouldn't it occur to you that maybe the shopkeeper served one of them earlier, duh. :rolleyes:
As an adult, I think they probably weren't identical at all, but just looked the same to the other (white) villagers, hence the confusion!

In my version, the gollywogs were Wiggie, Waggie, and Wollie.

I do still have the Circus books knocking about the attic somewhere, and remember two of the black dogs were Darkie and N(*)gger.

I don't remember anything like that in the Famous Five- I just remember I loved reading them, and Malory Towers!
Must try and find the Comic Strip version again. That was classic.

The 'five were dumb alright:. Nowadays their parents would be solidly reprimanded by the Midlands constabulary and social services would have an interest in what they allowed them as kids to get up to.