The Famouus Five

_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.

wotzgoingon

Didn't even know it was on the telly. What channel was it on and when(what year)? I read a good few of the famous five books around 1990-95.

RTE 1
BBC1

both screened on children's after school TV, before the likes of blue Peter and that little gob$hite, Bosco.

wotzgoingon

[Deleted User] wrote: »

RTE 1
BBC1

both screened on children's after school TV, before the likes of blue Peter and that little gob$hite, Bosco.

Before my time so. Probably wouldn't have seen it even if it was on when I was younger as I didn't watch TV used to go outside in hail rain sleet or snow.

Spotted these just before Christmas..