Alan Briscoe
@alanbriscoe.bsky.social
Archive TV aficianado
Thriller (ATV) blog https://thriller-reviews-and-reflections.blogspot.com/
Shadows of Fear blog https://shadowsoffearreviewed.blogspot.com/
Public Eye website http://www.publiceye1965-1975.uk/
Thriller (ATV) blog https://thriller-reviews-and-reflections.blogspot.com/
Shadows of Fear blog https://shadowsoffearreviewed.blogspot.com/
Public Eye website http://www.publiceye1965-1975.uk/
Headed notepaper showing the Hereford address of the Bourne family featured in ATV drama "The Cedar Tree" (1976-1978). ATV shows occasionally referred to less well known parts of the region although in this case I'm not sure there was any filming in the Hereford area or anywhere beyond the studio.
January 6, 2026 at 4:55 PM
Headed notepaper showing the Hereford address of the Bourne family featured in ATV drama "The Cedar Tree" (1976-1978). ATV shows occasionally referred to less well known parts of the region although in this case I'm not sure there was any filming in the Hereford area or anywhere beyond the studio.
With regard to that episode I only noticed recently that Annette Woollett who plays "Wendy Two" has five double letters in her name! Surely some kind of record, maybe her parents chose "Annette" as her first name for that very reason!
December 30, 2025 at 4:29 PM
With regard to that episode I only noticed recently that Annette Woollett who plays "Wendy Two" has five double letters in her name! Surely some kind of record, maybe her parents chose "Annette" as her first name for that very reason!
Actress Wendy Gifford in Crown Court in 1972. Wendy appeared in many shows but ATV's Thriller was not one of them. Despite this I can't shake off the idea she appeared in the episode "Good Salary - Prospects - Free Coffin", probably because it features characters called Wendy & one called Gifford!
December 28, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Actress Wendy Gifford in Crown Court in 1972. Wendy appeared in many shows but ATV's Thriller was not one of them. Despite this I can't shake off the idea she appeared in the episode "Good Salary - Prospects - Free Coffin", probably because it features characters called Wendy & one called Gifford!
It's always interesting to see pictures - especially in colour - from wiped episodes. These are from "The Old Folks at Home" (August 1973) from Series 1 of ATV police drama Hunters Walk. Actor Ken Jones was best known for his comic roles but like many comic actors acquitted himself well in drama.
December 19, 2025 at 4:54 PM
It's always interesting to see pictures - especially in colour - from wiped episodes. These are from "The Old Folks at Home" (August 1973) from Series 1 of ATV police drama Hunters Walk. Actor Ken Jones was best known for his comic roles but like many comic actors acquitted himself well in drama.
Article extract from June 1974 about Mark McManus. Now best remembered as Scottish detective Taggart it's easy to overlook the variety of roles & accents he employed with great aplomb early in his career. In this extract he offers some fascinating thoughts on work, class and politics....
December 17, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Article extract from June 1974 about Mark McManus. Now best remembered as Scottish detective Taggart it's easy to overlook the variety of roles & accents he employed with great aplomb early in his career. In this extract he offers some fascinating thoughts on work, class and politics....
Border had one of the oddest examples of scheduling. After episode 2 (Exposed) showed Paul Foster joining SHADO in episode 3 he was trying to kill the man who appointed him! Kill Straker was produced much later than Exposed and should be shown much further in the run.
December 14, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Border had one of the oddest examples of scheduling. After episode 2 (Exposed) showed Paul Foster joining SHADO in episode 3 he was trying to kill the man who appointed him! Kill Straker was produced much later than Exposed and should be shown much further in the run.
Border took the second longest to screen all 26 episodes of UFO; Tyne Tees though took even longer, also starting in September 1970 but not finishing until June 1975.
December 14, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Border took the second longest to screen all 26 episodes of UFO; Tyne Tees though took even longer, also starting in September 1970 but not finishing until June 1975.
Border TV was the joint first channel to start showing Gerry Anderson's UFO in September 1970. After a strong start though screenings became more sporadic with a few new episodes mixed with repeats. It didn't complete a first run until May 1975, almost 5 years after starting.
December 14, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Border TV was the joint first channel to start showing Gerry Anderson's UFO in September 1970. After a strong start though screenings became more sporadic with a few new episodes mixed with repeats. It didn't complete a first run until May 1975, almost 5 years after starting.
One of the most memorable 1970s PIFs, Ray Brooks again on narration duties.
December 12, 2025 at 4:33 PM
One of the most memorable 1970s PIFs, Ray Brooks again on narration duties.
Malcolm Terris and James Bate appearing in the last episode of the 1972 Granada TV serial "The Intruder". By coincidence both appeared as detectives in episodes of ATV's Thriller. Both were also originally from the North East (Sunderland & Whitley Bay respectively).
December 11, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Malcolm Terris and James Bate appearing in the last episode of the 1972 Granada TV serial "The Intruder". By coincidence both appeared as detectives in episodes of ATV's Thriller. Both were also originally from the North East (Sunderland & Whitley Bay respectively).
Anthony Ainley & Geoffrey Beevers in a 1976 episode of prison drama Within These Walls alongside regulars Mona Bruce & Sonia Graham. Both actors later played incarnations of The Master in Doctor Who. Anthony was playing an MP here & described himself as "the Shadow Minister for Organised Chaos"!
December 8, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Anthony Ainley & Geoffrey Beevers in a 1976 episode of prison drama Within These Walls alongside regulars Mona Bruce & Sonia Graham. Both actors later played incarnations of The Master in Doctor Who. Anthony was playing an MP here & described himself as "the Shadow Minister for Organised Chaos"!
That's also a bugbear of mine, less of an issue if the details are on the back cover of the DVD case but very often they're on an inner sleeve in small typeface or buried in a booklet when it would be much clearer to have them printed on the disc.
December 7, 2025 at 4:40 PM
That's also a bugbear of mine, less of an issue if the details are on the back cover of the DVD case but very often they're on an inner sleeve in small typeface or buried in a booklet when it would be much clearer to have them printed on the disc.
Special effects were not generally a strength of Thames' 1970 science fiction series The Tomorrow People but it did make some good use of optical effects such as in this colourful, psychedelic image from the 1974 serial "The Blue and the Green".
December 5, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Special effects were not generally a strength of Thames' 1970 science fiction series The Tomorrow People but it did make some good use of optical effects such as in this colourful, psychedelic image from the 1974 serial "The Blue and the Green".
Yes - Patrick Troughton playing a character impersonating Jason King in the aptly-named episode "That Isn't Me - It's Somebody Else".
December 3, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Yes - Patrick Troughton playing a character impersonating Jason King in the aptly-named episode "That Isn't Me - It's Somebody Else".
There is a clue in the word "Who"...
December 3, 2025 at 8:22 PM
There is a clue in the word "Who"...
It's certainly not him and is of someone trying to impersonate him - but who?
December 3, 2025 at 5:11 PM
It's certainly not him and is of someone trying to impersonate him - but who?
Crime-writer, crime-fighter and playboy Jason King - or is it?
December 3, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Crime-writer, crime-fighter and playboy Jason King - or is it?
John Le Mesurier, Carol Lynley and Francesca Annis in "Death of an Old-Fashioned Girl", an episode of Orson Welles' Great Mysteries (Anglia). All three also had starring roles in ATV's Thriller but unlike Thriller OWGM wasn't networked & this episode appeared at various points in 1975 & 1976.
December 1, 2025 at 4:32 PM
John Le Mesurier, Carol Lynley and Francesca Annis in "Death of an Old-Fashioned Girl", an episode of Orson Welles' Great Mysteries (Anglia). All three also had starring roles in ATV's Thriller but unlike Thriller OWGM wasn't networked & this episode appeared at various points in 1975 & 1976.
A very good punning original title (though maybe not for non-UK audiences). The "new" title "Cry Terror" much more generic and could be applied to almost any thriller. I often have to remind myself which Thriller episode it applies to.
November 28, 2025 at 4:34 PM
A very good punning original title (though maybe not for non-UK audiences). The "new" title "Cry Terror" much more generic and could be applied to almost any thriller. I often have to remind myself which Thriller episode it applies to.
Apart from being a very good series this was also distinctive in being ATV's first children's show produced in Birmingham and with two local kids in the lead roles. Like many ATV shows of the time it was originally on colour tape but only these b / w telerecordings survive.
November 27, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Apart from being a very good series this was also distinctive in being ATV's first children's show produced in Birmingham and with two local kids in the lead roles. Like many ATV shows of the time it was originally on colour tape but only these b / w telerecordings survive.
Ray Brooks on voiceover duties as he often was for PIFs. I don't know if I'm the only one who finds tthe close-ups of food going into the mouth really unpleasant and this is a PIF I'd have been keen to avoid despite the very important message.
November 24, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Ray Brooks on voiceover duties as he often was for PIFs. I don't know if I'm the only one who finds tthe close-ups of food going into the mouth really unpleasant and this is a PIF I'd have been keen to avoid despite the very important message.
Slightly OT but my parents had some singles and one was by Jim Reeves and it had no B-side! I can't recall any other single like that.
November 22, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Slightly OT but my parents had some singles and one was by Jim Reeves and it had no B-side! I can't recall any other single like that.
This was a nicely done show, the young star Kevin Moreton with a very broad Yorkshire accent! Although made by Tyne Tees it has no outside filming & almost no regional references unlike the successor series from the region "The Paper Lads" & "Quest of Eagles".
November 20, 2025 at 4:32 PM
This was a nicely done show, the young star Kevin Moreton with a very broad Yorkshire accent! Although made by Tyne Tees it has no outside filming & almost no regional references unlike the successor series from the region "The Paper Lads" & "Quest of Eagles".
Ulster TV did start with 17 episodes of UFO on Friday nights until 2 February 1973 and in a good broadcast slot (7.30-8.30pm). Later though it disappeared for long periods, changed days & times & mixed repeats with new episodes but evening time slots were not as late as most regions.
November 19, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Ulster TV did start with 17 episodes of UFO on Friday nights until 2 February 1973 and in a good broadcast slot (7.30-8.30pm). Later though it disappeared for long periods, changed days & times & mixed repeats with new episodes but evening time slots were not as late as most regions.
Ulster TV did not start showing UFO until Friday 29th September 1972. An overall broadcast order is impossible as most of the earlier screenings had no episode title but it it possible to identify when the "late night", "sensitive-content" episodes were first broadcast.
November 19, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Ulster TV did not start showing UFO until Friday 29th September 1972. An overall broadcast order is impossible as most of the earlier screenings had no episode title but it it possible to identify when the "late night", "sensitive-content" episodes were first broadcast.