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/
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.
"The Vampire from Space" - the original name for the 1971 Doctor Who serial "The Claws of Axos". It isn't unusual in TV for stories or episodes to have originally had different titles but it's quite rare to have on-screen evidence of the original.
November 16, 2025 at 4:43 PM
"The Vampire from Space" - the original name for the 1971 Doctor Who serial "The Claws of Axos". It isn't unusual in TV for stories or episodes to have originally had different titles but it's quite rare to have on-screen evidence of the original.
Colourful ident for Trident Television. Trident was a company that handled sales for both Yorkshire Television and Tyne Tees. The three prongs of the trident represented these two companies and Trident's extensive other business interests.
November 14, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Colourful ident for Trident Television. Trident was a company that handled sales for both Yorkshire Television and Tyne Tees. The three prongs of the trident represented these two companies and Trident's extensive other business interests.
Nicholas Pennell, "Gail" aka Helen Worth and Bernard Kay in the Doctor Who serial "Colony in Space" broadcast in May 1971.
November 9, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Nicholas Pennell, "Gail" aka Helen Worth and Bernard Kay in the Doctor Who serial "Colony in Space" broadcast in May 1971.
Thames TV ident from its earliest days in 1968, very different to its later, best-known incarnation but still accompanied by the famous fanfare. New ITV channels often had at least one ident before reaching the versions for which they are best remembered.
November 8, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Thames TV ident from its earliest days in 1968, very different to its later, best-known incarnation but still accompanied by the famous fanfare. New ITV channels often had at least one ident before reaching the versions for which they are best remembered.
First broadcasts of Gerry Anderson's UFO on Grampian spanning three and a half years from mid 1971 to late 1974. This was a difficult region to compile with the show disappearing for long periods and with repeats mixed with first broadcasts. Grampian did not start colour broadcasts until 30.9.71.
November 6, 2025 at 4:42 PM
First broadcasts of Gerry Anderson's UFO on Grampian spanning three and a half years from mid 1971 to late 1974. This was a difficult region to compile with the show disappearing for long periods and with repeats mixed with first broadcasts. Grampian did not start colour broadcasts until 30.9.71.
The 1974 Thriller episode "Death To Sister Mary" focused on the targeting of an actress playing a nun in a TV series set in a convent. A seemingly improbable setting for a drama but it had been used in the 1967-1968 Rediffusion series "Sanctuary" starring Joanna Dunham - only one episode exists.
November 2, 2025 at 4:31 PM
The 1974 Thriller episode "Death To Sister Mary" focused on the targeting of an actress playing a nun in a TV series set in a convent. A seemingly improbable setting for a drama but it had been used in the 1967-1968 Rediffusion series "Sanctuary" starring Joanna Dunham - only one episode exists.
Listing for the episode "Nowhere for the Kids" from Series 2 of LWT's prison drama "Within These Walls", 24th January 1975. Curiously this episode is missing and it's uncertain how it happened with all other episodes of the show's five series in existence, possibly a case of accidental wiping.
October 28, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Listing for the episode "Nowhere for the Kids" from Series 2 of LWT's prison drama "Within These Walls", 24th January 1975. Curiously this episode is missing and it's uncertain how it happened with all other episodes of the show's five series in existence, possibly a case of accidental wiping.
Listing from September 1969 for the first episode of "Parkin's Patch", a series about ruling policing and an early YTV production. This notes that lead actor John Flanagan was himself the son of a police officer. He went on to play detectives or police in later shows such as The Sweeney & Thriller.
October 19, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Listing from September 1969 for the first episode of "Parkin's Patch", a series about ruling policing and an early YTV production. This notes that lead actor John Flanagan was himself the son of a police officer. He went on to play detectives or police in later shows such as The Sweeney & Thriller.
Actresses Barbara Mitchell and Polly James as guest storytellers on Rainbow in late 1972. The show was then its early days but lasted another 20 years. Also lasting those 20 years was its famous theme tune which was never re-recorded or "updated" as other long-running themes have been.
October 16, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Actresses Barbara Mitchell and Polly James as guest storytellers on Rainbow in late 1972. The show was then its early days but lasted another 20 years. Also lasting those 20 years was its famous theme tune which was never re-recorded or "updated" as other long-running themes have been.
Listings for Ulster TV for 20th December 1973. An odd feature is the reference to "The World of Jason King" - the original name for the Jason King series but dropped before screening. The show had been on TV for two years by this time so it's puzzling the old name was used.
October 13, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Listings for Ulster TV for 20th December 1973. An odd feature is the reference to "The World of Jason King" - the original name for the Jason King series but dropped before screening. The show had been on TV for two years by this time so it's puzzling the old name was used.
Sheila Fay and Sarah Greene in a publicity picture for Southern TV daytime soap "Together" (in which they played mother and daughter) as it started its run in January 1980. Sheila was a well-established actress; Sarah was very early in her career but later that year moved on to present Blue Peter.
September 26, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Sheila Fay and Sarah Greene in a publicity picture for Southern TV daytime soap "Together" (in which they played mother and daughter) as it started its run in January 1980. Sheila was a well-established actress; Sarah was very early in her career but later that year moved on to present Blue Peter.
Evening listings for HTV West on 2nd March 1973 including a very late screening for new sitcom "The Upper Crusts" starring Charles Gray about an upper class family forced by debts to move into a council house. Some other new shows ended up in graveyard slots in various ITV regions.
September 21, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Evening listings for HTV West on 2nd March 1973 including a very late screening for new sitcom "The Upper Crusts" starring Charles Gray about an upper class family forced by debts to move into a council house. Some other new shows ended up in graveyard slots in various ITV regions.
UFO was first broadcast in 3 areas (ATV, Border, Tyne Tees) OTD (16th September) in 1970. To mark this it's interesting to see the rank order of episodes on the IMDb. Obviously for this or any series our own preferences may be very different but it's always useful to see what others think.
September 16, 2025 at 3:40 PM
UFO was first broadcast in 3 areas (ATV, Border, Tyne Tees) OTD (16th September) in 1970. To mark this it's interesting to see the rank order of episodes on the IMDb. Obviously for this or any series our own preferences may be very different but it's always useful to see what others think.
A 1972 credit highlighting that Larry Grayson was appearing at the Golden Garter club in Wythenshawe - a reminder of the days when light entertainment or comedy programmes often had this or a voiceover about a star appearing in some show or venue. The Golden Garter is also long gone.
September 11, 2025 at 3:37 PM
A 1972 credit highlighting that Larry Grayson was appearing at the Golden Garter club in Wythenshawe - a reminder of the days when light entertainment or comedy programmes often had this or a voiceover about a star appearing in some show or venue. The Golden Garter is also long gone.
Peter Cellier & Alethea Charlton in the 1971 Shadows of Fear episode "Repent at Leisure". Two years later they appeared in the Thriller episode "Someone at the Top of the Stairs" in distinctly sinister roles. Alethea sadly died quite young in 1976 but Peter is still with us and nearing 100.
September 9, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Peter Cellier & Alethea Charlton in the 1971 Shadows of Fear episode "Repent at Leisure". Two years later they appeared in the Thriller episode "Someone at the Top of the Stairs" in distinctly sinister roles. Alethea sadly died quite young in 1976 but Peter is still with us and nearing 100.
An appropriate image for this date.
September 1, 2025 at 3:35 PM
An appropriate image for this date.
OTD 50 years ago - Sunday 10th August 1975 - Grampian TV repeated the UFO episode "The Long Sleep". This is the only known example in the 1970s of that episode being shown outside a late-night slot. Grampian also repeated other episodes of UFO with "sensitive content" in that slot in summer 1975.
August 10, 2025 at 1:39 PM
OTD 50 years ago - Sunday 10th August 1975 - Grampian TV repeated the UFO episode "The Long Sleep". This is the only known example in the 1970s of that episode being shown outside a late-night slot. Grampian also repeated other episodes of UFO with "sensitive content" in that slot in summer 1975.
A rare sighting of Crown Court barristers James Elliott & Jonathan Fry (Charles Keating & Bernard Gallagher) without their wigs from the 1972 story "Euthanasia"). In the show's early days episodes started with black-and-white images of key figures connected with the story.
July 31, 2025 at 3:35 PM
A rare sighting of Crown Court barristers James Elliott & Jonathan Fry (Charles Keating & Bernard Gallagher) without their wigs from the 1972 story "Euthanasia"). In the show's early days episodes started with black-and-white images of key figures connected with the story.
Sometimes a show is depicted within a show such as in an episode of YTV sitcom Dear Mother... Love Albert in 1971. Albert (Rodney Bewes) appeared on the fictional game show "Double Another". Comedy stalwart Damaris Hayman played a fellow contestant with American actor Al Mancini as quiz-master.
July 30, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Sometimes a show is depicted within a show such as in an episode of YTV sitcom Dear Mother... Love Albert in 1971. Albert (Rodney Bewes) appeared on the fictional game show "Double Another". Comedy stalwart Damaris Hayman played a fellow contestant with American actor Al Mancini as quiz-master.
John Comer playing a newsagent with a nice array of chocolate boxes and sweets behind him in the Children's Film Foundation 1980 film "The Boy Who Never Was". Although best-known for his long-running role in Last of the Summer Wine he guested in many other productions.
July 26, 2025 at 3:24 PM
John Comer playing a newsagent with a nice array of chocolate boxes and sweets behind him in the Children's Film Foundation 1980 film "The Boy Who Never Was". Although best-known for his long-running role in Last of the Summer Wine he guested in many other productions.
A very appetising birthday cake made for Zippy of Rainbow back in 1991. Zippy was voiced by actor Roy Skelton who was born on this day in 1931.
July 20, 2025 at 3:28 PM
A very appetising birthday cake made for Zippy of Rainbow back in 1991. Zippy was voiced by actor Roy Skelton who was born on this day in 1931.
Some profiles of actors who were part of the "Entertainers XI" squad for a charity game in February 1980. Plenty of familar names for the archive TV follower.
June 23, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Some profiles of actors who were part of the "Entertainers XI" squad for a charity game in February 1980. Plenty of familar names for the archive TV follower.
Novelisation of ATV's "Echoes of Louisa" (1981) by Gail Renard who also wrote the series, ATV's last drama for younger viewers. This was a ghost story in common with ATV's earlier "Come Back Lucy" (1978) on which she co-wrote the episodes with Colin Shindler based on the novel by Pamela Sykes.
June 19, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Novelisation of ATV's "Echoes of Louisa" (1981) by Gail Renard who also wrote the series, ATV's last drama for younger viewers. This was a ghost story in common with ATV's earlier "Come Back Lucy" (1978) on which she co-wrote the episodes with Colin Shindler based on the novel by Pamela Sykes.
Although best known for his central role in UFO Ed Bishop guest-starred in many British shows both before and after such as in ATV series The Cedar Tree in 1976. In the episode "Fete Accompli" (Part 2) he had a fitting part playing genial American actor Earl Mulligan who was visiting the UK.
June 16, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Although best known for his central role in UFO Ed Bishop guest-starred in many British shows both before and after such as in ATV series The Cedar Tree in 1976. In the episode "Fete Accompli" (Part 2) he had a fitting part playing genial American actor Earl Mulligan who was visiting the UK.