Life before Television

[DannyGill]

[quote="Jimbo"]An interesting aside, the Eagle comic which introduced Dan Dare in 1950 cost 3 old pence but when it resurrected the strip in 1980 the cover price had increased by 25 times!
Hi Jimbo,
I remember buying the Eagle comic to read about Dan Dare, he had a sidekick but I forget his name ?
Regards
Danny

[DannyGill]

Now I am going to date myself, but I remember Mrs. Dale's Diary, which was like a soap opera about a woman who lived in the country. Then there was a story teller who was on at night and told scary stories and finished up the show by saying, "This is your story teller....The Man in Black" with a really scary voice...quivering like....Next I remember "Housewive's Choice" which was a call-in program and you told the DJ, not the name they used then, the song you wanted played that day. This program was for women who stayed home and did not work. I think it was on in the morning. Or course, there was Radio Luxumberg on on a Sunday night giving you the top hits of the week...You had to use your imagination a lot in those days.

Hi Margaret,
I remember listening to Radio Luxemburg on a Sunday night [?} at 6 pm-7pm for the top twenty hit records it always started with nomber 20 going down to the last record which was the number 1 hit, oh Happy days.
Regards.
Danny

[Jimbo]

The sidekick:

Digby (Albert Fitzwilliam Digby) was Dan's Wigan-born batman. Rotund and sometimes bumbling, he provided comic relief. He was fiercely loyal and the only character apart from Dan to appear in every story. His favourite recreation was sleeping and he was fond of traditional English food. His nearest relative was his Aunt Anastasia, after whom Dan named his spaceship.

[margaretmcgettigan]

Does anyone remember a show, Panorama, I think that was the name of it , but Richard Dimbelby was the narrator and it came on on a Sunday night...Well, Italian food was becoming popular in Britain and they were talking about spaghetti...It then pans to a scene of an orchard, in Italy, where ladies are picking strands of spaghetti off the trees and it is hanging on them like tinsel on a Christmas Tree...He goes on to say that it has to be picked very carefully so that all the strands are equal in size, etc. etc. etc....We were all believing it until one of us remembered that is was April 1. It was an April Fools Joke...but lots of people were suckered into thinking that is how spaghetti was grown... This must have been in the late 50's I think...

[Jimbo]

April 1st 1957: such a solemn and measured commentary, no wonder the people believed Richard Dimbleby!

[DannyGill]

Does anyone remember a show, Panorama, I think that was the name of it , but Richard Dimbelby was the narrator and it came on on a Sunday night...Well, Italian food was becoming popular in Britain and they were talking about spaghetti...It then pans to a scene of an orchard, in Italy, where ladies are picking strands of spaghetti off the trees and it is hanging on them like tinsel on a Christmas Tree...He goes on to say that it has to be picked very carefully so that all the strands are equal in size, etc. etc. etc....We were all believing it until one of us remembered that is was April 1. It was an April Fools Joke...but lots of people were suckered into thinking that is how spaghetti was grown... This must have been in the late 50's I think...

Hi Margaret,
Yes and looking and listening to Jimbos link below [with such a serious voice] you would think it was true !!!. As it happens I do remember Richard Dimbelby and the Panorama programme , he was a brave man as he was told he was terminally ill but decided to carry on working and his two sons David and Jonathan have carried on following him in broadcasting up to today. Don't see that many "live" April fools day jokes on TV today ?.
Regards.
Danny

[JosieStuksis]

The Esther Rantzen show That's Life did an april fool exactly the same with the spaghetti growing on trees too.