Sunday 5 June 2011

The Saturday Evening Post (1972)

This front cover is from a 1972 edition of the Saturday Evening Post. The cover features the 37th President of the United States - Richard M Nixon.
1972 Richard M. Nixon #004412

The Carry On Legacy - Carry on Teacher: 1959

Carry On Teacher was the third Carry On film, released in 1959. It features Ted Ray in his only Carry On role, alongside series regulars; Kenneth Connor, Charles Hawtrey, Kenneth Williams and Hattie Jacques. Leslie Philips and Joan Sims make their second appearances in the series here, having made their debuts in the previous entry, Carry On Nurse. A young Richard O'Sullivan and a young Larry Dann - making the first of his four Carry On appearances - turn up as pupils.

During the current term at Maudlin Street Secondary Modern School, William Wakefield (Ted Ray) - who has been at the school for 20 years - is acting headmaster. He spots an advertisement for a headmaster of a brand new school near where he was born and decides to apply for the post.

Because of an coinciding visit by a Ministry of Education Inspector (Miss Wheeler, played by Rosalind Knight) and the noted child psychiatrist Alistair Grigg (Leslie Phillips), he decides to enlist the help of his staff to ensure that the school routine runs smoothly during their visit.

While in conference with his teaching staff (including Gregory Adams (Kenneth Connor), science master; Edwin Milton (Kenneth Williams), English master; Michael Bean (Charles Hawtrey), music teacher; Sarah Allcock (Joan Sims), gym mistress and Grace Short (Hattie Jacques), maths teacher); a senior pupil (Robin Stevens, played by Richard O'Sullivan) overhears that Wakefield is planning to leave at the end of term. The pupils are fond of the venerable teacher and Stevens immediately rushes this information to his schoolmates. They plan to sabotage every endeavour that might earn Wakefield praise, which would set him on the road to his new post.

On arrival, Grigg and Miss Wheeler are escorted by Wakefield on a tour of inspection and the pupils go out of their way to misbehave in each class they visit. However Griggs' tour has not been in vain: he has taken a shine to Sarah Allcock, the gym mistress and it is obvious the feeling is mutual.

Miss Wheeler is disgusted at the behaviour of the children towards the teachers, but is softened when she visits the science master's class, where she feels an instinctive maternal affection for the charm of the nervous science master, Adams.

Wakefield realises his position as headmaster of the new school is in jeopardy and, on seeing Miss Wheeler’s interest in Adams, enlists his help. He asks Adams to make advances to Miss Wheeler to win her over. Adams is aghast at the thought, but eventually agrees to do his best. After many unsuccessful attempts to tell Miss Wheeler of his love, Adams finds an untruth has become truth and finally finds enough courage to declare his love.

The pupils meanwhile, have been doing everything in their power to make things go wrong, and on the last day of term are caught trying to sabotage the prizegiving. They are told to report to Wakefield’s study and after much cross-examination he learns the reason for the week's events - the pupils simply did not want to see him leave. Wakefield - deeply moved - tells the children he won't leave and will see them all next term.

Miss Wheeler, softened by her newfound love, announces that she intends to tell the Ministry that staff-pupil relationships at the school are excellent.

A Novel Idea - The Partridge Family.

Remember the Partridge Family from the 1970s? Of course you do. Like most shows from this period The Partridge Family spawned a succession of novels based on the popular series.

Think better - Work better! 1953 Coffee....

1953 Coffee - Burns & Allen #003460
Check out this 1953 Coffee original vintage advertisement. Endorsed by lengendary comedy team George Burns & Gracie Allen. Sponsored by the Pan American Coffee Bureau. "Think better! Work Better! Feel Better!"

Forever Autumn (1978)

"Forever Autumn" is a song by Jeff Wayne, Gary Osborne and Paul Vigrass. The original melody was written by Wayne in 1969 as a jingle for a Lego commercial. Vigrass and Osborne, the performers of the original jingle, added lyrics to the song and recorded it for inclusion on their 1972 album Queues. Their interpretation was also released as a single and gained moderate commercial success in Japan, selling more than 100,000 copies and becoming a top-20 hit on the country's record chart.
Justin Hayward,Forever Autumn,Netherlands,Deleted,7
The best-known version is the recording by Justin Hayward from the album Jeff Wayne's musical version of War of the Worlds. Wayne wanted to include a love song on the album that sounded like "Forever Autumn", and he decided that the best course of action was to simply use the original song. Hayward, of The Moody Blues, was hand-picked by Wayne to sing it (because, Wayne said, he "wanted that voice from 'Nights in White Satin'"), and it was recorded at London's Advision Studios in 1976. The song reached No5 on the UK Singles Chart in July 1978.