Famous Five 1970s Photo Cover Quiz

[Gary Russell]

Many thanks, Nick & Adrian. Up till a few days ago I assumed the photo on the cover was always taken from the title of the book in question.

This has got me wondering about the veracity of The Secret Seven photo cover editions now!
(Even though as we all know they do not relate to an actual televised episode of the series, which would have been nice..)

I was always impressed by those covers. That's a hell of a project for a publisher to set up.

Mind you I also recall vividly the first ever EB Day I came to (somewhere in Herts I recall) where a lady a) insisted they were all taken from our series and b) when I proved they weren't, she was insistant they *were* in fact from a Secret Seven TV series because she'd watched it on Superchannel back in the early 90s. I suggested this wasn't likely either (bearing in mind she'd changed her adamant position from one case to the other in half a breath) and she got very grumpy with me and told me I knew nothing about Enid Blyton (probably true in comparison to most people in the room) and my Famous Five was rubbish anyway.

I remember telling Tony and Norman about her and they looked at me, nodding understandingly. I assumed she was therefore a well-known eccentric. Tony was very concerned that she might have put me off attending again, but I said he'd have to put barriers up to keep me out next year. I loved it. And the mad old lady. I miss the EB Days.

[pete9012S]

.. she got very grumpy with me and told me I knew nothing about Enid Blyton (probably true in comparison to most people in the room) and my Famous Five was rubbish anyway.

Well Gary, I too have found that Anita very occasionally does have an off day!

*runs quickly away from her moderating whip*



Anita & Chief Whip..

[Nick]

I was always impressed by those covers. That's a hell of a project for a publisher to set up.

Do you know anything about the SS covers Gary? I've often thought it would be great to try and track down the children involved and ask them what they remember about the photo shoots. I wonder how many of them still have copies

[Anita Bensoussane]

Well Gary, I too have found that Anita very occasionally does have an off day!

*runs quickly away from her moderating whip*



Anita & Chief Whip..

Great story about the "mad old lady", Gary! I miss the Enid Blyton Days very much too.

[Gary Russell]

I was always impressed by those covers. That's a hell of a project for a publisher to set up.

Do you know anything about the SS covers Gary? I've often thought it would be great to try and track down the children involved and ask them what they remember about the photo shoots. I wonder how many of them still have copies

Alas not a thing. They would have been done I reckon in 1978 as they came out I think pretty concurrently with the FF ones but I believe the work that went into them would have been unprecedented for childrens' publishing at that time. That involved "casting" the kids, animals, various grown ups and sourcing a number of costumes and locations. I imagine it probably took a couple of days to shoot, so I suspect the locations would all have been pretty close to one another (and probably close to London so Knight wouldn't have to pay overnights for their staff etc). But it's a huge undertaking just to capitalise of the FF and deserves a lot of praise.

[Nick]

Secret Seven Mystery - Pam and Barbara being chased away?

I appreciate that it isn't particularity fashionable to quote yourself but I've juts picked up SSM for a quick read and the scene on the front cover is from early in the book when the Seven are sent by Peter to explore potential hiding placies in Belling village. In the book Pam and Barbra are attempting to look through a shed window and are chased away by a farm hand leading a horse towards them.

Not quite accurate but a nice "action" cover.