1970s TV series - Five Are Together Again

Discuss the television and film adaptations of Enid Blyton's stories.
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daanton
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1970s TV series - Five Are Together Again

Post by daanton »

[To borrow "Dick Kirrin"s words:]

I thought I might just start the discussion, sorry if I beat anyone to it. Hopefully my inner secrets will stay locked up just like Professor Hayling's papers... :shock: ... or maybe not! But anyway....

[Now more of my own words:]

An equally well-made TV adaptation of this book title: the very last book title in the original series adapted into the 3rd and 4th episodes of the Second Series/Season.

J,D,A+G are making their way by train to Marchwood--I mean, Kirrin--Station, seeing some sights along the way [anybody recogniz/se that "cathedral"/castle in the distance??]. Upon arrival, Anne and her brothers discover a circus is in town, or in the locale of Big Hollow, where their friend Tinker lives (wonder if he knows anything about it??), and George discovers that they'll all have to take a taxi to Kirrin Cottage.

There they find out why: their cook has taken ill and so Uncle Quentin and Aunt Fanny are in a quarantine van until they find out for sure. Worst case scenario: scarlet fever! But arrangements were made for the Four (minus Timmy, unfortunately) to stay at Professor Hayling's place at Big Hollow for the time being.

But there they found they cannot stay in the guest rooms because... um... the mattresses... are away being recovered. But... if J,D,A,G and Tinker can be allowed to camp out in tents down in the bottom field where the circus is being set up...?

TINKER: "Oh, Dad! I was keeping the circus as a surprise!"

Done and done.

Nothing like a country circus. It somehow feels different to a circus you receive in the big city. And check out the interesting people from Tapper's Circus: Mr Tapper himself (played by Alfie Bass), Sam (Kenneth Cole) and his trained chimp Charlie, a "memory man" named Mr Wooh (Peter Jeffery) and his, um, assistant (David Rappaport--you older Yanks might remember his guest appearances on L.A. LAW).

The intrigue begins when we find out that Mr Wooh and Sam may have had a run-in in the past.

The action begins when we find out that Charlie is a little bit of a kleptomaniac, just rummages through and takes almost anything with him/it.

The mystery begins when some of Professor Hayling's important papers have been stolen, and Charlie the chimp is suspected to be the one behind the theft. But is Charlie truly to blame?

And while we discover that Mr Wooh is also more of an opportunist, there's no denying how well a "memory man" he is. Perhaps too well of one....

Another episode well done. But I have noticed at least one tiny yet fairly glaring error: about George quizzing Mr Wooh as to what day August 9th, 1965 was. He guessed that it was a Thursday and she confirmed it, it being the day of her birth. Silly scriptwriters! August 9th, 1965 was a Monday! Perhaps they were dyslexic and meant it to be August 9th, 1956 (a Thursday), but that would've meant a much older George!



Questions. Comments.
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Re: 1970s TV series - Five Are Together Again

Post by number 6 »

Not sure, but I think the Castle in the distance is Windsor...but I'm probably wrong!! What I do know, though, is that Tinkers house is Gatewood House in Exbury. This is where the Child Actors from the 70's series resided in series two, bar Toddy who stopped elsewhere with his owner. :D
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Re: 1970s TV series - Five Are Together Again

Post by Gary Russell »

Just watched that bit and it certainly looks like stock footage of Windsor Castle (probably filmed from the Eton/Dorney railway line). If I were back in the UK I could check my paperwork and see if it's mentioned anywhere, but I'm not. But best guess is indeed Windsor.

It's an odd choice of stock footage because a lot of people watching this would wonder why on Earth Windsor Castle had been picked up and shipped down to Kirrin (or Kirren, depending which episode you're watching) but hey, its the Famous Five, even the Queen clearly wanted to help them out :-)
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Re: 1970s TV series - Five Are Together Again

Post by daanton »

Indeed! Just think: filming a train ride with a passing-by shot of Windsor Castle between Eton and Dorney just before it pulls into Marchwood Station.... But I guess whatever's available to use (and even what the producers were allowed to use) to fit in with the scenario of the episode. Ingenious....! 8) Good stuff, "number 6" and Gary!

BTW, I had gotten to know Alfie Bass on TV during his character tenure as Mr Goldberg on AYBS Series 7 (1979), only to be reminded that a year earlier he was filming with Marcus & Gary & Co for this episode. I would think he hadn't aged a bit between the two programmes!

Anyone else with other observations?
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Re: 1970s TV series - Five Are Together Again

Post by Gary Russell »

He was lovely. I think FATA was the last story we made - certainly it had one of the nicest ensemble casts - Tim Bateson, Peter Jeffrey, Alfie Bass, Kenneth Cope, Brenda Cowling, Wayne Broks back again - shame about that blooming (shudder) monkey though...
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Re: 1970s TV series - Five Are Together Again

Post by Francis »

Never act with animals except, of course, dogs (despite the old adage, children are fine!).
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Re: 1970s TV series - Five Are Together Again

Post by daanton »

Francis wrote:Never act with animals except, of course, dogs (despite the old adage, children are fine!).
Proved many times that children can be the stars, not just in FAMOUS FIVE, but also FREEWHEELERS and the HARRY POTTER film series....!
Gary Russell wrote:He was lovely. I think FATA was the last story we made - certainly it had one of the nicest ensemble casts - Tim Bateson, Peter Jeffrey, Alfie Bass, Kenneth Cope, Brenda Cowling, Wayne Brooks back again - shame about that blooming (shudder) monkey though...
Well, this time, Gary, don't forget, you and your lot also had to deal with a chimpanzee. Again.

As for Brenda Cowling, I recall she guest-starred later on AYBS.... and Peter Jeffery guest-starred as Count Grendel in the Classic DOCTOR WHO [Tom Baker] episode "The Androids of Tara".

Funny, Gary, you should mention Wayne Brooks. He played a one-of-a-kind Tinker Hayling, especially where he occasionally liked to run fast and make noises like he were driving a racing car! Sounded like we all heard more of that in "Demon's Rocks" (which was broadcast later) than in this episode. Wonder if he was told this time around to tone that aspect down a little bit?? Seriously, though, he must've been quite a trooper to work with....!
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Re: 1970s TV series - Five Are Together Again

Post by number 6 »

My favourite performance from FATA was by Kenneth Cope. A fine actor. I'm a bit biased, though, due to being addicted to Randall & Hopkirk as a kid! :D
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Re: 1970s TV series - Five Are Together Again

Post by Moonraker »

Visiting an Otter Nurseries Garden Centre (Wincanton) yesterday, I was pleased to see they had the complete series in DVD. You may remember I bought them at their Ottery St Mary nursery last year. If any of you live close to one of their centres, it might be worth a visit.

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Re: 1970s TV series - Five Are Together Again

Post by George@Kirrin »

I do love the music in this ep when they're chasing the chimp round - does anyone know what it's called? (Charlie, yes, I know, I meant the music :) )
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