Tonight’s ABC Midlands… in 1964 

26 September 2018 tbs.pm/67621

“Good Afternoon! You join us for an afternoon of sport here on ABC… but first the News from ITN. It’s (waits for second hand) one fifteen”.

Racing from ABC Midlands to start the afternoon, first Motor Racing, then Horse Racing. Then, it’s off to Wales, as TWW offers us Swimming from Cardiff. Your afternoon sporting fun continues with ATV’s Professional Wrestling from Croydon. Finally, it’s a check-in at the Sports Desk.

‘Gulps’ Sorry, just having a glass of Body Bulk… it tastes like wallpaper paste but needs must.

Right, it’s 5.15pm and time for The Adventures of a Jungle Boy. No, not Tarzan. This British syndicated series from 1957, ran for 13 episodes. After the ITN News, Lucky Stars – Summer Spin. Considering its now September 26th, it must have been a long summer in 1964! On the bill are Adam Faith, The Animals and the lovely vocal talents of Ms Jackie Trent and Dame Anita Harris. On hand as TV ‘DJ’ is ITV stalwart, Don Moss.

A quick note that ABC was broadcasting from 10am on this day, radiating their rather lovely testcard.

Right, well I’ve dropped a stitch in my knitting, but not to worry. Despite my love life being in a poor state, my home, money and mind seem to be coping well… maybe another glass of Body Bulk though. As I look at the front cover of TVWorld, I spot the lovely Burly Chassis, whatever happened to her?

So, back to the telly viewing! Sixties TV wouldn’t be the same without a bit of Western fun, so at 6.35pm, it’s Sugarfoot. Hughie Green is back with Opportunity Knocks! at 7.25pm, which leads us up to the Summer Film Premiere (IT’S AUTUMN!) – this week Make Haste to Live.

ITN News at 9.20pm, followed by a Partly Political Broadcast. FIRE CRACKERS! Pardon my French, that’s the name of the ATV sitcom at 9.45pm, starring Alfred Marks. The series focused on the mishaps of a local fire brigade. It ran for two years and although never repeated, is still available in the archives.

Sergeant Cork, a police drama set in the Victorian age. Quite a novel idea. The series starred John Barrie and William Gaunt and ran for five years, from 1963 to 1968.

Right, we end the evening with Freedom Special and my goodness look at that bill… Sammy Davis Jnr, Duke Ellington and even the King and Queen of the Sixties, Liz and Dickie Burton. We end the evening with the ITN News, Weather and a stuffy Epilogue… well it’ll send you to sleep.

Anyway, I must go, the Feen-a-Mint have kicked in.

You won’t forget to switch off you sets now will you?


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8 responses to this article

Arthur Nibble 26 September 2018 at 11:52 pm

I take it the Feen-A-Mint combats the Stick-A-Soles? Boom boom tish!

Arthur Nibble 27 September 2018 at 11:44 am

Love that ABC camera graphic.

Not a good week to be a Libra if you believed in horoscopes.

Poor old D. Phillips, not even given a first name, unless it was D. The final wrestler on the list was also known as Tornado Torontos.

How times change. Back then you had Robert Preston entertaining you. Nowadays we’ve got Robert Peston.

Tina King 27 September 2018 at 1:31 pm

Interesting that under the regulations by the Postmaster General in the 60s, television was allocated 7.5 hours on a Saturday. Sport was exempt, as it came under the special outside broadcasting quota of around 300 hours a year, so this means if you exclude the 4 minute ITN summary, the real schedules started at 5.15pm, however it was always the case that both BBC 1 and ITV never used their full allocation of 7.5 hours on a Saturday in the 1960s, in this case ITV could stay on the air until 12.45am, maybe even 1.00am if they extended it with an epilogue. BBC 1 always closed down around 11.45pm, not using an hour of the allocation. BBC 2 would use a lot of theirs with their “Midnight Movie” launching in autumn 1966.

Paul Mason 27 September 2018 at 6:46 pm

Unusual for a party political broadcast to be on a Saturday, but the October 1959 parliament was to expire the following month when our local MP, Harold Wilson became Prime Minister, the first PM I recall.
The concert late on Saturday may have been something to do with the US civil rights movement, particularly with the involvement of the legendary Harry Belafonte, still with aged 90.

Bruce McCready 28 September 2018 at 10:07 am

Burly Chassis? The front cover says it is Shirley Bassey. Am I missing something?

Paul Mason 28 September 2018 at 5:24 pm

My late father used to call her Burly Chassis. It’s like rhyming slang.

Arthur Nibble 28 September 2018 at 7:32 pm

Burly Chassis is a spoonerism-style nickname for Shirley Bassey.

Alan Keeling 2 October 2018 at 10:22 am

Regarding the Warner Brothers TV Western series Sugarfoot (1957/61), the previous seasons of the series were shown on BBC under their title of Tenderfoot.

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