Web Page No 2746

 

2^nd January 2021

 

1^st Picture: Mr. Leonard Sachs

2^nd Picture: Hinge and Bracket at the Good Old Days

3^rd Picture: John Inman appearing as a fairy

4^th Picture: Eleanor Summerfield.

 

Happy New Year

As we start a New Year maybe it is appropriate to look back at :--

 

The Good Old Days

The TV Programme

 

Early in 1953 Barney Colehan devised a one-off show entitled "The Story of the Music Hall" presented by Deryck Guyler. The programme proved so popular that it was decided to create a series under the title of "The Good Old Days" to be produced by Barney Colehan which was eventually to run from 1953 to 1983.

It was performed at the Leeds City Varieties and recreated an authentic atmosphere of the Victorian–Edwardian music hall with songs and sketches of the era performed in the style of the original artistes.

The audience was elaborately dressed in period costume and joined in the singing, especially "Down at the Old Bull and Bush" which closed the show each week. The show was compered by Leonard Sachs, who introduced the acts from a desk situated at the side of the stage. Leonard Sachs was born in the town of Roodepoort, Transvaal (now Gauteng), South Africa. He was Jewish and emigrated to the United Kingdom in 1929 and had many television and film roles from the 1930s to the 1980s, including Mowbray in the 1950 version of Richard II, John Wesley in the 1954 film of the same name and Lord Mount Severn in East Lynne from 1976. In his role as Chairman of The Good Old days he became well known for his elaborate and erudite introductions of the performers. In the course of its long run the programme featured about 2,000 performers many from the days of the original music hall. Each show was up to an hour long.

The show was first broadcast on 20 July 1953 and the first two shows were compered by Don Gemmell. The show included many regulars such as Joan Sterndale-Bennett, (two-ton)Tessie O'Shea, Dudley Stevens, Hattie Jacques, Loraine Hart, Ray Alan, Roy Castle, Roy Hudd, Ken Dodd, Barbara Windsor, Eartha Kitt, Danny La Rue, Hylda Baker, Les Dawson and Arthur Askey.

The Good Old Days was inspired by the success of the "Ridgeway's Late Joys" at the Players' Theatre Club in London: a private members' club that ran fortnightly programmes of variety acts in London's West End. The club was originally founded by Leonard Sachs and business partner Peter Ridgeway.

Out of 245 episodes only 108 are believed to survive complete. 63 of these programmes were broadcast on BBC Four between November 2015 and January 2018.

On 30 December 1983, a Goodbye to the Good Old Days was shown, a documentary celebrating the end of the 30-year run that year; Barry Cryer served as narrator for the documentary.

In our house this was almost compulsory viewing but it did give us a chance to see some of the old music hall stars even though most were well into their 70’s by then. I remember Rob Wilton, Nat Jackley, Monswer Eddie Gray and Richard Hearn.

Luckily You Tube, you can see a very seductive Eartha Kitt having the audience eating out of the palm of her hands; John Inman in fairy costume is also memorable. 

The music was always provided by Bernard Herman and the BBC Northern Dance Orchestra.

An odd fact that I did not know was that Leonard Sachs was married to Eleanor Summerfield. She was born as Eleanor Audrey Summerfield in St Pancras, London on 7^th March 1921, received her acting training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1937. She was married to Leonard Sachs from 1947 until his death in 1990. They had two sons: Robin Sachs, who was also an actor, and Toby Sachs. She died in Westminster, London on 13 July 2001, aged 80.

 

Stay in touch

 

Peter

 

gsseditor@gmail.com

 

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On this day 2^nd January 1960 – 1965

 

On 02/01/1960 the number one single was Starry Eyed - Michael Holliday and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was not listed and the box office smash was North by Northwest. A pound of today's money was worth £13.68 and Burnley were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the day was Stephanie Baird was beheaded and the day before was the last day for being called up for National Service.

 

On 02/01/1961 the number one single was I Love You - Cliff Richard & the Shadows and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was The Russ Conway Show (ATV) and the box office smash was One Hundred and One Dalmations. A pound of today's money was worth £13.25 and Tottenham Hotspur were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

 

On 02/01/1962 the number one single was Moon River - Danny Williams and the number one album was Another Black & White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street and the box office smash was Lawrence of Arabia. A pound of today's money was worth £12.89 and Ipswich Town were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

 

On 02/01/1963 the number one single was Return to Sender - Elvis Presley and the number one album was Black & White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street and the box office smash was The Great Escape. A pound of today's money was worth £12.64 and Everton were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

 

On 02/01/1964 the number one single was I Want to Hold Your hand - The Beatles and the number one album was With the Beatles - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street and the box office smash was Dr Strangelove. A pound of today's money was worth £12.24 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

 

On 02/01/1965 the number one single was I Feel Fine - The Beatles and the number one album was Beatles For Sale - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street and the box office smash was The Sound of Music. A pound of today's money was worth £11.69 and Manchester United were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.