As I've grown older I've also grown more sentimental and nostalgic for times past. Nothing wrong with that you'd think - except for the fact that I already had an over-developed sense of nostalgia from my earliest years. This means that my tendency to look back on bygone days is probably now off the scale, but I find myself unable to rein it in.
Case in point: A few years ago I bought the NETWORK DVD collection of BLACK BEAUTY, which used to be shown on Sunday afternoons back in 1972 through to '74. There were only 52 episodes ever filmed, but due to repeated screenings over the years, it sometimes seems that there were far more than the two series actually made.
Black Beauty was the British equivalent of SKIPPY or FLIPPER, except that it was about a horse instead of a kangaroo or a dolphin. "What's that, Beauty? Kevin is trapped in the old mill and needs help. You go and fetch Doctor Gordon, Beauty, and I'll go to the mill. Bring him back with you. Go, Beauty, go!" In short, it was pure hokum - but entertaining hokum for all that.
It's not that I was a huge fan of the programme, only watching it occasionally when there was nothing else on, but (as is the way of such things) with the passing of the years, it now represents a certain time in my youth which has become more meaningful to me the greater the distance I'm removed from it.
It's strange to view it now and see all the characters preserved in time while I have aged and atrophied. This feeling is increased with the sad knowledge that the actor who played young KEVIN GORDON (Roderick Shaw) died back in 1996, and Tony Maiden, who played ALBERT CLIFTON, committed suicide in 2004. (And Charlotte Mitchell - housekeeper AMY WINTHROP - died last year.)
However, at the press of a button, there they are - just as they were when I was around the same age as the two lads (and their pal NED LEWIS, played by Stephen Garlick) who got into such adventures as most kids could only dream about. And who could ever forget VICKY and JENNY GORDON, played by Judi Bowker and Stacy Dorning? Then there's Doctor JAMES GORDON himself, played by William Lucas, who's still around to this day. (Update: Sadly, William died aged 91 on 8th July 2016.)
Seeing them again is almost like dropping in on old friends, except for the fact that I've aged and they haven't - although the weight of years temporarily drops from my shoulders while I spend time in the company of these childhood acquaintances from so long ago.
At the end of A.A. Milne's The HOUSE At POOH CORNER, there's an extremely sad and touching moment when Christopher Robin tries to explain to an uncomprehending Pooh that life is taking them in different directions. The book ends with these words: "But wherever they go, and whatever happens to them on the way, in that enchanted place on top of the forest a little boy and his Bear will always be playing."
That's the way I feel about Black Beauty whenever I watch an episode. Somewhere, near a remote and picturesque farmhouse, an ebony horse and his human companions still roam the enchanted pastures and wooded hills of Hertfordshire - and I'm with them on their adventures. (With Denis King's stirring theme tune, GALLOPING HOME, playing rousingly in the background of course.)
18 comments:
Beautifully expressed.
P.S. I may have started off commenting on this blog in a rather poor way (I'm the person who commented about Moore's 'Lost Girls', I was a bit combative- oh dear, I've daren't look back to see what you had to say to me in reply), I'm reluctant to post non-Anonymously now... that said I've been a fan of your blog for ages and it's posts like this (along with all the comics scans) that keep me checking in on every new post- more power to you (maybe we can agree to disagree about 'Lost Girls'? I thought you're other observations on Moore were excellent, by the way)
Part of the problem with people commenting anonymously is that, when one of them is a bit 'cheeky' (as some of them have been in the past), the blogger has no way of knowing whether the next provocative anonymous comment is by the same person or not. That's why it's better to adopt a name (even if it isn't your real one), because in that way I can distinguish one poster from another.
My response to your last comment on Moore was rather direct, but it also explained why I thought your observations on my remarks on Moore (which were slightly tongue in cheek, by the way) had missed the point. Take a look - it's not too scathing.
And yes, you're perfectly free to have a different opinion to Lost Girls than the one I hold. You're also free to comment any time you want to, whether you agree with me or not. (As long as you're polite, that is - as you've been here.)
Judi or Stacy?
Either...or both.
Not forgetting the amazing theme tune,"Galloping home",written by Dennis King.The first couple of bars alone are enough to take me right back to 1972.It`s racing through my head at this very moment!
Not forgetting indeed, Moonmando - which is why I mentioned it. I wonder how many horses played Beauty - what do you think?
(Can't find my mobile, Moony - give me a call on my house 'phone.)
I think it says everything that's wrong with me that, having been reminded of Black Beauty, I now can't get the Follyfoot theme out of my head.
Ah, Follyfoot - another belter of a theme. Any advance on Follyfoot...?
No theme tune will ever be better than Follyfoot's theme.
Robinson Crusoe.
Ah, yes. Hearing TV themes from your youth always guarantees that Proustian rush of happy memories. Black Beauty and Follyfoot ( "The Lightning Tree" ) were certainly memorable but, as you mentioned, the Robinson Crusoe theme topped the lot. What a beautiful piece of music! That said, even the theme from The Double Deckers sounds great at this great remove :-)
What I always found with TV shows of that era is they had memorable themes and title sequences... which the programmes themselves often didn't live up to. This especially applies to American shows. Was any episode of The Six Million Dollar Man ever as exciting as its title sequence...?
Very few, Cerebus, although occasionally they produced a good 'un. I always liked the pilot episode, which I saw at my Gran and Grandpa's one Sunday evening back around 1973. Originally, he was going to be more like a James Bond type operative, but they abandoned that approach after the 2nd pilot episode.
As soon as I saw that first photo I thought Follyfoot, which shows the tricks that age plays on the memory.
Memorable themes from that era are the ones already mentioned, and also White Horses, Belle et Sebastien, and my own favourite The Flashing Blade.
Every one a belter, sure enough.
Gillian from Follyfoot for me.
tv themes. Danger Man?
Yes, Gillian would do for me too.
Danger Man, Man In A Suitcase, The Persuaders, The Avengers - every one a brammer.
"But wherever they go, and whatever happens to them on the way, in that enchanted place on top of the forest a little boy and his Bear will always be playing."
Ah, that bit in your text really got to me and made me well up with tears.
You write beautifully about your memories of watching Black Beauty and you put into words precisely how I feel about watching old TV programmes from my childhood. Thanks.
And thank you for taking the time to comment and saying such nice things. Greatly appreciated.
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