I don't recall ever seeing a full episode of FOLLYFOOT when I was a boy, probably 'cos I assumed it was a show for girls. After all, a girl was the lead, and there were horses in it, so it must've been for girls, mustn't it? "What about cowboy movies, Kid? There are horses in them, and cowboy movies aren't (just) for girls." Yeah, but horses in cowboy films look well-tough, and aren't soppy sad-eyed wimpy ones like they had in Follyfoot. I'm kidding of course, but for whatever reason, though I was familiar with the theme tune and opening credits, and caught snatches now and again when changing between channels, I don't think I ever saw a complete episode.
Then I chanced upon the above box set in a charity shop for a mere £2. What's more, examining the discs, they don't look as if they've ever been played, as there's absolutely not even the minutest hint of wear on any of them. I've watched a few now, and none of the stories are familiar to me, tending to confirm my belief that it wasn't a show I watched all the way through. However, I've quite enjoyed the ones I've seen so far, and will continue at intervals to watch the rest of them, though it'll be slow process as I can't watch anything nowadays for more than around 10 or 15 minutes before falling asleep. £2, eh? What a bargain!
One of the things I like about the show is that it gave British stalwarts ARTHUR ENGLISH and DESMOND LLEWELYN regular work in a TV series. Apparently there were plans to make a movie while the show was still in production, but for reasons unspecified, they never came to fruition. Maybe the viewing figures during the third series had started to take a dip, making the expense of a movie a bit too risky. The type of stories featured in Follyfoot were ideally suited to half hour seg-ments anyway, and a 90 minute film may have been stretching things a bit too far.
One of the things I like about the show is that it gave British stalwarts ARTHUR ENGLISH and DESMOND LLEWELYN regular work in a TV series. Apparently there were plans to make a movie while the show was still in production, but for reasons unspecified, they never came to fruition. Maybe the viewing figures during the third series had started to take a dip, making the expense of a movie a bit too risky. The type of stories featured in Follyfoot were ideally suited to half hour seg-ments anyway, and a 90 minute film may have been stretching things a bit too far.
Anyway, here's a couple of questions for all you Crivs out there. Did you ever watch Follyfoot when you were a kid (or teenager), and if so, did you enjoy it? Well, okay, there were two parts to that question, but it counts as only one. The second is this: What's the absolute best bargain you've ever had in a charity shop? Comment lines are now open, so don't delay - tell everybody about that superb whatever-it-was item that you got for a mere song. I'm waiting, so don't let me or your fellow Crivs down.
Never saw a single episode but did like the artwork for the comic strip in Look-In though I never read it.
ReplyDeleteBest buy in an OXFAM shop was the complete set of JET Petrol plastic vintage car kits in sealed bags for 10p about 1973.
I believe Mike Noble was the artist, though some episodes might've been drawn by someone else trying to copy his style. I've got a Follyfoot annual, which, without digging it out to check ('cos I'm a lazy git), may've been drawn by John Cooper, but with a strong Mike Noble influence.
ReplyDeleteStill got those cars, T47?
I used to watch Follyfoot I was initially attracted to it due to the excellent theme tune which caught my attention. I thought it was a really good show with a great storyline and watched it whenever I could. As I recall the female lead was a teen heartthrob .
ReplyDeleteI can see why, McS, she's a nice looking lass. I probably thought so at the time as well, but obviously not enough to make me want to watch the show. I was probably too busy lusting after some other burd off the telly. In fact, there would've been more than one of them. Or maybe there was something on one of the other channels I preferred? Just can't remember now.
ReplyDeleteAnd what was your absolute best bargain from a charity shop?
I Remember it was On..but i didn't watch it often, not really my thing, although I've seen it since and enjoyed it, i thought it was well done, and well acted, its the theme i remember most, like a lit of those 70's kids TV shows, the Flashing Blade is another.cant recall an episode but remember watching it, and liking the theme Toon.
ReplyDeleteLoads of Bargains from Charity shops, specially in the late 70's early 80's..UFO annual for 20p, virtually Mint condition, lots of other TV related annuals & books for around 10p, Birmingham rag market was classic for Bargains in the late 70's early 80's.got a Dr Who chad valley projector for a quid!!... Amazing..never see those days again.
Y'know, if it hadn't been for the theme tune, I sometimes wonder if the show would be held in such affection by those who watched it. It's a nice little show, but the song is arguably the most memorable thing about it.
ReplyDeleteCharity shops nowadays don't have a clue about pricing items (despite their claims), often using the high-end prices of chancers on ebay as a guide. I once saw two Beano Books from the mid to late '90s in an Oxfam shop with a price of around £30 each on them. A sign said 'Internet price £60'. Obviously some tube had seen a 1940s mint condition Beano Book with that price on it, and assumed that was what ALL Beano Books were worth.
Not a bloody clue. They forget that charity shops are supposed to help less well-off shoppers as well as charities.
Absolutely, its pretty Crap in charity shops now, and Markets car boots ect..E bay has killed most of the classic bargain buying off.
ReplyDeleteThere are still a few bargains to be had in charity shops on occasion, as my Follyfoot box set testifies (it's selling for up to £33 on ebay), but that's because, in the case of DVDs, charity shops seem to find them difficult to shift for some reason. It's not uncommon to see four for £1 these days. Another bargain I got some months back was a box set of the complete series of 'Life' (with Damian Lewis) for a quid. That's a great show.
ReplyDeleteYes it is more for DVDs And Books than toys, we have a charity shop just at the end of our road (more or less) its an Hospice loads of DVDs and books, on Monday i got the V&A book of the Bowie exhibition for 50p £30.00 on E bay..so the bargains, as you said are more likely to be Books & DVDs..Ive not seen the Damien Lewis series, i'll check it out..have you seen 'Public Eye' yet?
ReplyDeleteI watched Public Eye when it was first shown (great show), but I haven't got any DVDs of it yet. The next one on my list is Man In A Suitcase. I've found that charity shops are erratic when it comes to pricing their books. Some are far too high, others are lower than you'd expect - which just proves that they really don't have a consistent way of doing things.
ReplyDeleteThat Shazam disc I sent was only 39p in Oxfam. They're usually 99p,but the original disc holder was broken inside, so maybe that's why...anyway, cases are easily replaced so a bargain for a new release (at the time).
ReplyDeleteThe best 39p of someone else's money I've ever watched, HS. Really enjoyed it. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of charity shops, Kid, there's a shop in Glasgow I check out now and then as they occasionally get some comics in.
ReplyDeleteLast week, I noticed they had comics stuck to the inside of the window and went to look, only to realise it was in fact pages from comics that they had cut up to decorate the window.
Absolutely appalling, I won't be donating any of my comics to that shop, I like my unwanted stuff to go to a good home.
Terrible. I wonder though, if the comics might've been damaged in some way and unlikely to have sold, so they cut them up to make some use of them. I don't think I'd ever buy a comic from a charity shop as I doubt it would be in an acceptable condition to me. And if it was bagged and boarded, they'd probably be asking too much for it. I don't buy comics just to read, I buy them to collect, so they've got to be top condition.
ReplyDeleteLike you, Kid, I fall asleep far too easily at the end of the day, whether watching classic TV or reading a comic. I know I’m meant to fall asleep when going to bed but sometimes it’s ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteTo add to my Follyfoot comment, my best charity shop buy was actually a new designer suit back in the late 70s early 80s for around £10 would have cost over £300 and it was new it was from a famous local factory and once a year they donated unsold clothes items with minor errors etc Comic wise I got around 15,US Marvels from 1970 to 72 for 30p each in Blackpook all great titles including Silver Surfer 12 (a better copy than the one I had and still have) Spidey 90 and a few early colour Monster title . Still have the comics the suits long gone
ReplyDeleteIt's a liver disorder that causes my fatigue, CN, and anything that requires my complete and uninterrupted attention just tires me out in double-quick time. Weird, eh?
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That's a good buy, McS, but I wonder what a suit worth £300 would cost in a charity shop today? £150? Regarding the comics, was that in a charity shop in Blackpool and, if so, what year was it? Strangely, I got my issue of Silver Surfer #12 (plus 4 others - 10, 11, 13, & 14) in Blackpool in 1973 or '74 (think it was '73), but that was for cover price off a spinner-rack in a newsagent's.
Synchronistically I found Follyfoot I a a charity shop today but decided against it. Best bargain I ever got was a biography of TE Lawrence for a quid. Inside was a birthday card, inside the card 80 quids worth of paper book tokens. The Young guy in Waterstones showed them to his colleagues like it was Antiques Roadshow, but they still accepted them. Happy day!
ReplyDelete£80? For a £1? Now that's what I call a bargain.
ReplyDeleteJust out of interest, was it all 3 series of Follyfoot, and how much?
Yes, full box set. I think it was 3.99.
ReplyDeleteNot as good as £1, but still a great bargain, OD.
ReplyDeleteWhat am I thinking? £1 was for 'Life', not 'Follyfoot'. So, not as good as £2, but still a great bargain.
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