Nominations for the Splosh! Veteran's League

[BillShipton]

Thanks to Julie for her essay! Well thought out, and a good few facts in there that I had forgotten.

I know we have had this discussion on email but I am still convinced that the girl who got pied on Who Do You Do was Christine Holmes (ex-Crackerjack blonde who later became Kristine Sparke and then Kristine) not Faith Brown. Christine did get pied a couple of times in early Crackerjacks.

As Julie knows I had the pleasure of working with Billy Dainty in the 80s. I was writing a feature about being a panto dame and he let me be his 'female' assistant in panto at the Belgrade in Coventry for one performance. He was a great bloke, smoked incessantly but was amazingly fit. He taught me all sorts of stagecraft. For those too young to remember him he was a fine physical comedian who latterly appeared with Rod Hull on Emu's Broadcasting Company. I don't remember much of his own show though.

I think including Julia Breck is cheating a bit. She didn't get pied that often. I think this is a cleavage too far! Pauline Quirke on the other hand almost made it onto our list. Hayley and I both remember her both on You Must Be Joking and the follow up Pauline's Quirks. She was indeed pied every week usually by the resident band Flintlock (who cult TV peoiple will recall from the Tomorrow People). She was a real trooper.

Wendy Richard in Hoggs Back...new one on me! But there were lots of comedies of this sort in the 70s and 80s, not to mention individual slapstick scenes in children's and adult comedies. As a writer, let me pause and give a big hand in this respect to Bob Block. He wrote a lot of the early Crackerjack stuff, Rentaghost, Robert's Robots and lots of kids shows of that time. His by-line in the Radio Times was almost a guarantee of some old fashoned slapstick. Witness Pardon My Genie starring the wonderful Roy Barraclough. There was a fine pie fight in that. Nearly as memorable as the lead character's name which nobody questioned in the 1970s - Mr Cobbledick. Another pause whilst somebody writes in to remind us of Nosey Bonk in Jigsaw with Janet Ellis a few years later.

Soon after that, the gungey game show started, heralded by the sadly almost forgotten How Dare You? Mainly it was messy kids but On Safari offered the occasional messy grown up including a young Gillian Taylforth.

I too have a vague memory of Sandra Dickinson doing something messy once. But Her Hayleyship and I decided that once wasn't enough to be on our list. So Debbie Magee wouldn't get close, I'm afraid. No, we want to salute people who were getting messy every week!

Finally, Cleo Rocos. She didn't get messy much but was a fine comedy performer. I met her too, long after Kenny Everett, and she was incredibly shy almost asexual woman who enjoyed playing the vamp. Her most spectacularly messy Everett sketch was the Twelve Days of Christmas where they were deluged with stuff representing the items in the song. Sadly I missed this at the time, and have never seen it all the way through. Anyone got a copy?

Yes, I know I have rambled on and on...I'll stop for a bit.

I'm sure other names will come to mind in future. In the meantime, thanks again.

[andy250]

How dare you was 2 schools against each hence the messy teachers session in the middle, and all the daft sections in the middle.
I remember the safari one only vaguely??? did it start with them having to get items to cross a swamp, then in the second half they had to get through a pool they had made in the studio..

Now here's one who remembers Flo from playschool getting gunged in gravy on crackerjack!! with Stu Francis...........

How many season did How Dare You run for I think it was one.

Andy
(remembering his youth??? or trying to......)

[Roger]

I think How Dare You had two series. One with Cheryl Baker and one without her. I was always frustrated that Cheryl Baker missed out on the gunge. I think I remember her splashing about in the pool at the end of one series but I think that was about it.

[ClownJulie]

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[ClownJulie]

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[ClownJulie]

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[Hayley]

Hi Julie

Bill is up to his armpits in mess right now with DD, Mouse, Bizarre mag and Co, but I'm sure he will be back soon to continue the debate!

Hope you are well and enjoying the forum

Hayley

[ClownJulie]

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[the bulber]

Was the phantom Peter Glazier?

[ClownJulie]

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[the bulber]

Sorry Julie I thought it was Glazier, I used to feel sorry for Peter copping it all the time.
Can you remember Leslie Crowther with peter on crackerjack?

[Hayley]

Bill always says Peter Glaze was a bit of a hero. Used to be a stand-in for members of the Crazy Gang apparently.

I really have got to stop listening to him. Other women my age talk about singers and footballs, not short, fat comics!

Hayley

PS Will check out the Jan Hunt clip. I wanted to be her when I was a kid.

[Messypockets]

I know its obvious and I should probably shut up and go away but how about Laurel and Hardy? Or the three Stoogies? I know they're not sexy (not that I'm judging them on sexual merit) but they are a huge influence. Anyway I'll get me coat.

[tony]

Just reading through this thread and I suddenly remembered Millicent Martin. As a child in the 60s I recall her being interviewed and saying, "I would have loved to be a clown, custard pies and all". Then, again in the 60s, she was on some show in which she had a big food fight (black and white tv) with someone at a table spread with cakes and cream (I am showing my age here), she wore a long black evening dress. As well as getting covered, she even had her handbag filled with cream. Also remember a film where she came off her horse and ended up sitting in a muddy pond. Maybe Millicent was a splosher, but not a regular one so doesn't go on the list I know. She was also a wonderful singer and featured on "This Was The Week That Was".

[Hayley]

Oh no...look what you've started Tony! I'll hand over to Bill.

Yes, the Millicent Martin Show made by ATV featured a number of slapstick sketches including an excellent two woman tit-for-tat food fight. Sadly, I can barely remember it but I do recall the timing was superb - Laurel & Hardy pace (to cheer up Messypockets!). She was a fine knockabout comic as well as a great singer.

Perhaps better known is the sketch she did in the ATV Morecambe & Wise series from the 60s (written by Sid Green and Dick Hills....yes, I know I'm sad) where they are all sitting on a fence repeatedly knocking each other off it. She was the principal victim. If memory serve me right, they later redid the sketch in the 70s with Lulu but not nearly as well.

Now I'll get my coat!

Phew...that was quicker than I thought (Hayley)

Hayley and Bill