' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4

Subject: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: cptsnapper
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 08:37 AM

As I write there's a programme on Radio 4 celebrating the 6.5 Special & apparently - for those who remember them - Wee Willie Harris & Vince Eager ( what, no Roy Young? ) will be taking part.

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 08:48 AM

Never heard of Don Lang myself :)

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: fat B****rd
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 10:07 AM

Saw a vintage recording on BBC 4 the other week, Don Lang, The Deep River Boys, Chris Barber and a very tasty Ottilie, Spike Milligan, Freddie Mills. Everything except rock'n'roll. Mind you I'll catch the Radio 4 programme soon.

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: GUEST,Edthefolkie
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 10:13 AM

Caught the last 10 mins, brill. I couldn't believe it was Pete Murray chatting away.

We were too poor to have a telly then, had to make our own amusements, blah blah blah....

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: Folkiedave
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 10:25 AM

I'm too poor now.

We listen to radio - but the pictures are better.

Don Lang, real name Gordon Langhorn - had a hit with "The Auctioneer" as I remember. Too busy to google.

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 10:33 AM

I agree with you Dave.

I'm sure that, like me, when you started broadcasting you were told you had a good face for Radio.

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: Bryn Pugh
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 10:56 AM

Wot ! No Lord Rockingham's XI ?

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: GUEST,buspassed
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 10:59 AM

Not to mention the Vernon Girls!

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: cptsnapper
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 11:26 AM

I must say that I preferred Drumbeat: Vic Flick was one of my idols.

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: GUEST,The Mole Catcher's unplugged Apprentice
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 11:51 AM

Never heard of Don Lang myself :)
at almost 37 even I've heard of and heard Don Lang and His Furious Five (think that was the name of his band) they do the theme to 6:5 Special.

Charlotte (over the points...over the points)

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 11:57 AM

What about the Stanley Dale National Skiffle Contest?

Did anybody ever win?

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 12:00 PM

Frantic 5 dear, and I still don't remember them !
What do you expect? I'm only 65 years old for goodness sake :)

G

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: RTim
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 12:01 PM

Don Lang and his Frantic Five!

I remember - I was there!
Tim Radford

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: GUEST,The Mole catcher's unplugged Apprentice
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 12:11 PM

"Frantic 5 dear,"

well we're allowed a mistake...sunshine...

Charlotte(don't patronise me!)

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 12:13 PM

I knew it would annoy you, and that's why I did it, you are predictably easy to wind up girl.

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: GUEST,The Mole Catcher's unplugged Apprentice
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 12:21 PM

Goodness, I do hope I'm a better person at your age than you are...patronising seems to be you forte, infact your whole attitude is patronising.

and back on topic again...I believe Jon Pertwee was also a part of the regular 6:5 Special cast

Charlotte (this view from Ma and Pa's piano stool)

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 12:26 PM

Hee hee, I do love it when people are so thin skinned

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: The Mole Catcher's Apprentice (inactive)
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 12:31 PM

Actually I'm not, I've been called insensitive in my time, this is one of those times.

Charlotte (the view from Ma and Pa's piano stool)

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: The Mole Catcher's Apprentice (inactive)
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 12:38 PM

Just Came across this page...wonderful stuff!

The TV Rock n' Roll Years

Charlotte (over the points, over the points)

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: GUEST,Terry McDonald
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 12:47 PM

If I remember correctly...........the original 'over the points' theme was by Bob Cort and his Skiffle Group. Don Lang's version came later. As Gordon Langhorn he was a trombonist in one of the big bands of the era, possibly Ken MacIntosh or the Squadronaires.

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: The Mole Catcher's Apprentice (inactive)
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 12:53 PM

"the original 'over the points' theme was by Bob Cort and his Skiffle Group"


Bob Cort Skiffle Group 6.5 Special Theme on You Tube

Charlotte (enquires made)

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 12:55 PM

He was with Ken MacKintosh and Cyril Stapleton.
Another stalwart of those years Lord Rockingham's XI, contained the late lamented Benny Green on saxophone. I seem to remember he always wore sunglasses in this role, perhaps because he didn't want to be recognised playing rock and roll, by his friends in the jazz world.

Giok

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: The Mole Catcher's Apprentice (inactive)
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 12:57 PM

Now this is interesting, if you were young and lived in Bradford in 1957

Music in Bradford : 1957


Charlotte (isn't old enough to remember any of this, but finds it absolutely fascinating)

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: The Mole Catcher's Apprentice (inactive)
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 01:04 PM

The Squadronaires

Lord Rockingham's XI comprised of the following original eleven musicians with a further two players added later:

Harry Robinson - Musical Director
Cherry Wainer - Organ
Don Storer - Drums
Reg Weller - Percussion
Red Price - Tenor Sax
Rex Morris - Tenor Sax
Benny Greene - Baritone Sax
Cyril Reubens - Baritone Sax
Ronnie Black - Double Bass
Bernie Taylor - Guitar
Eric Ford - Guitar


Joining the group later were:
Kenny Packwood- Guitar
Ian Frazer- Piano

Charlotte (there's a moose loose aboot this hoose)

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 01:35 PM

Brilliant Charlotte, absolutely brilliant

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: The Mole Catcher's Apprentice (inactive)
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 01:42 PM

Thanks Les...:-)

I actually cheated abit...phoned my Dad, who loves this particular era in British rock n' roll history,he supplied the links and the Lord Rockingham's XI line up for me

Charlotte (when in doubt consult the family)

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: MikeofNorthumbria
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 02:02 PM

Just for the (45 rpm) record, Lord Rockingham's XI didn't appear on the 6.5 Special - they were the house band on "Oh Boy!", the TV show which Jack Good created for ITV after he left the BBC.

Wassail!

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 02:07 PM

What about the Stanley Dale National Skiffle Contest?

Did anybody ever win?

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: GUEST,The Mole catcher's unplugged Apprentice
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 02:30 PM

"What about the Stanley Dale National Skiffle Contest?

Did anybody ever win?"

Les, I was just reading, on a website, that Rory Storm & The Hurricanes got through to the local (I'm assuming this means Liverpool) final of Stanley Dale's Skiffle contest in March 1958.

"Lord Rockingham's XI didn't appear on the 6.5 Special - they were the house band on "Oh Boy!"

HA!! my Dad phoned back and said the same thing, Mike. Typical of me I initially thought he meant 6:5 Special...anyway glad we all got it sorted out

Charlotte (skiffle while you work)

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 02:59 PM

Charlotte, we have a breakthrough here, nobody has ever responded to these requests before.

Perhaps it's still going on and Stanley is working towards the Stanley Dale National Skiffle Contest Stars in their eyes Christmas Special, or maybe the SDNSC Celebrity Special.

Leaves, excited

Les

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 03:02 PM

Funny I don't ever remember watching Oh Boy, but I must have, to get Lord Rockingham's XI misplaced on 6.5 special. Thanks for putting me right Mike. (How are you these days BTW?)
Giok

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: GUEST,The Mole Catcher's unplugged Apprentice
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 03:13 PM

Skiffle Idol? *LOL*

Charlotte (skiffle while you work)

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: Jim Martin
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 07:17 PM

Was Ian Fraser the same as The Ian Fraser band which used to be on 'Beyond Our Ken' or 'Round the Horne'? (Kenneth Horne)

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 12:07 AM

Jon Pertwee? -- that I don't remember -- but I do remember 'the 6.5 special coming down the line, the 6.5 special - right on time....!' and my father's unprintable comments as my sister and I watched enraptured.....

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 02:43 AM

Chaz McDevitt and Shirley Douglass, The Vipers. The thing about the 6.5 Special was that it caught the Skiffle era, when some groups were local, playing washboards and string bass with a very DIY attitude to the music. And look where that led so many of us!

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: GUEST,Terry McDonald
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 03:09 AM

My (rock singer) brother who was a fireman with British Rail when 6.5 Special was on television was always irritated by the title song having a line that went 'there's coal in the boiler...'

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 03:15 AM

............... burning up bright ...........

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: fat B****rd
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 03:22 AM

A drummer friend of mine played in Don Lang's Band at the Empire, Leicester Square in the late 60's.
Chas McDevitts book on skiffle highlights loads of British rockers who were in skiffle groups in the 50s.
It always amused me that Benny Green was in Lord Rockingham's X1. Apparently he used to get fan mail addressed to"the blind sax player".

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 04:10 AM

The Jon Pertwee comment intrigued me as a Dr Who fan.

I can't recall JP being in 6.5 special but most info on the web concentrates on film and TV and less on radio.

I was fascinated to find, however, that he appeared, and sang a song, in the 1965 (or 63) film "I Gotta Horse" which was a vehicle for Billy Fury and other artists of that time. There seemed to be loads of these films at that time mostly featuring regulars from things like 6.5 Special and Oh Boy. In fact IIRC Billy Fury was one of Jack Good's artists.

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: GUEST,The Searcher
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 01:05 PM

I'm blowed if I can find it this on this weeks R4 schedule to use the listen again feature.
8.37 5th Mar is presumably Mudcat time,so what would that be in English?Was it part of another programme?
Any help welcomed.

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 01:09 PM

Not available on line it says I'm afraid.

G

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: GUEST,The Searcher
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 01:33 PM

Oh,right-BBC TELLY 4!
Never mind,thanks anyway.

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: cptsnapper
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 02:39 PM

It's part of a Radio 4 series called Britain In A Box & it can be heard again

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: GUEST,The Mole catcher's unplugged Apprentice
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 03:12 PM

John Pertwee on 6.5 Special with a young Adam Faith in the background

photograph on the lower left handside

Charlotte (over the points...over the points)

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 09:48 PM

The Mole Catcher's unplugged apprentice -- you are RIGHJT!! Jon Pertwee was on 6.5 special but I don't remember him. but I sure do remember Adam Faith......

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 04:42 AM

Excellent MCA

Couldn't remember Jon Being in it and there seems no mention of his involvement in any biogs I've found.

Now who is the bloke next to him in the photo just above the magazine cover. Looks like another well know British character actor

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 07:49 AM

The Vernon's Girls weren't on 6.5 Special either - they were another of Jack Good's 'discoveries' and were on Oh Boy. Along with Saint Cliff, Marty Wilde (saw him a year or so ago - still magic) and Billy Fury (the best we ever had, IMHO).

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: Snuffy
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 09:17 AM

Kevin,

It looks to me as if it could be Jeremy Lloyd

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: GUEST,The Mole Catcher's unplugged Apprentice
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 11:06 AM

"Billy Fury (the best we ever had, IMHO)."

Backwoodsman, you're not alone in that opinion, there are many music professionals who've stated that Billy Fury's death was a huge loss to music

Charlotte (first coffee of the day from Ma and Pa's piano stool)

Subject: RE: ' 6.5 Special ' on Radio 4
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 11:48 AM

I think your right Snuffy.

And for Charlotte:

"last night a million stars, shone down on me"