Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?

Subject: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 05 May 05 - 02:14 PM

Has anyone any idea why the IRISH tune of Carrickfergus is played for the SCOTTISH Dr Finlay on ITV3?

The average folkie could have supplied a long list of excellent Scottish tunes for this.

Incidentally, before anyone leaps on my back about this criticism, I would hasten to add that I think Carrickfergus is a very beautiful tune and the version played for this prog is a particularly good arrangement.

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 05 May 05 - 02:23 PM

Can't say I've seen the new series, the only theme I remember was from the 1960s, to be found Here.(Scroll down to the 'Ds') Definitely NOT Carrickfergus

Nigel

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 05 May 05 - 04:39 PM

Maybe the housekeeper in the original series suggested it!

Regards

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 05 May 05 - 05:11 PM

Can't remember who played Janet in the first series but I would imagine she would have to suggest it via a medium!

lol

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 05 May 05 - 07:10 PM

..the medium of Irish, of course!

Regards

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Fergie
Date: 05 May 05 - 08:04 PM

Oooho! Martin verry cryptic.
Fergie

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: GUEST,HipflaskAndy
Date: 06 May 05 - 08:53 AM

re. 'Can't remember who played Janet in the first series'

Twas Barbara Mullen.

HFA

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 09 May 05 - 10:31 AM

well done Andy - now then can you remember the Doctor Finlay ripostes?

Doctor Finlay! Doctor Finlay! there's a case of vd in the surgery!

or

Doctor Finlay! Doctor Finlay! I've awfu' burning sensation inma chest!

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 09 May 05 - 02:56 PM

"Thank God it's not Chardonnay!"?

Regards

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Blackcatter
Date: 09 May 05 - 03:35 PM

Hello from the U.S.

Is this Dr. Finlay show a new production and is it currently shown on ITV? Are the lyrics sung during the intro, or is it just the music?

I'm asking because I run "Blackcatter's World of TV Theme Lyrics" and would like to add the show & lyrics to my site.

Thanks

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Blackcatter
Date: 09 May 05 - 03:37 PM

By the way my iste is at:

Blackcatter's World

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 09 May 05 - 04:17 PM

It's a very beautiful instrumental version. No words that I've heard - so far.

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Compton
Date: 10 May 05 - 01:35 PM

Bill Simpson was BBC version.
Andrew Cruikshank was erm...whoever his boss was!!

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: rumanci
Date: 10 May 05 - 01:37 PM

Andrew Cruikshank was Doctor Cameron I think ;-)

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 10 May 05 - 03:18 PM

Dr Cameron , indeed it was. The other 'local' doctor was Dr Snoddy.

And Janet's one regular line was answering the phone:

Hellooo, Aaarrrrden Hoose"

Nigel

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: GUEST,Dan Guilfoyle
Date: 12 May 07 - 07:37 PM

Can anyone cast his/her mind back to the episode of the farewell of
Dr Cameron (Ian Bannen?).
One of the female villagers sang Carrickfergus, with so much feeling that Janet (Annette Crosbie) was moved to voluntarily sit on her husband's knee (what happened afterwards is anyone's guess).
But I have never been able to identify the singer whose voice sang Carrickfergus so memorably.
Can anyone provide a name for my further research?

Best wishes

Dan

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 12 May 07 - 08:31 PM

Snoddy? Wasn't that the Undertaker?

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: GUEST,Allen in OZ
Date: 12 May 07 - 08:56 PM

I think that the original tune for Dr Finlay was written for the Queen mother celebrating the Coronation in 1936 or 37.

It was a great tune ...

" Will ye have a wee dram Dr Finlay?"

" Aye...don't mind if I doooo "

Aaaah those were the days


Best wishes

AD 1943

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 13 May 07 - 02:29 AM

Dan Guilfoyle: Andrew Cruikshank was Dr. Cameron.
It was filmed in Balquider.
I remember one episode where Dr. Findlay climbed high up on the hill, overlooking the loch. I had climbed the same hill many a time.
This was also the home of Rab Roy Macgregor until he went over to Ireland and changed his name to Liam something.

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Rusty Dobro
Date: 13 May 07 - 07:14 AM

Dr Snoddy was definitely a rival local doctor, noted for being humourless and dour. Dr Cameron could make 'Aye, Doctor Snoddy!' last for what seemed like several minutes, and convey a world of disapproval at the same time.

My grandfather always thought that Janet had an Irish accent, but I believe I read that Barbara Mullen was from a Scottish island......

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 13 May 07 - 07:34 AM

Rusty Dobro

No - she was indeed Irish - from the IRISH Aran Islands rather than the Scottish ARRAN.

Regards
p.s. That's the clue to some cryptic references earlier in this thread!

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Rusty Dobro
Date: 13 May 07 - 07:41 AM

Thanks, MartinRyan: I assumed it was, but it's nice to have it confirmed after so many years of wondering whether my grandfather knew what he was talking about. Nowadays my grandchildren wonder the same about me........

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Bernard
Date: 13 May 07 - 01:38 PM

Correction, JL - it was mainly filmed in Callender, about 12 miles away from Balquhidder...

Maybe some of the outdoor shots were filmed elsewhere, but 'Tannoch Brae' was definitely Callender.

;o)

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 13 May 07 - 01:47 PM

Some of it was in Balquider but you must be right. It's always seemed odd to me that there just aren't enough buildings in Balquider for the whole show. So who was the Undertaker?

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Megan L
Date: 13 May 07 - 01:55 PM

there is still an Arden house in Callender it is as you come down the hill from the Queen Elizabeth Forrest park.

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: GUEST
Date: 13 May 07 - 01:57 PM

The theme tune for the original Doctor Finlay series was the first movement of the Little suite, by Trevor Duncan.

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: GUEST,Allen in OZ
Date: 14 May 07 - 12:40 AM

Great stuff guest re the music for Dr Finlay

Was the Little Suite written for the Coronation of George VI ?

Meanwhile I'll have a wee dram    "Ay.   Don't mind if I dooooo"

AD 1943

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: GUEST
Date: 14 May 07 - 12:56 PM

Balquhidder

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 14 May 07 - 01:03 PM

I know! It didn't look right to me.
Cheers
Jim

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: ard mhacha
Date: 14 May 07 - 01:38 PM

Houskeeper Janet was Aggie in "Take it from here", steam Radio late 1940s early 1950s.

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: GUEST,Allen in OZ
Date: 14 May 07 - 09:14 PM

Are Callender and Balquhidder near Perthshire or in Perthshire?

It is all a long way from us here in Australia and I thought that the show was filmed in Perthshire. I remember "Take it From Here" in the 1950s...it was broadcast on the ABC I think.

Cannot remeber the undertaker at all, but have fond recollections of Dr Snoddy ( bete noir to our heros)   Ay Ay the noo. Losh !

AD 1943

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: GUEST,GUEST
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 05:47 PM

Been researching this song myself, to see it's origins, andf the threads here have been very interesting, an excellent discussion.

With regards 'Dr Finlay', I found this which some may find interesting. This is from the 1996 episode 'Mercury' in a more recent re-make of the series.

Go here first: http://www.sharonsmall.org/home.html

Click on the 'Audio' tab at the bottom of the screen. Scroll down the new page, and there's a Windows Media file of the Scots actress Sharon Small singing 'Carrickfergus'. I hope some of you enjoy it.

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 05:55 PM

I thought Tannochbrae was Auchtermuchty? There is still a "Tannochbrae Tearoom" in Muchty with memorabilia marking the filming. Or was there more than one series filmed in different places?

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 08:06 PM

I thought Snoddie was the local Public Health Doctor, which was why he came to so many disagreements with Cameron over the best policy for dealing with infectious disease outbreaks and the like? He probably also had a role in investigating local unexpected deaths (without actually being a pathologist), hence someone's idea that he might have been the undertaker: he certainly looked like one!
I'm also pretty sure that the house used for the Dr's house/surgery was in Callendar, and agree with Megan, there's still an "Arden House" there that looks remarkably like the one used ofr the show set. (And yes, it's in Perthshire)

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Gurney
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 10:34 PM

Like WLD, I can remember some of the cracks the programme produced. The best one that I heard was false, but funny:

"Would you like a cup of tea, Dr. Cameron?"
"For Christ's sake, Janet! Can a man no' have a shit in peace?"

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Will Fly
Date: 10 Jan 10 - 04:07 AM

There were indeed two series of "Dr' Findlay's Casebook" - the second one (in colour) was filmed in Auchtermuchty. I personally preferred the first (b&w) series with Andrew Cruikshank as Dr. Cameron. There were many, many Janet/Dr. Cameron jokes, including whole swatches of rude repartee.

The actress who who played Janet (Barbara Mullen) in series 1 was not, in fact, Scottish but Irish. I believe she was born in the Isle of Aran, not the Isle of Arran, but my memory may be playing tricks.

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: GUEST,Gulliver
Date: 10 Jan 10 - 05:04 PM

Barbara Mullen was born on 9 June 1914 in Boston, Massachusetts. Her parents came from Inishmore, one of the Aran islands, off the coast of County Clare, Ireland. More info on the ever-reliable Wikipedia.

Don

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Aug 10 - 02:56 AM

I just began playing and singing Carrick Fergus today--I love the song! cris Clarke--Lodi, CA

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Desi C
Date: 23 Aug 10 - 11:23 AM

I didn't know there was a new Dr Finley and the original one I'm sure wasn't Carrickfergus. But possibly, as there's always been a debate as to who wrote Carickfergus, and was the tune written long before the song ets it's possible the original tune may have been Scottish, now I'll have to wath Dr Finley!

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 Aug 10 - 07:28 PM

The remake wasn't a patch on the original.

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: pavane
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 07:50 AM

No-one answered Weelittledrummer from May 2005:

Doctor Finlay! Doctor Finlay! I've awfu' burning sensation inma chest!

Janet, I've told ye afore, keep your tits oot o' the porridge

I remember the (first) series - but the only episode I actually recall well involved ?Dr Cameron having hallucinations when driving -realising that it was ergot - contamination of his rye.

This has also been suggested as the reason for the ship the Mary (NOT Marie) Celeste being abandoned by her crew.

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: bubblyrat
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 09:09 AM

Funny, I don't remember a Scottish housekeeper in "Take It From Here", just the principal characters ; Jimmy Edwards, June Whitfield,etc. The only "Scottish housekeeper" I remember from that era (other than in "Dr Finlay" ) was the one played by Molly Weir in " Life With The Lyons", the Ben Lyons / Bebe Daniels radio show -- ( " It's going to be a scorrrccher ! "). Not to mention the "Flash" floor-cleaner adverts !

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: pavane
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 09:37 AM

And hows this for a coincidence -I have just stumbled across a news item from only yesterday which mentions ergot and rye:

Pont-Saint-Esprit poisoning: Did the CIA spread LSD

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Peter the Squeezer
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 09:44 AM

I have played the March from A Little Suite by Trevor Duncan (the 1960's BBC Dr Finlay theme) on Church organ at the the end of a service.

I maintain the inside every Church organist, there is a cinema organist struggling to get out - the only difference is that some of us hide that fact better that others - I don't even bother to try to hide it.

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: Peter the Squeezer
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 09:46 AM

Doctor Finlay, what's that you're writing with?

It's my anal thermometer, Janet. Some bum's got my ballpoint.

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: bubblyrat
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 08:26 AM

I saw a TV documentary about the Mary Celeste that suggested that the cargo of methylated spirit,or industrial alcohol,or whatever volatile substance was in the hold,had a bearing on the crews'(viz the skipper / owner & his family) abandonment of the vessel, ie they thought it was about to blow up,and lay aft of the stern in a lifeboat,but still attached by a long warp.....which then somehow slipped,leaving them unable to catch up and re-board. Or perhaps they were worried about the other half of the cargo ( woodpeckers ).

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: GUEST
Date: 05 May 11 - 11:01 AM

There is a Scottish connection to 'Carrickfergus.' The song is about an Irishman whom wants to cross the ocean to be with his love in Ballygrant. Ballygrant is a village on Islay in Scotland's Inner Hebrides.

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 12 Jan 12 - 12:12 PM

Dr. Finlay Episode: Mercury

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxyLkBahEKk&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLD3543F3E5E7E4B75

Subject: RE: Dr Finlay of Carrickfergus?
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Sep 22 - 08:41 AM

Barbara Mullen was from Boston Massachusetts. She lived on Aran on the west coast of Ireland.