Forum Topic

Christmas TV

I've just read the RadioTimes for this year's Christmas TV progs. There's very little to tempt me - the same old tired programmes. Wish they'd show more musicals and classic comedy shows. What d'yer think? ;-(

Gerry Tan ● 7437d27 Comments

(Crumbs Rebecca - I hope you realise that I was talking tongue in cheek, even with the liberty of nicknaming you 'Becks' (which may or may not be yours!).  It is really nice to have some new names on the forum and we try to be a friendly bunch.)What I intended posting was - I have it on good authority from a person who works for Chambers, that the word f'rinstance is included in their double Dutch dictionary...

Sarah Felstead ● 7431d

Crumbs Becks......  :-)Y'know I hadn't realised that f'rinstance wasn't spelt like that - I have checked in the dictionary and you know my dictionary is wrong because it isn't there!  Mind you, my dictionary is possibly out of date so maybe somebody with a newer one could check theirs for me?The thing I thought I might not have got away with was not the f'rinstances of life but saying"The blizzard thread would be worth continuing with, in a sober and sane sense of mind (do we have any of those around here?)."I thought that I might be challenged over the sane 'sense' of mind and not state of mind...but I thought sense was a better description so there you are!Full of common sense is this forum  ;-)

Sarah Felstead ● 7431d

"...and that is why I often visit this site GERRY. It has such a different 'feel' to it. More chatty and relaxed. My parents did live in Brentford until I was one, so I suppose that I am really from Brentford myself!" - Rebecca.Yes I think this is a very friendly site - enjoy it immensely. I too lived in Chiswick(late 50s - Barrowgate Rd and Malborough Cres), its a lovely place with nice people...well people are the same everywhere aren't they...but their site is rather serious generally, which is rather typical of the Chiswick chatterers as I call 'em, you know, all mouth, no money and mountainous mortages...that's why they take themselves a bit too seriously I think! Wow, I'd better watch what I say, 'cos I still go there for good fish, excellent meat, yummie patisseries and bicycles(of all things)! Its a nice place. Have a merry Christmas!  ;-)

Gerry Tan ● 7431d

..and that is why I often visit this site GERRY. It has such a different 'feel' to it. More chatty and relaxed. My parents did live in Brentford until I was one, so I suppose that I am really from Brentford myself!

Rebecca Hobson ● 7431d

"You would have been told off by at least 10 people by now on ChiswickW4.com!!" - from Rebecca.Ah, but please note, we are not those Chiswick chatterers you speak of REBECCA! We are the sunny Brentford bourgeoisie and "prad" of it! (Actually, I'm an Ealingite - a sort of honorary Brentfordite! ;-)

Gerry Tan ● 7431d

Sarah, are you trying to annoy someone with your spelling?F'rinstance?? You would have been told off by at least 10 people by now on ChiswickW4.com!! :o)

Rebecca Hobson ● 7431d

May I ask..?  Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is a lovely film  and I love the dancing and singing - but am I allowed to suggest that it is also a comedy too? The woodcutting scene, f'rinstance, is one which sends me into fits of laughter!

Sarah Felstead ● 7431d

High Society is my number one musical film but i saw 42nd Street on Broadway in New York about three years ago and nothing compares to that show.

Paul Fisher ● 7431d

You can't beat the old musicals. My sister, me and my mum all used to huddle up on the settee on Saturday afternoons  and would watch either Meet me in St Louis, 7 brides for 7 brothers or our all time favourie.... Calamity Jane!We would sometimes throw in The sound of Music and of course.. Grease!

Rebecca Hobson ● 7431d

REBECCA, MMISL is one of the best musicals of all time I think. I saw it first in the late 40s and was enchanted by it then - have seen it a few time since and it still sparkles, with that great singer Judy Garland...a true star! Directed by her husband Vincente Manelli I think? It contains one of the best and most haunting Christmas songs ever..."Have yourself a merry little Christmas". Hope they put it on again this Christmas or soon. Have fun.  ;-)

Gerry Tan ● 7431d

I will be watching my new DVD of 'Meet me in St.Louis'. It is one of my all time favourites! And very Christmasy!

Rebecca Hobson ● 7431d

I take back my moan about awful programmes on TV this Christmas. I was wrong! On looking more carefully at the prog schedules, I find there ARE some good programmes listed. Yesterday afternoon, I switched on and to my very pleasant surprise saw "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" again(for the umpteenth time!). What a lovely film that was - the dancing and singing were a real treat - Howard Keel, Jane Powell and Russ Tamblyn - most enjoyable. Sorry for my previous moan. Also, the other afternoon I enjoyed yet again that wonderful classic "A Christmas Carol", with Alistair Sim and a very young George Cole - beautiful film too. I'm now looking forward to some pleasant Christmas viewing on the box! ;-)

Gerry Tan ● 7432d

Your telly blowing up beatsthat lot!

Keith Iddon ● 7433d

KEITH, you're right, I love old movies. The stars you mention are all my favourites...like Edward G. Robinson, Sidney Greenstreet, Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwick, Lauren Bacall(she's still goin'!), John Wayne, James Stewart, Marylyn Monroe...all great stars...and my all time sweethearts Susan Hayward, Rita Hayworth and Greer Garson...ah, happy days in the 1/9penny back stalls at the Roxy!! ;-)))

Gerry Tan ● 7433d

Gerry,sounds like you're a fan of old classic movies,as I am. I am on the mailing list for the Riverside Studios, Hammersmith and they often have the old classics on. Saw 'Casablanca' there a couple of years ago,'All Quiet on the Western Front','Angels with dirty faces'and a couple other Cagneys this year, amongst others. You have to see people like Bogart and Cagney on the big screen in my opinion as they are real movie stars and something of them is lost on the small screen.They are very reasonable price -wise,£5.50 for 2 films or £4.50 for senior citizens.NIce bar there and gallery etc. too.

Keith Iddon ● 7433d

Neil It beats Skippy, Home And Away, Neighbours and The Sullivans eh?

Gareth Evans ● 7434d

My mum sent me the Radio Times.I would watch Auf Wiedershen Pet, Vicar of Dibley, Not only but also, Sherlock Holmes and Misummer Murder.Not bad tv.

Neil Chippendale ● 7434d

Gerry Had you forgotten about Del, Rodney, Raquel, Damien, Trigger, Boycie & the effervescent Marlene? What kind of Christmas are you contemplating without inviting these Christmas favourites into your home?

Gareth Evans ● 7434d

BERNADETTE, sounds like you've had some lovely Chrismases in the past - how lucky you are. How nice to have loads of friends and neighbours popping in for some fun and laughs. Happily, we enjoy that kind of Christmas still. Have fun.

Gerry Tan ● 7435d

You've sussed me out REBBECA...I was having a little fun with my ref to BAYWATCH. Well, one's got to have a bit of humour occasionally, in this world of sad and dire events. But thats not to say a 72 year old OAP like me doesn't still appreciate a well tanned torso on the beach! Or pretty girls as well!  ;-)

Gerry Tan ● 7435d

We had family Christmases too - both my parents came from HUGE families so I had endless cousins etc. and of course life was so much less sophisticated, my Dad played the piano and there was singing and games - much uproarious fun, and we all bunked down wherever we could at my Uncle's house in Dulwich and had meals at trestle tables. I couldn't see it happening today. I have spotted a couple of films I want to watch, but I am more than content to curl up with a good book, a G&T, the pussycats and some nibbles, I have stocked up from the library in preparation.

Vanessa Smith ● 7435d

I think it would be nice if we all switched the tv off and celebrated Christmas the way we did when I was a child.  Although my family had a tv most others did not.  In any event the tv on Christmas morning was nothing other than church services and carols therefore I don't remember it even being on as we would have been to midnight mass on Christmas Eve.  I'm pretty sure it closed down altogether after the Queen's speech (which we never watched anyway) until about 7.30p.m. when there would be a film.  I particularly remember "High Noon".Throughout the day there seemed to be a continuous stream of visitors (mainly neighbours) all of whom had to have a drink of some sort and a chat for half an hour or so.  Around 3.30 it would be the giant meal of Turkey, Ham, Tongue and Pork (my mother was incapable of cooking just one type of meat).  That meal went on for an eternity and by the time we had finished it was time for the film after which there may have been a ghost story and then it shut down.Christmasses seemed very much more sociable when I was a child.  When was the last time anyone invited their neighbours in for a drink on Christmas morning/afternoon?  People seldom visit these days without being invited whereas in my home there was always someone showing up unannounced.  Parties were never organised always impromptu and tv never featured very highly (as it does now).Obviously I am getting old as looking back seems eminently better than looking forward and I will probably be glued to the telly like everyone else on Christmas Day and moaning about the rubbish that's on!

Bernadette Paul ● 7435d

Baywatch?? Did you just throw that in for fun!!

Rebecca Hobson ● 7435d

My problem with VCRs and DVDs GARETH, is that I can never work them correctly. My 5 years old grandaughter, who can operate all these machines, gets annoyed at my fumblings! I'm hopeless when it comes to buttons on electronic machinery. But I still wish we could have some good old TV progs at Christmas...the things I miss are progs like "It ain't 'arf hot Mum", "Starsky & Hutch", "Kojak", "Sargeant Bilko", "Bay Watch" and Fred Astaire musicals from the 40s/5os! Also Casablanca and all those old movies. Like I said, its gonna be Scrabble and Monopoly yet again this Christmas. :-(

Gerry Tan ● 7435d

GerryMaybe a good idea to add one of either to your Christmas wish list ;-)

Gareth Evans ● 7437d

Yeh, perhaps it is a blessing GARETH, especially as I haven't a VCR or a DVD. Ah well, I'll have to get out the Scrabble and Monopoly boards again this Christmas! ;-)

Gerry Tan ● 7437d

Look upon it as a blessing. Try some DIY television by working around the Christmas schedules by putting on your own choice of video or DVD.

Gareth Evans ● 7437d