Category: Film, TV & Radio

The Tortoise and the Hare

“A huge articulated Pirelli truck and an E type Jaguar car pass and repass along Italy’s breathtaking Autostrada Del Sole, to the accompaniment of jazz, pop and Vivaldi music.”

Charlton Heston

This was made in 1954, shot on location in Machu Picchu, stars Charlton Heston and bears more than a passing resemblance to Raiders of the Lost Ark, made about quarter of a century later.

The King’s Birthday Parade

Buckingham Palace 14th June, 2025 His Majesty was present at The King’s Birthday Parade on Horse Guards Parade this morning at which The King’s Colour of Number 7 Company Coldstream Guards was Trooped. The King was accompanied by The Queen (Colonel, Grenadier Guards), The Duke of Edinburgh (Colonel, Scots Guards), The Prince of Wales (Colonel,… Continue reading The King’s Birthday Parade

Where Beagles Dare

The cinema across the bridge in Windsor was out of bounds making it a particularly desirable destination. The usherette knew the drill. I sat in the front row beside the emergency exit and if a beak or member of Pop arrived she’d come forward and I’d bale out.

The Producers

I remember seeing the great Mel Brooks/Gene Wilder combo in The Producers (1967), Blazing Saddles (1974) and Young Frankenstein (1974) but I never clocked that The Producers was made into a musical in 2001.

Quare Fellows

I get muddled between Bowles and Burroughs. Both American writers who lived in Tangiers, were gay and of a similar vintage; Bowles 1910 – 1999, Burroughs 1914 – 1997.

The Famous Five

On a wet Sunday afternoon at boarding school time seems to pass slowly. Today a week passes more quickly. This is because aged eight a single afternoon takes up as much memory space as a month now that my memory has become chocker.

No Cigar for Monte Cristo

I didn’t know Charles Dickens and Alexandre Dumas both died in 1870, nor did I fully appreciate that some of their best known novels were published as serials.