'Lift Off' (Series 3)
I've finally got round to searching for the TVTimes coverage, Jez, but am missing the 21-27 August 1971 issue, with details for the third episode in this series. The guests are listed at both the IMDb and Nostalgic Music TV, however.
Series 3 began 10th August 1971:
At least Sweet's Top of the Pops performance of their #2 hit Coco exists:
Sweet - Co Co (HQ) |TOTP 17-06-1971|
From the same show as my favourite Pan's People routine - Joy to the World.
I can't find Miki Anthonys version of Sally Sunshine on You Tube but a fellow
called Clive Bruce had a hit in South Africa with it, reaching #11 in the charts:
Episode 2 - 17th August
Hello Buddy was The Tremeloes last British hit, reaching #32.
Here they are performing the song on the German show Disco:
Hello Buddy (The Tremeloes; Disco, 1971)
Mac & Katie Kissoon got to #41 with their version of
Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep (and #20 in America):
Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep - Mac & Katie Kissoon Music Video
Best known for their hits Sugar Candy Kisses and Don't Do It Baby
Episode 3 - 24th August
Most helpfully, the IMDb list guests and their songs:
The Move - Tonight (#11)
The New Seekers - Never Ending Song of Love (#2)
(From the 27th December 1971 Top of the Pops)
New World - Tom Tom Turnaround (#6)
I don't know where that performance is from but am really happy it exists.
Episode 4 - 31st August
From this week, Magpie replaced How:
Marmalade - My Little One (#15)
Details for the September episodes in my next post.
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Excellent research and info
Excellent research and info as you usually do cornershop ,many thanks yet again on the lift -off series ,im sure on panspeople.com that your info cornershop is the most detailed and accurate on the series than ive seen anywhere else
September and October 1971
Hello again Jez,
it seems only one episode was transmitted in September. The programme was replaced, at 4.55pm on Tuesdays, by Junior Showtime and didn't return until mid-October - on Thursday afternoons.
The first listing, for 10th August, states that episodes 1-5 in this series were based on children's requests. This is the last of them (broadcast 7th September), after which there was a five week break:
The Pickettywitch record didn't chart, unfortunately, but YouTube has this
rare promo, shown on obscure Australian Pop show GTK (Get To Know):
Pickettywitch - Summertime Feeling
Funny Funny was The Sweet's first hit, earlier in the year (#13).
Chicory Tip's Excuse Me Baby was another chart failure
Very different from Son of My Father, No.1 a year later.
Lift Off returned on 14th October 1971:
White Plains' song didn't chart and is not on You Tube. Nor is Jackie
Lee's second, but this fantastic discovery more than makes up for it:
Jackie Lee sings Rupert (the Bear) on The Golden Shot (13/12/1970)
Jackie had a hit with another classic TV theme - White Horses (1968).
This was uploaded by the singer herself and includes a lovely message.
You'll love this, Jez. A group photo of The Feet from the same week's issue:
I have newspaper articles with Vicky and Kathy but the quality is not very good, sadly.
October 1971 (continued)
Jez, I forgot to add that Nostalgic Music TV reports the 24th August and 7th September editions "may exist at the BFI". We all live in hope but it's very little progress.
The website also has 23 episodes for Series 3 but I've found no proof that any were made between 14th September and 7th October. I'm sure that break had something to do with the children's request shows and the series, wrongly billed as "New", resumed on the 14th October to complete its 18 week run. That's how I see it anyway.
Episode 6?
I used tthis scan yesterday for a post on Tottering Towers at Britmovie so have left it in:
Cliff Richard's song from Summer Holiday that inspired The Feet's routine:
Put on Your Dancing Shoes
With him in this clip are Melvyn Hayes (red shirt), Jeremy Bulloch (white) &
Teddy Green (stripes). I can't identify the actress, who might be uncredited.
Vanity Fare are best known for Early in the Morning and Hitchin' a Ride.
Both good records. I can't say the same for this one (again, Didn't Chart):
Vanity Fare - Better By Far
No sign of Billy J. Kramer's tune on YouTube, long after the hits stopped,
but there is something for the equally unsuccessful Flying Machine record:
1970s ESSO commercial (compilation): Flying Machine - Yes I Understand
Episode 7 (?) - 27th October (HTV region)
Ayshea may only have sung I'm Into Something Good Live.
By contrast, Labi Siffre's It Must Be Love was a hit (No. 14).
This is from that GTK show again. Must be a few clips online.
The promo film for The Sweet's Alexander Graham Bell (#33).
Roger Whittaker's version of the haunting Mammy Blue (#31).
I don't know if Wally Whyton recorded the songs he sang on the show.
.
once again cornershop can i
once again cornershop can i say this is excellent info ,we are so lucky here on panspeople.com to have you research and post this info on the lift of and other tv pop shows ,and the picture and info on the dancers the feet is brilliant ,i knew ken martyne was the choreographer of the show ,but ive never seen a picture of him anywhere before or realised he was once a member of the feet ,also ive heard of kathy collins before ,but yet again ive never seen a picture of her ,i know you have posted a link before for lift -off homepage ,but i think your info on here is far more detailed and accurate than ive read anywhere else ,and id like to thank you for that ,i shall look forward for the next installment of the lift off series
November 1971
I was as pleased as you to find that picture, Jez. That's the best I've seen so far. Ken Martyne looks a bit like Don Powell of Slade there, while Vicky Shellard resembles a young Liza Goddard.
Episode 8 listing, again featuring Tottering Towers:
It might not be what Jack sang but the title track of his LP is on YouTube:
(Holy Moses) Everything's Coming Up Roses by Jack Wild
Didn't expect to find this either. The twins are Gloria (l) & Jean Harrison:
Union Express - Ring a Ring a Roses
This actually topped the charts in several countries but flopped in Britain.
More about the group here (should read 'Union Express')
User: Milanodrum - Wikipedia:
Was this the Love Song Ayshea performed on the show?:
Olivia Newton-John - Love Song
(From her debut album, 1971)
Episode 9 listing with obscure group The Delmonts:
AYSHEA BROUGH
WALLY WHYTON
PETER NOONE
Ollie Beak
The Feet
Pop usually fizzes - and today is no exception. There's Peter Noone singing a side of his new release Walnut Whirl, and The Feet tapping out the message grooved on the flip side.They also join Miki Anthony on Simon's Doorstep.
Then it's the return of the Delmonts with A-Ra-Chicera, followed by the Deadwood Stage segment from the film Calamity Jane.
Ayshea and Wally keep the party swinging with Wild World, followed by the return of The Feet asking for the worst with Make Me or Break Me, a sort of cry from the sole?
DESIGNER - EDDIE BUZIAK; DIRECTOR - DAVE WARWICK; PRODUCER - MURIEL YOUNG
Peter Noone's first release after leaving Herman's Hermits:
Peter Noone - Walnut Whirl
(Didn't Chart)
This must be the "flip side" The Feet danced to, here sung by its composer:
David Bowie - Right On, Mother (Demo)
Peter's only solo hit was Oh You Pretty Things, another David Bowie song.
Another of The Feet's missing routines:
Simon's Doorstep - Miki Anthony
Miki didn't have a hit until 1973, with If It Wasn't for the Reason That I Love You
Doris Day - The Deadwood Stage (from Calamity Jane, 1953)
A shame we re deprived of seeing Ayshea sing her version of Wild World.
once again cornershop your
once again cornershop your research and info on lift off is the best that can be found anywhere ,its such a great pity granada decided to wipe all but 2 episodes of the lift off series ,what interesting tv it would make if we could only see these shows again ,i shall look forward to the dec 71 listings next ,thanks cornershop
November 1971 (continued)
I have to finish November first, Jez ...
CLIFF RICHARD
THE HERMITS
LOUISA JANE WHITE
AYSHEA BROUGH
WALLY WHYTON
Ollie Beak The Feet
Two new songs - though one has a familiar title - give this week's programme a distinct lift. Cliff Richard supplies Sing a Song of Freedom and from The Hermits comes their latest release She's a Lady (Say what you want to say), not to be confused with Tom Jones' hit
Those dancing Feet tap to Biggest Gossip in Town by Rockin' Horse and My Little Girl by Autumn.
DESIGNER - EDDIE BUZIAK; DIRECTOR - DAVE WARWICK; PRODUCER - MURIEL YOUNG
Cliff Richard - Sing a Song of Freedom (#13)
(From the BBC show They Sold a Million)
The Hermits - She's a Lady (Didn't Chart)
Rockin' Horse - Biggest Gossip in Town (Didn't Chart)
I quite like that. Reminiscent of The Searchers.
Autumn - My Little Girl (Didn't Chart)
A few fans of this record on YouTube.
Last of the November 1971 shows:
Sakkarin was another of Jonathan King's aliases:
Sakkarin - Sugar Sugar ((HQ) |TOTP 29-04-1971
#12
(This followed Lulu's Everybody Clap, featuring Pan's People)
The Move - Chinatown (#23)
Gene Pitney - It's Not That I Don't Love You (Didn't Chart)
Cliff Richard appears in this film as well:
Olivia Newton-John - Banks of the Ohio
(#6)
I think that's as much as I can do for November.
Autumn
Wow, you really collected a wealth of info there for this series. I just wish there was more of it in the archives!
I have one minor quibble, though, you said that "Autumn - My Little Girl" did not chart. This is not totally true, because it did make the UK Top 50, entering on 16th October, 1971, and peaking at a lowly No. 37 two weeks later with 6 weeks on the chart.
There was also an Australian group with the same name who had a big hit with their cover of "Yellow River" in 1970 during the Australian 1970 Radio Ban, but they're a totally different band.
One episode at a time
Just checked The Guinness Book of Hit Singles (1993 edition) and you're right. Thanks for pointing that out, Scrooge. No doubt my concentration was affected by spending too long on the post. Maybe I should focus on one episode each time rather than one month?.
These posts are even more difficult to compile now I've decided to add video links (will have to do the same for earlier posts eventually). It means having another 'Window' open to look for often obscure records on YouTube when I already have this thread, Photobucket - to upload the listings - and the TVTimes documents, which are all on disc.
I also compare the details of the Lift Off episodes at different websites (IMDb, LostShows, Nostalgic Music TV), and even post articles at the Britmovie Forum when I've found something in one of the magazines. With so many things to do on the computer, it's easier to check the Singles book for chart positions than go to EveryHit.com every few minutes!
I should have details for the first December episode (at least) tomorrow, Jez.
Thanks cornershop,the edition
Thanks cornershop,the edition from the 24th nov looks a good line up ,i wonder if they were all studio performances ,or if some were just film clips ,id love to see the feet dancing to sugar sugar at a zoo ,i would imagine the zoo in question would have been belle view zoo as that was near to the granada studios ,and i know they once shot an episode of the pop show ,45,from belle view funfair ,i can remember reading that the sugar sugar film clip does still survive as an orphan clip at itv archives ,cornershop you mentioned an article on kathy collins ,does it mention about her being a dancer with the feet
Re: Kathy (or Cathy) Collins + Belle Vue Zoo
Here's your answer, Jez (eventually).
From the Daily Mirror, 13th April 1972
LIFT-OFF FOR CATHY
CATHY COLLINS makes a super model ... but her heart is set on a dancing career. Cathy, 17, from Bexhill, Sussex, took a step in the right direction when she joined The Young Generation.
And yesterday she appeared in her third television series with the launching of ITV's "Lift Off". Really getting her career off the ground.
Cathy features in two other articles, wearing slightly more clothing, both mentioning her appearances in sitcom Doctor at Large. Ironically, all the episodes are on DVD but I know we both wish that was the case with Lift Off as well.
So sorry about this cruel fact of life, Jez (always hope in the next), and for Cathy herself, of course. Does she still visit the site? Let us know, Cathy.
This might bring back memories of the Lift Off sequence to both of you:
Belle Vue 1970s
A pity about the dismal music. Try playing Sugar Sugar at the same time to 'recreate the atmosphere'. That's what I've tried to do with the YouTube links to songs that were included on the show.
Hi cornershop ,many thanks
Hi cornershop ,many thanks for the info on cathy, was cathy once a member on this site ,i really hope she is ,id love to ask her some questions of memories of lift off ,so by the 1972 article you have posted it looks like cathy went on from the 1971 lift off series to do another one in 1972 ,unlike vicky shellard i dont think she must have been in the spring series 72 lift off ,as i once read that for a couple of episodes lesley judd was a dancer with the feet ,pheraps if and when you kindly cover the 1972 episodes ,some info on who the troupe featured just might crop up in the tv times listings ,and thanks for the link to belle view ,it was a place i visited on a few occasions in the early 1970s because belle view was only about an hour or so journey away ,from where i live ,i remember going around the zoo and fairground ,it was a great place at the time ,such a pity it was closed down
1st December 1971
I should have the information you want by the end of the week, Jez. 1972 is not too far away (I wish).
Tottering Towers makes another appearance in this listing (useful for another thread, at another forum):
Good to hear this again. Jarvis Cocker sang the chorus in Pulp's Disco 2000:
(Tony Orlando and) Dawn - What Are You Doing Sunday? (#3 in 1971)
That's the version I know and love. The sound isn't as clear here but what a find!:
Dawn - What Are You Doing Sunday? (rare promo)
Dawn already had a Transatlantic No.1 that year with Knock Three Times but they went on to have an even bigger success both sides with Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree. Dee Dee isn't too fond of the Pan's People routine, for some reason. I'm happy it exists anyway, though can't understand why we're not allowed to see it.
This must be the song Wally Whyton sang on the show:
Johnny Cash - I Got Stripes (US #43 in 1959)
As expected, no recordings of Ayshea's version on YouTube:
Carole King - It's Too Late (US #1 in 1971)
I don't know who 'Raving Rupert' was but this one's available:
Rescue Co. No. 1 - Life's Too Short (Didn't Chart)
If you read the text, you'll see their appearance on the programme is mentioned! Sorry, I can't help with the song The Feet danced to.
What do you think of this, Jez?:
1972 reel 3 clip03 12th April 1972 4 40 paulus and 4 55 lift off with ayshea brough
The day after the Cathy Collins article above. The Move were on that edition.
8th December 1971
8th December 1971
Puckwudgie - Charlie Drake (#47)
The B-side was Toffee and Tears
According to Popscene, Tony Christie sang Amarillo on Top of the Pops the week before (2nd December edition). Although the show is lost, his performance survives on account of being included in the German show Disco. Introduced by Jimmy Savile:
Tony Christie - (Is This the Way to) Amarillo
(#18 in 1971 but topped the charts in 2005 when re-released for Comic Relief)
The return of the Opportunity Knocks winners:
New World - Kara Kara (#17)
The tune Wally Whyton sang, I presume:
Gordon Lightfoot - Steel Rail Blues
It's not mentioned in the listing but the first record The Feet danced to was probably Junior Campbell's first solo release after leaving Marmalade. Unfortunately for him, it didn't chart:
Junior Campbell - Goodbye Baby Jane
I'm sure this was The Feet's other routine:
Labi Siffre - It Must Be Love (#14)
A different performance to the one I posted earlier in the thread.
Did Ayshea "surprise" the viewers with a song? We'll find out one day.
Thanks cornershop ,for more
Thanks cornershop ,for more fascinating info and reading on the lift off series ,i wished the link on the previous post of lift off from the 1972 reel clip had been that bit longer ,and how brilliant it would have been if someone had captured the whole show ,its good to see what the feets routines were on the 8th dec episode ,and i think you are 100 percent correct about the goodbye baby jane by junior campbell song being the one that was the record the feet danced to that week ,infact there must have been a double helping of the feet that week ,with the group performing to the labi siffre song as well ,many thanks cornershop i shall look forward to reading the next edition on the lift off series
Well done Cornershop: you've
Well done Cornershop: you've obviously spent a lot of time researching all this.
15th December 1971
Thank you for your replies. The Tremeloes song is sadly ironic:
So 'Raving Rupert' was an Elvis tribute act. He's still going strong 40 years later:
Sheffield Forum - Elvis impersonator
The Elvis film is better known as Spinout (1966)
Elvis Presley - I'll Be Back (Album track)
The Tremeloes - Too Late to Be Saved
From the German show Disco. Didn't chart in Britain.
I don't know if TVTimes were trying to give clues to songs Harry H. Corbett and Wally Whyton performed that week but at least the reference to Chicory Tip's "taste for onions" makes sense. Their current single was I Love Onions, which failed to chart.
I can't find the record on You Tube. It's probably terrible but I'd like to hear what it sounds like compared to their next release - Son of My Father. That got to No. 1 between Series 3 and 4 so I don't think they got to sing it on Lift Off.
No sign of Two People from New York either (The Feet's routine) but interesting to see another location mentioned. As with London's Post Office Tower, Manchester's is now known as the 'BT Tower' (British Telecom):
Okay back on topic, was Lift
Okay back on topic, was Lift Off a latter day Ready, Steady, Go, ITV's version of TOTP, remembering that RSG actally predated TOTP.
Actually talking of a TOTP rival on ITV, anybody remember The Roxy from the early '90's I think, David "The Kid" Jensen was one of the co-presenters who did the charts run-down on there, presumably this was the ILR Network Chart, (now the Big Top 40). So The Kid has co-presented two rival TV programmes at different times of course.
Also I noticed on one of yourTV listings pictures Magpie listed, this was ITV's, relatively short-lived answers to the BBC's Blue Peter!
Justin
22nd December 1971
TVTimes listing for 22nd December 1971
Apologies for including Tottering Towers so often in these listings. There is demand for them at the other forum I contribute to. It saves uploading more documents.
Surprised to find this, I must say:
The Berries - The King (Don't Be Cruel)
Originally known as The Rockin' Berries, who had Top 10 hits with two of my favourite Sixties songs, He's in Town and Poor Man's Son. I've seen the lead singer do impressions on one of David Frost's shows so am sure it's the same group.
I guess we may never know what clip was chosen from Summer Holiday, or, as usual, Ayshea's song, but The Sweet's hits are easy to identify:
Funny Funny (#13)
Co Co (#2)
Alexander Graham Bell (#33)
No details of the Feet's routine(s) and there's further disappointment for the following week as I don't have the Christmas 1971 TVTimes. although Nostalgic Music TV reports that the guests for the 29th December edition were Ken Dodd, Gilbert O'Sullivan (No Matter How I Try?) and Mac and Katie Kissoon.
Originally posted 4th April 2012. See next post
24th and 29th December
I can't explain why I was so absent minded but it seems I forgot the 18th December 1971 TVTimes was a double issue, with listings up to New Year's Eve. So I do have the preview for the 29th December. Not only that but Jez found out that there was a Christmas Eve show too:
I presume Kim Jones was a singer but there's no info to be found.
As it was a Christmas panto, I guess the songs were well-known?
29th December:
This was definitely Gilbert's latest, as performed on Sez Les (13/1/1972?)
Gilbert O'Sullivan - No Matter How I Try
#5
I've always loved that song and am very happy to have found the video.
This charted back in July but it's the only Ken Dodd single I know of from 1971:
When Love Comes Round Again (L'Arca Di Noe)
#19
I have that CD. A great singer as well as comedian. I especially like The River.
The Mac and Katie Kissoon song might have been Pigeon, which failed to chart and
I can't find. This was the follow-up to their version of Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep.
#41
More disappointment regarding The Feet's routines, in both episodes. Sorry, Jez.
wonderful stuff yet again
wonderful stuff yet again cornershop ,so much excellent info you have posted on the lift off series ,interesting to read another of the feets routines ,and i know lift off was known as a kids, teenagers pop show,but it was really itvs answer to top of the pops ,there was no other pop show at the time on itv only lift off ,but muriel young could see there was a demand for pop on tv for the kids of the day ,and she continued to deliver that every year until 1981 with various pop shows until she retired from granada tv ,was the 29th dec the last episode in that series cornershop or did it run into early 1972
5th January 1972
Only for one week, Jez:
The last of the Lift Off/Tottering Towers listings. No details of The Feet's routine(s) and there is further disappointment regarding the songs. None of the artists' records are on YouTube.
Nina is Nina Van Pallandt from Nina and Frederik. They'd separated by this time but didn't divorce until 1975. This TV appearance must have been shortly before she started filming The Long Goodbye with Elliott Gould. She was great in that.
Singer-songwriter Julie Budd's original theme for Living Free, from the end credits:
Julie Budd sings Living Free
Far more successful than Des O'Connor's version:
Perry Como - For the Good Times (#7 in 1973)
I'm not familiar with The Candy Choir. Apparently, they recorded Silence Is Golden before The Tremeloes (as did The Four Seasons). They're seen here backing Barry Ryan on Top of the Pops. I love Eloise but this is terrible - and pretentious:
Barry Ryan & The Candy Choir - Magical Spell (TOTP 5-2-1970)
A lowly #49, and deservedly so!
The Pan's People routine that week was Both Sides Now. Coincidentally, Tony Burrows was on the show as well, as lead singer with Edison Lighthouse. Was he the last guest to perform in this season of Lift Off? From Series 4, beginning 12th April, it would be known as Lift Off with Ayshea.
Added bonus:
No luck with Nina's version of Living Free but I'm glad I found this
Nina Van Pallandt - Try to Remember (1970)
Beautiful song, from forgotten musical The Fantasticks. Very moved by this performance.
I'm sure you are right about Muriel Young's great contribution to Pop on ITV, Jez. I wish I had your memories of Lift Off and 45. I know I watched Shang-A-Lang (with The Bay City Rollers), Marc (Bolan) and Get It Together on weekday afternoons.
But the one I paid most attention to was Supersonic, produced and presented by Mike ("Cue the music") Mansfield, shown on Saturday evenings. All but one of the 89 episodes survive. Some of them were repeated on Granada Plus about 10 years ago. Likewise, Marc and Shang-A-Lang.
so that is 1971 lift off
so that is 1971 lift off episode guide well and truly covered by the excellent researcher cornershop ,many thanks cornershop for putting such a lot of hard work with the info for this series ,dare i be cheeky and ask if you could follow up with 1972 next ,once again many thanks for bringing lift off back into our memories again in 2012
Good Work Cornershop
I must admit this Lift Off stuff is not my bag (sorry Jez) but I can still admire good research work when I see it so I must say kudos to Cornershop for this fine effort.
Rusty
Daily Mirror article
Thanks very much, Jez and Rusty. A Happy Easter to you both.
This Thursday (12th April) will be the 40th anniversary of the next series, rather depressingly. The ideal day to start that thread.
From the Daily Mirror, 24th August 1971:
I've noticed a lot of the attractive models, actresses and dancers in articles from this period are described as "dolly".
Tessa Wyatt is there because she was in ITV's Playhouse production The Grass Widows. This was a year before she married Tony Blackburn.
Thanks cornershop for
Thanks cornershop for updating the lift off 71 series ,much appreciated ,and intersting reading ,cheers mate