Other 1950's Children's TV
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Below is a selection of other Children's TV programmes of the 1950's. If you have any information about these or any other programmes of the era, we would be very grateful to receive it. Just e-mail the address at the foot of this page and we will try to feature them on their own pages:
This TV Comic Annual shows on its cover, amongst others, Muffin the Mule, Billy Bean, Pakki the Elephant, Lenny the Lion, Bengo the Boxer Pup, Coco the Clown and Bom the little Drummer Boy. (Click on the picture to enlarge)
'The Hot Chestnut Man'
with         Nat Temple and his Band
who changed the Robin Hood lyrics to:
"Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding         round the house,
Robin Hood, Robin Hood, on his clockwork mouse,
Feared by the BBC, loved by the ITA,
Robin Hood, Robin Hood, Robin Hood"
 
'The Man In Armour ' - This was a fantasy serial in 7         episodes and was first transmitted in February 1951.         Featuring a 500 year old man called Sir Archibald Willow         who, kept alive by his magic armour, wanders through the         centuries in search of Isolde, the beautiful daughter of         Sappho Holyrood. Sappho was a wicked old magician who,         believing that Archie handed over his daughter as a         witch, was determined to kill the knight. Archie was safe         as long as he never took off the suit of armour so Sappho         would try to empty itching powder into the suit to get         Archie to take it off. Will anybody ever forget the cry - "Where's my itching powder?" !!!.
Archie         finds himself in an antique shop owned by Theodore         Hubble, who has two children, Ronnie and Rona.
Written         by Godfrey Harrison from an idea by A. A. Dubens, it         starred June Allen as Rona, Barry McGregor as Ronnie and         Bruce Gordon as The Man In the Armour and was produced by         Rex Tucker.
A second series was transmitted in September 1952, again         with Bruce Gordon and with Shaun Sutton as Maud Fogey.         Producer was Vivian Milroy.
The         theme tune used was 'Horse Feathers' by Philip Green.         Other music used was: Comic Mystic by Robert Farnon and         Three Bears Phantasy by Eric Coates.
 
' The Gordon         Honour ' - Chronicled the continuing (over         several generations) family feud between The Gordon         family and The Fitzwilliam family over the disputed         possession of a candlestick which had been presented to         one of them for a service rendered. Each generation was         played by the same actors - just a change of beards. Paul         Whitsun-Jones (a ubiquitous character actor of the time)         played The Duke of Tyburn, the head of the Gordons, who had a somewhat         ineffectual nephew called Freddy, played by Bruce Gordon,         who fell in love with the only retainer, Poppy the maid.
There were two series of the Gordon Honour and there were         two simultaneous plots.  In the present was the         attempt by the two Fitzwilliams, just criminals, to steal         the Gordon Honour, a candle stick to which a new arm was         added after each act of heroism by the Gordon family.         However, Freddy was a bit of wimp and could never do any         act of heroism that would result in a further arm being         attached. However, he finally did so and honour was         satisfied. During         the setting there would be a lull, while Paul         Whitsun-Jones, would tell his nephew all about an exploit         of one of the ancestors which would be shown as a         separate action.
  The Fitzwilliams were not only trying to steal the         candle stick but were, in every generation, showing         treachery to the King.  The first episode was a         servant boy saving the life of King Arthur from the         Fitzwilliam, a knight of the Round Table and being         knighted Sir Varlet Gordon.  There would be a love         interest with a servant girl each time.   In another         episode, the Gordon of the time was with King Richard in         the Holy Land.  A memorable line was him saying to         the King "Who will kill the Saracens while I am         away?" (on a desperate mission) with the King         replying  "I'll do that".  
Another episode was set in the court of Queen Elizabeth         the First and was based around an assassination attempt         on the Queen. The main characters were an eccentric         alchemist, Sir Walter Raleigh, Queen Elizabeth and, of         course, the Gordon heroes and the villains. The Queen was         presented with a unique delicacy by Sir Walter -- a         potato which she tried to eat but which was raw. Someone         shouted, "You fool. It is supposed to be         cooked!" The alchemist immediately rushed to assist.         He speared the potato on a fork placed it in a candle         flame to cook and then said, "Funny. This burns with         the colour of the poison I have in my laboratory." etc. etc.
The final episode of the first series had the earlier         Gordon based in Ireland in 1916 watching a suspected         German agent.  In the second series, the         Fitzwilliams escaped from prison and again invaded the         castle.  By the end of the series, Freddy had         changed from a feeble youth to physically knocking both         the Fitzwilliams out to the delayed delight of his         irascable uncle.
The Fitzwilliam family seemed eternally doomed in their         quest to recover the candlestick and were represented by         actors Colin Douglas and Barry Letts.
The signature tune was "The Yeomen of England" by Edward German. 
and...............
The rest
'Children's Newsreel' was a weekly precursor to 'John Craven's Newsround'. Launched in 1951 and edited by Don Smith who had worked on the Televison Newsreel Unit. Mary Malcolm and Stephen Grenfell became the first commentators for the weekly fifteen minute programme. The opening title sequence of 'transmission waves' radiating from the mast of Alexandra Palace is one of the indelible memories of the early Lime Grove programmes.
Children's Newsreel Theme
The theme tune is called "Holiday Spirit" and was composed by Clive Richardson.
'Rex Milligan' - Anthony Buckeridge's invention, was decidedly part of the grammar school education system.  Much of the action of this TV series being based on rivalry between the grammar school boys and those from the technical school. 
Ross Salmon - A "real" cowboy informing us about what being a cowboy is all about, things like how to recognise different animal footprints, or how to whittle, the art of horse management, how to make and use a lasso ....etc.... Ross Salmon, originally appeared on Shirley Abicair's programmes before launching his own series.  He was in fact English and had retired from the Navy.  He set up an American Western style ranch called the "Lazy S" at Longdown in Devon and introduced a breed of hardy cattle.  There were a series of Ross Salmon books and annuals, printed in the 50's.
In 1957, at the age of 34, he was thrown from his horse 'Faithful' and vowed to quit 'riding the range'. "Posing as a super-fit cowboy to children has been rather a fraud", he said after the accident. "I'm the victim of an old man's disease - osteo-arthritis - following a plane crash in the South American jungle, and have to wear a spinal jacket"
' Little Grey Rabbit ' (Sept. 1950) arranged and told by Ann Hogarth and Jan Bussell with their glove puppets.
'The Black Brigand' (1956) - starred William Devlin as Carl the White King, Laidman Browne as Don Rogano and Anthony Newlands played Fernando. Carl the White King was a Macchiavelian figure who ruled the country with cruelty and oppression.  Don Fernando, exiled from court, was a Robin Hood/ Zorro type figure who redressed ordinary people's grievances, but whose identity was unknown to the King.  There were several traps set for him which he escaped in a thrilling manner.  There was a love interest with Esmeralda, a gipsy girl and on one occasion separated from his followers, they were trapped in a cave on a cliff top by the advancing members of the government forces. Deciding to finish off the Black Brigand and his men once and for all, the White King gives the order to set fire to the dry corn on the cliff top. He knows that the only escape route for the Black Brigand and his men is a quick death by throwing themselves off the cliff. The fire rages towards the Black Brigand and his men 
The White King rubs his hands together knowing that this is the end of the Black Brigand. With the fire raging towards them and the cliff face, the Black Brigands men know they are certain to die 
However, the Black Brigand has an idea up his sleeve. There is one way to possibly save themselves and the Black Brgand gives the order for his men to form a line. With the fire now raging at their backs, the men light second fires in front of them. Now there are two lines of fire raging towards the cliff with the Black Brigand and his men situated in the division between the two lines. However, when the first line of fire reaches the already burnt out corn lighted by the Black Brigand. its extinguished because something thats already burnt will not burn again!
The Black Brigand and his men are saved!
Esmeralda was found to have a better claim to the throne than Carl.  The climax was a banquet at which Carl attempted to poison Fernando, whose identity was now known to him.  He was saved by the sudden death of a retainer who had taken a swig from the poisoned chalice.  There was an exciting sword duel between the King and the Black Brigand in which Carl was killed.  Esmeralda was crowned Queen and married Fernando. The signature tune of this swashbuckling adventure series featured words which were something like : -
"Black are their hats, Black Hats,
Black are their cloaks, Black cloaks,
We keep the army on the run, On the run
The Black Brigands men will come,
The Black Brigands men will come,
Saddles of leather thunder together,
Swords..... gleaming in the sun."
  This was accompanied by footage of the aforementioned brigands galloping across the screen. 
Robin Hood (1953) - was a 30-minute serial in six parts written by Max Kester and based on the traditional medieval story. Patrick Troughton (right) starred as Robin, with Kenneth Mackintosh as Little John, Wensley Pithey as Friar Tuck, and David Kossoff as the Sheriff of Nottingham. The serial was produced by Joy Harington.
 
' The Silver Sword ' - serialised in 1958, was about a Polish family separated during the Second World War and trying to find each other again when the war is over. The author of the book, Ian Serraillier, spent five years on the research. Ruth was defined by the calm, unselfish way she dealt with the setbacks which befell them, her good humour in appalling circumstances, and her sure sense of right and wrong. Jan was a thieving urchin who loved animals and hated Germans. The Silver Sword was a sort of mascot (actually a paper knife), turning up at various key points and threading the story together.
Gwen Watford played Margrit Balicki, Jan was played by Frazer Hines, and Ruth's brother, Edek, by Melvyn Hayes (looking particularly consumptive and malnourished). Other parts were Barry Letts as Joseph Baliki, Pat Pleasence as Ruth and Ingrid Sylvester as Bronia.
Video clip from The Silver Sword
' Pig-Hoo-o-o-o-ey ' (May 1954) was a play by P G Wodehouse starring Joan Sanderson as Lady Constance, John Miller as Lord Emsworth and Daphne Grey as Angela. Produced by Rex Tucker.
' Worzel Gummidge turns Detective ' (1953) - was a four part, half-hour comedy series written for TV by Worzel-creator Barbara Euphan Todd and starred Frank Atkinson as the animated scarecrow Worzel, pictured with Mabel Constanduros as Earthy Mangold, and also starred Margaret Boyd as Mrs. Braithwaite and Philip Roy as Mr. Braithwaite.
'Toad of Toad Hall' was presented as a serial in January 1950 starring Kenneth More as Mr. Badger, James Hayter as Mr. Toad with Sam Kydd, Patrick Troughton and Harry Secombe.
'Potts in Parovia' concerned the adventures of ex-Flight Lieutenant Potts. This particular series was shown in 1956 and was followed by other Potts series, including Potts and the Phantom Piper and Potts, Gangbuster.
' The Children of the New Forest ' - Captain Frederick Marryat's 1847 children's classic, a tale set during the English Civil War, was originally screened in 1955 and starred Warren Mitchell (as Cromwell), Colin Douglas, Robert Hewitt, Jon Rollason, John Charlesworth, Shirley Cooklin, Anthony Valentine, Gillian Gale and Barbara Hicks.
'Under the Sea' with Jacques Cousteau (1950). 
' The Black Arrow ' - Robert L. Stevenson's 1888 medieval melodrama concerning action and adventure during the Wars of the Roses was presented as a two part (40 mins each) serial in 1951. The cast included (l. to r.) Dennis Clinton, John Garley, Powys Thomas, Keith Michell and Derek Godfrey; Denis Quilley (as Richard Shelton) and Tarn Bassett (as Joanna Sedley) also appeared. Original music by Henry Boyes.
'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes ' (1954-55) starred Ronald Howard as         Sherlock Holmes, H. Marion Crawford as Dr. John Watson         and Archie Duncan as Inspector Lestrade.
Theme
'Can Do - No Can Do' - presented by MacDonald Hobley. Contestants were challenged to forecast whether a particular feat could be done in the time allotted. One was for Reg Harris (British cycling champion of the day) to cycle on his bike, balanced on test rollers, a fixed distance in three minutes. The challenge was always Can Do - No Can Do.
'Potts in Parovia' starred Humphrey Lestocq in his last television role.  The second series was set in Scotland and the third in the East End of London.
'The Adventures of Tugboat Annie ' - A half-hour situation comedy series, produced by Normandie Productions, in association with Associated Rediffusion. It was shot in Ontario, although the story took place in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. It featured Minerva Urecal as 'Tugboat' Annie Brennan, an "uncouth, earthy, and brawling" widow and captain of a tugboat who piloted her sturdy tug, the Narcissus, through heavy seas and many battles with her long time rival, Capt. Horatio Bullwinkle (Walter Sande), master of the Salamander, with his crewman Jake (James Barron). She is aided by her cook Pinto (Don Orlando) and Whitey( Don Baker) her deckhand.