Morecambe & Wise's wiped BBC1 debut found

Morecambe & Wise's first episode of their hit series for BBC1 has been found
It was only ever broadcast once, on 8th October 1970 as their show moved from BBC2

The "funniest sketches" will be aired in an ITV documentary on 28th July - WHY!?! Just show it FFS, in its entirety, on the Beeb!!

Why do we have to suffer talking heads, who've seen the whole prog.,(just to rub salt in the wound) and effin' adverts. Jeez. Angry

I guess the son (who 'found' the 'long lost' footage) has the rights.
He does rather like talking and ITV probably stumped up more cash.

EDIT: Also, the article says a rl of film was discovered. Wasn't the series taped? Are these maybe filmed OB sketches?? So perhaps its incomplete, thus can only be shown in bits. Interested if anyone knows any more

Quote: Lazzard @ 21st July 2021, 12:19 PM

I guess the son (who 'found' the 'long lost' footage) has the rights.
He does rather like talking and ITV probably stumped up more cash.

EDIT: Also, the article says a rl of film was discovered. Wasn't the series taped? Are these maybe filmed OB sketches?? So perhaps its incomplete, thus can only be shown in bits. Interested if anyone knows any more

I'm guessing rl is reel (rather than roll) but OB?

Outside Broadcast - out-of-date term for the bits filmed outside.
It's actually incorrect because OB was actually shot on tape - using those giant BBC lorries.

Image

Phwoar!

I know a bit more than it would be legally or diplomatically prudent of me to reveal in public about some of the questions above, but for those I can answer...

Yes the programme was originally recorded in a studio onto video tape, and was discovered on a reel of film. As is the case with almost all such MBW recoveries, it's a telerecording. Typically these are produced for overseas sales or for industry showcase purposes.

The celebs watching the sketches for the doc have almost certainly NOT seen the whole episode, but more or less the same sketches they're commenting on and airing to us.

The programme was recovered complete, and it remains BBC copyright. We can but pray for an eventual full airing.

Brilliant and full answer.
We expect nothing less.

Quote: Aaron @ 21st July 2021, 5:58 PM

We can but pray for an eventual full airing.

Going on history, I would say a fat chance. We all collectively paid for this and mega others of course, but do we get consideration - do we ****.

The BBC archive should be treated like the British Library - open to all to reference, not a privileged few.

Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 22nd July 2021, 12:07 AM

Going on history, I would say a fat chance.

The last two discovered, from Series 1, were not only aired but restored to colour.

Maybe they'll stick it on Britbox and tease outsiders with snippets ?

Well that was piss-poor.
A few substandard sketches, beefed up with all the classics we've seen a hundred times before.
And the guests!!
Did they literally see who was sleeping in a doorway outside the building?
"Do you think we'll manage to get Wayne Sleep, Lina Zavarronni and Derek Griffiths?"
"We can but dream!"
Typical thin gruel from the ever-hopeless ITV.
And Eddie Izzard is just looking silly now.
No woman would dress like that.

Derek Griffiths?!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just played The Beatles M+W skit on Anthology One. Cute.

Quote: Lazzard @ 28th July 2021, 10:12 PM

And Eddie Izzard is just looking silly now.
No woman would dress like that.

Eddie's personal pronouns are - of no interest to me whatsoever. I mean, ffs.

Well, I must be going mad, as I'm sure I posted a lengthy lambast of this, on this thread. :S

**EDIT Yup, I've lost the plot, but found it on another thread..........................I'm getting too old for this game. Ill

Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 29th July 2021, 11:31 PM

Like I said previous - just show the f**king tape as found!!

Take out the adverts, take out the talking heads (two of them I'd never heard of!!!), take out the classic clips from later shows, take out the mini biog of Eddie Braben, take out the repeating of the "lost" clips....................and what do you have left of the "lost" tape? F**k all.

F**king ITV are f**king useless. Angry

I greatly enjoyed the few bits of sketch from the programme that we did see, and it was charming to see some of the commentators - particularly the Morecambes - sitting down to watch it, but yes, I'd have far, far preferred to just watch the entire original programme.

Fingers crossed for the BBC's Christmas schedule.

So much great TV from the past lost due to cost saving and wiping tapes.

Yet the dog poop that gets made today will live on in digital form until now and the end of time.

In 200 years people will still get to experience the very first ever episode of Mrs. Brown's Boys.

Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 29th July 2021, 11:31 PM

Take out the adverts, take out the talking heads (two of them I'd never heard of!!!)...

Only two?