Part 97, Young Snotty, The Far North, and By The Sea

Part 97

Part of History Pitt

Historical Performance Talks – Video Greetings – Meet, Greet and Mingles – and Merchandise

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Young Snotty, The Far North, and By The Sea

My History, Behind the Scenes History, and Fun History

The My History Part

It was May 2010. We had said goodbye to our cliff top caravan Scottish home and headed North to start off our month of camping.
Our first stop was near Loch Rannoch, near Rannoch Station, a place where we had previously camped. This hidden Highland location is so far from any main roads that it felt very isolated, in a good way. We did the forest walk routes we had done on previous stays, and enjoyed the quiet. After a couple of nights in this isolated spot we headed even further north, this time to a few miles south of Inverness.
We had been about this far a few years earlier but never stayed this far North before. The campsite was run by a very nice couple, and when we arrived ours was the only tent there.

Above, Our tent set up in the nice campsite just south of Inverness. Photo taken by me, May 2010.

We were staying a few nights, and when others did arrive we told William and Molly to run around outside the tent to put people off setting up camp too near us. We also played Classical music on our radio to put off people who didn’t like that sort of music, and I lit my pipe – which generally I only carried with me to use when posing for photographs – in the hope that the smell would also put people off. It seemed to work.
One of the places we visited was Fort George. Built in the 1700s to control the Highlands after the uprisings there in the first half of the 18th Century, Fort George is more than simply a tourist attraction. Open to the public as it is, Fort George still functions as a British Army base, and soldiers mix with tourists as they walk around the fort.

Above, the entrance to Fort George, near Inverness. Photo taken by me, May 2010.

It was while we were here that we heard of a volcano erupting in Iceland that was having an effect on air transport. As we were flying to Morocco a few weeks later we kept an eye on things while we were travelling around.
Fort George sticks out into the sea. At certain times of year – but not when we were there – dolphins can be seen by tourists looking out to sea from the battlements. These battlements have Georgian artillery pieces placed on them, the same as they would have done when Fort George was first built. I remember thinking how dirty they looked, and that if I was the commander of the fort I would be sending soldiers to the battlements to maintain these historic guns much more regularly than it appeared they were being maintained at the time.

Above, one of the Georgian Era artillery pieces, overlooking the water at Fort George, near Inverness. It is from here at certain times of year visitors can watch dolphins swimming. Photo taken by me,  May 2010.

We also visited the city of Inverness a couple of times. The city museum was one highlight. I remember that along with its usual displays charting the history of Inverness it also had a visiting collection that included film props. The most memorable of these were two of the aliens from the 1996 film Mars Attacks!. Penny and William both took the opportunity to pose for photographs with these alien figures from Mars.

Above, William,  and one of the aliens from Mars, used in the 1996 film Mars Attacks!, Inverness Museum. Photo taken by me, May 2010.

Inverness itself is a very nice city with a Georgian appearance. The streets are nice to walk along, and the shops – of which there are plenty – are mostly in very old buildings. It felt a little like Edinburgh, but unlike Edinburgh wasn’t full of tourists, making Inverness much quieter and easy to get around.

Above, one of the buildings of Inverness. Photo taken by me, May 2010.

We also visited the town of Elgin, which is probably the furthest North we have ever been. This coastal town is not big, but it has interesting buildings, great views, and a good amount of monuments.

Above, some of the Classical style stuctures in Elgin. Photo taken by me , May 2010.

It is also the home of Lord Elgin whose ancestor brought back the Elgin Marbles from Greece. The parts of the decorations of the Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens were acquired by Lord Elgin from the Ottomans who were at that time ruling Greece. They are now in the British Museum in London. Greece claims ownership of these parts of the Parthenon but so too does Britain. It could be argued that they should return to where they came from, but it also could be argued that they were bought and paid for by a British Lord, even if the people who sold them were Ottomans and not Greeks and therefore perhaps it could be said they were selling things that weren’t theirs to sell. Whichever side is right – and perhaps it is partly both sides – the artefacts are still safely on display in the British Museum.

Above, Duffus Castle,  near Elgin. Photo taken by me, May 2010.

  While this far North we took the opportunity to visit a couple of castles. One was Duffus Castle. This castle is distinctive as some of the walls have collapsed in such a way that it looks as though they have been picked up and thrown, now lying where they landed.

Above, William, Penny and me, standing with some of the very leaning walls of Duffus Castle. Photo taken by Molly, May 2010.

We had a few nights at this campsite near Inverness. It was very well equipped. Not only were there showers but also a kitchen that campers could use. We used the kitchen most evenings, mostly just for the toaster which we used to cook crumpets.

Above, on the way back to the campsite after visiting Elgin and Duffus we stopped off at a small seaside town to let Molly and William have a go on the playground equipment there. As it turned out, Me and Penny went on more things than they did. Photo taken by Molly, May 2010.

It had been quiet on the site, that is, it was quiet until our last night there. Two women and one man put up their tents side by side. They weren’t particularly near us but we could tell they would be noisy.
They were still up late at night. William and Molly went to bed in the tent but Penny and I stayed up. Sitting in the car we watched them. They seemed military to me but not from the Army. They remained loud and didn’t notice us watching them in the dark.
In the early hours of the morning, when they thought everyone else had somehow managed to sleep through the noise they were making, they decided to play a game. This consisted of the man and one of the women crawling around tent to tent trying not to be spotted by the other woman who stayed with their tents.
Penny and I watched quietly. They went around one tent, then another. The last tent was ours. They decided to crawl up to our car before heading around our tent. Just as they got next to Penny’s side of the car I suddenly turned the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life, and the man and woman leaped up and ran back to their tents. They weren’t expecting that, and they weren’t expecting me to turn the car headlights on full, facing directly at their tents, so we could watch them dive inside in a panic.
We went to bed after this, but they recovered from the shock we had given them and continued to make noise all night.
The next morning – after very little sleep – we were up early. We made sure these selfish people woke up too as we loudly walked past their tents. An elderly woman from another tent applauded, and then did the same.

Above, another view of our tent at the campsite near Inverness. To the left you can just make out the front of our car, still facing the tents of the noisy people. Photo taken by me,  May 2010.

When we checked out we let the owners know what had happened. I enquired which branch of the military the noisy people were from, and said I didn’t think they were from the Army as they weren’t very good at what they were trying to do. It turns out they were from the RAF. The lady owner said we should have woken her and her husband as he would have made them leave during the night. We explained we didn’t want to wake them and that other than this one incident of noisy people we had enjoyed our stay very much. As we drove away we could see the site owner heading to the noisy tents, hopefully to tell them to leave so that the rest of the campers could enjoy the rest of their stay in the very good site.
We had now been camping for about a week. This meant we would now have one night in a hotel. This was so we could charge our phone – phones back then lasted about a week before needing charging – and our portable DVD player, as well as catching up with things on TV. After this one night in a hotel we were heading South, over the border, and into Northern England.

Where we went and what we got up to there I will let you know in the next blog.

The Behind the Scenes Part

Growing up in Cornwall, never that far from the sea, it is probably not surprising that Penny and I love being near the sea, the sound, the smell, and the view are always welcome, even if it’s the British seaside in Winter.
There are a lot of films that are set at the seaside in Britain, and today I will be talking about just one. It was made by Ealing Studios, was released in 1963, was directed by Jeremy Summers, and starred one of my comedy favourites Tony Hancock. It was the second and last film that was to star Tony – the first being the 1961 film The Rebel – and it was called The Punch and Judy Man.

Above, Tony Hancock in the 1963 film The Punch and Judy Man.

Filmed partly in a studio and partly on location, outside scenes in the fictional town of Piltdown were mostly shot in the seaside resort of Bognor Regis in West Sussex.
Before I continue, perhaps I should explain what a Punch and Judy Man is. Punch and Judy is thought to have begun in 16th Century Italy, but it is in Britain that it really became popular. The people of Britain were desperate for entertainment as soon as they had rid themselves of Puritan rule and restored the Monarchy in the 1600s. The Puritans had banned almost every type of enjoyment from theatre to Christmas and even having a celebration of any sort. Punch and Judy being traditionally- in Britain anyway – a puppet show performed by one man – traditionally called a ‘Professor’ – they were easily set up, performed in tiny tent theatres in front of an audience in the open-air, and could travel from place to place easily. This meant towns and villages who no longer had theatres or places of entertainment could still attend a performance even if it was puppets they were watching rather than human actors. These shows adapted over the years, adding more characters, and became something that people associated with British Seaside holidays.

Above, a view of the beach in Bognor Regis, as seen from the pier. Photo taken by me,  December 2023.

Tony’s character in the film is happy to be a Punch and Judy Man but his wife – played by the lovely Sylvia Syms – is intent on social-climbing. This is where much of the film’s comedy elements find their way onto the screen.
The film is set sometime when it is still the holiday season as the town still has a good number of tourists visiting the beach. However, it must be turning to Autumn as there are some days of heavy rain – although this isn’t exactly impossible to experience in a British Summer – and the town council are preparing some elaborate ‘Illuminations’ which would normally take place at a seaside town when the evenings start getting darker.

Above, Tony Hancock and Sylvia Syms in one of the Pre-lluminations Dinner scenes in The Punch and Judy Man, 1963. This dinner did not turn out to be the social-climbing opportunity that Sylvia’s character Delia had hoped.

Bognor Regis seems to have been happy to be the film’s backdrop and over 2,000 of its residents appeared in the background of the film. Much of the town has changed since the time of filming but some things remain from that time if you know where to look.
Even the pier is no longer as it appeared in the film. When the pier opened in 1865 it was 1,000 feet long, but some mishaps greatly shortened it in the years that followed the filming of The Punch and Judy Man.

Above, William,  Me, and Penny, on Bognor Regis Pier, December 2023.

Storm damage in 1964 and again in 1965 destroyed the pavilion at the end of the pier. In 1974 what is described as a ‘series of fires’ destroyed even more of the pier forcing it to be closed. In 2008 another 60 feet was removed due to storm damage. Despite this, Bognor Regis Pier has since reopened, and now seems very stable, and many seaside visitors enjoy taking a stroll along it, but of its original 1,000 feet length only 350 feet now remains.

Above, John Le Mesurier in The Punch and Judy Man, 1963. The full original length of Bognor Regis Pier can be seen in the shot.

Tony Hancock’s friend the great John Le Mesurier is also in the film. Many of the outside scenes with Tony and John have the pier as a backdrop. If you compare the view of the pier shown in the film with the view of today then you can really see the difference between how the pier looked in 1963 and how it does now, but it is still worth a visit if you are a fan of piers.

Above, Me and Penny recreating the same scene from The Punch and Judy Man. It is clear how much shorter Bognor Regis Pier now is. Photo taken by William, December 2023.

Anyone who has seen the film and visits Bognor Regis in the hope of visiting the pub The Trident where some of the funniest scenes in the film take place may be surprised to find out that these scenes were all shot on a set at Elstree Studios.

Above, John Le Mesurier,  and Tony Hancock,  in one of the Scenes in The Trident, The Punch and Judy Man,  1963. These scenes were actually filmed on a set at Elstree Studios,  not in an actual pub.

However, if you venture a couple of streets away from the seafront there is a pub called The Punch and Judy, which may be the nearest you can get to a pub with any link to the film, even if the link is only in its name.

Above, the Punch and Judy pub, Bognor Regis. Photo taken by me,  December 2023.

Many of the seafront buildings in the film have either been pulled down and replaced, had large alterations, or are in danger of falling down. However, if you look hard enough there are still some buildings connected to The Punch and Judy Man to be found in the town.
One of those buildings – which looks little changed from how it probably appeared in the 1960s – is the Royal Norfolk Hotel. This is where Tony Hancock stayed while filming, and it even has a blue plaque to prove it. It still looks well-kept, and appears to be one of the more upmarket hotels in the small seaside town.

Above, the Royal Norfolk Hotel, Bognor Regis, where Tony Hancock stayed while filming The Punch and Judy Man, 1963. Photo taken by me, December 2023.

Bognor Regis is a very nice town to visit, particularly if you like the British Seaside. We visited in December 2023, and although this is extremely out of season we still enjoyed walking along the seafront, going on the beach to touch the sea, walking on the pier, and exploring the town.

Above, Me in Bognor Regis. Photo taken by Penny, December 2023.

If you haven’t seen The Punch and Judy Man then I do recommend it if you are a fan of Tony Hancock, British comedy, and British seaside towns. I would also recommend Hancock’s other starring role film The Rebel which is probably funnier but doesn’t have the benefit of being set in a British Seaside resort.

In the next Behind the Scenes Part I will be talking about a 1970 album that turned into a stage musical, was then turned into a film musical and is now a stage musical again. What this is, the differences between them, and which I think works best I will let you know in the next blog.
 
The History Part

Those of you familiar with Blackadder 3 will know of the extravagant things that someone like Prince George would demand. These things had to come from somewhere, and one store in London which is still a Royal favourite has been serving Royalty since a long time before even Prince George’s father came to the throne. That store is Fortnum and Mason in Piccadilly.

Above, Hugh Laurie, as Prince George, in Blackadder 3.

William Fortnum was a footman to Queen Anne. The Queen would insist on new candles being lit every night which meant a lot of half-used candles were left over. Fortnum sold these half-used candles as well as a small range of groceries. He then went into business with his landlord Hugh Mason in 1707 and opened a small shop in St James, the first Fortnum and Mason store.
  In 1761, William’s grandson Charles Mason went into service for Queen Charlotte, Prince George’s mother. This once again gave the Mason’s a Royal connection, making their business an even more desirable place to shop.

Above, Fortnum and Mason in Piccadilly,  decorated for Christmas. Photo taken by me,  November 2023.

  The business quickly expanded, and during the Napoleonic Wars it was Fortnum and Mason that sent dried fruits, spices, and preserves to British officers. In the Victorian Era it was Fortnum and Mason that provided the Queen with the goods she sent to her soldiers fighting abroad, and it is said that in 1886 they were the first store in Britain to stock tins of beans.
  The shop expanded as the business grew, and in 1926 the store premises were rebuilt. This resulted in the fantastic Georgian style building we see today. The original address was 181 Piccadilly but since then has been 181 to 184 Piccadilly and also stretches around the corner to include parts of Duke Street and Jermyn Street.

Above, Me outside the Duke Street side entrance of Fortnum and Mason. Photo taken by Penny, November 2023.

  Since the 1960s a huge clock has adorned the store’s main entrance. Although from the 1960s it has – like the rest of the store – a Georgian appearance. Every hour, to the sound of Georgian style music, a four feet high William Mason and a four feet high Hugh Fortnum emerge from the clock to bow at each other as the clock chimes the time.

Above, Me on the way up the Duke Street side stairs towards the Fortnum and Mason Christmas department,  pausing on the way to admire the Christmas decorations. Photo taken by Penny, November 2023.

  The store has been a favourite of many Royals including the late Queen Elizabeth II and the present King Charles. The high standards of the store are evident both inside and out. There is probably no better time to experience Fortnum and Mason than during the Christmas period. This we recently did.

Above, Penny at the top of the main stairs of Fortnum and Mason. Photo taken by me,  November 2023.

  Firstly, before even setting foot in the store – the outside of which at Christmas resembles a giant Advent Calendar – you should take time to appreciate each window display. These are wonderful and reflect Christmases past when many of the great London stores used to bring a touch of Christmas magic to their displays. Sadly, many have decided to be ‘Artsy’ rather than Christmassy, and now Fortnum and Mason is unrivalled when it comes to Christmas window displays.

Above, Me admiring the display in one of the windows of Fortnum and Mason, decorated for Christmas. Each display has moving parts, I think in this one the ceramic jars danced on the shelves. Photo taken by Penny,  November 2023.

  Once inside, the magic continues. This is most evident in the Christmas department. It was here that we couldn’t resist making a small purchase. We chose to buy a small tin of Christmas Orange and Chocolate Biscuits. As I’m sure you can imagine, Fortnum and Mason is not the cheapest place to do your shopping – which is why it was only a small purchase – but the store is worth going in to look around – especially at Christmas – even if you don’t buy anything, although I did enjoy walking down Piccadilly holding my small Fortnum and Mason bag which we have kept along with the tin which contained the biscuits.

Above, Rowan Atkinson, and Hugh Laurie, as Blackadder,  and Prince George, in Blackadder 3.

 
So, next time you watch Blackadder 3 and see Prince George talking about how much he is spending on things, those things might well have come from Fortnum and Mason, the store on Piccadilly that first opened in 1707 and has been a favourite of Royals since the very beginning of the Georgian Era.
 
 

If you haven’t done so already, give the fantastic King of Blackadder on Twitter a follow!
https://twitter.com/pitchblacksteed?s=09

Then take a look at this also fantastic Blackadder fan group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1507847676134507/?ref=share

For more on Loch Rannoch https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loch_Rannoch

For more on Inverness https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverness

For more on Fort George https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_George,_Highland

For more on the 1996 film Mars Attacks! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Attacks!

For more on Elgin https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elgin,_Moray

For more on Duffus Castle https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duffus_Castle

For more on the 1963 film The Punch and Judy Man https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Punch_and_Judy_Man

For more on director Jeremy Sumners https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Summers

For more on the 1961 film The Rebel https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rebel_(1961_film)

For more on Tony Hancock https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Hancock

For more on Sylvia Syms https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvia_Syms

For more on John Le Mesurier https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Le_Mesurier

For more on Bognor Regis https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bognor_Regis

For more on Bognor Regis Pier https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bognor_Regis_Pier

For more on Fortnum and Mason https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortnum_%26_Mason

Part 96, Young Snotty, Leaving the Cliffs of Scotland, Even More Talking Pictures, and Piers

Part of History Pitt

Historical Performance Talks – Video Greetings – Meet, Greet and Mingles – and Merchandise

Visit http://www.historypitt.co.uk for details.

Young Snotty, Leaving the Cliffs of Scotland, Even More Talking Pictures, and Piers

My History, Behind the Scenes History, and Fun History

The My History Part

It was April 2010. After visiting Cornwall and spending some time in South Wales we left the South and headed North. We visited Conwy Castle – one of my favourite castles in the World – and a couple of other historic sites in Conwy then headed across the border, into England.
We stopped for the night in a hotel at a motorway services on the M6. We had a good night’s sleep, and got up early for the long drive north to Scotland. We loaded the car, got in, I turned the key, and nothing happened.
Fortunately we always have breakdown cover. An hour or so later the breakdown truck came. It turns out that the battery was dead. We got the engine started but the breakdown driver warned us that if we turned the engine off then it probably wouldn’t start again. We still had many hours driving to get to our caravan on the cliff in South West Scotland, and now we knew we wouldn’t be able to stop anywhere on the way.

Above, Seagulls on the cliffs, a couple of minutes walk from our caravan. This was a couple of weeks later. When we first arrived back this time the weather wasn’t quite like this. Photo taken by me, April 2010.

We headed north on the M6 motorway. As well as being fortunate that we had breakdown cover it was also fortunate that we had filled the tank with fuel the evening before. The traffic got less and less the further north we got, then we crossed the border into Scotland. We still had about a hundred miles to go.
As we turned west, the weather was getting more and more windy. When we got near Newton Stewart it began to rain too. We got to a garage we knew and – with the engine of the car still running – we went in to enquire about a new battery. They didn’t have one that would fit our car. It was getting late and soon things would be closed. The people that ran the garage told us the only place that would be open and that might have the right battery was in Stranraer. We thanked them and headed straight for this garage.
Stranraer was almost an hour from Newton Stewart, and the rain was getting heavier. We got there to find the garage still open. They weren’t sure at first if they had the right battery for us but after a search out the back of the garage they did manage to find one. We carried the battery to the car – the engine was still running – and then headed for the caravan.
The shortest route was along the coast road. The wind was getting stronger, and the rain even heavier as we drove along the coast. When we reached the caravan we at last were able to turn off the engine. We made our way inside the caravan, cold, wet, and tired. We turned on the water, water gushed everywhere, the pipes had burst. We turned the water off again.

Above, Molly sitting on a rock on one of the almost always deserted beaches we would pass on the coast road to our caravan. This was a couple of weeks later. On our drive this time the weather wasn’t like this. Photo taken by me, April 2010.

We headed to the site office. Apparently while we had been away South West Scotland had suffered an unusually cold start to the year. Many caravans had suffered burst pipes, ours was one of them. A man would be sent to repair the pipes but he wouldn’t be able to do it until the wind and rain stopped, and that would be the next day.
We set about trying to change the car battery. We just managed to open the car bonnet in the wind. I used the few tools we had but couldn’t get the old battery to budge. We didn’t know what to do, but had little choice but to keep trying.
It was not long before it would be dark. There were still strong winds and heavy rain. Not many of the caravans were occupied but a few were all year. In one was an elderly man from Northern England. It was him that came along the path and saw me struggling. He was walking his dog – even though the dog was in danger of blowing away if the old man let go of the lead – and stopped to ask if he could help. I explained about the battery, the lack of the right tools, and the situation with the water. ‘I’ll be right back!’ he said, then walked back towards his caravan.
A few minutes later he returned, not on foot but in his car. He got out carrying a tool bag. He got to work. A few minutes later the old battery was loose. We lifted it out together, lifted in the new one, and he tightened it up. I got in, turned the key, the engine started straight away. I thanked the old man but this wasn’t his only kindness. He opened the boot of his car and took out several large bottles of water to keep us going until our pipes were fixed. We could now make tea, wash, and flush the toilet. It’s as though this elderly gentleman was sent to our rescue just when we needed it.
The next day the wind had dropped and the rain stopped. The pipes were fixed but we were left with only cold water, no hot. That was fine though, at least we had running water.
We had only recently paid the yearly site fees. It was getting to be quite a stretch to keep a caravan going as well as a house in Bulgaria, and there was the other house in Wales.
We decided to tell the site owner that we thought it was time to give up our caravan. He was extremely understanding. We told him we would leave in about three weeks – which would be mid May. The caravan was too old to sell on to anyone else and it would be taken off the site once we left which would cost money, and then there was the cost of having our pipes fixed but the owner told us he would just take it out of our site fees and then return the rest. As it turned out he gave us a cheque when we did finally leave which was for the full amount. We weren’t charged for the removing of the caravan, the repairs to the pipes or even the few weeks of site fees we had spent there. Yet another kindness for our last time staying in our caravan on a Scottish cliff top, our Scottish home.
Our last couple of weeks were spent visiting our favourite nearby places. Castles, beaches, forest walks, and the towns where we had done our weekly shops.

Above, William on one of the almost always deserted beaches of South West Scotland. Photo taken by me, April 2010.

The weather turned warmer, sunnier, and drier, and we spent every evening after dinner sitting on the cliffs, the same spot where Edward Woodward had emerged from below only to be captured by villagers led by Christopher Lee in the 1973 film The Wicker Man.

Above, Edward Woodward, captured by Christopher Lee and his followers who include Britt Ekland and Ingrid Pitt, on the cliffs a couple of minutes walk from our caravan, in The Wicker Man, 1973.

We sat there and listened to the waves, watching the sun go down over the Irish Sea, our only company each other and our friends the gulls. It really was a fantastic spot, and it’s almost impossible for us to think of it without thinking too of the events of The Wicker Man.

Above, Christopher Lee in The Wicker Man, 1973. The full size Wicker Man was built on the cliffs a couple of minutes walk from where our caravan was. When we were there only the very bottom of the legs were left.

We packed the car to the limit. What we couldn’t fit in was given to friends we had made during our time there, and some things were dropped off at charity shops in the towns.
It was quite a sad moment saying goodbye to our Scottish home. As we drove away we knew it was the end of our time there but we were very pleased for the time we had spent in that caravan on the cliffs. We had endured one hundred mile an hour winds, a lot of rain, loud locals and tourists, and long journeys to get there, but we had also enjoyed the quiet times, pheasants and even deer coming up to the caravan and looking in the windows, visiting so many nearby historic places, kindness just when we needed it, and sitting night after night on the cliffs with the gulls.

Above, a couple of seagulls on the cliffs, a couple of minutes walk from our caravan. Photo taken by me, April 2010

We said our goodbyes to the caravan, and we were off. We decided we would spend most of our time in the house in Wales and less time visiting the house in Bulgaria. First, we were going to Morocco for my 40th birthday, where I wanted to spend at least part of the day on a camel. However, that was a month away. Before flying to Morocco we decided we would travel around Scotland, England, and parts of Wales. It would be a whole month of travelling and staying almost entirely in our small tent.

Where we went first, and what we got up to, I will let you know in the next blog.

The Behind the Scenes Part

In the last Behind the Scenes Part I talked about attending the Talking Pictures TV event in Monmouth in July 2023. This time I will be Talking about the event in Christchurch in Dorset in October 2023.

Above, Penny, Me, and William about to enter the Regent Cinema, Christchurch, for Talking Pictures by the Sea, October 2023.

It was as usual a two day event but this time we only attended on the second day. We were met by Sarah Cronin-Stanley, the managing director of TPTV and daughter of its founder Noel Cronin. Sarah told us that this time Caroline Munro wasn’t well, so she was replaced during this event by Madeline Smith.
Like Caroline, Madeline is known by many as a British Horror film actress, but I know her most for her work with the wonderful Frankie Howerd. She worked with him on two of the three ‘Up’ films – Up Pompeii, 1971 and Up the Front, 1972 – as well as the TV series The Howerd Confessions. It was great hearing her talk about her career, and it was wonderful meeting her afterwards as we left to go to our hotel.

Above, Mike Read welcoming Madeline Smith on stage, with Sarah Cronin-Stanley and Noel Cronin on the right, Talking Pictures by the Sea, the Regent Cinema, Christchurch. Photo taken by me, October 2023.

After introducing Madeline the first guest on stage was actor Timothy West. He has done so much over his very long career which – along with age – confused him a little when asked questions about certain films or TV shows he had appeared in. However, when talking on many subjects – including the state of modern film and TV – he was extremely eloquent. It was very interesting to hear his views on such things, as well as some of his experiences during his many times on set and on stage.

Above, actor Timothy West being interviewed by host Mike Read, Talking Pictures by the Sea, the Regent Cinema, Christchurch. Photo taken by me, October 2023.

After lunch we were treated to a piece from Jeffrey Holland’s tribute to Stan Laurel, of Laurel and Hardy. Jeffrey is probably best known to most for being a comedy actor, particularly for his appearance in the long running BBC sitcom Hi-de-Hi.
I met most of the Hi-de-Hi cast over time at the BBC, the last time being during the dinner break in the BBC Canteen about an hour or so before filming Blackadder. They were always nice, including Jeffrey. It was great to see him all these years later performing a very different piece on stage. ‘Mr Laurel’ is very well written, sometimes funny, sometimes emotional, and extremely well performed by Jeffrey Holland. If anyone gets the chance to see the full tribute I would highly recommend doing so.

Above, Jeffrey Holland performing a piece from his tribute to Stan Laurel ‘Mr Laurel’, Talking Pictures by the Sea, the Regent Cinema, Christchurch. Photo taken by me October 2023.

We were then treated to some singing from Dave Dyson which included his song used by TPTV ‘I’m a Cowboy in my Mind’. This was great to hear, and most likely made many members of the audience think back to when they were a child and being enthralled by watching old Westerns either in the cinema or at home on TV.

Above, Dave Dyson performing his song I’m a Cowboy in my Mind, Talking Pictures by the Sea, the Regent Cinema, Christchurch. Photo taken by me, October 2023.

Next on stage was Mel Byron. She performed her comic piece ‘Old Movies Saved My Life’ which explains – in a very amusing way – her relationship with the old films she grew up watching, and how it has influenced her adult life. Mel is extremely good to listen to, and again, if anyone gets the chance to see her perform then I highly recommend doing so.

Above, Mel Byron performing her Old Movies Saved My Life, Talking Pictures by the Sea, the Regent Cinema, Christchurch. Photo taken by me, October 2023.

At the event were the usual Cellar Club – this time with Madeline Smith standing in for Caroline Munro – and The Footage Detectives. Both of these are programmes shown on TPTV but seeing them live on stage is quite a different experience.
The Cellar Club as seen with Caroline on TV is really an introduction to whatever film is about to be shown, late at night, on a Friday. These are old British Horror films, usually from the Hammer Studios, and many of which both Caroline and Madeline starred in. It was great to hear Madeline answering questions from host Mike Read and the audience. It was also nice to see that Madeline is just as mad a person as Caroline. Both are great fun, very nice people, and lovely to meet.

Above, Madeline Smith, and Mike Read, Talking Pictures by the Sea, the Regent Cinema, Christchurch. Photo taken by me, October 2023.

The Footage Detectives was with the regular hosts Mike Read and TPTV founder Noel Cronin, just as it is when shown on TV. This consists of them discussing not only old films and TV series but also vintage reels of film found by viewers, the adverts of many years ago, and sometimes guests showing items from their time on TV or working at a studio. It is different seeing it live, having questions from the audience, and seeing the clips of films and reels on the big screen but the way Mike and Noel present the programme on TV is done in much the same way. The set they appear on, and the way they interact makes the viewer often feel they are there with them, taking part in the rediscovery of previously lost films, and people’s memories of adverts, TV, and films that they grew up with. A very nicely put together piece of TV, hosted by a couple of very nice people.

Above, Noel Cronin, and Mike Read, Talking Pictures by the Sea, the Regent Cinema, Christchurch. Photo taken by me, October 2023.

After leaving the TPTV event we headed for our hotel in Boscombe on the edge of Bournemouth. We did have a walk down far enough to see Boscombe Pier in the distance but as it was dark we decided to leave visiting it for the next day.
In the morning, before checking out of the hotel, we made our way down to the seafront, and onto the pier. Opened in 1889, Boscombe Pier appears quite plain from a distance, but when actually on it you can see it is not just a plain boardwalk but actually has a lot to see and do.

Above, on Boscombe Pier. Photo taken by me, October 2023.

The length of the pier is decorated with musical instruments. I say decorated but these are more than just decorative. Although firmly attached in place these instruments can be played by anyone who wishes to do so. The views are great too, and it is a very nice pier to visit.

Above, William watching Penny play one of the instruments on Boscombe Pier. Photo taken by me, October 2023.

We have decided to visit as many piers as we can when visiting coastal towns on our travels around Britain. We therefore – after checking out of the hotel – drove the short distance to Bournemouth to go on that pier too.
Bournemouth’s pier is quite different to Boscombe’s. Opened in 1880, Bournemouth Pier is the type that has amusements and buildings on it. There is a small fee to pay to go onto the pier but as well as walking along the boardwalk and having a go on the amusements there are places to eat, drink, and look at the views. The fee is worth paying if you are a fan of piers and British seaside views.

Above, William, me, and Penny, on Bournemouth Pier, October 2023. The first part is quite like Boscombe Pier,  but at the end of the boardwalk there are buildings built at the end of the pier.

One other thing I should mention is that comedy historian Andre Vincent also made an appearance at the event. In Monmouth he talked about films and TV made in Wales. This time he talked about films made at British seaside resorts.
One of those films was a British favourite of mine back in the 1980s, and that is The Supergrass released in 1985. Starring Ade Edmondson – who I later met a couple of times – Jennifer Saunders – who I also met once but didn’t mention to her that the sound I make when offered Blackcurrant jelly in Blackadder is based on what I thought she would sound like if offered it, which was producer John Lloyd’s idea – Peter Richardson, and Robbie Coltrane.
It was Robbie Coltrane’s walk on a harbour wall during a particularly stormy day that Andre showed on the big screen whilst discussing the film. Andre explained that Robbie had to wear specially made shoes to help him grip whilst being blown around by the wind and sea.

Above, Robbie Coltrane, in The Supergrass, 1985.

Having not seen it since the 1980s, and Penny having never before seen the film, we were pleased to find the hotel in Boscombe had TVs which were able to access films online, including The Supergrass. Filmed in Hope Cove in Devon, I had always thought it would be good to visit the locations of the film. This we plan to do soon, and I expect a Supergrass Behind the Scenes Part will follow soon after.
I’m sure I have said it before but I highly recommend Talking Pictures TV to any fan of classic films that is able to get the channel, and I also highly recommend attending any of their events if any gets the chance to do so.

In the next Behind the Scenes Part I will be talking about another film made at a British Seaside resort, this time in the 1960s. What that film is, and which of my comedy favourites starred in it, I will let you know in the next blog.

The History Part

  Those of you familiar with Blackadder 3 will know of the often extravagant wigs of the Georgian Era. Well, Royal Appointed Wig Makers continued to be used long after the Georgian Era ended.

Above, Rowan Atkinson, and Hugh Laurie, as Blackadder pretending to be Prince George,  and Prince George pretending to be Blackadder, in Blackadder 3.

  Possibly the most well-known was Willy Clarkson. Born in 1861, Willy left school at the age of 12 to work in his father’s costume business. On his father’s death in 1878 Willy took over the business entirely and expanded into providing costumes for London theatres.
  He became so well-known that he was asked to provide costumes and wigs for Queen Victoria’s children when they put on plays, and provided wigs for the princesses when they attended society gatherings. This took Willy to Buckingham Palace to fit the costumes and wigs, and also got him known in Royal circles.

Above, Willy Clarkson,  probably in the late 1920s or early 1930s.

  When Edward VII became king in 1901 it was Willy Clarkson whom he appointed Royal Perruquier and Costumier, a Perruquier being a Wig Maker. In 1905 Willy Clarkson had new premises built in Wardour Street near many of London’s WestEnd Theatres. The premises continued trading as a costumier and perruquier until 1940 a few years after Willy’s death.

Above, a piece of Willy Clarkson advertising I was fortunate enough to aquire. This item is sometimes listed as a Paper Knife, a Page Turner, or even a Collar Stay. Whichever it is, I am very pleased to have acquired it. Photo taken by me, November 2023.

  It wasn’t only Royalty and actors that Willy could count as his clients. Clarkson was known for several criminal connections amongst his customers, including the convicted murderer Hawley Crippen – better known as ‘Dr’ Crippen – and is said to have helped criminals escape the country by providing them with disguises.
  Whether this is true or not it didn’t stop Scotland Yard employing Willy as a maker of disguises for their Detectives and even aided in the capture of convicted murderer John Bennett who was also another of his clients.
  Willy also found himself in trouble with the law at times, and was investigated for his insurance claims from the many fires his premises had suffered. During the investigation of his 1933 claim it was found that similar claims had been made by him in 1895, 1898, 1901, 1910, 1915, 1918, and 1924. This time the insurance company took him to court. Willy was ordered to pay back his insurers.

Above, Willy Clarkson’s premises in Wardour Street, London, looking much as it must have done in 1905 except for the decorations of Chinatown.  Photo taken by me, November 2023.

  In WWI Willy was asked by the military to make realistic-looking dummy heads. These heads were used to catch German snipers. A dummy head would be raised from a trench as though it was a soldier looking around. If the head was spotted by a German sniper it would get shot. The head would then be lowered and examined. The holes made by a sniper’s bullets showed the direction they were fired from, which gave away the sniper’s location, making it easier for British soldiers to avoid, capture, or shoot the sniper.
  Willy Clarkson was found lying unconscious with a head injury on his bedroom floor on the night of the 13th of October 1934. He was attended by the Royal Physician but died before regaining consciousness. The investigation into his death ended without proving whether Willy’s injuries were caused by an accident or by an attacker, and Scotland Yard believed there was cause to assume that he may have been the victim of one of his criminal clients.
  In the 1980s Clarkson’s shop on Wardour Street was turned into Chinese restaurant Wong Kei. This restaurant I used to go to about the time I was doing Blackadder. Conveniently situated near the WestEnd Theatres, I could easily go there to get takeaways between shows when I was working at the Palace Theatre.
  It is one of the UKs largest restaurants, seating around 500 people. In the 1980s it was famous for its rude staff. They would make customers sit with people they didn’t know rather than use an empty table, and would chase customers out of the building if they didn’t leave a large enough tip. As I was usually getting a takeaway I didn’t very often experience this rudeness, but rather than put people off going this behaviour attracted new customers so they too could experience being shouted at and chased by the staff.
  Wong Kie is still there, but now under new management the rudeness has apparently been replaced with a friendlier way of serving diners.
  When I used to go there, although I knew I was entering a Chinese restaurant that was housed in a very nice historic building, I had no idea what an important business had used the same building before. I now know the importance of it, and amongst the decorations of Chinatown it is nice to see that Clarkson’s original decoration remains intact, the building looking much as it must have done in 1905.

Above, the original Willy Clarkson clock still tells the time to visitors to the Wardour Street part of London’s Chinatown. Photo taken by me, November 2023.

  In 2019 another criminal connection to Willy Clarkson was being talked about. This was the allegation that Willy Clarkson could have been Jack the Ripper. There was even a short film made about it, but to me it seems unlikely that the Whitechapel Murders would suddenly have stopped in 1888 if they were committed by someone who was still living and working in London until 1934. Also, his prominent position in the Theatre World, his Royal Appointment, and his connections with both the Criminal World and with Scotland Yard would have made Willy Clarkson too visible and too easily investigated. Although I think it more likely that it was one of the other suspects investigated by Scotland Yard at the time, Willy Clarkson features in both my History of Gentlemens Outfits 1780 to 1950 Talk, and my History of British Policing 1749 to 1950 Talk, details of which can be found on http://www.historypitt.co.uk along with the other talks that I offer.

Above, Hugh Laurie, as Prince George, in Blackadder 3.

So, next time you see a picture of a Monarch wearing a wig, just take a moment to remember that the person who made it may well have had an interesting life themselves, particularly true if it happens to have been Willy Clarkson, Perruquier and Costumier of Wardour Street.
 

If you haven’t done so already, give the fantastic King of Blackadder on Twitter a follow!
https://twitter.com/pitchblacksteed?s=09

Then take a look at this also fantastic Blackadder fan group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1507847676134507/?ref=share

For more on Scotland https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotland

For more on the 1973 film The Wicker Man https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wicker_Man

For more on Edward Woodward https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Woodward

For more on Christopher Lee https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Lee

For more on Britt Ekland https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britt_Ekland

For more on Ingrid Pitt https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingrid_Pitt

For more on Talking Pictures TV https://talkingpicturestv.co.uk/

For more on Caroline Munro https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caroline_Munro

For more on Madeline Smith https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeline_Smith

For more on Frankie Howerd https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankie_Howerd

For more on the 1971 film Up Pompeii https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up_Pompeii_(film)

For more on the 1972 film Up the Front https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up_the_Front

For more on the TV series The Howerd Confessions https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Howerd_Confessions

For more on Timothy West https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_West

For more on Jeffrey Holland https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Holland_(actor)

For more on Laurel and Hardy https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurel_and_Hardy

For more on the BBC sitcom Hi-de-Hi https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hi-de-Hi!

For more on the Regent Cinema, Christchurch https://theregent.co.uk/

For more on Boscombe Pier https://www.bournemouth.co.uk/things-to-do/boscombe-pier-p1559043

For more on Bournemouth Pier https://thebournemouthpier.com/

For more on Andre Vincent https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre_Vincent

For more on the 1985 film The Supergrass https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Supergrass

For more on Ade Edmondson https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Edmondson

For more on Jennifer Saunders https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Saunders

For more on Peter Richardson https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Richardson_(British_director)

For more on Robbie Coltrane https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robbie_Coltrane

For more on Willy Clarkson https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willy_Clarkson

For more on ‘Dr’ Hawley Crippen https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawley_Harvey_Crippen

For more on the Chinese Restaurant Wong Kei https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wong_Kei

For more on Jack the Ripper https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_the_Ripper

Young Snotty, Talking Pictures Again and Again

Part 95

Part of History Pitt

Historical Performance Talks – Video Greetings – Meet, Greet and Mingles – and Merchandise

Visit http://www.historypitt.co.uk for details.

Young Snotty, Talking Pictures Again and Again

My History, Behind the Scenes History, and Fun History

The My History Part

We arrived back in Bulgaria a few days before Christmas 2009. It was very cold but not much snow – by Bulgarian standards – had yet fallen, and the journey from the airport at Sofia to our house on the plains was quite straightforward.
We had brought more Christmas decorations with us, and soon made a visit to the city to buy a Turkey and everything else needed for a UK style Christmas.
Thick clothing, blankets while sitting, and our log burner just about kept us warm enough into the New Year. However, temperatures soon began to plummet a few days later.
One morning we woke up to find thick snow covering the plains, and our garden. I opened the front door to find snow waist high.

Above, thick snow covered everything overnight.  Photo taken by me, 2010.

It took over an hour of shovelling to cut a path to the front gate, and when that was open we found the snow had been piled up to clear the road for vehicles, and the pile on the other side of our gates was higher than us.

Above, a day or two after making a path through the snow, it was already beginning to be covered up by fresh snow. Photo taken by me, 2010.

We cut our way through and made it onto the road. There weren’t many vehicles using it but delivery vans – at least one of which we had to help get out of a snow drift with our shovels – and the buses were still trying to provide a normal service.
On the coldest night the temperatures went down as low as minus 32 degrees, and the coldest day was still minus 18 degrees at midday.

Above, William, with Penny, and Molly in the background, on one of our trips to the village shops. You can see from the tyre tracks that the road is still being used, but it is far from clear of snow. Photo taken by me, 2010.

We made our way into town on the bus. This was late but at least it was still running. Most of the shops were open but the ATM cash points were not working as they would not turn on in such low temperatures. It was the same with our fridge in the kitchen. As the temperature in the kitchen was colder than the setting on the fridge, it just turned itself off, coming on occasionally for a few minutes if we got the room slightly warmer while cooking.
We had to buy extra shopping to feed the dozen or so semi-wild cats that visited our garden. We made a shelter for them out of a cardboard box covered in bin bags, and filled with old coats. Every morning and every evening they could be found all together huddled in the box under the shelter of our doorway.

Above, when the cats got to know us more they would climb all over us. This is me trying to cut wood under the shelter of one of our barns, with a cat on my back, and probably another under my jacket. This was later when the snow had started to go. Before then we had a very cold couple of weeks to get through. Photo taken by Penny, 2010

As they got to know us more they would all rush in every time we opened the door, but they would then realise they were inside – something most Bulgarian cats and dogs never experience – and all rushed out again.
It was very hard to keep warm. Sometimes we almost forgot what it felt like to not be cold but a visit to one of the village bars was worth the effort to get there as they were always warm. We also attended a Winter Festival, and that too warmed us up throughout that day.
When in the house we tried to keep our fire going. We soon exhausted our supply of logs and it was time to cut up the sections of tree trunks that had been delivered to us during the previous Summer.

Above, Me about to start chopping up a section of tree trunk by hand. Photo taken by Penny, 2010.

This was not easy with only hand axes but we somehow managed. Even though sometimes it was made difficult by kittens climbing all over me when I was trying to swing an axe.
When small pieces of wood were needed to light the fire if it went out we pulled small bits of wood off the barn walls. All branches and twigs on the Plains were still covered in several feet of snow.

Above, Me trying to cut smaller logs in one of the barns, with a cat sitting on me. Sometimes one of them would go and sit on the log right where I was about to swing the axe, and I had to stop last minute. Photo taken by Penny,  2010.

The cats got to know us well, and eventually would purr loudly if we came near. Some were adults but most were kittens. We named them all after different Bulgarian foods. One particularly tough and adventurous little kitten we named Kofte after the Bulgarian meatballs – similar to the Arabian Kofta – which were sold in the village shops.
He was always following us, climbing on us, and even came inside to visit us a couple of times. He seemed the strongest of the lot, but one day that changed.
A lot of the villagers put out poison to kill the rats. The rats are then caught by adult cats and left for the kittens to eat. This is what we think happened to this little kitten. He suddenly became weak, wouldn’t eat, and was not his usual lively self. After a couple of days of this I opened the front door in the morning to find our adventurous little friend not in the box with the others but dead and frozen at our door.
I like to think I am composed most of the time and behave as every British gentleman should, but I will tell you now that this did upset me somewhat. I composed myself as best I could, made a cross out of some bits of wood we had pulled from the barn for burning, inscribed on it the name Kofte, and ventured outside to dig a tiny grave, as deep as I could in the frozen ground. When our neighbours saw it they thought we were quite mad, but I think that most British people see animals in a different way to most others.
Eventually the weather warmed up, at least during the day. This meant ice would melt during daylight, then freeze into huge icicles at night, meaning you had to be very careful not to walk underneath them as they melted and fell to the ground with a crash when the temperatures rose again.

Above, William covered in cats. I think the one on his head is Kofte. Photo taken by Penny, 2010.

As our visit came to an end, so too did the snow. We had survived our coldest Bulgarian Winter. It wasn’t always easy, but we were pleased we had been through it. We were also pleased we had helped all of the cats in the garden get through the worst of the Winter, with Kofte being the only casualty.
We gave our neighbours food to feed them over the next few months while we were back in the UK, and when we left to head for the airport in Sofia they were all still huddled together in the box under our doorway.

Above, Penny about to help chopping wood. Photo taken by me, 2010.

We drove back to Scotland via Wales, and when we got there we found that it wasn’t only Bulgaria that had suffered unusually low temperatures over the New Year.

What our journey was like, what we found when we got there, and what decisions we made about Scotland and Bulgaria, I will let you know in the next blog.

The Behind the Scenes Part

I have written in a previous blog about a Talking Pictures TV event we attended in July 2022. Since then, in July and October 2023 we have attended two more of their events.
The first was in the lovely Savoy Theatre in the Medieval town of Monmouth, in Wales, which is the birthplace of Henry V, one of my favourite Monarchs. It was a little different for me this time as I had been put on standby to step in and help should any of the actors attending have to pull out at the last moment. However, the Talking Pictures TV programme for these events is so jam-packed with acts that they always overrun anyway. I therefore did not need to step in but it was nice being asked to be on standby at this event.

Above, William, Penny, and Me, waiting for the Talking Pictures TV event to start,  the Savoy Theatre, Monmouth, July 2023.

After Managing Director of Talking Pictures Sarah Cronin-Stanley had introduced the founder of the channel Noel Cronin – her father – and regular hosts Mike Read and Caroline Munro, the first guest was actor Nigel Havers.

Above, Mike Read interviewing actor Nigel Havers, the SavoyTheatre, Monmouth. Photo taken by me,  July 2023.

Mike Read interviewed him about his long career, and Nigel seemed very funny, most likely a slight surprise to some seeing that he is probably best known for serious roles.
Next up was Mark Shortland. He is a magician but there is also a strong comedy element to his act which was just as entertaining as his magic.
The next guest was Norman Eshley. He has appeared in a lot over his long career but is still probably best known for his role of Jeffrey Fourmile in the Thames TV sitcom George and Mildred which ran from 1976 to 1979, along with a full length film released in 1980.
The characters of George and Mildred were played by Brian Murphy and Yootha Joyce. This sitcom was a spin-off of previous Thames TV sitcom Man About the House which ran from 1973 to 1976.
He talked about how he had already played two different characters in Man About the House and when approached by Thames to play a third character in George and Mildred he asked ‘won’t people recognise me as already having appeared in Man About the House as two other characters already?’ the producers replied ‘That’s alright, just grow a moustache and no one will notice’. Despite this great attempt at disguising Norman, I think that most viewers probably did notice.
It was also extremely enjoyable to hear Norman talking about the other parts of his career, and he came across as a very funny and very nice person. We were fortunate enough to meet him afterwards, and I can tell you that he is as nice a man as he is a great actor.

Above, Me, and Norman Eshley, the Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. Photo taken by Penny,  July 2023.

Before the event started I was very pleased to be introduced to Noel Cronin by his daughter Sarah. He has worked extremely hard to make Talking Pictures TV what it is, and all fans of Classic Films and TV in the UK owe him a lot for keeping previously lost and forgotten films going, as well as putting well loved favourites back on people’s screens.

Above, Noel Cronin,  and Me, on the second day of the Talking Pictures TV event,  the Savoy Theatre, Monmouth, July 2023.

We met the lovely Caroline Munro during one of the breaks. Not the first time that Penny and I had met her but our son William – whose 23rd birthday it was – was also there this time. As it was his birthday Caroline gave him a signed photo of her in the 1977 Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, which 7 year old me watched in the cinema.

Above, William,  Caroline Munro,  and Me, the Savoy Theatre,  Monmouth. Photo taken by Penny, July 2023.

Appearing both days of the event was Comedy Historian Andre Vincent. He was extremely funny and still managed to provide the audience with a lot of knowledge about films and TV made in Wales. I really do think that humour is a great way to get people to learn, and I hope my History Pitt talks manage this, just as Andre does with his act.
I should also mention Talking Pictures TV regular Lola. She provides entertainment on stage between guests and during breaks. She has a great voice and sings well loved classics in not always the easiest situations such as when people come and go from lunch. It is worth missing some of the breaks to just sit and listen to her singing.

Above, Lola performing on stage, the Savoy Theatre, Monmouth.  Photo taken by me,  July 2023.

On the next day we were back. First guest on stage was William Gaunt. Although he has starred in sitcoms he is probably best known for his more serious work, along with appearing in 1960s adventure series The Champions. Again, like Nigel Havers, William appeared to be a very humorous man.

Above, Mike Read interviewing actor William Gaunt,  the Savoy Theatre, Monmouth.  Photo taken by me,  July 2023.

After lunch, and more singing from Lola, we were treated to a part of Julian Dutton’s tribute to the great John Le Mesurier. Le Mesurier did so much work, particularly in British cinema of the 1950s and 1960s, but is probably best known to most as Sergeant Wilson in BBC sitcom Dad’s Army which ran from 1968 to 1977. As a Dad’s Army – and John Le Mesurier – fan I was so pleased to see Julian’s tribute.

Above, John Le Mesurier, as Sergeant Wilson,  in BBC sitcom Dad’s Army.

He appeared on stage dressed as John in his Dad’s Army costume as if he was taking a break between scenes. It was so well written – Julian Dutton is a writer as well as performer – and so well performed that it was sometimes easy to imagine that it was actually John Le Mesurier that was standing there in front of you, giving you his life story. If anyone gets the chance to see the full version of Julian Dutton’s Le Mesurier tribute or anything else that he performs I would highly recommend doing so.

Above, Julian Dutton, performing part of his tribute to John Le Mesurier, the Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. Photo taken by me,  July 2023.

Also appearing that day were two performers from Wales, both with musical backgrounds. The first was Maureen Evans who had hit singles in the 1950s and 1960s. It was interesting to hear her being interviewed and talking about how things were in the UK Music Industry in the decades that she was involved in it.

Above, Mike Read interviewing singer Maureen Evans, the Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. Photo taken by me,  July 2023.

The other musical performer from Wales was Mal Pope. Not only did he perform a couple of his songs but also gave another insight into the UK Music Industry, and talked about his friendship with the great Elton John. Both of these performers from Wales were great to listen to.

Above, musician Mal Pope, performing on the stage, the Savoy Theatre, Monmouth.  Photo taken by me, July 2023.

As a TV channel I cannot recommend Talking Pictures TV enough. It is true to say that I do not know what I would watch most of the time if the Cronin family had not put in the hard work and effort to start up and keep this wonderful channel going. It’s even on now – as it is most of the day if I am at home – as I am writing this blog.

Above, Mike Read,  and William, the Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. Although seeing him at the previous Talking Pictures TV event this was the first time I had managed to speak to Mike since 1986. That time I had performed a song and dance number along with other members of The Sylvia Young Theatre School – even though really I had already left there – on the BBC show Saturday Superstore, which Mike hosted. When I told Mike this he not only remembered us performing but even some of the other people I performed with. Photo taken by me, July 2023. 

In the next Behind the Scenes Part I will be talking about the next Talking Pictures TV event we attended. Where this was, who we saw, and who we met, I will let you know in the next blog.

The History Part

Those of you familiar with Blackadder 4 will be aware how Captain Blackaddder feels about a certain comic actor with a small moustache. Well, Blackadder and his men may well have been serving amongst some men that would later become extremely well known actors. Amongst them was one of the greatest Sherlock Holmes of the big screen.

Above, Rowan Atkinson, as Captain Blackadder, in Blackadder 4.

Basil Rathbone joined the London Scottish Regiment in 1915. He wasn’t the only member who would later become an actor. Actors Claude Rains, Herbert Marshall, and Ronald Colman all served in the London Scottish in WWI.

Above, Basil Rathbone, as Sherlock Holmes.

Rathbone didn’t stay long in the Regiment and was soon transferred to the King’s Liverpool Regiment as an Intelligence officer, and was promoted to Captain.
He served sometime in France, and it was here that he came up with a dangerous plan to find out the strengths and positions of the enemy in nearby trenches.
It is possible that he was driven to think up such a plan after hearing that his brother had been killed whilst also serving in the Army.
His plan was to get a closer look at the German positions by crossing no man’s land in daylight. To help stop the Germans spotting him and his men Rathbone came up with the idea that they would all be disguised as trees.
This may sound a little like a plan that Baldrick might come up with but it was a success. Rathbone and his men got all of the information they wanted but were spotted by the Germans who started to shoot at them with machine-guns. Despite being stuck in no man’s land and disguised as trees Rathbone managed to lead all of his men back to safety. For completing this successful but dangerous mission Rathbone was awarded the Military Cross.

Above, Basil Rathbone, as Sherlock Holmes, perhaps coming up with a dangerous plan.

The amount of people who served in WWI who would later become actors is too large to mention them all here but they include John Laurie and Arnold Ridley of Dad’s Army in the British Army, Maurice Chevalier in the French Army, Buster Keaton in US Army, and on the other side Bela Lugosi in the Hungarian Army.

Above, John Laurie, and Arnold Ridley, in BBC sitcom Dad’s Army.

Had these men – and many others – not survived the world would have not benefited from their great contributions to film, including comedy, musicals, horror, and one of the greatest Sherlock Holmes to ever appear on screen.

Above, Tony Robinson,  Hugh Laurie,  and Rowan Atkinson,  as Baldrick, George, and Blackadder,  in Blackadder 4.

So, if some of Baldrick’s ideas on winning the war sound a little ridiculous, just remember that before becoming a well-loved actor, Basil Rathbone once came up with and completed a plan where he led his men to and from the enemy trenches disguised as trees.

If you haven’t done so already, give the fantastic King of Blackadder on Twitter a follow!
https://twitter.com/pitchblacksteed?s=09

Then take a look at this also fantastic Blackadder fan group!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1507847676134507/?ref=share

For more on Bulgaria    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgaria

For more on Talking Pictures TV https://talkingpicturestv.co.uk/

For more on the Savoy Theatre in Monmouth https://monmouth-savoy.co.uk/

For more on the town of Monmouth https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monmouth

For more on Henry V https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_V_of_England

For more on Mike Read https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Read

For more on Caroline Munro https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caroline_Munro

For more on the 1977 Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spy_Who_Loved_Me_(film)

For more on Nigel Havers https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_Havers

For more on Mark Shortland https://www.markshortland.com/

For more on Norman Eshley https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Eshley

For more on the sitcom George and Mildred https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_and_Mildred

For more on the sitcom Man About the House https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_About_the_House

For more on Andre Vincent https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre_Vincent

For more on William Gaunt https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Gaunt

For more on the 1960s TV adventure series The Champions https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Champions

For more on Julian Dutton https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Dutton

For more on John Le Mesurier https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Le_Mesurier

For more on the sitcom Dad’s Army https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dad%27s_Army

For more on singer Maureen Evans https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maureen_Evans

For more on musician Mal Pope https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mal_Pope

For more on Basil Rathbone https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_Rathbone

For more on Claude Rains https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Rains

For more on Herbert Marshall https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Marshall

For more on Ronald Colman https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Colman

For more on John Laurie https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Laurie

For more on Arnold Ridley https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Ridley

For more on Maurice Chevalier https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Chevalier

For more on Buster Keaton https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buster_Keaton

For more on Bela Lugosi https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bela_Lugosi

Young Snotty, Arabian Voyages

Part 94

Part of History Pitt

Historical Performance Talks – Video Greetings – Meet, Greet and Mingles – and Merchandise

Visit http://www.historypitt.co.uk for details.

Young Snotty, Arabian Voyages

My History, Behind the Scenes History, and Fun History

The My History Part

It was Summer 2009. After spending the Spring in Scotland we were now back in Bulgaria. We had only been there for a couple of days before Penny’s brother Roger made his way over from London to stay for a few days.
Roger had travelled a bit around Eastern Europe not long after the fall of the Berlin Wall, so he had a bit of experience of how things could be. However, we told him which taxi company was the only one he should use to get from Sofia Airport to the train station to catch the train to the town nearest to us.
Most of the taxis in Sofia overcharged anyone who wasn’t from there, especially if they were from the West. Despite our warning, Roger had spoken to some Bulgarians he knew in London before leaving, and they told him any taxi would be fine. They were wrong.

Above, Penny Me, and William escaping the heat of the Bulgarian Summer with the aid of some inexpensive alcohol – William probably had something non-alcoholic – under the shade of a tree in our garden. Photo taken by Molly, 2009.

Our neighbour Manol took us to the train station in the town to await Roger’s train. He didn’t – and still doesn’t – carry a mobile phone, so we just had to assume that his plane landed on time, that he made it to the train station in Sofia, and that he got onto the right train.
As the train pulled in we watched the passengers get off. One of them was Roger, he had made it. After introducing him to Manol we immediately asked him if the taxi was alright. He answered that he thought he may have been overcharged. Actually, he had been overcharged by so much – about 10 or 15 times what the journey should have cost – that the driver had to take him to a cashpoint to withdraw more money. We explained to Manol what had happened. I don’t think he was surprised.
Manol drove us all back to the village. It was evening by then, but the next day we showed Roger around the village and the plains.
There was still a lot left from the Soviet Era, and the village seemed little changed from that time except that German cars could now be seen driving around, the occasional visitor from the West could be seen, and the village church – closed by the Soviets – was preparing to reopen.

Above, Village donkeys left loose to roam to find the best shade and the best grass. Photo taken by me, 2009.

Roger had spent more than his entire budget for the trip on that first taxi ride but it wasn’t hard to treat him to food and drinks. Beer prices were less than ten percent what they were in the UK, and food was generally low priced as long as you knew where to go.
We also took him to the nearby town – probably even more Soviet in appearance than the village – and to Veliko Tarnovo, the once capital of Bulgaria, which is a little less Soviet but still had many reminders of those days.

Above, William, and Molly have a – probably non-alcoholic – drink in the garden. Photo taken by me, 2009.

After a few days with us, it was time for Roger to head back to the UK. Manol took us all to the train station to see Roger off. When the train arrived we showed him where best to get onboard. He spoke to us through an open window for a while before being somewhat forcefully directed to an available compartment by a female guard. After this the train soon pulled away, bound for Sofia. He had been told by his Bulgarian friends in London that he should visit the sites of Sofia. He therefore booked to stay one night there before flying to London the following evening. Talking to him later it seems that his Bulgarian friends’ sightseeing advice was about as good as their ‘any taxi is fine’ advice. I think Roger enjoyed his time with us, and liked the town and Veliko Tarnovo, but I think he enjoyed spending time in the village best, as not many visitors get to experience how people really live in such places.

Above, our neighbour’s donkey, keeping down the grass in our garden, with the plains in the background. Photo taken by me, 2009.

We still had a bit of time left before we too had to head back to the UK. After being in Bulgaria in the Winter, being there in Summer seemed very different. As well as the extreme change in temperatures there was also an extreme change in the wildlife.
We saw less mice but more insects. Some were very strange, and there seemed to be many different types of grasshoppers. Some of the spiders were quite scary but most of them seemed to be outside. We also saw fireflies which flashed away in their thousands at night. We had thought these were nowhere to be found in Europe but there they were – for a short part of the Summer anyway – thousands of fireflies adding flashing lights to the nightly chorus of frogs coming from the wetter parts of the plains. There were also what looked like giant wasps, about 10 or 20 times the size of the wasps you see in the UK. We tried very hard – and seemed to succeed – in not being stung by these giants, which had they been much bigger would almost have looked at home on Jules Verne’s Mysterious Island.

Above, what is described as a ‘Giant Bee’ but to me looks much more like a Giant Wasp, flying in to attack Michael Callan, and Beth Rogan, as Herbert Brown, and Elena Fairchild, in the 1961 film Mysterious Island.

It was soon time for us to head back to Scotland. We got our usual transfer to Sofia by car. This was a little – but not a lot – more than using the train but it meant we didn’t have to find a taxi at the train station which usually meant about 45 minutes of negotiation to get the cost down to only two or three times what it should have been.
It also meant that we didn’t have to endure the hours of Bulgarian rail travel. The Soviet Era trains still came with Soviet Era guards. The women were the worst. They only spoke Bulgarian which was shouted angrily at any passengers from the West. This wasn’t always the case, but most were like this.
It was also best to avoid using the toilets on a Bulgarian train. If any of you have seen the toilet on the Egyptian Railway train in the 2001 film The Mummy Returns starring Brendan Fraser, I have to tell you that this was nothing compared to a Bulgarian train toilet.

Above, the toilet on the Egyptian Railway train in the 2001 film The Mummy Returns.

Firstly, although filthy and full of flies and stench, at least the Egyptian one in the film actually had a toilet. In some cases the Bulgarian train toilets – although they were fully equipped with filth, flies, and stench – were simply holes, where you could see the tracks below. Whatever you deposited into the toilet – or hole – would then hit the tracks without delay. The car option was much better.
We flew to London then made our way to our cliff top caravan in Scotland via Wales. We would travel a little more around Scotland before heading back to Bulgaria for our second Christmas and New Year in the house there. This Bulgarian Winter was to be our coldest by far.

What it was like being there in such low temperatures, and what we got up to this time, I will let you know in the next blog.

The Behind the Scenes Part

As some of you will probably know, I have a love of deserts, particularly those of Arabia. Along with that I also love the collection of tales known by some as The Thousand and One Nights, and by others as The Arabian Nights. One character that comes from these tales is Sinbad the Sailor. The four live action films that feature him – all with different casts and at very different times – capture very well some of the adventure that is contained within the many volumed editions of The Arabian Nights.
The first film I will talk about is the 1947 Sinbad the Sailor directed by Richard Wallace and starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr and Maureen O’Hara.

Above, a poster for the 1947 film Sinbad the Sailor.

Planning for the film began in 1944, and RKO Radio Pictures announced their intention to make the film in 1945. Filming began in 1946, and by January 1947 it was in cinemas in the US.
The next film was released in 1958. It was directed by Nathan H Juran and starred Kerwin Matthews, and Kathryn Grant. The film was titled The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, which hopefully didn’t make too many potential viewers think they had missed six previous instalments, which they hadn’t.
This was the first of three films to feature Sinbad that were made by Columbia Pictures. All three Columbia films would feature the fantastic stop-motion special effects of Ray Harryhausen. The special effects used in The 7th Voyage took Harryhausen 11 months to complete.

Above, Kerwin Matthews and Kathryn Grant,  in the 1958 film The 7th Voyage of Sinbad.

The next film would not be released until 1973. This was The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, and was directed by Gordon Hessler. It starred John Phillip Law, the lovely Caroline Munro, and Blackadder’s Tom Baker as the baddie.

Above, Caroline Munro,  and John Phillip Law, in the 1973 film The Golden Voyage of Sinbad.

It was filmed in various locations in Spain in quite a short time from June to August 1972, but wasn’t released until December 1973, and in some places in early 1974.
Ray Harryhausen’s effects are again wonderful in this film, and add so much to the action and suspense.

Sinbad fans didn’t have to wait as long for the next film, which was Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger, released in 1977, and directed by Sam Wanamaker. It starred Patrick Wayne – son of actor John Wayne – and Jane Seymour.
This was the only Sinbad film which I can say I saw in the cinema. I must have been about 7 years old. It was in the cinema in Penzance in Cornwall, and I remember how many older boys – of which their seemed to be many – stamped their feet rapidly in some strange form of appreciation every time Jane Seymour or Taryn Power – who also appeared in the film, and was the daughter of actor Tyrone Power – appeared onscreen.
Thanks to the success of the previous film, Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger had a large enough budget to film in different locations. Spain was again used, but filming also took place at locations in Malta, including the wonderful walled city of Mdina.
Some important scenes were also shot in Petra in Jordan. However, as I have said in a previous Behind the Scenes Part, the scenes shot in Petra did not include the main cast, who appear in front of screens in a studio to make it appear as though they are in Petra, while long shots and shots from behind were shot using doubles.

Above, Patrick Wayne,  and Jane Seymour,  in the 1977 film Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger.

The effects for this film took Ray Harryhausen even longer, and took him from October 1975 to March 1977, with the film appearing in cinemas in August that year. Some of the stop-motion models used in the special effects were altered and reused in the 1981 film Clash of the Titans.
It is believed by some that the Sinbad tales didn’t appear in the original Arabian Nights but were added later. They do not appear in the known about copies from the 14th Century but do appear in those from the 18th Century.
However, they are now established as part of those wonderful tales that have inspired many to search deeper into them and to visit some of the fantastic places that were the origin of such characters as Sinbad the Sailor.
The collection of tales that make up The Arabian Nights have had many different translations but my favoured version is that translated by Sir Richard Francis Burton of which I have before mentioned I have an 1886 set.

Above, my 1886 set of The Arabian Nights,  translated by Sir Richard Francis Burton. Photo taken by me, April 2023.

Like the writing of Homer in Ancient Greece, The Arabian Nights tales are set hundreds of years before they were written. However, we can’t really know if the original tales were written down at the time and the only remaining copies we know about are from a few hundred years later. Whether written later or at the time, they are wonderful to read, especially if you can find very old copies which to me adds even more to the wonder. I also like to believe that just like Homer’s works that some of these Arabian works are also based on historical truths, which is why many of the characters can be traced to actual historical figures.
I would highly recommend reading some of the tales if you get the chance, they are full of Sultans, Caliphs, Viziers, adventure, and lots of Magic. I would also recommend seeing the Sinbad films if you like action films from the 1940s to 1970s, along with the fantastic special effects by Ray Harryhausen.

I have written in a previous Behind the Scenes Part about attending a Talking Pictures TV event in 2022. In the next Behind the Scenes Part I will be talking about the first of two other Talking Pictures events that we have recently attended. Who we met and what performances we saw, I will let you know in the next blog.

The History Part

Those of you familiar with Blackadder 1 will be aware just how important castles were in Medieval England to keep the rulers of the land safe. Well, there were castles and fortifications in many parts of Britain long before these times, and some were built by people from far off places.

Above, Rowan Atkinson,  as Prince Edmund, in Blackadder 1.

Those of you who know me will also know that I have quite a thing about castles. We visit castles whenever we can, and there is one particular fortification that also suits my love of the Ancient World. That place is Burgh Castle in Norfolk, built by the Romans in the late 3rd Century AD.

Above, you can see the impressive walls of Burgh Castle long before you reach them. Photo taken by me, September 2021.

Burgh isn’t the oldest fortification in Britain by far, but it is one of the most intact and impressive of the time.
It was one of many fortifications built along what became known as the Saxon Shore. As well as garrisons for troops – it is thought that those based at Burgh were mostly Roman cavalry – they were also safe places to conduct trade, and to guard against Saxon attacks on that part of the coast.

Above, much of the land surrounding Burgh Castle would have been full of crops to feed the garrison housed behind the high walls. Photo taken by me, September 2021.

Three of Burgh’s defensive walls stand almost entirely intact. They are 11 feet deep at the base, 5 feet deep at the top, and about 15 feet in height. The fourth wall collapsed into the marshes centuries ago.

Above, this break in the walls shows just how thick these walls are. Photo taken by me, September 2021.

After the Norman Invasion the outer walls of Burgh were used again, this time to support a newly built defensive structure inside. There are signs of where the structure was but this Norman building did not last as long as the Roman walls.

Above, the impressive and largely intact walls of Burgh Castle. Photo taken by me September 2021.

The Normans however were fantastic castle-builders. It was from the point of their arrival that massive stone-built fortifications started to appear, and many of these structures – including the Tower of London – still stand.

Above, The Tower of London at night. Photo taken by me,  March 2023.

A couple of centuries later Edward I of England would build his Ring of Steel. This was a series of castles built to guard – and control – Wales. These castles are about the best built in the World. Massive, largely self-sufficient with easy availability of being resupplied by ship, and with incredible defensive features, Edward’s castles in Wales were almost impossible to take by either attack or by siege. Most of my favourite castles are in Wales, and most of them have some connection to Edward I, and were fully in use at the time that Blackadder 1 is set.

Above, Rowan Atkinson,  as Prince Edmund, in Blackadder 1.

So, next time you think of castles in Britain as being a thing of the Medieval Era, just remember that Britain had seen the building of massive fortifications long before this time, long before Prince Edmund called himself The Blackadder, and that some, like Burgh Castle in Norfolk, are still standing today.

If you haven’t done so already, give the fantastic King of Blackadder on Twitter a follow!
https://twitter.com/pitchblacksteed?s=09

Then take a look at this also fantastic Blackadder fan group!   https://www.facebook.com/groups/1507847676134507/?ref=share

For more on Bulgaria                                https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgaria

For more on the 1961 film of Jules Verne’s Mysterious Island https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mysterious_Island_(1961_film)

For more on the 2001 film The Mummy Returns https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mummy_Returns

For more on Brendan Fraser https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brendan_Fraser

For more on the 1947 film Sinbad the Sailor https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinbad_the_Sailor_(1947_film)

For more on the 1958 film The 7th Voyage of Sinbad https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_7th_Voyage_of_Sinbad

For more on the 1973 film The Golden Voyage of Sinbad https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Golden_Voyage_of_Sinbad

For more on the 1977 film Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinbad_and_the_Eye_of_the_Tiger

For more on Ray Harryhausen https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Harryhausen

For more on Caroline Munro https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caroline_Munro

For more on the 1981 film The Clash of the Titans https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clash_of_the_Titans_(1981_film)

For more on Sir Richard Francis Burton https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Francis_Burton

For more on Burgh Castle https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burgh_Castle_(Roman_fortification)

For more on Edward I https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_I_of_England

For more on The Tower of London https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_London

Young Snotty, the Odyssey, and the Mandolin

Part 93

Part of History Pitt

Historical Performance Talks – Video Greetings – Meet, Greet and Mingles – and Merchandise

Visit http://www.historypitt.co.uk for details.

Young Snotty, the Odyssey, and the Mandolin

My History, Behind the Scenes History, and Fun History

The My History Part

It was late December 2008, and after travelling from Scotland to Gatwick via Wales we were on our way to Bulgaria to spend Christmas and the New year in the house.
It was cold and there was a covering of snow everywhere, but it wasn’t enough to block roads or make travelling difficult.
Once we reached the house we checked everything, turned the water back on, and then began to unpack.
We carried as large and as heavy a size of suitcases as we were allowed to carry onboard a plane. We had already brought out inflatable chairs, inflatable mattresses, and tins and jars of food which we couldn’t easily get in Bulgaria, but this time we brought all we could carry of things for Christmas, including a tree.

Above, the house and garden with a covering of snow, sometime around Christmas 2008. Photo taken by me.

The Bulgarians didn’t celebrate Christmas much, as it had been discouraged by the Russians. The churches had been closed, but the church in the village was being renovated ready for reopening.
Those in the village who wanted to embrace the things of the West also decorated their houses. Our neighbour Manol and his wife even had a tree. They asked if Molly could help decorate it. This she did. She walked down to their house one afternoon a couple of days before Christmas. When she returned she told us that Manol and his wife just sat and watched as she decorated the entire tree on her own. This they did while regularly saying ‘Bravo!’ loudly and enthusiastically which we had come to know was a Bulgarian way of showing approval.

Above, Penny in the garden, with a light covering of snow, sometime around Christmas 2008. Photo taken by me.

We had brought so many decorations and lights with us that when Manol saw our house all lit up and covered in decorations he made the hand gesture that in Bulgaria meant he thought we were mad. Even so, he seemed to like our decorations and quickly brought his wife around to see.
On Christmas Day itself we celebrated much as we would have done in the UK. We had to travel to the city to find a Turkey, which had been imported from some far off place, and the limited TV channels we had didn’t matter as we brought plenty of Christmas DVDs with us, including the Muppets version of A Christmas Carol.

Above, Michael Caine, and friends, in The Muppet Christmas Carol, 1992.

The only thing that we couldn’t find anywhere were Christmas Crackers, but we had a solution to this. I remembered seeing a Christmas episode of the British sitcom The Good Life starring Richard Briars and Felicity Kendal as Tom and Barbara Good. They played a couple who, although living in suburbia, tried to be self-sufficient and turned their garden into a mini farm.
As part of this attempt at self-sufficiency they even made their own crackers. For these they used toilet rolls, newspapers – for the crackers themselves and also for the hats inside them – and wrote their own jokes on scraps of paper. Their neighbours Margo and Jerry – played by Penelope Keith and Paul Eddington – were treated to these crackers too. Jerry went along with it happily, but Margo needed some persuading, especially as she would only wear a hat made from one of the more expensive newspapers.

Above, Felicity Kendal, Richard Briars, Penelope Keith, and Paul Eddington, in the 1970s BBC sitcom The Good Life.

This idea we copied. We used bits of wrapping paper instead of newspapers, and added small gifts which we had found in the nearby town. Just like those made by Tom and Barbara, our crackers didn’t go bang when they were pulled. For this, we had to shout ‘Bang!’ at the appropriate time. This is something we still do every Christmas, even though we buy ready-made crackers too.
When Christmas turned to New Year there were more celebrations. This is something that the Bulgarians did celebrate.
We had bought a new wood burner for the lounge, which we had to bring back in Manol’s car. The system put in by the builders used too much wood. This one would use less, but only heated the one room, and needed constant attention to keep it at the right temperature.
The wood was ordered and arrived. It was dropped at the front gate. It wasn’t the nicely usable sized logs we were expecting but whole sections of tree trunk. These we had to drag the entire length of the garden, then cut them into usable sized pieces using hand axes. We got through more than one two-handed axe handles during this time but fortunately Manol was a carpenter and replaced the handles whenever needed.
It had turned a lot colder by New Year’s Eve, and the snow was a lot deeper. We got our fire going well, but had to leave for a couple of hours as we had been invited to Manol’s for a New Year drink. This was the usual Rakia, a homemade strong spirit which we didn’t really like but drank out of politeness. As it was New Year it was different this time. The Rakia was heated on a stove before being poured, and this made the fumes from the alcohol rise and burn the eyes as the glass was brought up to drink.

Above, Me in the garden with a deep covering of snow, sometime around New Year 2009. Photo taken by Penny.

We were treated to some Bulgarian dishes too, and we were told of some of the Bulgarian New Year traditions. One of these traditions was for young boys to hit elderly women with sticks until they gave the boys money. Terrible though this sounds, I think that the hitting with sticks was mostly very gentle, and the giving of money was generally only small coins.
After a couple of hours of boiling alcohol and Bulgarian food we made our excuses and left. It was only a few minutes walk to our house but in the dark, the deep snow and low temperatures – particularly as I was wearing my Cornish kilt, which amused the Bulgarians very much – the walk was far enough.

Above, the main road through the village, sometime around New Year 2009. The snow is piled high at the sides of the road, but the road itself is quite clear. This was usually done by farmers from the village using their farm machinery. Photo taken by me.

Manol’s house was very hot, but when we got back to ours the fire had gone out, and we had to get it lit again before the room heated up enough for us to remove our coats.
This had been a cold but interesting Christmas and New Year. We had improvised the things we couldn’t find – with the help of 70s sitcoms – and experienced quite a different type of New Year celebrations. Once these celebrations were over it was soon time to head back to the UK. However, we would be back to Bulgaria in the Summer.

What it was like returning to the heat of the Bulgarian Summer, and what Penny’s brother Roger thought of our house on the plains when he decided to visit us in Bulgaria, I’ll let you know in the next blog.

The Behind the Scenes Part

In 2001 a film was released that was based on a 1994 novel, which itself was based on actual events. The novel was Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres, and the film of the same title starred Nicolas Cage, Penelope Cruz, and John Hurt.
A while ago, we were fortunate enough to visit the Greek Island of Kefalonia where the story is set, where the film was shot, and where the real events actually happened.
The book and the film follow the story of Italian officer Antonio Corelli who is forced upon doctor Iannis and his daughter Pelagia as a guest. It takes place during World War II, and the Italians – along with a smaller German force – are occupying all of the Greek Islands.

Above, Nicolas Cage, as Captain Antonio Corelli, in the 2001 film Captain Corelli’s Mandolin.

Corelli and Pelagia fall for each other, and the Italians begin to feel they have more in common with the Greeks than they do the Germans. When Italy surrenders to Britain and the US, the Italians on the Greek Islands are happy to think that they will soon be going home. However, the Germans fear that the Italians will change sides, and the Italians – fearing what the Germans may do – help the Greeks to fight. This ends in Italians and Greeks fighting side by side against the Germans, Italians being taken prisoner, and then being murdered by the Germans.

Above, the Monument to the fallen Italians, in the hills above Argostoli, Kefalonia. It is a steep but worthwhile climb from the town to the monument. Photo taken by me.

What happens in the story is very close to what actually happened, and although de Bernieres states that his novel is not based on an actual Italian officer’s experiences the story is very similar to what actually happened to Italian captain Amos Pampaloni.

Above, a Mandolin, similar to that used by Nicholas Cage in the 2001 film Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. This one is in the Folklore and Maritime Museum, Vathi, Ithaka. Photo taken by me.

Many locations were used on Kefalonia for the film, but scenes set in the capital Argostoli were actually filmed in the Sami area on the other side of the island. It is very well done, and anyone who has visited Argostoli will recognise statues and landmarks used in the recreated version made for the film.

Above, Penny and me, in the actual town of Argostoli.

Sami itself is Kefalonia’s main port for ferries. Using ferries to travel around the Greek Islands is a great way to get around. However, don’t expect Greek ferries to necessarily be on time.

Above, the ferry to Ithaka just about to dock at Sami Port. Photo taken by me.

Our ferry from Sami to nearby Ithaka left on time, but on our return it was around 30 minutes late. Our ferry from Kos Town to the Turkish port of Bodrum was even later. Originally scheduled for 9.30AM we were told when we arrived that it had changed to 10.15AM. We were still sat on the ferry waiting to leave at 11AM, and as we were only going on for the day to Bodrum we feared we would not have enough time there. We even left the ship and began to stand in line for customs, abandoning the trip, but seeing the customs line looked as though we would be waiting for about 2 hours, and with the prospect of visiting the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus in Bodrum we decided to reboard the ship.

Above, Penny and me, at the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, Bodrum, Turkey, July 2023.

The gangplank was raised a few seconds after we stepped onboard, and the ship immediately left. As it turned out, the company had received so many complaints that they changed the returning time to over an hour later so that everyone had their full time in the Turkish city. It was a wonderful place to visit, particularly the ancient site of Halicarnassus. It reminded me that sometimes – particularly where foreign travel is concerned – you just have to go along with things. Most of the time – and this trip to Bodrum was one such time – things seem to work out, you simply have to sit back and let things happen.
Back on Kefalonia, we wanted to visit Ithaka as it was the home of Odysseus, hero of the Trojan War – depicted by Homer in The Iliad – and whose ten year journey home from that war is depicted in Homer’s The Odyssey.

Above, the Staue of Odysseus looks out over the harbour of Vathi, capital of the Greek Island of Ithaka. Photo taken by me.

The Trojan War took place sometime between the 12th and 11th Centuries BC. The Greeks were led by Agamemnon of Mycenae – which we visited in 2014 – and Odysseus was one of his leading men. It is Odysseus that came up with the idea of the Trojan Horse which ended the ten year long siege of the city of Troy in what is now Turkey. If you are a lover of Ancient History, and have read The Iliad, The Odyssey, and if you want to go even further and have also read Virgil’s Aeneid which tells how the Romans were descendents of the Trojans, then you will understand what it means to visit the ancient sites involved. This is definitely one of the main reasons I love Greece so much.
Returning to Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, the Italians fight the Germans and try to stop a bigger German force from landing on Kefalonia but they are no match for their overwhelming numbers and firepower. Once the Germans gain control, they round up the Italians, march them to a spot in the hills above Argostoli, and murder them. Corelli survives, and is smuggled out by the Greeks, only to return to the island years later.
Kefalonia was not the only Greek island to witness these mass murders. On Kos the Italians were shot on the edge of the salt lake at Tigaki.

Above, part of the vast Salt Lake, Tigaki, Kos. Photo taken by me, July 2023.

Such a peaceful place, there is little sign of what happened here during the war, but a short walk along the coast will bring you to a piece of history, peering just above the water in the shallows of the Aegean Sea.
This is the wreck of the German Landingcraft F131, which was sunk by British Motor Torpedo Boat MTB 307 on the night of the 20th of October 1943.

Above, the wreck of F131 just below the waves of the Aegean Sea, near Tigaki, Kos. Photo taken by me, July 2023.

This German craft was one of the many landingcraft built for the invasion of Britain. As this invasion never happened, the Germans transferred many of the craft to serve in the Greek Islands. This particular one is a reminder of what took place on this beautiful and now peaceful island, and many other parts of Greece.

Above, Me wading out of the Aegean Sea, fully dressed. I had originally only intended looking at the wreck from the shore, but as it was so near the surface I couldn’t resist just removing my boots and socks and wading in to touch it. Photo taken by Penny, July 2023.

I haven’t read the book Captain Corelli’s Mandolin but Penny has read it twice, so it must be a good read. If you haven’t seen the film then I do recommend doing so. Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz put in very good performances, and John Hurt – I have written before about the time I went drinking with John in Glasgow – is great as always. There are also great performances from the rest of the cast including David Morrissey, and Christian Bale.

Above, Penelope Cruz, and John Hurt, as Pelagia, and Dr Iannis, in the 2001 film Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. John was an interesting person to go out drinking with, which I was fortunate enough to do once in Glasgow.

For anyone with an interest in Ancient History I would highly recommend Homer’s works, as well as those of Virgil, and anyone who gets the chance to visit Kefalonia, Ithaka, Kos, or Halicarnassus, then I would highly recommend doing that too.

Above, the bust of Homer, in the main square, Vathi, Ithaka. Photo taken by me.

In the next Behind the Scenes Part I will be talking about the films that depict a certain sailor from the collection of tales that are generally known as The Arabian Nights. What these films are, the works that inspired them to be made, and what the origins of these magical stories are I will let you know in the next blog.

The History Part

Those of you familiar with Blackadder 3, will be aware of the Duke of Wellington’s forthright way of telling people what he wants and what he thinks. You may also be aware that he was an extremely successful military leader, and a Prime Minister. However, you probably didn’t know that when he was in his 70s he took to the streets of London at night on horseback, heavily armed, searching for an elusive figure known as Spring-Heeled Jack.

Above, Stephen Fry, and Hugh Laurie, as The Duke of Wellington, and Prince George pretending to be Blackadder, in Blackadder 3.

Spring-Heeled Jack is something I include in my History of British Policing Talk, and I always include the elderly Duke’s part in his attempted capture.
The figure was reported in various parts of England over a period of 67 years. Sightings began in London in 1837. Initial reports claim that he was very tall – some claimed he was around 10 feet in height – dressed in a black cloak, a hat or helmet, had long sharp claws, eyes like balls of fire, and breathed flames.
He was also able to leap over high walls to escape capture, which he did with a high-pitched laugh. This ability is what gained him the name Spring-Heeled Jack.
He would sometimes attack young women, ripping their clothes with his claws and breathing flames in their faces, making them faint. The Lord Mayor of London received so many letters about attacks that he ordered the Metropolitan Police to track the figure down. It was their failure to do so that made the Duke take to the streets of London hoping to either kill or capture Jack.

Above, Me giving a History of British Policing Talk. Photo taken by Penny, May 2023.

Over the next few decades reports of Jack came in from all over England. These included attacking soldiers on guard duty where he slapped their faces before springing away. Shots were fired but had no effect on him.
He was cornered in an alleyway in Lincoln, shots were fired, but again to no effect. Before the police could arrive Jack escaped by leaping over a building.
Sightings continued into the early 20th Century. The last sighting was in 1904 in Liverpool. Here, again cornered by members of the public, Jack escaped just as the police arrived, by leaping over a building. No reports of sightings of Jack were ever made again.

Above, Stephen Fry, as The Duke of Wellington, in Blackadder 3.

So, after 67 years, and despite the fact that one would think that a ten feet tall fire-breathing man with eyes like balls of fire would be easy to spot in a crowd, Spring-Heeled Jack was never caught. This is despite the combined efforts of the Police forces of England, the British Army, and even the elderly Duke of Wellington hunting him down on horseback in the dark alleyways of London, heavily armed. It must have been a sight worth seeing.

For anyone interested in my History of British Policing 1749 to 1950 Talk or any of the other talks I offer please visit http://www.historypitt.co.uk for more details.

If you haven’t done so already, give the fantastic King of Blackadder on Twitter a follow!
https://twitter.com/pitchblacksteed?s=09

Then take a look at this also fantastic Blackadder fan group!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1507847676134507/?ref=share

For more on Bulgaria  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgaria

For more on the 1982 film The Muppet Christmas Carol https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Muppet_Christmas_Carol

For more on the sitcom The Good Life https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Good_Life_(1975_TV_series)

For more on Christmas Crackers https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_cracker

For more on the 1994 novel Captain Corelli’s Mandolin https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Corelli%27s_Mandolin

For more on the 2001 film Captain Corelli’s Mandolin https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Corelli%27s_Mandolin_(film)

For more on Nicolas Cage https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_Cage

For more on Penelope Cruz https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pen%C3%A9lope_Cruz

For more on John Hurt https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hurt

For more on the Greek Island of Kefalonia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cephalonia

For more on the Greek Island of Kos https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kos

For more on the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mausoleum_at_Halicarnassus

For more on The Greek Island of Ithaka https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ithaca_(island)

For more on Homer https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer

For more on The Iliad https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iliad

For more on The Odyssey https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey

For more on Virgil https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgil

For more on The Aeneid https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeneid

For more on David Morrissey https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Morrissey

For more on Christian Bale https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Bale

For more on The Duke of Wellington https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Wellesley,_1st_Duke_of_Wellington

For more on Spring-Heeled Jack https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring-heeled_Jack

Young Snotty, and the Chocolate Factory

Part 92

Part of History Pitt

Historical Performance Talks – Video Greetings – Meet, Greet and Mingles – and Merchandise

Visit http://www.historypitt.co.uk for details.

Young Snotty, and the Chocolate Factory

My History, Behind the Scenes History, and Fun History

The My History Part

It was Summer 2008. My Father had returned to the UK but we were still in Bulgaria for a few extra days to try and sort out the latest government idea for making money out of foreigners.
As with everything else in Bulgaria this would not be straightforward, easy, or inexpensive. We did have help from a British family who were living in the next village. They helped us with the many forms, suggested a translator, and even drove us to the city to try and get things done.
Money changed hands, forms were filled, forms were stamped, more money changed hands, more forms were filled, but it wasn’t finished.
The translator – a woman whose name I will not give – only charged a very small amount. This seemed a little odd, as most Bulgarians we had come across in such positions usually assumed that all Westerners were extremely wealthy and charged a much higher amount than they would for anyone else.
The police thought the same, and would often stop us in the street to advise us not to leave all of our gold lying around the house but to hide it. We thanked them, but they needn’t really have worried.

Above, Penny and Me, in the garden on a later visit. Notice our neighbour’s donkey in the background keeping down the grass. Photo taken by Molly, 2009.

Once the government paperwork had been done we were told we now only had to pay the government fee. This was about the equivalent of five hundred British Pounds. We gave this to the translator. We never saw the money again, and as the deadline got nearer over the next 18 months, we still had not received any government registration papers for the business that was necessary to own property.
We would hear from other British people over this time that they had given the same translator their money too, but had still not received anything.
I sent some strong emails demanding it be done or at least the money returned. I received replies saying that she would report me to the police for sending threatening emails. The emails were strongly worded but not threatening – something that does seem to confuse some people – and a few days after I replied saying we would report her not only to the police, but also the Bulgarian Government, and the European Commission, a package was delivered to the house by the police. I should explain that in the village no mail was usually delivered. As the post office was in the village square along with the Mayor’s Office and the police station the people in the post office would often give any important looking letters addressed to us to a passing policeman who would then stand at the bottom of the garden and shout whilst waving the letter in the air until we noticed them.

Above, Me sitting on a wall in the garden. This is the view of the house a policeman would have when looking over our high gates. It sometimes took quite a bit of shouting and waving to attract our attention if we were inside. Photo taken by Penny, 2008.

This particular letter was all of our paperwork, not only unfinished but not even put into the government system. We had lost the money but that sort of thing happens in such places.
This was all later on, about 18 months later on. When we left this time to head back to the UK we had no idea we were no closer to having the business paperwork done, and we assumed the translator would do it all by the time we returned to Bulgaria in the Winter.
While we were back in Scotland we spent the rest of the warmer weather travelling around. This included going on camping trips in the most remote campsites we could find.

Above, Our tent set up at a remote Highland campsite, on a later visit. Photo taken by me, 2009.

One such place was a place called Rannoch. This was a lovely place when quiet, but not so much at busier times, especially if drunken youths from Glasgow found their way there late at night after the ranger had gone home, which did happen once.

Above, Me, William, and Molly, on a later visit to Rannoch. Cooking and Washing up was not always easy with the little equipment we had, but it was much easier if you could pitch up beside a table. Photo taken by Penny, 2009.

However, this site is so far off the main road that generally it is not too busy, and the few people there were usually nice. It is in the woods, surrounded by hills, and fantastic views. There were little amenities back then but there was a toilet block, hidden by trees, with running cold water.

Above, Penny, William, and I think a bit of Molly can be seen, on a later visit to Rannoch. The tent did us well, but there wasn’t a lot of room for four people. Photo taken by me, 2009.

It was nice doing these trips, seeing different parts of Scotland, being surrounded by nature, and being within reach of some great castles and Highland views.

Above, William, and Me, enjoying the Highland evening air, on a later visit, Rannoch. Photo taken by Penny, 2009.

Once the Summer was over, the Autumn weather turned colder. However, we decided that when it was December we would head back to Bulgaria to spend Christmas in the house.

How this turned out, how the Bulgarians celebrated – or didn’t celebrate – Christmas, and how we coped in this Bulgarian Winter, I will let you know in the next blog.

The Behind the Scenes Part

In 1964 a children’s book was published. This book was turned into a film in 1971, another film in 2005, and a stage musical in 2013. The book was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, and the 1971 film was Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory starring Gene Wilder.
Roald Dahl’s books always seemed as though they were written for adults as much as for children. Recently, there have been attempts to rewrite and alter them in a move to attempt to please a forever displeased and highly vocal minority. I would suggest that the books should be left as the author intended, and if anyone is displeased by their wording, then don’t read them.
The 1971 film was directed by Mel Stuart, and as well as Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka it also starred child actor Peter Ostrum as Charlie. The change in title reflects what many must feel that although the story follows the experiences of Charlie the star of the story is Willy Wonka.

Above, Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, in the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

The cast is just right for the characters created by the author. Gene Wilder has just the right amount of insanity to be a believable Wonka, the child actors fit their roles perfectly, and there are great performances from other adults including Roy Kinnear.
The story follows Charlie Bucket who is not from a wealthy family, who upon finding a ‘Golden Ticket’ in a chocolate bar made by Wonka he is invited to visit his factory. The other children who find tickets are from various parts of the world but all are from wealthy families and all seem rude, demanding, and selfish, just the opposite of Charlie. I’m sure I don’t need to tell those who don’t know the story which character comes off best in the end.
Unusually, the film was made in and around Munich in Germany, which gives it a nice international feel, making it seem that it is not set in one particular country or even a particular time, but could be one of many locations and taking place anytime in the later half of the 1900s.

Above, Jack Albertson, Peter Ostrum, and Gene Wilder, as Granpa Joe, Charlie Bucket, and Willy Wonka, in the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

The film is well directed, well cast, well acted, and the few songs are well-written and performed in just the right way.
The 2005 film named Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the same as the book, was directed by Tim Burton and starred – unsurprisingly – Johnny Depp. Other than this I can’t say much more about it. As someone who likes the 1971 original very much I always thought this newer version was unnecessary, which is how I feel about most modern remakes of much loved film classics. On the one attempt I made to watch it I only got a few minutes in, which for me was enough to know that I didn’t like the styling, the casting, or the direction. I then turned it off.
The stage musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has music by Marc Shaiman who also wrote the lyrics with Scott Wittman. As well as new songs, the original ones from the 1971 film are also in the show.
The musical was first performed in London’s WestEnd in 2013, before moving to Broadway in 2017. There have since been touring productions in the US and the UK, and it was in Cardiff’s Millennium Centre that we recently saw it.

Above, a view of part of the set of the stage musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as seen from one of the side boxes, as we waited for the show to begin, the Wales Millennium Centre. Photo taken by me, May 2023.

A variety of child actors – including some girls – play the role of Charlie as the show tours. In Cardiff when we saw it the role of Charlie was played by Isaac Sugden who did extremely well and performed the role just right.
Gareth Snook played Willy Wonka, and gave a wonderful performance with just enough of a Gene Wilder type feeling while also adding enough of his own style to the character to make it both memorable and magical.
The only thing that I found slightly distracting was one of the performers using sign language every time they had a line. They spoke their lines too but it seemed a little odd that only this performer found it necessary to do this. The only reason why it wasn’t too distracting was that the character does not appear on the stage that often, which is also another reason why it seemed a little pointless in doing it in the first place.
However, this was just a very small thing which did not detract from the great music, performances, and story that this musical tells.
If you haven’t seen the 1971 original film starring Gene Wilder then I would highly recommend doing so. It has a great 1970s feel, the songs are great, the performances are all extremely good, and the story has a magical quality.
As I have said, there isn’t much I can say about the 2005 film, but if you are a fan of Tim Burton’s direction – which I sometimes am – and a fan of Johnny Depp’s performances – which I often am – then you could always give it a try and see what you think.
When it comes to the stage musical I would highly recommend seeing it if you get the chance. It brings many new things to the story but also manages to capture the magic of the original film and has performances that will please fans of the film while still allowing the actors to add a bit of their own style to the characters. The new songs are great and fit in just right with those from the film, and the special effects seen on stage are excellent.

Above, Gareth Snook, as Willy Wonka, in the 2022 to 2023 UK Tour of the stage musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

In the next Behind the Scenes Part I will be talking about a 2001 film set – and filmed – on a Greek island, which is based on a 1994 novel which itself is based on real events. What the book and film are, and how the locations where the real events happened are also strongly linked to Ancient Greek history, I will let you know in the next blog.

The History Part

Those of you familiar with Blackadder 3 will most likely also be aware of the many buildings in Britain dating from the Georgian Era that still stand today. Built at a time when the British Empire was expanding, and at a time when British politicians were making the claim that Britain was the modern successor of the Roman Empire, most of these buildings reflect this.

Above, Hugh Laurie, and Rowan Atkinson, as Prince George, and Blackadder, in Blackadder 3.

One thing that most of these buildings have in common with the great structures of the Ancient World are the use of columns. However, these columns are not all the same, and most owe their designs to the Greeks rather than the Romans.

Above, the remains of these fallen columns at the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus in Turkey show how they were built in sections. Photo taken by me, July 2023.

George himself liked Far Eastern designs and those used by the Ancient Egyptians, but architects of official government and business buildings preferred those used by the Greeks and Romans. The simplest type of these columns is the Doric, so called as the design is believed to have originated with the Greek-speaking Dorians. One idea is that the simple design comes from the earlier use of wooden columns to build large structures. When turning to the use of stone these early Greek architects copied the look of wood in their new stone-built columns. Doric columns were extremely popular in the Archaic Period – 750 to 480 BC – and are used in the Parthenon at Athens, built towards the end of this period.

Above, two Doric Columns still standing, from the Sanctuary of Aphrodite, on the Greek Island of Kos. Photo taken by me, July 2023.

Next comes the Ionic. These also originated in the late Archaic Period and are named after the Ionian Greeks who settled in the coastal areas of what is now Turkey, and in the islands of that part of the Aegean. What makes the Ionic column easily recognisable is the use of curled spiralling designs at their tops. This design is known as a volute.

Above, the Temple of Diana, in the grounds of Blenheim Palace. Built between 1772 and 1773, it has Ionic Columns. Photo taken by me, June 2023.

The third type of column is the Corinthian. Named after the Greek city of Corinth in the Peloponnese, Corinthian columns were widely used throughout the Greek and Roman worlds, and came into use during the Late Classical Period, 430 to 323 BC.
These columns are easily recognised by the large and elaborate plant designs at the top. According to the Roman writer Vitruvius, the design of the Corinthian column was invented by Greek architect Callimachus. Vitruvias states that Callimachus was inspired by a basket that had been left on a young girl’s grave. Over time, an acanthus plant grew through the woven basket, resembling the design of the top of the Corinthian column.

Above, Corinthian Columns, standing in the Ancient Agora – Market Place – on the Greek Island of Kos. Photo taken by me, July 2023.

When studying Ancient Greece and Rome I had believed that these were the only three types of column which were used throughout the Ancient World, at least as far as the Ancient Greek and Roman worlds are concerned, the Egyptian type being only used within Egypt. However, on a recent visit to the city of Petra in Jordan we were introduced to another type. This is the Nabatean Column named after the civilisation that built the city, probably sometime in the 6th Century BC.

Above, The Treasury Petra, Jordan, showing its Nabatean Columns. Photo taken by me, March 2023.

There are other types of column visible in this part of the world as the Greeks and then the Romans settled here. However, the Nabatean Column is easily recognisable by its pointed design jutting out from its top, often accompanied by a Corinthian-like leaf design. Generally not seen outside of this part of the Middle East, it is likely that this type of column was generally unknown when the great structures of Georgian Britain were being built.

Above, the entrance to Blenheim Palace – built between 1705 and 1722 – showing its Corinthian Columns. Photo taken by me, June 2023.

However, I now know to refer to 4 types of column – apart from the Egyptian- used in the Ancient World, not only three, even if it is only three that are generally evident in the buildings of the Georgian Era.

Above, Hugh Laurie, as Prince George, in Blackadder 3.

So, when looking at these buildings – both Ancient and later copies – anywhere in the world, just have a closer look at the tops of the columns, and try to work out if they are Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, or the rarer Nabatean. Once recognised, tell the people around you, and sound as though you really know what you are talking about. It’s just the sort of thing I could imagine Prince George doing himself, but if it was the George from Blackadder he would most likely get it wrong.

If you haven’t done so already, give the fantastic King of Blackadder on Twitter a follow!
https://twitter.com/pitchblacksteed?s=09

Then take a look at this also fantastic Blackadder fan group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1507847676134507/?ref=share

For more on Bulgaria https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgaria

For more on the Scottish Highlands https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Highlands

For more on the 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_and_the_Chocolate_Factory

For more on Roald Dahl https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roald_Dahl

For more on the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_and_the_Chocolate_Factory

For more on Gene Wilder https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Wilder

For more on Peter Ostrum https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Ostrum

For more on the 2005 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_and_the_Chocolate_Factory_(film)

For more on Tim Burton https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Burton

For more on Johnny Depp https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Depp

For more on the stage musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_and_the_Chocolate_Factory_(musical)

For more on Doric Columns https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doric_order

For more on Ionic Columns https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionic_order

For more on Corinthian Columns https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corinthian_order

For more on Blenheim Palace https://www.blenheimpalace.com/

For more on the Greek Island of Kos https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kos

For more on Halicarnassus https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halicarnassus

For more on Petra https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra

For more on the Nabateans https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nabataeans

Young Snotty, the Kingdom of Heaven

Part 91

Part of History Pitt

Historical Performance Talks – Video Greetings – Meet, Greet and Mingles – and Merchandise

Visit http://www.historypitt.co.uk for details.

Young Snotty, the Kingdom of Heaven

My History, Behind the Scenes History, and Fun History

The My History Part

It was Spring 2008. We spent time visiting more of Scotland’s castles, countryside, towns, and beaches. We even spent a little more time camping, whilst trying to avoid the Bank Holidays, which at times there seems to be so many of in Britain.
Spring soon turned to Summer, and it was time for our next visit to Bulgaria. This time my father Barrie would be coming with us. We headed for Wales. South Wales being quite a long drive from Scotland we stayed one night at a hotel about halfway through the journey.
We arrived in South Wales the next day. Here we waited until it was late, then drove through the night to Gatwick Airport. We checked in for our early morning flight, which this time was not to Bulgaria’s capital Sofia but to the Romanian capital Bucharest.
We had initially planned to stay the night there but being five of us it didn’t seem possible to find a reasonably priced hotel. We therefore just booked a transfer for all of us to take us to the house over the border in Bulgaria.
We were expecting a minibus but instead the company sent two cars. My Father and Molly went in one and Penny, William, and me went in the other.
It was interesting driving through the Romanian side of the Danube Plains, and the border crossing at the river seemed to be quite quick. We were soon at our house in the village.
It was now very hot in Bulgaria. We dropped off our cases, showed my Father quickly around the house and barns, then went to introduce him to Manol and his wife. As was usual with Bulgarians we were offered large amounts of strong coffee, but on leaving their house we had to head straight to one of the village shops to try and find tea. My Father had not had a cup of tea for about 10 hours and was feeling the affects. I think we found some.
The grass was very high in our huge garden. We had to clear it, as snakes like this sort of long grass. Our neighbour Luben saw us trying to use some of the old tools left in our barns, and climbed over the wall with some scythes. He then began to help cut down the grass.

Above, Luben, my Father Barrie, and Me, using scythes to cut the grass in a corner of our huge garden. Photo taken by Penny, 2008.

Although at least in his 70s and only speaking Bulgarian and a few words of French meaning that communication was minimal, Luben still kept working away with his scythe until all of the grass was cut down, including following me to cut down any wild flowers which I had tried to cut around to save.
With me, my Father, and our neighbour cutting away in the heat, and Penny and the children clearing up after us, we soon had all of the grass cut.
Luben’s wife Dania brought food – as she always did when we had just arrived – and once the grass was cleared showed us where she had planted vegetables in our garden for us. We were very fortunate with our neighbours in Bulgaria, and it was the kindness of people like Luben and Dania, and Manol and his wife that made being there possible for any time at all.

Above, William dancing with Dania at one of the village festivals, on a later visit. Photo taken by me, 2009.

The temperature reached about 42 degrees during the day at this time of year, and needing little persuasion to wear almost no clothing My Father spent a lot of the time in the garden in nothing but shorts. Those of you who know me will not be surprised that I still wore trousers, shirt – usually with a tie – and sometimes still wore a waistcoat.

Above, My Father Barrie, Molly, William, and Me, with one of the cats that often visited us, eating some melons which we had been given by a neighbour. Photo taken by Penny, 2008.

When travelling to the nearby town on the bus my Father wore more clothes. We showed him around the town and the places we liked to eat. At least once we took him to the city of Veliko Tarnovo. This was once the capital of Bulgaria when the country first gained independence from the Ottoman Empire. Despite this, Veliko Tarnovo is not a big city, and lacks the grand old buildings you would expect to see in a European capital city, even a former one. There are some nice views, some good places to eat, and is definitely worth visiting if you are near, but a day is probably long enough to see everything worth seeing there.

Above, My Father Barrie, and William, in one of the places in the nearby town where we would regularly eat. Photo taken by me, 2008.

We got to these places by bus. This was made somewhat slower having my Father with us as he would have to stop to talk to every animal he met on the way from our house to the bus stop in the village square. Horses, donkeys, cats, dogs, geese, sheep, goats would all be spoken to and if possible stroked and patted, which made any walk twice the time to get to anywhere. At night, we also saw fireflies which flashed away in their thousands. We had thought these were nowhere to be found in Europe but there they were – for a short part of the Summer anyway – thousands of fireflies adding flashing lights to the nightly chorus of frogs coming from the wetter parts of the plains.

Above, My Father Barrie, stopping to speak to a horse and her foal. Photo taken by Penny, 2008.

It was during this trip that we were woken up one night by something that sounded like fireworks. I got up to look out of the window to see that Luben and Dania’s barns – that were up against our garden wall – were on fire.
We woke up my Father and the children. Penny ran to the neighbour’s front door and banged on it hard until Dania woke up and came to the door. Luben had been up late doing something in the barns and at first we thought he may be trapped by the fire but he eventually was seen trying to get the animals out of the barn. My Father helped Luben. I pulled up bucket after bucket from our well, but it had been so dry and hot for so long that the barns were soon beyond saving.
Molly – who spoke more Bulgarian than the rest of us – phoned the fire brigade, but hearing she was British they just hung up. This happened three times, after which I told her to run to Manol’s house. Manol and his wife understood straight away, and ran to wake the Village Mayor. He then drove to the nearby town and ordered the local fire brigade to follow him back to the village. This they did, but by the time they arrived the barns were completely destroyed and the fire had reached an empty house in front of Luben and Dania’s. This empty house had been half destroyed by the time the fire was put out.
However, despite the fire brigade’s initial unwillingness to help, they did do all they could when they did finally arrive. No lives were lost – including as far as I know, the animals – and neither Luben and Dania’s house or our house were affected by the fire. This we were all thankful for.
We had met some British people living in the next village on previous trips. They liked drinking in our village and so we took the opportunity to introduce them to my Father. It was during one of these evenings of drinks that they told us of new rules for being allowed to stay in Bulgaria now that they had entered the EU. As we only visited for a couple of weeks at a time these rules didn’t really affect us. However, something else they told us did.
As no foreigner was allowed to buy property in Bulgaria, you had to form a limited company and buy the property in the company’s name instead. As if this didn’t make things difficult enough it now seemed that the Bulgarian Government had decided that the registration of limited companies owned by foreigners needed to become digital. For this to happen, these companies would have to go through the long, complicated and expensive process of re- registering. In a country whose legal system still seemed stuck in the Soviet Era, and with corruption at every level of society, this was not going to be easy. However, these British neighbours said they would try and help us through this long process, but that we would have to stay a little longer in Bulgaria to go and sign all the paperwork that was necessary to start it. This meant sending my Father back on his own at the end of his two week stay, while we had to stay behind until the company papers were ready for re-registering.

Above, just to prove that Penny ate some of the melons too. Photo taken by me, 2008.

My Father, not used to flying, we sent him off with a private transfer to get him to Sofia Airport, a written list of how to check in, get through security, and find the right gate for boarding, and enough money to keep him supplied with tea until reaching South Wales.
For us, we had to stay and sign papers, pay translators, pay taxes, and sign more papers to start off the Bulgarian Government’s latest ideas of improvements to how they kept track of foreigners owning property in their country.

How this turned out, and other things that happened during this hot Summer in Bulgaria, I will let you know in the next blog.

The Behind the Scenes Part

There have been many films set in Jerusalem. Almost all of them have been filmed elsewhere. One of the things that I wanted to find out on a recent visit to the Holy Land was just how accurate were the film depictions of this ancient city.
One favourite of mine from the 1950s is the film The Robe starring Richard Burton, Victor Mature, Jean Simmons, and Jay Robinson. Directed by Henry Koster it was released in 1953, and was the first film to be released in Cinemascope.
Although set in Jerusalem and Rome, filming mostly took place in California including at the 20th Century Fox Studios, with some shots filmed in Spain.

Above, Richard Burton, and Victor Mature, as Marcellus Gallio, and Demetrius, in The Robe, 1953.

Most of the action in Jerusalem takes place in and around the city walls. On first seeing the actual city walls of Jerusalem it is easy to imagine the times when these films were set. Looking much the same today as they did over 2,000 years ago. Generally, I think The Robe did very well at creating both a believable Jerusalem and Rome. The film was so successful that its sequel Demetrius and the Gladiators – released in 1954, and starring Victor Mature and Jay Robinson from the first film, along with Susan Hayward – began production before The Robe had even been completed.

Above, a view of part of the city walls of Jerusalem. Photo taken by me, March 2023.

Another 1950s favourite of mine is the 1959 released Ben Hur. It has a fantastic cast that includes Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd, Haya Harareet, and Jack Hawkins. Set partly in Rome, most of the film takes place in and around Jerusalem.
Almost all of the film was made in Italy including at Cinecitta Studios, with some shots in Mexico. The street scenes look very much as they do in Jerusalem with the exception that they appear quite wide. The actual streets within the old city are really very narrow. However, there must have been some wider streets at sometime, and the style of the streets look exactly right.

Above, Stephen Boyd, and Charlton Heston, as Messala, and Juda Ben Hur, in Ben Hur, 1959.

The opening scenes of the film take place with the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. Films depicting the little town – now a city – generally do very well at recreating what it must have looked like about 2,000 years ago. The Bethlehem of today is a lot bigger with wider streets, newer buildings, and churches covering the spots where Christians – and many Muslims – believe that the story of the Nativity took place. It is still a very special place, but visitors today will find quite a different Bethlehem to what they would expect to see in films.

Above, Manger Square in Bethlehem. Photo taken by me, March 2023.

Ben Hur was directed by William Wyler, has a fantastic score by Miklos Rosza, as well as extremely convincing sets. The huge budget also allowed for around 200 camels, 2,500 horses, and over 10,000 extras. It is – I believe – one of the greatest films ever made.
A more modern film set in the Holy Land is the 2006 released The Nativity Story. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke, it has wonderful performances from the great cast that includes Keisha Castle-Hughes, and Oscar Isaac.

Above, Oscar Isaac, and Keisha Castle-Hughes, as Joseph and Mary, in The Nativity Story, 2006.

Set, as you would expect from the title, in Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem, the film was made at locations in Italy and Morocco. It is, however, very easy to believe that what you are seeing on screen is the actual places being depicted. Nazareth looks just how you would imagine it to have looked at the time, Jerusalem looks much as the old city does today, and Bethlehem is given a look which must be the closest to how it must have been at the time by any film. This, with the screenplay – by Mike Rich – great direction, a wonderful score by Mychael Danna, and fantastic performances from the cast make this lovely film extremely watchable and believable.

Above, one of the Ancient narrow streets of the old city, Jerusalem. They look much the same as they did two thousand years ago, except for the many security cameras that seem to be on every corner. Photo taken by me, March 2023.

There have been so many films set in the Holy Land that there is no way I could talk about all of them now, but there is one more that I will mention. That is the 2005 Ridley Scott film Kingdom of Heaven. It has a fantastic cast that includes Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Ghassan Massoud, Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, Brendan Gleeson, Edward Norton, Liam Neeson, Michael Sheen, and Alexander Siddig.

Above, Orlando Bloom, as Balian de Ibelin, in Kingdom of Heaven, 2005.

Partly filmed in Spain with much of the film made in Morocco, Kingdom of Heaven really does look very much as though it is taking place in the Holy Land.
The walls and even the gates of Jerusalem look just as they have done for thousands of years, and still do. Walking along the narrow – and for some, confusing – streets of the old city it is very much as though you are on the set of such a film.

Above, one of the gates of Jerusalem, still armoured, looking as though it has kept out invading armies for centuries. Photo taken by me, March 2023.

Some scenes take place at the Crusader castle of Kerak in Jordan. It was one of the strongholds of deranged Crusader Knight Raynald of Chatillon, portrayed so well by Brendan Gleeson in the film.

Above, Brendan Gleeson, as Raynald de Chatillon, in Kingdom of Heaven, 2005.

I have not visited Kerak but have visited his other castle Shobak, which is also in Jordan.

Above, Shobak Castle, Jordan. Photo taken by me, March 2023.

You can see from its construction and easily defensible position why they were able to hold out for so long against Saladin – Salah al-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub – portrayed so well by Syrian actor Ghassan Massoud in the film.

Above, Ghassan Massoud, as Saladin, in Kingdom of Heaven, 2005.

Kingdom of Heaven has a great cast, is directed extremely well, and has a fantastic score by Harry Gregson-Williams. If you haven’t seen it I would highly recommend doing so but if possible watch the extended director’s cut which adds so much to the film and makes much more sense than the over-edited version released in cinemas.
Many people visit the Holy Land for religious reasons, many for historical reasons, and many for both. I would also recommend visiting this wonderful part of the world to see how close the world of cinema has come to recreating it on the screen.
When you look at the vast city walls of Jerusalem it reminds the film fan straight away of the many films that depict them, as well as the many works of art that depicted the city in the 15th, 16th, and 17th Centuries. When you walk through the narrow streets it is easy to imagine characters from the Bible also walking down them, or Crusaders charging down them in armour to take the city from the Muslims, or Saladin’s army charging in to take it back.

Above, one of the many narrow streets, unchanged for centuries, the old city, Jerusalem. Photo taken by me, March 2023.

Whatever your reasons, and depending on the political and security situations at the time, I would highly recommend visiting these places if you have the chance. Jordan is fantastic, Jerusalem is wonderful, and Bethlehem – in Palestine – is welcoming, peaceful, and an extremely special place.

Above, Penny, and Me, in The Field of the Shepherd’s, Bethlehem, March 2023.

In the next Behind the Scenes Part I will be talking about a children’s book turned into a film, another film which wasn’t anywhere near as good, and a stage musical. What that book, the films, and the stage musical are, and which ones I think work best, I will let you know in the next blog.

The History Part

Those of you familiar with Blackadder 4 will be aware that some things were in short supply at the front. Well, there was a reason for that, and some things were in short supply at home as well.

Above, Hugh Laurie, Tony Robinson, and Rowan Atkinson, as George, Baldrick, and Blackadder, in Blackadder 4.

Before World War I the navies of the world looked upon submarines as a branch of seafaring with little actual use in war. However, Germany’s use of its fast expanding U-Boat fleet changed how these underwater craft would be viewed forever.
At the outbreak of war in 1914, Britain’s Royal Navy had 80 submarines, while the US – which didn’t enter the war until 1917 – had 72. Germany only had 20 in 1914 but by 1917 the German Navy had 140 U-Boats – Unterseeboots in German – and used them to try and turn the war in their favour.
The Royal Navy – the world’s largest navy since the Napoleonic Wars – blockaded German ports, making it difficult to get supplies into Germany.
The German Navy couldn’t possibly do the same to British ports without huge losses. However, what they could do was attack the ships carrying supplies before they even reached Britain.

Above, Penny and Me in a submarine in the Ionian Sea having just left Turtle Island and heading for Zakynthos. It was actually a ship with an underwater deck, but it did give you the experience of being on a submarine, but with a lot of windows which German U-Boats would not have had. September 2022.

U-Boats were used to stop Royal Navy ships supporting the men fighting against the Ottomans in Gallipoli in 1915. This showed the Germans just how useful submarines could be. They then turned to attacking merchant shipping bringing supplies from all over the British Empire to Britain, and also attacked American and Brazilian ships bringing in supplies.
The amounts of shipping sunk by individual U-Boats was counted in tons. The most successful U-Boat captains sunk so many tons of shipping coming to Britain that their records have never been broken, even though an enormous amount of merchant shipping was lost during World War II.
So many Brazilian ships were lost that Brazil eventually declared war on Germany, and the sinking of American ships was definitely one of the major reasons for the US entering the war when they did.

Above, a German U-Boat – Unterseeboot – of WWI, on the surface of the water, with some of its crew on the deck.

Germany’s U-Boat fleet was so effective that when Germany surrendered in 1918 they were made to surrender their submarine fleet to the Royal Navy. These U-Boats were then examined to see if Germany had gained any technological advances that Britain and the US has not yet thought of, and then the whole of Germany’s WWI U-Boat fleet was either given away to the navies of those countries who had helped Britain during the war or were scrapped.
Germany may have lost its submarine fleet along with the war, but they had learnt what an advantage it was to have a large U-Boat fleet. When World War II broke out in 1939, Germany had already built up a new fleet of submarines, and the sinking of merchant vessels trying to bring supplies to Britain began all over again.

Above, Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson, and Tim McInnerny, as Blackadder, Baldrick, and Darling, in Blackadder 4.

So, when Baldrick was being very inventive with his ingredients for supplying the officers with hot drinks in the trenches, it would have been largely due to a fleet of underwater craft , sinking ships bringing supplies to Britain from all over the world, keeping things in short supply at home, and in some cases shorter still for those fighting at the front.

If you haven’t done so already, give the fantastic King of Blackadder on Twitter a follow!
https://twitter.com/pitchblacksteed?s=09

Then take a look at this also fantastic Blackadder fan group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1507847676134507/?ref=share

For more on Romania https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romania

For more on Bulgaria https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgaria

For more on the Ottoman Empire https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman_Empire

For more on the 1953 film The Robe https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Robe_(film)

For more on Richard Burton https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Burton

For more on Victor Mature https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Mature

For more on Jean Simmons https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Simmons

For more on Jay Robinson https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Robinson

For more on Henry Koster https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Koster

For more on Cinemascope https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/CinemaScope

For more on Demetrius and the Gladiators https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demetrius_and_the_Gladiators

For more on Susan Hayward https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Hayward

For more on the 1959 film Ben Hur https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben-Hur_(1959_film)

For more on Charlton Heston https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlton_Heston

For more on Stephen Boyd https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Boyd

For more on Haya Harareet https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haya_Harareet

For more on Jack Hawkins https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Hawkins

For more on William Wyler https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wyler

For more on Miklos Rosza https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikl%C3%B3s_R%C3%B3zsa

For more on the 2006 film The Nativity Story https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nativity_Story

For more on Keisha Castle-Hughes https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keisha_Castle-Hughes

For more on Oscar Isaac https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Isaac

For more on Catherine Hardwicke https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Hardwicke

For more on Mike Rich https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Rich

For more on Mychael Danna https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mychael_Danna

For more on the 2005 film Kingdom of Heaven https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Heaven_(film)

For more on Ridley Scott https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ridley_Scott

For more on Eva Green https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Green

For more on Ghassan Massoud https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghassan_Massoud

For more on Jeremy Irons https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Irons

For more on David Thewlis https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Thewlis

For more on Brendan Gleeson https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brendan_Gleeson

For more on Edward Norton https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Norton

For more on Liam Neeson https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liam_Neeson

For more on Michael Sheen https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Sheen

For more on Alexander Siddig https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Siddig

For more on Kerak Castle https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerak_Castle

For more on Raynald de Chatillon https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raynald_of_Ch%C3%A2tillon

For more on Shobak Castle https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_(castle)

For more on Saladin https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saladin

For more on Harry Gregson-Williams https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Gregson-Williams

For more on The Kingdom of Jordan https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan

For more on Jerusalem https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem

For more on Bethlehem https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethlehem

For more on the German submarine fleet of WWI https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-boat

Young Snotty, the Village, and the Desert

Part 90

Part of History Pitt

Historical Performance Talks – Video Greetings – Meet, Greet and Mingles – and Merchandise

Visit http://www.historypitt.co.uk for details.

Young Snotty, the Village, and the Desert

My History, Behind the Scenes History, and Fun History

The My History Part

It was January 2008. Most of the snow was gone in Bulgaria by now, but it was still quite cold. Somewhere that was not cold was the house of our neighbour Manol. Here, the fire had been burning – probably constantly for months – and it was very hot.
We were treated to a hot meal, the main course of which was a sort of stew which we could deduce from our limited Bulgarian consisted of vegetables and the meat of something that flew but was not chicken.
Not sure what it was, we told William – who was not yet 8 years old – that he didn’t have to eat the meat parts. He replied ‘why not? It’s delicious!’. At the end of the meal, William’s bowl was the only one that was entirely empty.
After an evening of watching Bulgarian TV we decided it was time to go to bed. Bulgarian villagers generally don’t use the upstairs of their houses during Winter, preferring instead to close them off, using them only for storage, and heating the downstairs to a very high temperature.
This is why most village houses’ upper levels are only reached by ascending an outside stairway. With our house, we kept the outside stairway but also had an inside one put in as well.

Above, William dancing with Manol’s wife Totka, and Penny dancing with Manol, at one of the village festivals, on a later visit. Photo taken by me, 2009.

We were shown to the room we would be sleeping in. Manol was concerned that there was no heating in the room, but we assured him that we would be far warm enough, which we were as the upstairs was heated enough for us by the immense heat of downstairs. After the journey, from Greece to the Plains, we were extremely tired, and all slept well.
The next day we were determined to get to our house as soon as possible. We thanked Manol and his wife for their generous hospitality, and after a cup of Bulgarian coffee – extremely similar to Turkish coffee – we made our way up the road to our large metal gates.
The frozen lock took a little persuasion to open, but eventually we were at the front door of our house. The locks on the front door opened easily. In we went. It felt cold but not unbearably as long as we kept our coats on.
We turned the water on. Eventually the water flowed from the taps in the bathroom once we had broken the icicles off them, and the toilet flushed once the layer of ice in it had melted.
We got about gathering wood for our fire, putting the kettle on for a hot drink, before heading out to one of the village shops. The house was not quite as frozen as Manol had seemed to suggest, but we were grateful for his allowing us to stay at his house for the night, even if it wasn’t entirely necessary.
One of the memorable things about this stay in our house in Bulgaria was the first invitation we had to a village festival. There would be many festivals over the years, but the Winter ones were always memorable as the small village hall was heated well, meaning that everyone and everything could thaw out, even if for the start of the day everyone had to keep their coats on until the fire, the alcohol, and the dancing had warmed everyone up.

Above, Me dancing with Manol’s wife Totka, and Penny dancing with Manol, at one of the village festivals on a later visit. Photo taken by Molly, 2009.

At one of these festivals, after being taught some Bulgarian folk dances, the villagers decided it was time for us to show them an ‘English’ dance. We were not quite sure what they expected but as soon as we stood up the band started playing Rock and Roll type music. As the villagers seemed to assume that an ‘English’ dance was something to do with American music from the 1950s I began to do the ‘Twist’. Penny, Molly, and William immediately joined in. The Bulgarians cheered, applauded, and then joined in as well.
Another good thing about these festivals was the food. Everyone made and brought things to share, and all seemed to want the approval of us ‘English’, which they got. We were met with a constant stream of villagers bringing us food every time there was a break in the dancing. On later occasions we brought things we had made, but the villagers were less inclined to try what we had made than we were to try theirs. It seemed that although we were quite accepted by most villagers, and joining in the ‘English’ dance the ‘Twist’ was acceptable, trying ‘English’ food would be a step too far.
As the snow left the Plains, more and more life seemed to return. The geese made their own way out onto the plains and then in the evening returned home without being told. The shepherds spent all day on the plains with their sheep and goats, villagers’ donkeys roamed the plains searching out fresh grass but always staying close to the village, and the jackals could be heard howling at night.
It was from the spring on the plains that we got a lot of our fresh water.

Above, one of the shepherds, keeping his goats off the road, on the edge of the plains, on a later visit. Photo taken by me 2008.

We had running water in the bathroom for washing, and water from the well was alright for watering the gardens and for giving our neighbour’s donkey a drink when she was keeping our grass down in the Summer, but drinking water had to come either from one of the village shops or from the spring, even if it was thick snow.
Every village seemed to have these springs. Some were from the Soviet Era and were plain, square, and blank other than a star decoration and an inscription telling the Bulgarians how ‘fortunate’ they were to have this Russian help. Others – the much more elaborately decorated – were much older. Decorated with a Crescent Moon and a small Star, these were the springs built by the Turks when Bulgaria was part of the Ottoman Empire. I much preferred these older types but whether a village had a Soviet Era, an Ottoman, or some other one, these springs were vital to village life.

Above, horses roaming free to find the best grass, on the edge of the village, on a later visit. Photo taken by me, 2008.

I remember one very cold Winter in Bulgaria when we walked across the plains to find a group of elderly women washing their clothes in the spring. They had to break the ice on the small pool where the flowing water gathered in order to plunge the washing in. After adding soap and scrubbing the clothing, they would plunge them in again to wash the soap remnants out. Temperatures were regularly well below freezing during the day, and these village women still went out to the spring to do their washing.
This Winter visit soon came to an end. It was a lot warmer when we left than when we arrived. We were driven to Sofia, caught our flight to London, and then made our way to Scotland via Wales.

What we got up to there, and what it was like returning to Bulgaria in the Summer – this time with my father – I will let you know in the next blog.

The Behind the Scenes Part

In the last Behind the Scenes Part I talked about the 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia. This time I will be talking about some of the other films made in Jordan.
The wonderful scenery of Wadi Rum has been used many times on film. Sometimes as the desert landscape that it is, but also as other worlds.
It was used for the outside shots in the 2015 film The Martian. The film starred Matt Damon as an astronaut stranded on the surface of Mars, and was directed by Ridley Scott. Wadi Rum was also used in the 2019 Star Wars film The Rise of Skywalker, and had previously been used in the 2016 Star Wars film Rogue One, which I much preferred to all of the other new Star Wars films, leading nicely as it does to the original three Star Wars films, which are greater than any of the later additions.

Above, Matt Damon, as Mark Watney, in a scene shot in Wadi Rum, in Ridley Scott’s The Martian, 2015.

The landscape of Wadi Rum does easily lend itself to being other planets. Something which is extremely useful to filmmakers, and is recognised by some of those – mostly Bedouins – who run the desert camps set up in the area which themselves appear as though they are from a Sci Fi film set.

Above, one of the Sci Fi style camps in Wadi Rum, as seen from the back of a camel as we made our way out of our more traditional – but still quite luxurious – camp before heading towards Petra. Photo taken by me, March 2023.

Some shots of Wadi Rum were also used in the Hallmark mini series Arabian Nights. Released in 2000, the two part film tells a few of the stories of the One Thousand and One Nights, and is based on the translation of the works by Sir Richard Francis Burton. It is a very well made adaptation, with a great cast that includes Dougray Scott, Mili Avital, Alan Bates, Rufus Sewell, and James Callis, and Alexei Sayle even makes a small appearance.

Above, Dougray Scott,  and Mili Avital, as Sultan Sharyar, and Sultana Scheherazade, in Hallmark’s 2000 two part mini series Arabian Nights.

Locations in Turkey were also used, as were locations in Morocco, but another location in Jordan was also put to great use. That location is Petra.
Unusually for Petra, the Ancient City featured as itself in Arabian Nights. The fantastic site was used before, most famously in the 1989 film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. In The Last Crusade it is only the Treasury which was used, but in Arabian Nights much more of the city is seen. Some Scenes take place in an underground level of Petra, and it seems this may be more real than many viewers would expect, as archaeologists are still at work uncovering levels of the site that are below the sandy surface of the city.
Petra was also used as a location in the 1977 film Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger. The film’s cast includes Patrick Wayne, and Jane Seymour, was directed by Sam Wanamaker, and has the magical special effects of Ray Harryhausen.

Above, Patrick Wayne,  and Jane Seymour,  as Sinbad,  and Farah, in Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger,  1977. Although they appear to be in Petra, they are actually in front of a screen in a studio. Shots actually filmed in Petra used doubles.

This film uses more locations in Petra than any of the others, but not for the main cast. Although they have scenes there they are all shot in a studio in front of a screen. When the characters are seen in shots actually filmed in Petra they are all from behind or at a distance, meaning that doubles could be used, saving the expense of flying the main actors out to Jordan for the filming.
Although this film was made twelve years before The Last Crusade, it is the Indiana Jones film that really brought Petra to the World’s attention.

Above, The Treasury, as seen in Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger 1977, The Last Crusade 1989, and Arabian Nights 2000. The Treasury is the first thing you see after emerging from The Siq. Photo taken by me, March 2023.

Once an immensely wealthy city, Petra was a major stop for the camel trains transporting goods along the Silk Road. Built by the Nabataeans, it was later controlled by the Romans. Later abandoned, it was lost for centuries, only being rediscovered in the early 1800s.

Above, some of the higher up Tombs in the vast site of Petra. Photo taken by me,  March 2023.

Some damage had been caused by Bedouins using the Ancient Tombs and other buildings, lighting fires inside, and taking shots at some of the carvings to see if they contained gold, but generally the city was largely intact.
Archaeologists from Europe visited the site, as did artists to make detailed sketches of the many surviving buildings that still cover a vast area. The area known as Little Petra which was actually an outer part of the original city built around 500 BC can also still be visited.

Above, Penny, and Me, outside one of the more intact buildings of Little Petra, March 2023.

Lesser known than the main part of Petra, Little Petra is a lot quieter, and it is a good idea if visiting this part of Jordan for the first time to visit the smaller site first to become acquainted with the architecture and layout of the buildings before visiting the much larger and much busier, better known site of the main city.

Above, one of the buildings in the much quieter Little Petra. The higher levels of this building can be reached by a very worn stairway, which is well worth doing if you are able. Part of the inside still contains the original decoration, over 2000 years old. Photo taken by me, March 2023.

To reach the Treasury used in Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger, The Last Crusade, and Arabian Nights you first have to walk the best part of a mile through the winding canyon known as The Siq. Once you reach the Treasury, there are miles more to cover if you want to explore the rest of the city. There are plenty of places for refreshments and for buying souvenirs set up by the Bedouins who live nearby, and for those who feel they cannot make it all on foot there is a golf car service that can drive you back to the entrance for a fee.

Above, the proprietor of ‘Tiger’s Love Shop’ about to demonstrate how to apply Arabic Khol on Penny. There are many Bedu shops and stalls scattered throughout Petra, but this was one of our favourite ones. All of the Bedu are wonderful friendly people, and you will not be pressured to purchase anything. Photo taken by me, March 2023.

Another option is to go by camel, which seems a much better option than the golf cart, but having already ridden camels for quite a long time in Wadi Rum only a couple of days before our visit to Petra we opted for yet another form of transport.

Above, Me sort of reenacting a scene from The Last Crusade. However, you cannot enter The Treasury due to ongoing archaeological work, so I had to do the looking at the Holy Grail outside it instead. ‘The Grail’ in this case is an onyx goblet, bought from Tiger’s Love Shop. Photo taken by Penny, March 2023.

We had the whole day in Petra from early morning until early evening. We made it the whole length of the city – but still didn’t get to see everything – and back to the Treasury. From there we made it back along The Siq until we reached the more open part of the canyon. From here we took the option of riding the rest of the way out of Petra on horseback. Penny particularly loves horses, and we both grew up riding them. However, the main reason for wanting to leave Petra on horseback was that this is how the main characters leave the city in The Last Crusade.

Above, pictures of Penny, and Me, leaving Petra on horseback, March 2023.

I would highly recommend this way of leaving the site. The horses looked well cared for, as do the camels, and their owners are very friendly and helpful.
If you haven’t visited the wonderful Kingdom of Jordan then I highly recommend doing so to anyone who gets the chance, particularly if you are a fan of the Arabian Nights and Indiana Jones.

Whilst travelling around Jordan we also managed to visit other parts of The Holy Land, including Jerusalem. In the next Behind the Scenes Part I will be talking about some of the films made that are set in this fantastic part of the world. What those films are, and how their setting compares to the actual places I will let you know in the next blog.

The History Part

Those of you familiar with Blackadder 2 will be aware of Queenie’s ability to quickly change her mind if it suited. Well, the real Elizabeth I did change her mind frequently on who she liked and didn’t like, but when it came to the Arts, she was a constant supporter.

Above, Stephen Fry, and Miranda Richardson, as Lord Melchett, and Queenie, in Blackadder 2.

Her father Henry VIII had encouraged the Arts during his reign, and this was one of the things that Queenie wanted to continue. The theatre flourished during her reign, and playwrights like William Shakespeare were able to put on play after play to full houses.
Festivities were also encouraged, particularly at Christmas, which encouraged people to sing and dance. Poetry was also a big thing under Elizabeth I. Poets would even try and win favour by writing poems especially for her.
Shakespeare also made sure to try and win favour when writing his plays. As Elizabeth was a Tudor, Shakespeare made sure that any Tudors were shown to be good and kingly, while the enemies of the Tudors, such as Richard III were shown to be bad and even deformed. However, the discovery of Richard III’s body did reveal some deformity which showed that Shakespeare wasn’t only making such things up just to please his Monarch, but whether he was good or bad is debatable, and there is no evidence that he didn’t die bravely fighting for his right to the crown.
Queenie seemed to like what Shakespeare wrote, and even requested private performances of her favourite plays. When Elizabeth died and her cousin James VI of Scotland became James I of England, many of those involved in the Arts must have feared that the change of Monarch may also mean a change in attitudes towards plays, poetry, and festivities. However, the new King seemed to have a similar love of the Arts as Elizabeth had.
Not only did he also request private performances of Shakespeare’s plays but after only being King of England for a few months he also gave his backing to Shakespeare’s company of actors, changing their name to ‘The King’s Men’.
Not all of Queenie’s favourite men favoured so well under James’ reign. Sir Walter Raleigh who was known for his travels to far off places and bringing new foods back with him on his return to England was also a hero of the Royal Navy, playing a huge part in the defeat of the Spanish Armada.

Above, a portrait of Sir Walter Raleigh, painted in 1588.

However, James found reason to lock up this hero in the Tower of London. James – unlike his cousin Elizabeth – seemed to have less interest in building an empire, but he did have an interest in gold. It was this interest that led him to release Sir Walter.
He was ordered to go and find the lost city of El Dorado, which was supposed to be somewhere in the New World. Whilst searching, men under Raleigh’s command attacked a Spanish outpost. When he returned to England with the news that he had not only failed to find El Dorado but also allowed his men to attack the Spanish, the King was somewhat displeased.
In order to avert a war with Spain, and possibly angered at the lack of being brought large amounts of gold from the New World, James I had Sir Walter Raleigh executed in October 1618.

Above, Rowan Atkinson, and Miranda Richardson, as Lord Blackadder, and Queenie, in Blackadder 2.

So, it seems that Lord Blackadder was right in trying to please Queenie the way he did. It also seems that it was an easier transition from one Monarch to another if you were a playwright like Shakespeare, than if you were a man who fought the Spanish Armada but returned from an overseas treasure hunt empty handed like Sir Walter Raleigh.

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For more onnthe 2015 film The Martian https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Martian_(film)

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For more on the 2016 film Rogue One https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogue_One

For more on the 2000 two part mini series Arabian Nights https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrahttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogue_Onehttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabian_Nights_(miniseries)

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Young Snotty of Arabia

Part 89

Part of History Pitt

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Young Snotty of Arabia

My History, Behind the Scenes History, and Fun History

The My History Part

It was January 2008. We arrived at Gatwick Airport in good time for our late afternoon flight to Bulgaria. As we were sitting and waiting in the Terminal we could hear other people discussing flights to Bulgaria and saying how some flights earlier that day had not made it all the way there but had to turn back due to weather conditions in Sofia.
Our flight was still on the board saying ‘On Time’ so we didn’t worry too much. When it came time to board it was still on time, and we sat in our seats awaiting take off.
A few minutes before we were due to leave, the captain made an announcement saying that weather had caused many delays throughout the day, but we were going to take off on time, head for Sofia, and hope the weather had improved by the time we were due to land.
We took off about on time. We crossed Europe with mostly clear skies, and we could see towns, roads, ships and other lights below. It was only when we were about an hour away from landing that the captain made another announcement. This time he told us all that Sofia was still experiencing a heavy fog, and that although our plane was more than capable of landing in a heavy fog, Sofia Airport did not have the technological capabilities to receive us. We were then told that despite this we were not turning back but rather heading to another airport instead. About an hour or so later we landed in Thessaloniki in Northern Greece.

Above, Me, Penny, and William, at the Parthenon on the Acropolis, Athens, on our first real visit to Greece, March 2014.

The Bulgarians on the flight applauded as we landed. We, however, did not feel like applauding, landing as we did, so far from where we were due to.
We cleared Greek Customs, and waited for the coaches to come and take us all on the long road journey to Sofia.
The weather was clear in Thessaloniki, and the roads were quiet. This was our first time setting foot in Greece, and we didn’t know then that we would return years later or that it would become one of our most favourite countries.
After a couple of hours we stopped at a petrol station. This was to give us the chance to buy drinks for the rest of the journey, and to use the toilets. There seemed to be only one toilet, and most people – the men anyway – decided to relieve themselves in the nearby stream at the rear of the petrol station. Fortunately I always carried – and still do – a five Euro note for emergencies, which was more than enough to buy us a bottle of water each. This done, we continued our journey northwards.
Most people on our coach were young Bulgarians. They seemed happy with the situation, and spoke to us about how it was nice to spend a few hours in Greece, even if it was only on a bus at night.

Above, the wonders of Ancient Greece is one of the reasons I love it. This picture is of the Lion Gate, Mycenae, Greece. Mycenae was the city of Agamemnon who led the Greeks at the Siege of Troy some time from the mid 13th to early 12th Century BC. Mycenae was excavated by German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann in the 1870s. Fascinated by the Trojan War as related by Homer in the Iliad – as am I – Schliemann would later rediscover and excavate Troy in Turkey. Photo taken by me, March 2014.

We reached the Greek border with Bulgaria in the early hours of the morning. The Greek Customs entered the bus, asked if everyone was from EU countries – which at this point we still were – and then waved us on with a smile.
As soon as we reached the Bulgarian side things changed. All of the journey through Greece had been with clear skies, but at the Bulgarian border we were met with a wall of thick fog, as though the country was closed off with a curtain.

Above, the Lion Gate at Mycenae, not long after Schliemann’s excavations of the city, 1891.

It was now the turn of the Bulgarian Customs to enter the bus. They said – in Bulgarian only – that everyone must hand over their passports. A young Bulgarian man translated what was said, and seemed quite apologetic about the attitude of the Bulgarian Customs.
One of the officers walked along the aisle taking everyone’s passports from them. We were the only British passengers on our part of the bus, and when we held out our passports to be collected along with the others the officer looked at them very quickly and then dismissed them with a swipe of his hand. It seemed that the Customs were only interested in checking the passports of people from their own country. These passports were taken away for what seemed like a long time but probably was only about fifteen minutes or so. They were then returned by a Customs officer who handed them all to a passenger in a front seat who was then given the responsibility of matching the photos to the people and handing them back. That done, we continued our journey to Sofia.
It was thick fog all the way, and by the time we reached Sofia it was getting light. The coach dropped us at the Airport. From there we got a taxi to our hotel, and then checked in. I had phoned the hotel reception from Greece as soon as we had landed and explained we would be very late, but I didn’t realise quite how late we would actually be. We had originally expected to check in sometime during the late evening, and we were now checking in as other guests were heading for breakfast.
We did eat breakfast but I can’t remember if it was before or after we headed to our rooms to rest for a couple of hours before our transfer would arrive to take us to the house a few hours drive away.
I plugged in my phone to charge. Lay down on the bed, had slept for only a few minutes and then was woken up when the phone rang. It was Jordan, our agency translator. He had been contacted by our neighbour Manol who told him that everything in our house was frozen, and therefore we would have to spend our first night back at their house. We just wanted to get to the house, but we agreed as this offer was very generous of them and we didn’t want to offend as Bulgarian hospitality – which I think is something they learnt from their time as part of the Ottoman Empire – is a big thing.
I think we most likely slept most of the way on our transfer to the village on the Danube Plains, and asked the driver to drop us off at our house, even though we knew that night would be spent elsewhere.

Above, Heavy snow in the garden in Bulgaria on a later visit. Photo taken by me, February 2009.

The high gates to our garden were locked, and the lock seemed frozen closed. I therefore had to climb over the garden wall and walk up to the house through the ice and snow.
The coldest of the Winter was over early in this part of the Danube Plains, and although there were still some patches of snow and some ice too, and although it was quite cold, it was nothing like we would experience when visiting at other times in the Winter.
I looked through the windows of the house. Everything seemed fine, but we headed towards the house of Manol and his wife as we were expected.
We were greeted with hugs and smiles as we were let through the gates of their garden, and when we entered the house we were met with a blast of heat from their fire which had most likely been burning constantly throughout the Winter.

What this stay in our neighbour’s house was like, what things were like in our house when we finally got inside, and what village festivities we were invited to take part in, I will let you know in the next blog.

The Behind the Scenes Part

In 1962 a film was released that is still regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. At over 3 and a half hours long, with locations in Europe, Asia, and Africa, and one of the greatest casts ever assembled, it tells the true story of T E Lawrence’s experiences during World War I. That film is Lawrence of Arabia.
Based on Lawrence’s autobiographical work Seven Pillars of Wisdom it tells how he went from being a junior officer making maps in Cairo to becoming a Colonel in the British Army whilst also being one of the commanders of Prince Faisal’s Arab Army who were revolting against the Ottoman Empire and were therefore on Britain’s side during the war.

Above, T E Lawrence, during the Arab Revolt 1916 to 1918.

Seven Pillars of Wisdom was published as a private edition for a selected few in 1926. It had been completed in 1919, but Lawrence lost it by leaving the manuscript behind while changing trains at Reading Station in England. He therefore had to rewrite almost the entire thing from the beginning.
He didn’t want the book made available to the wider public until after his death, but a shorter version named Revolt in the Desert – of which I have an early copy – was published in 1927. Lawrence was killed in a motorcycle accident – some say he was assassinated – in 1935, and Seven Pillars of Wisdom – of which I have a 1935 copy – was almost immediately published for a wider distribution.
The great cast included Peter O’Toole – who replaced Albert Finney who was originally cast in the film but was fired after only two days of filming under circumstances which are still not really known but possibly due to not getting on with director David Lean who was known to be somewhat difficult – as Lawrence, Omar Sharif as Sherif Ali, the great Alec Guinness as Prince Faisal, Anthony Quinn as Auda Abu Tayi, and Jack Hawkins as General Allenby. There are also great performances from many others, including Anthony Quayle, and Claude Rains.

Above, Peter O’Toole, and Omar Sharif, as T E Lawrence, and Sherif Ali, in Lawrence of Arabia, 1962.

It was originally planned that the entire film would be shot in Jordan where most of the events actually happened. The King of Jordan liked the idea, gave every assistance possible to the filming and was even a regular visitor on the set. However, when filming had to halt due to many members of the cast and crew falling ill, filming later switched to Spain – which is where the Aqaba and Cairo scenes were filmed – and Morocco where many of the Desert scenes were filmed. Surrey was also used for the opening shots of the film which show Lawrence’s motorcycle accident which actually happened in Dorset.

Above, approaching The Treasury, Petra, Jordan, from the Siq. Actually a tomb, the Treasury gets its name from the Bedu who believed that the large urn structure high up above the entrance contained gold. The solid carved urn – which does not contain gold – is covered in bullet holes from the Bedu shooting at it to try and crack it open in the hope that gold would then pour out of it. David Lean had originally hoped to film here as it was one of the places Lawrence went to try and be alone. Photo taken by me, March 2023.

Much of the important action was successfully filmed in Jordan, mostly in and around Wadi Rum – also known as the Valley of the Moon – and including some of the fight scenes and scenes showing Lawrence leading an attack on an Ottoman military train.

Above, Me, standing in front of one of the trains used in the 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia, near Wadi Rum, Jordan. Photo taken by Penny, March 2023.

At least one of the trains used in the film is still running, and is sometimes used to stage an attack for tourists who travel on board as passengers while performers dressed in Ottoman uniforms act out a failed attempt to protect the train against other performers who attack the train dressed as Prince Faisal’s men.
Lawrence actually attacked over 60 trains between 1916 and 1918, and some of them still lie in the desert just as they were when they were blown off the tracks over a hundred years ago. Much of the train tracks of the Ottoman’s Hejaz Railway still remain as well, but the damage done by Lawrence and his men was never fully repaired, and so Jordan has no functioning railway except for a small section of the line used to stage the attack for tourists.

Above, part of the Ottoman Hejaz Railway that is still intact, near Wadi Rum. Photo taken by me, March 2023.

Another part of the Hejaz Railway was also used in the 2001 film The Mummy Returns starring Brendan Fraser. This time a part of the track near Petra was used for the scenes that are set on the Egyptian Railway.

Above, Brendan Fraser, as Rick O’Connel, in The Mummy Returns, 2001.

Lawrence found Wadi Rum a magical place, and if visiting this wonderful part of Jordan it is easy to see why. The ever changing shades of the rocks, the sand, the wonderful Bedu who inhabit Rum and the historical sites including rock carvings dating back thousands of years, and locations connected to T E Lawrence where he camped and rode a camel on his way to attack the Ottomans between 1916 and 1918 all add to the magic of the place.

Above, some of the many rock carvings in Wadi Rum, dating back thousands of years. Photo taken by me, March 2023.

The multi award winning and much admired film Lawrence of Arabia is important for many reasons. The wonderful cinematography, the screenplay, the performances, and fantastic music by Maurice Jarre all add to the greatness of the film. For me, the story is something that is also important.

Above, heading towards Lawrence’s World War I Camp, Wadi Rum, on the back of trucks driven by the Bedu. Photo taken by me, March 2023.

T E Lawrence could easily be described as someone who was slightly odd. Born in Tremadog in Wales in 1888, his parents were Sir Thomas Chapman who was an Irish baronet, and Sarah Junner, a member of the baronet’s staff.
They lived sometime in Scotland before moving to England when Lawrence was still a small child. They settled in Oxford, which is where Lawrence would eventually attend university. With the help of some chance meetings he managed to get work with the British Museum. Partly for this work and partly through his own interests and longing to travel and find adventure, he travelled all around the Middle East. He took part in important archaeological digs, explored the desert – importantly making maps that would become extremely useful during the war – met such people as Gertrude Bell – sometimes called the female Lawrence of Arabia – and learnt Arabic.

Above, the wonderful Gertrude Bell, Writer, traveller, archaeologist, explorer, cartographer, and possibly spy, on one of her many travels in the Middle East. Born in England in 1868, she died in Iraq in 1926, and is buried in Baghdad.

It was his travels, knowledge of the Arabs and their language, and his little care of putting himself in danger that led him to playing the part he did in the Arab Revolt during World War I.
After the war he tried to hide from the fame that his exploits had given him. He joined the RAF under an assumed name, and joined the Army under another assumed name.
In 1921 at the Cairo Conference he helped form the nations that now cover the Middle East. He was one of the most important people at the conference which also included Gertrude Bell, and Winston Churchill. He left the conference sure he had got the Arabs the best deal he could, but still felt he had let them down on what the British had allowed him to promise them during the war. Had Lawrence had his way, perhaps there would be less problems in the Middle East today.

Above, Me, in Wadi Rum at Sunset. March 2023.

I Love the desert, which is another reason I love the film, and as a member of the T E Lawrence Society, I was very pleased to wear the society’s badge when visiting some of the places that Lawrence did, and some of the places where the 1962 film was made. For many who have visited such desert places it is difficult to stop the longing to return. I think I am most likely one of those people. Watching the film, and listening to the music – which immediately makes you think of travelling through the desert on a camel – is one of the things that reminds those who long for the desert just how wonderful a place the desert can be.

Above, Me, Penny, and two of our travelling companions Tecla and Elizabeth, leaving our desert camp in Wadi Rum early in the morning. March 2023.

In the next Behind the Scenes Part I will be talking about some of the other films made in Jordan. What those films are, and what locations you can still visit, I will let you know in the next blog.

The History Part

Those of you familiar with Blackadder 3 will know of the sort of lavish surroundings that Prince George preferred. Well, the real Prince George had a thing about designs from the Near and Far East, and he wasn’t the only one.

Above, Hugh Laurie, as Prince George, in Blackadder 3.

Since the 1700s there has been a number of British people who have had an interest in the East, a desire to visit these far off exotic places, to study its people, literature and language, and even to dress and behave like the people who inhabit these areas. This interest came to be known as ‘Orientalism’ and the people that followed it as ‘Orientalists’.
For some – like Prince George – it was enough to furnish homes with decorative objects from these places, while for others, only going there would satisfy them. For a few of these it became a lifelong journey that would take them to places where no European had ever been before, and a feeling that they belonged much more in the deserts or souks of the Middle East or North Africa than in London or a quiet English village.
One such man was Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton. He spoke 29 languages, could pass as a native amongst the Arabs, and even visited Mecca disguised as one.
He wrote many books on his travels and even translated Arabic texts including his many volumes of Arabian Nights, of which I have an 1886 set.

Above, Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton, probably in the 1870s. After a life full of adventure, Sir Richard died in 1890. The tomb containing the remains of Sir Richard and his wife Lady Isabel in the churchyard of St Mary Magdalen Roman Catholic Church, Mortlake is shaped like the tent the couple used when travelling in the Syrian Desert.

There were many others. Gertrude Bell lived much of her life amongst the peoples of Arabia, died and is buried there. T E Lawrence spent his early years learning about Arabia, then travelling around it and learning Arabic before his World War I exploits helping lead the Arab Revolt.
Freya Stark travelled extensively throughout the Middle East, writing many books about her travels, some of which I have, and Wilfrid Thesiger spent so much time in the deserts of Arabia that he longed to be back there whenever he was anywhere else. This is only a few of the many British men and women that felt drawn to the Arab World in search of travel and adventure in exotic places.

Above, Freya Stark in Arab dress, probably on one of her journeys in Arabia. Her life of travel was inspired at an early age by her grandmother giving her a copy of The Arabian Nights when she was a small girl.

Not only was adventurous travel something that drew these men and women to the Arab World but also art. Many European artists travelled to paint these exotic places.

Above, Wilfrid Thesiger, on one of his many journeys in Arabia.

Frederic Lord Leighton – who painted a portrait of Sir Richard Francis Burton – was one such artist. Amongst his many travels he visited Algeria, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, The Lebanon and Morocco. When at home in London he decorated his house with ideas he had picked up during his travels. The public can visit his Kensington home, and walk around the many rooms inspired by his travels, whilst admiring many of his works of art.

Above, Me and Penny in one of the Arabian inspired rooms of Leighton House, London, January 2023.

Another person who travelled to paint was Sir Winston Churchill. One of his favourite places was Marrakech in Morocco which he thought of as being ‘the most lovely spot in the whole world’.

Above, some of Winston Churchill’s paintings and equipment in an Orientalist themed room, Blenheim Palace. Photo taken by me, June 2023.

Having visited Marrakech, I can say that it definitely is a wonderful place. It feels as though the stories of the Arabian Nights have come to life, and that life here – and the surroundings – have changed little in hundreds of years.

Above, my 1886 set of Arabian Nights translated by Sir Richard Francis Burton, on our rug brought back from Madaba, Jordan. Photo taken by me, April 2023.

Istanbul – formerly Byzantium and then Constantinople – is another such place. It inspired many artists and travellers and is a place where you can’t help but feel that the times when this part of the world was run by Sultans, Viziers, and Pashas is very much alive.

Above, Me in Bedu headdress, Wadi Musa, Jordan, March 2023.

With a love of such places, and the deserts that surround many of them, I think that I too am somewhat of what many used to describe as an Orientalist. I may only speak a few words of Arabic, not often get to dress like a Bedu – unless in Arabia – or have entire rooms filled with Middle Eastern designs, but travelling to these parts of the world is something that Penny and I feel we must keep doing.
So, Prince George may well have got a few things wrong in his time, but he was definitely in fashion when he turned to liking all things Eastern, an idea that still endures today.

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For more on T E Lawrence https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._E._Lawrence

For more on Seven Pillars of Wisdom https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Pillars_of_Wisdom

For more on David Lean https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Lean

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For more on Omar Sharif https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omar_Sharif

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For more on Jack Hawkins https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Hawkins

For more on Anthony Quayle https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Quayle

For more on Claude Rains https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Rains

For more on the 2001 film The Mummy Returns https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mummy_Returns

For more on Brendan Fraser https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brendan_Fraser

For more on Wadi Rum https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadi_Rum

For more on Petra https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra

For more on Gertrude Bell https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gertrude_Bell

For more on Sir Winston Churchill https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston_Churchill

For more on the Cairo Conference of 1921 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairo_Conference_(1921)

For more on Maurice Jarre https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Jarre

For more on Jordan https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan

For more on Sir Richard Francis Burton https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Francis_Burton

For more on The Arabian Nights https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Thousand_and_One_Nights

For more on Freya Stark https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freya_Stark

For more on Wilfrid Thesiger https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilfred_Thesiger

For more on Frederic Lord Leighton https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic_Leighton

Young Snotty, Lowland Roads, Mediterranean Sets, and Underground Messages

Part 88

Part of History Pitt

Historical Performance Talks – Video Greetings – Meet, Greet and Mingles – and Merchandise

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Young Snotty, Lowland Roads, Mediterranean Sets, and Underground Messages

My History, Behind the Scenes History, and Fun History

The My History Part

It was late Summer 2007. We had just returned to Scotland after our second stay in the house in Bulgaria.
We made the most of any warmer days with visiting castles, historic houses, the Scottish countryside, and walking on the cliffs.
Although in the South, this part of Scotland was almost as remote as the Highlands. The nearest towns were almost an hour’s drive away, and most of the time you could walk on the cliffs, in the country or even visit an historic site without seeing anyone else.
One of the great places to visit were the small sites dotted along the Queen’s Way, one of the long but quiet roads north of the town of Newton Stewart.

Above, Penny, Me, and William, at one of the viewing points on the Queen’s Way, Scotland. Photo taken by Molly, July 2007.

It was named the Queen’s Way to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 1977. Here – if you knew where to look – there were views over some lovely wild places, even wild goats that approached you looking for food.

The view from one of the viewing points along the Queen’s Way. Photo taken by me, July 2007.

Among the historic sites there are monuments, an abandoned village, and the remains of the house where a local man with a remarkable gift for languages was born.
His name was Alexander Murray, born in 1775, the son of a shepherd. He taught himself languages as a child and was later awarded a place at Edinburgh University. Murray died in 1813, but not before being made a professor of Oriental Languages, and even translating letters for King George III.
One of the monuments along the road is to Alexander Murray, but a little harder to find are the remains of the house where he was born.

Above, the remains of the house where Alexander Murray was born. Just off the Queen’s Way, it is a rough and muddy walk to get to, but worth it. Photo taken by me on a later visit, May 2009.

You have to know where to look, but we managed to find a space to pull over and walk. There was only enough parking for three or four vehicles but we were the only ones there. We then had to walk across muddy paths, through some woods, then across wet, spongy ground before reaching another muddy path that led to the ruins of the house.

Above, a closer view of the house where Alexander Murray was born, on a later visit. Photo taken by me, May 2009.

I always find it strange walking around such ruins, where the doorway, the inner walls and the fireplace are still intact. It always seems so easy to imagine the place whole as it would have been when it was new, and people stood around in the same room that we were then standing in, the fire lit, and in this case a young Alexander Murray may have sat in a corner studying languages from far off lands, his first step from living a remote life as a shepherd’s son to being a professor, and a translator for Kings. Such buildings can be found in many parts of Britain, and usually in the quieter remote parts, where you can walk around and spend time quietly looking at the remains.

Above, the remains of one of the houses at Levant mine in Pendeen, Cornwall. Some parts are so intact it is easy to imagine how they looked when the house was whole. Photo taken by me, October 2021.

This part of Scotland is such a place. Another is the old mining area of Levant on the cliffs at Pendeen in Cornwall, but you are more likely to find other people here than in the Lowlands of Scotland.

Above, some of the tiles that decorated the entrance to the house at Levant in Pendeen are still in place. They survive intact though now open to the weather on the Cornish cliffs. Photo taken by me, October 2022.

Also in this area of Scotland is the Raiders Road. This is a drive where you can go off the main roads and drive through the forests, with sites to stop and look at along the way. There is a small toll to pay to use the road but it is well worth it. It is said that the name Raiders Road is due to it being the favoured route of cattle thieves in the 17th and 18th Centuries.
There are many nice spots to stop at on this short route, but possibly the best is the area known as Otter Pools.

Above, Otter Pools, the Raiders Road, Scotland, on a later visit. Photo taken by me, May 2009.

Here you can walk across the rocks and get close to the water but stay dry. You can also choose to take a dip in the cool water, or – as William once did – you may find yourself taking a dip fully clothed by slipping off one of the rocks and into the cold but shallow running water. Fortunately it was one of the warmer days, and he didn’t take long to dry out.

Above, William, Penny, and Me, Otter Pools, the Raiders Road, on a later visit. Photo taken by Molly, May 2009.

Once you reach the end of this road you are not far from a small Scottish castle with one of the nicest approaches for visitors to reach it.
This is Threave Castle. You have to walk about a mile from the car park, then when you reach the little jetty you have to ring a bell to call the little boat to come and pick you up.

Above, the view of Threave Castle across the water, on a later visit. Photo taken by me, May 2009.

You are then taken across the water to Threave. The castle was built in 1369 by Sir Archibald Douglas – one of the Black Douglases – who was better known as Archibald the Grim. When you have seen all you want to see of the castle, you are taken back again to walk the mile or so back to the car park.
This is only possible if there has not been too much rain which can cause the jetty to become submerged and the landing of boats impossible. This we have experienced at least once when trying to visit.

Above, the boat approaching to carry us across the water to the castle, on a later visit. Photo taken by me, May 2009.

We were very fortunate to have such historic sites and lovely wild areas not too far from where our caravan was situated during our time in Scotland. There was always somewhere to go to get away from the site during the noisier, busier times, and we would often find ourselves the only visitors at a country house, able to look around a castle on our own, walk on the cliffs or in the countryside with no one else around.
There are also some great beaches in this part of Scotland where even in the Summer you can find you have it to yourself, just you, the gulls, and maybe some seals. The late Summer and Autumn exploring ended as Winter began. The weather turned quite a lot colder but this part of Scotland seldom has snow. We did have to contend with more wind and rain when it got to Christmas, but it was nothing like the one hundred mile an hour winds we had experienced during the previous Winter in the caravan.
Soon after New Year we were heading back to Bulgaria. We visited South Wales on the way, then arrived in Gatwick where we spent one night in an airport hotel before the next day’s flight.

This Winter was to be a little different from our stay the previous Winter in Bulgaria. What it was like being there in such cold temperatures, and why getting to the house took a lot longer than before, I will let you know in the next blog.

The Behind the Scenes Part

In the last Behind the Scenes Part I talked about the filming of the 1980 film Popeye, filmed entirely on location in Malta. This time I will talk about just a few of the many other films that have been made on this historic group of islands in the Mediterranean.
Starting in the order of their historical setting I will begin with one of my favourite films, the 2004 Troy. It is directed by Wolfgang Petersen, stars Eric Bana, Brad Pitt, and Orlando Bloom, with a great performance from Peter O’Toole in the role of the Trojan King Priam, which he plays with extreme gentleness and great presence.
It also has Brian Cox as Agamemnon. Those of you who know me will know my feelings about this particular actor, and I am always pleased when if I have to watch him in anything and see his character is killed. Without giving too much away, it happens towards the end of the film.

Above, Brad Pitt, as Achilles, in Troy, 2004.

Agamemnon is a particularly disagreeable person, which suits Brian Cox very well as he he can just play himself. I particularly like it when Achilles – played by Brad Pitt – says exactly what he thinks of him, which is true to Homer’s Iliad which is what this film is based on.
Some of the film was shot in Mexico, but much of the scenes were filmed on the coastal parts of Malta. Scenes where Odsyseus – played by Sean Bean – meets Achilles were filmed on the cliffs at Mellieha Bay, and the beach landings of the Greeks 1000 strong fleet as well as the Greek Camp were filmed in nearby beaches on the West Coast of the island.

Above, A view of part of Mellieha Bay. It was on the cliffs near here that many of the scenes of Troy were shot. Photo taken by me.

This film has so much in it that refers to Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, and at the end there are even some references to Virgil’s Aeneid. Having read all three of these Ancient works, and having visited many of the sites mentioned in them, goes a long way in making Troy one of my favourite films. However, it is well worth watching even if you haven’t read these works. The acting is great, the sets are fantastic, and James Horner’s score is wonderful as always.

Above, Me after just having a dip in the Mediterranean Sea, on Riviera Beach, one of the Maltese beaches used in the film Troy. Photo taken by Penny.

The next film I will mention is Gladiator, released in 2000. Starring Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix, it is directed by Ridley Scott, with another fantastic score by Hans Zimmer.
Much of the action takes place in the Colosseum in Rome, and for the film this was rebuilt in a disused army barracks in Malta. British film fans will probably know that this was the last film made by the great Oliver Reed, who died whilst on Malta for the filming, meaning CGI had to be used for some of his final scenes in the film.
Oliver was out drinking one night after filming. Here he visited the public house which is simply known as ‘The Pub’. He is said to have drunk eight pints of beer before drinking twelve double rums whilst arm wrestling British Sailors, and then finished off with half a bottle of whisky.

Above, Me and Penny, having a drink in The Pub, Valletta, remembering Oliver Reed.

According to the staff at The Pub, Oliver collapsed in his favourite corner, and when approached by the barman to check he was alright he insisted on being left alone. Oliver died soon after this, before an ambulance could arrive.
The next film to mention is the 2002 film The Count of Monte Cristo. It is directed by Kevin Reynolds, and stars Jim Caviezel and Guy Pearce. Also with a great score by Edward Shearmur, the film is based on Alexandre Dumas’ novel of 1844.
Filmed on various parts of Malta – where the French Port of Marseilles is actually the Maltese capital of Valletta – it is possible to walk many of the streets and see many of the views used in the film.

Above, a view of the walled city of Mdina, Malta. Photo taken by me.

The city of Mdina – also supposed to be Marseilles – is where much of the action takes place. According to our local guide when we visited there the city was almost ruled out at first, due to the power cables and telephone lines that were very visible in many of the streets. This was overcome by hanging clothes from them to make them appear as washing lines.

Above, Penny and Me, in one of the narrow streets of lovely Mdina.

Since then, the Maltese Government has started replacing all such lines with underground ones. Mdina is now entirely with underground cables, and much of the rest of the island is soon to follow.
The Maltese Islands of Gozo and Comino were also used in the film, and Mdina has since been used as a location for Game of Thrones, and more recently in Ridley Scott’s Napoleon starring Joaquin Phoenix.

Above, the island of Comino, and beyond it Gozo, as seen from St Agatha’s Tower – also known as the Red Tower – Malta. Some of the scenes supposed to be outside Marseilles were filmed on Gozo, and St Mary’s Tower on Comino was used as the French prison Château D’if in the 2002 film The Count of Monte Cristo. Photo taken by me.

The last film I will mention is Malta Story, released in 1953. Directed by Brian Desmond Hurst, and starring Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, Anthony Steel, and Muriel Pavlow, it is mostly based on real events.
Filmed at the locations where these events took place, the film tells the story of how Malta held out against constant attack from the Germans and the Italians in 1942. Outnumbered, and under supplied, the small garrison and even smaller number of aircrew fought desperately to defend Malta, which the Germans knew they needed if they were to succeed in supplying their forces in North Africa.

Above, Alec Guinness, and Muriel Pavlow, as Peter Ross, and Maria Gonzar, in Malta Story, 1953.

The civilian population of Malta also had to suffer greatly, with supplies running increasingly low, and air raids taking place day and night, much of the population had to spend many hours at a time underground in order to survive. Even so, many were killed. It was these sacrifices that prompted King George VI to award the island the George Cross, and is why Malta is still often referred to as The George Cross Island. I am pleased to say that Malta, the military and the civilians working together did manage to hold out, depriving the Germans of a supply post for their forces in North Africa, and keeping Malta as a vital part of Britain’s defences in the Mediterranean.

Above, the view looking down one of the extremely long tunnels inside the public air raid shelter in Mellieha Bay, Malta. Just one of the many shelters built that housed thousands of people at a time. Photo taken by me.

The highest point on Malta is the area known as the Dingli Cliffs. It is here at the end of the film that Maria – played by Muriel Pavlow – sits and waits for pilot Peter Ross – played by Alec Guiness – to come back from a vital mission, from which he unfortunately does not return.
As she sits, she gazes out towards the small island of Filfla. This is not Filfla’s only starring role on film. The tiny island is also used as the island of Monte Cristo in the 2002 film, as well as Scab Island in the 1980 film Popeye.

Above, Filfla Island, as seen from the Dingli Cliffs, Malta. Photo taken by me.

The island is easily visible from the Dingli Cliffs, and if you ever visit Malta then this area is worth a visit if you have the time.
Malta is a fantastic place, with so much history. The people are friendly, the signs are all in English – which makes it easier if you are English speaking – the bus system is inexpensive and gets you to almost anywhere, and you can visit so many of the locations used in so many films over decades of filmmaking.

Above, a view of part of the Maltese capital, Valletta, as seen from Fort St Elmo. Photo taken by me.

In the next Behind the Scenes Part, I will be talking about a film from the 1960s that tells the true story of the exploits of a man that had a huge influence on certain parts of the world during and after World War I.
What that film is, why I think it is so great, and why I think the man whose story is told in the film should be remembered for what he did and what he tried to do, I will let you know in the next blog.

The History Part

Those of you familiar with Blackadder 4 will know just how important it was to not only keep the enemy from finding out what was in the messages you were sending but also to try and find out what the enemy were sending in theirs. Well, as soon as war broke out in 1914, an opportunity came along that the British couldn’t pass up.

Above, Ade Edmondson, as Baron von Richthoven, in Blackadder 4.

The day after Britain declared war on Germany a plan was put into action to deprive the enemy of one of its forms of communications.
Britain had by far the most advanced and farthest reaching of communication systems. This was the system of underground and undersea cables that kept the British Empire in contact with London.
Germany had its own undersea cables stretching from Europe, under the Atlantic, then onto North America. The Royal Navy soon found the main German cables, pulled them up from the bottom of the sea, then cut them.
Germany knew they couldn’t communicate using radio signals without risking having their messages being intercepted by the British. They chose instead to use the undersea cables of countries who weren’t involved in the war to send their messages across the Atlantic.
However, they didn’t seem to realise that most of these cables travelled under Britain before reaching out across the sea towards America.
International agreements meant that one country was not allowed to tap into another country’s cables to intercept their messages, but Britain knew that doing so may save a great number of lives.
Transatlantic cables were located under London, and rather than cutting them, the British listened in to what was being sent. It was using this method that the British learnt of Germany Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann’s offer to Mexico that if they entered the war on Germany’s side and attacked the United States – who the Germans feared would eventually enter the war on the side of Britain – then they would be rewarded by giving them the states of Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico.

Above, German Foreign Minister during World War I, Arthur Zimmermann.

Britain knew this was an important piece of information, and that the United States should be told about it. However, to hide the fact that the message had been intercepted by tapping into another country’s cables, the British told the US that the message had been intercepted by British agents once it had reached Mexico.
At first, the US thought the message was a fake, invented by the British to try and draw America into the war. However, when Arthur Zimmermann was asked by an American journalist if his offer to Mexico was true he confirmed that it was all true and that he hoped Mexico would do as he asked.
Despite this, both Mexico and the United States managed to avoid entering the war. This ended – in the case of the US – when German submarines began to try to sink all ships in the Atlantic bearing the flag of the United States as well as ships from Great Britain.
The United States then had little choice but to enter the war on Britain’s side. Whatever Germany had hoped would happen by provoking the United States, it probably wasn’t that they would enter the war and send so many men to the Western Front.
In the end, American forces were only actually in the fighting for a very short time compared to the French, Belgians, and British Empire troops, but the arrival of these fresh troops in such great numbers meant that the German war effort would soon end.

Above, Rowan Atkinson, as Captain Blackadder, in Blackadder 4.

So, it wasn’t only pigeon post and radio signals that were in danger of being intercepted by the enemy but even cables stretching across the Atlantic were not always a safe way of communicating for some. Particularly if those messages were being sent by the Germans using underground cables that travelled beneath the streets of London.

If you haven’t done so already, give the fantastic King of Blackadder on Twitter a follow!
https://twitter.com/pitchblacksteed?s=09

Then take a look at this also fantastic Blackadder fan group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1507847676134507/?ref=share

For more on Alexander Murray https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Murray_(linguist)

For more on Threave Castle https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threave_Castle

For more on Malta https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malta

For more on the 1980 film Popeye https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popeye_(film)

For more on the 2004 film Troy https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_(film)

For more on Wolfgang Petersen https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang_Petersen

For more on Brad Pitt https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_Pitt

For more on Eric Bana https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Bana

For more on Orlando Bloom https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Bloom

For more on Sean Bean https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Bean

For more on Peter O’Toole https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_O%27Toole

For more on James Horner https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Horner

For more on Homer’s The Iliad https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iliad

Foe more on Homer’s The Odyssey https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey

For more on Virgil’s The Aeneid https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeneid

For more on the 2000 film Gladiator https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladiator_(2000_film)

For more on Ridley Scott https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ridley_Scott

For more on Hans Zimmer https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Zimmer

For more on Russell Crowe https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Crowe

For more on Joaquin Phoenix https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joaquin_Phoenix

For more on Oliver Reed https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Reed

For more on the 2002 The Count of Monte Cristo https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Count_of_Monte_Cristo_(2002_film)

For more on Alexandre Dumas https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandre_Dumas

For more on Kevin Reynolds https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Reynolds_(director)

For more on Edward Shearmur https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Shearmur

For more on Jim Caviezel https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Caviezel

For more on Guy Pearce https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Pearce

For more on the 1953 Malta Story https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malta_Story

For more on Brian Desmond Hurst https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Desmond_Hurst

For more on Alec Guinness https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alec_Guinness

For more on Jack Hawkins https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Hawkins

For more on Anthony Steel https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Steel_(actor)

For more on Muriel Pavlow https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muriel_Pavlow

For more on the Zimmermann Message https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmermann_Telegram

For more on Undersea Cables https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transatlantic_telegraph_cable