"UNCLE CHARLES" [6.1.67] revised 29.8.2020
IMDb "Uncle Charles" article
A series which dramatised seven short stories from the 1954 collection "Recollections Of My Uncle Charles" by popular English war time writer Nigel Balchin an author seldom heard of today but a person with some well known admirers Nigel Marlin link
The stories featured were "Patience", "Gentle Counsels", "Mrs Phillipe Is Hurt", "Bars Of The Cage","The Forgetful Man" "Mrs Sludge" "The Man and the Machine" [1]
Goodread's review of "Last Recollections Of My Uncle Charles"
Grainer's theme is unknown although one episode is included in its "Lost TV Shows com" listing.
The plays were not given a viewer encouraging broadcast time slot. Newspaper Television program listings indicate it was shown after 11 pm.
"BLANDINGS CASTLE" [24.2.67] revised 29.8.2020
Six P.G. Wodehouse short stories adapted for television and starring Ralph Richardson,Stanley Holloway and Derek Nimmo. A 2013 BBC comedy series based on the same material and featuring Jennifer Saunders and Timothy Spall was sufficiently popular to warrant a DVD release and the commissioning of a second season.
Wikipedia article Blandings Castle
Grainer's 1967 credits tune is unavailable for review as only part of one episode of this series is known to still exist.
"TO SIR WITH LOVE" [14.6.67] revised 29.8.2020
Well intentioned tenacious teacher tames testy teenagers film directed by Australian Director James Clavell. Although it covered a similar situation to 1955's far more violent and intense “Blackboard Jungle” “Sir's” naive 1960's idealism fails to make likely its plot device of a dramatic change in pupil attitudes because of a torched tampon tantrum, a visit to a costume museum and a gym boxing match.
The sessions where students were encouraged to openly share with the class their problems both personal and domestic were more likely to have helped them although in real life it would have taken much longer then the time frame that the movie suggests.
Sydney Poitier's appearance in both films first as a pupil and then as a teacher made for an interesting contrast.
Musically “Blackboard Jungle” announced the arrival of the rock and roll generation with its “Rock Around The Clock” anthem. "Sir" was also released at a time of major social upheaval but though pop group the Mind Benders play in a dance scene there are no hints of the drug experimentation gone wild attitudes that resulted in 67's Sgt Pepper, The Velvet Underground, Jimi Hendrix and Doors albums although a YouTube poster has highlighted the similarity between the melodies of The Doors 1967 breakthrough hit "Light My Fire" and Grainer's "Steptoe and Son" theme. [2]
The title song was an international success. It was listed as no 1 on the American Cashbox top 100 charts for three weeks [Oct 21, Oct 28, Nov 4 1967] [3]
Curiously although Grainer's musical involvement contributed to the songs appeal only London and Black were the copyright claimants [4] denying Grainer from sharing in its considerable royalties.
Although set in London with a largely English cast the film was first released in the USA on 14.6.1967 with the UK following on the 9.9.67 [5]
29 years later Sidney Poitier revised his role for a TV movie sequel written by Philip Rosenberg and directed by Peter Bogdanovich [The Last Picture Show / Paper Moon]. The 1 hour 32 minute film has Poitier in a post retirement relocation to modern day Chicago "with its ghetto blasters, security guards, metal detectors and drugs" [6]. It received mixed reviews. Maybe without any Ron Grainer incidental music or the chart topping title song the narrative lost a lot of its previous "heart".
The choice of Lawrence as composer for this follow up film was questionable as his IMDb credits are almost exclusively a writer for numerous popular TV series such as "Miami Vice" "The East Enders" "The Love Boat" and "Married With Children". One W. Gregory Tuner also gets a soundtrack mention in IMDb but as Turner's pre 1996 credits were mainly for video games it appears music was not a budget high priority.
DANGER ISLAND" [6.7.67] revised 29.8.67
RonGainer.org implies that the "Andorra" theme was originally written for a play of the same name as performed by the National Theatre Company in 1963 and apparently recycled for this six part 25 minute B/W children's series about a 12 year boy who tries to alert authorities to a Presidential assassination plot he accidentally overheard while holidaying on a Mediterranean Island.
History of National Theatre Web site link
The original "Andorra" play's adult subject matter make this a strange decision which also raises the question of why Grainer didn't write another perhaps more suitable theme.
Wikipeida article "Andorra" play
IMDb lists a 24 minute documentary released in 1967 which investigates the history, landscape and commerce of the landlocked South Western European micro-state of "Andorra" bordered by Spain and France and Grainer's theme of the same name does seem more suitable for such a documentary.
Wikipedia article "Andorra" the country
"BOY MEETS GIRL" [4.8.67] revised 29.8.2020
BBC Anthology with a general theme of love surfacing in unusual environments. The 50 minute black and white filmed series eventually ran for three years and 24 episodes.
The Radio Times write-up says "For the most part existing novels have been used, in adaptions by such masters of the craft as Julia Jones and John Wiles and all are being enhanced by the music of Ron Grainer" which suggests he also composed significant quantities of incidental music for the program.[7]
One story, "The Raging Moon", about the relationship that develops between two wheelchair bound patients in a nursing home was so popular it was repeated four months after its first transmission [8] and made into a 1971 film with Malcolm McDowell that attracted two Golden Globe awards [for best foreign film and song ] but little UK box office. [9]. Two other episodes "Flight of the Kingfisher" and "Long After Summer" were also rebroadcast.
Grainer's theme melody has a venerable slightly apprehensive quality to it and an unusual arrangement that makes subtle use of what sounds like tuned bells.
"MAN IN A SUITCASE" [27.9.67] revised 29.8.67
The first of two cult favourite TV series for which Grainer wrote dynamic signature tunes. First broadcast two days apart the fact he managed to musically straddle the two projects without repeating himself is yet another indication of his talent for one pointed concentration.
"Suitcase" was a complex sometimes violent and uncompromising collection of 30 49 minute episodes about an ex CIA agent who takes work as a travelling investigator in Britain, Europe and Africa. The series made much use of colour broadcast TV.
Wikipedia article "Man in a Suitcase"
There was a considerable difference between the personality of the central male character of the "Suitcase" series and his counterpart in "The Prisoner".
BFI article "Man In A Suitcase"
"THE PRISONER" [29.9.67]
Wikipedia article "The Prisoner"
Six Of One "Prisoner" web site link
One interesting personal aspect of Grainer's involvement with this show was its hinted setting on the coast of Portugal a country where Grainer was to eventually spend seven years in voluntary exile as he concentrated on being first a father to his son Damien and second a composer for hire.
"DEATH OF A PRIVATE" [13.12.67] revised 29.8.2020
Based on an unfinished work written around 1836 by German George Buchner and made in 1925 by Alan Berg into an opera called "Woyzeck" this far from jolly tale has been somehow turned into a story that concerns a modern day soldiers confusion about contemporary pop culture and its use of military symbols and dress [10]
Wkipedia article "Woyzeck"
According to a Radio Times article [11] Grainer felt several of the songs written for the play in conjunction with author Robert Muller could become chart hits.These songs based on fragments of popular at the time compositions scattered throughout the original "Woyzeck" play remain unheard possibly apart from a 45 single by featured group "Paper Blitz Tissue" and an A side "Boy Meets Girl" and B Side "Grey Man".
"Boy Meets Girl" is a psychedelic reworking of Grainer's 1967 TV series theme with the addition of presumably Grainer lyrics as the single's label copyright info doesn't say otherwise. "Grey Man", is probably from "Death Of A Private". Any video copies of this mini-musical from the closing days of black and white television broadcasts appear to have been permanently lost.
1967 References
[01] IMDb "Uncle Charles"
[02] Steptoe?Doors https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_o1jQkFD3I
[03] http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/60s_files/1967.html.
[04] USA Copyright office RE0000713533
[05] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Sir,_with_Love / advert Daily Mirror 9.9.67 p15
[06] "The Exception" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117927/reviews?ref_=tt_urv ]
[07] Boy Meets Girl article Radio Times # 2281 27 July 1967 p43
[08] BMG repeat Radio Times # 2300 7.12.1967 p59
[09]]BMG awards https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Raging_Moon
[10] DOAP description Radio Times #2300 7.12.67 p47
[11] RG songs in "Private" Radio Times #2300 7.12.67 p47
