Programmes A review of some memorable programmes and their graphics from Wales and the West.

"Hello. My name is Miss Teledu Cymru 1965. My hobbies are working with animals, macramé and hoping that you enjoy a look at our selection of programmes past."

Next a TV / book tie-in. "Cooking is not only fun but is the most rewarding task the housewife has, and although at times the preparing and cooking of at least three meals every day becomes tedious, the pleasure of seeing plates cleared and the family well satisfied gives the cook a feeling no other job or chore can." Anyone remember TWW chef, Toni Stoppani? This is taken from a 1967 publication. It has some excellent recipes. A bargain for 3' 6.

The networked "Discs A Go Go" was TWW's answer to "Top of the Pops" and the successor to the station's earlier pop show, "Now".

The Alan Taylor Phenomenon

Alan Taylor is probably the best remembered TWW and HTV personality. In addition to his continuity duties, he appeared in many Wales and West shows, both locally and on the Network. Our first picture is a publicity photo from the sixties. "Tinker and Taylor's" principal duty was to link children's programming. In the seventies Alan fronted another kids' show called "Orbit", reading out birthdays, from a space-ship.

Paint Along With Nancy ...

Mid-seventies, Alan appeared in the early episodes of this cult programme as Nancy Kominsky's "assistant", imploring viewers to "paint what you see - not what you know to be there." Kominsky aficionados might like to visit our sister site, the "Paint Along With Nancy Internet Resource Centre", where, in addition to further pictures, we have biographies of both Nancy and Alan.

Alan did his fair share of quiz-show presenting - this is from the animated opening title sequence of "Cuckoo in the Nest". The object of the game was to find the imposter within a group of experts in a given field.

"Mrs and Mrs" wasn't the sole province of Derek Batey and Border TV. The show began on TWW in the sixties and was followed by HTV West's seventies' version. Presented by a be-monocled Alan, the theme music was "Getting to Know You" and the ever present consolation prize was a candelabra. In the significance stakes, it was the first British quiz-show to utilise a black hostess. Other HTV West quiz-shows to hit the Network were "Definition" and "Three Little Words" both of which were initially hosted by Don Moss. Ray Alan and wife Barbi eventually took the helm on "Definition". A couple of more recent examples are the short-lived sports quiz "Sports Masters" (left) hosted by Dickie Davies and co-produced with Mike Mansfield and guess-the-tune show "Keynotes" presented by Alistair Duval on weekday mornings. Both are from the early nineties.

Rhaglenni Cymru

The Welsh Language version of "Mr and Mrs" - "Sion a Sian" was first produced in the sixties by Teledu Cymru. These pictures are from the HTV Wales version, produced initially for its Welsh language opt-outs and subsequently for S4C. More stop-motion cartoon birds in this still from the seventies' title sequence. Computer graphics had taken over by the nineties.

The village of "Ffalabalam" was the setting for this pre-school programme in Welsh. The title song featured a deafening chorus of kids squawking "Falabalam balo-bala-balay" (Phonetic interpretation).

Finally, for an afternoon guide to refined social etiquette and gracious living what better that West's "Food Wine and Friends"? An delightful programme in which Robert Carrier "guides his guests through the intricacies of sampling good food and wine". The edition with Dame Anna Neagle eating the donner kebab was a classic. The slinky theme tune, "It's about food, it's about wine, it's about feeling fine ...", is downloadable here (89Kb).

Next: closedown and "Night Club".