Blyton References on TV

Discuss the television and film adaptations of Enid Blyton's stories.
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Daisy
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Re: Blyton References on TV

Post by Daisy »

Well that is quite encouraging. Looking at the picture I wonder where some of then are now, having not seen posts from some for years.
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Re: Blyton References on TV

Post by Lucky Star »

Oh that photo brings back memories. That was also the year of the first picnic as I recall. Also we had Noddy's car parked out in the entrance to Lodden Hall though I don't recall it's owner being around. Perhaps he'd been arrested by PC Plod. :lol: It's good to know that so many of us are still subscribers but as others have said it's oh so sad that we are not heading to Twyford in two weeks time. :cry:
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Re: Blyton References on TV

Post by Rob Houghton »

I remember Noddy's car being in the foyer - and I also remember an EB Day where Enid's Bently was parked outside. One definite highlight for me was when Robert Tyndall drew Noddy as we all watched, and also being able to see some of Enid's typed manuscripts, as well as meeting people like Tim Rice, Gyles Brandreth (standing on his head, if I remember rightly!) and Gillian and Imogen and Marcus Harris and Gary Russell and Barbara Stoney. :D But then every EB Day was special and it was great to meet a few people, even if I usually kept a low profile, being a bit shy. :oops: I wouldn't be so shy now, ironically, but can never manage to get to any meet-ups lately.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Blyton References on TV

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

I've been watching a DVD of Noah's Castle, a children's drama which was first broadcast in the spring of 1980 when I was ten. In the first episode a girl called Ellen is shown reading a Piccolo paperback of The Mountain of Adventure. It's the same edition of the book that I had as a child - in fact, I've still got it.

Image

In a performance of Billy Elliot which I saw on stage in London, one of the characters received a Secret Seven Annual as a Christmas present.
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Re: Blyton References on TV

Post by Rob Houghton »

I also had that paperback version of Mountain of Adventure, as well as the same version for Island. :-)
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Blyton References on TV

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

If anyone watched episode 5 of My Mother and Other Strangers last night, some of Eileen Soper's Nature Plates (coloured posters used by teachers to accompany readings of nature stories written by Enid Blyton) were visible on the classroom wall from around 04:08. As the serial was set in 1943 I think it might have been a little too early for the Nature Plates to have been around, but it was nice to see them anyway!
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.


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Re: Blyton References on TV

Post by number 6 »

Wow! That's very observant of you, Anita! I watched the first ten mins, but I didn't pick up on the plates at all. :?
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Re: Blyton References on TV

Post by Katharine »

I've just started watching the Christmas special of my all time favourite TV series As Time Goes By. I hadn't watched it since it was on the TV back in the 1980s, and hadn't realised it mentions Enid Blyton.

Vince laughs when Penny tells him she lives in Chipping Ongar, when she asks him why he says it's because it sounds like somewhere Enid Blyton invented. He then pretends to be Noddy asking Big Ears where they are going today, and then changes voices to Big Ears, saying they are going to Chipping Ongar.

I suspect I didn't pay much attention to the reference back in 1984 when I watched it, as my Enid Blyton collection was probably sadly neglected at that time. :D
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Re: Blyton References on TV

Post by number 6 »

Did you mean Vince & Penny from 'Just good friends', Katherine? The characters in As time goes by are Lionel & Jean! :D
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Re: Blyton References on TV

Post by Katharine »

Ooops, yes I did. Very senior moment there. :oops: I do like As Time Goes By, but Just Good Friends is my all time favourite series. :D
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Re: Blyton References on TV

Post by Daisy »

I enjoyed seeing the repeats recently as well. I especially enjoy Vince's witty remarks. That was a series I always tried to watch. I also enjoy As Time Goes By.
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Re: Blyton References on TV

Post by number 6 »

No worries, Katherine! I'm prone to senior moments most of the time! :lol:
I, too, have always liked Just good friends & really enjoy the repeats. The 'will they, won't they', scenario carried well throughout the series. Paul Nicholas & Jan Francis were perfect together. :D
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Re: Blyton References on TV

Post by Daisy »

I've just seen on BBC breakfast "The Sea of Adventure" being featured - albeit very briefly, by the presenters, one of whom read a small piece from it. It's book week I think! Nice that they both said it was a favourite of theirs.
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Re: Blyton References on TV

Post by Tony Summerfield »

I saw Louise Minchin reading that extract too. It was to celebrate World Book Day today and it was actually her own 'well-loved' copy of her favourite childhood book - mine too!
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Re: Blyton References on TV

Post by Daisy »

Thanks Tony... yes, it looked to be a well-loved copy. It seems her co-presenter agreed with her. It is certainly one of my favourites too.
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