The Enid Blyton Society

Anita Bensoussane wrote:Hmm - from Cornwall to St. Andrew's, perhaps? You're not a fan of Malory Towers are you by any chance, Matt?

Actually, I am.

Not a fan of St Andrew's, though. We met with some people and took a tour of the campus and the town ... very golfy and a little snobbish. Edinburgh is the place for me. I fell in love with the city when I was there for Hogmanay, and I like what I have seen of the uni.

Lucky Star, I remember you now!

Robert Houghton wrote:I had no idea Anna Dale was a member of the society. Has anyone read her debut novel, 'Whispering to Witches'? I enjoyed it very much...yes, now I come to think of it, it DID have quite a 'Blytonian' feel to it!

Yes, I have, Rob, and I'm reading her follow up 'Dawn Undercover' now. She only joined the Society recently and bought tickets for the EB Day at the same time. I already had signed copies of both her books, so I immediately recognised her handwriting when she joined.

moonraker wrote:If you've not got a magnifying glass, and Ming hasn't put up a link, just right-click on the image, save and view at leisure!

...Or just left-click on the image and it will open to full size. (It's okay, you're not going mad -- I just added that function!)

[Yan:] Unfortunately, I could not join but I'm very curious to know what Marcus and Gary told about the 78 TV series.

Both Marcus and Gary said that they were already fans of the Famous Five books before the TV series was made. Gary recalled telling his agent that he "really really" wanted a part in the series. He was considered for the character of Julian at first, but eventually got to play Dick of course. At his audition he was asked if he could ride a horse and, although he'd never been on a horse in his life, he said yes. As soon as he found out that he was to be Dick, and that the first story to be filmed would be "Five Go to Mystery Moor," he hurriedly booked some riding lessons!

Marcus told us how he chased after one of the producers after his audition, asking what exactly one had to do to get noticed. Should he perhaps have fooled around like one or two of the other "hopefuls" had? Speaking out like that obviously did get him noticed, as he was chosen to be Julian!

Marcus repeated the story of the dream that he had of a schoolroom with desks set out in rows, and a clock on the wall. In the dream he learnt that he had got the part of Julian. Soon after that, his class at school had to set out desks in rows in the hall for an examination. Marcus looked up at the clock on the wall and, in great excitement, realised that this was exactly like his dream. He raced home and met his agent in the drive, who told him that he was to be Julian!

Gary remarked that it is now exactly thirty years since the filming of the series began, in 1977. He and Marcus have both been back to Exbury since, and Marcus said that he showed his children round the area, exclaiming excitedly, "Look – this is where daddy filmed the Famous Five!"

They said that they had two chaperones named Joan while filming the series, although in the article he once wrote for the Enid Blyton Society Journal Gary mentions a Joan and a Jean. They quipped that some fans of the TV series know more than they do, and asked if anyone could name the cook they had when they stayed at Gatewood while filming the second series. Was it Olive, perhaps, or was that the name of yet another chaperone? They didn't seem too sure!

Sometimes tempers became frayed and the cook once threw a potato at one of the chaperones! Another time, Michele picked up a dish of spaghetti bolognese (or something like that) and threw it over Marcus, leaving Gary feeling very put out as he'd been looking forward to eating it!

Gatewood, a farmhouse, doubled up as Kirrin Cottage for some close-up shots of windows etc, to save travelling back and forth between Gatewood and Blackwater House. There was a lot of mixing and matching of various exteriors and interiors throughout the series.

Well, I hope I've remembered things correctly. If I haven't, Gary or anyone else who was at the Day can always put me right! It was a very entertaining talk and great to see the two of them together.

Anita

You have an amazing memory Anita. I had forgotten at least a third of the things you just wrote. The only thing I can add is that they stayed in a terribly posh hotel for the first series and were moved to a house for the second series following a ton of complaints from the other, more staid residents about the behaviour of all those high spirited kids.

It was a very entertaining talk and great to see the two of them together.

It was one of the highlights of the day indeed. Hopefully they will attend next year also. They are a very funny pair.

Good grief Anita. Your recall is amazing! I could do with you coming to work with me

Don't suppose there's any chance? Erm, no... thought not!

Anita Bensoussane wrote:

[Yan:] Unfortunately, I could not join but I'm very curious to know what Marcus and Gary told about the 78 TV series.

Both Marcus and Gary said that they were already fans of the Famous Five books before the TV series was made. Gary recalled telling his agent that he "really really" wanted a part in the series. He was considered for the character of Julian at first, but eventually got to play Dick of course. At his audition he was asked if he could ride a horse and, although he'd never been on a horse in his life, he said yes. As soon as he found out that he was to be Dick, and that the first story to be filmed would be "Five Go to Mystery Moor," he hurriedly booked some riding lessons!

Marcus told us how he chased after one of the producers after his audition, asking what exactly one had to do to get noticed. Should he perhaps have fooled around like one or two of the other "hopefuls" had? Speaking out like that obviously did get him noticed, as he was chosen to be Julian!

Marcus repeated the story of the dream that he had of a schoolroom with desks set out in rows, and a clock on the wall. In the dream he learnt that he had got the part of Julian. Soon after that, his class at school had to set out desks in rows in the hall for an examination. Marcus looked up at the clock on the wall and, in great excitement, realised that this was exactly like his dream. He raced home and met his agent in the drive, who told him that he was to be Julian!

Gary remarked that it is now exactly thirty years since the filming of the series began, in 1977. He and Marcus have both been back to Exbury since, and Marcus said that he showed his children round the area, exclaiming excitedly, "Look – this is where daddy filmed the Famous Five!"

They said that they had two chaperones named Joan while filming the series, although in the article he once wrote for the Enid Blyton Society Journal Gary mentions a Joan and a Jean. They quipped that some fans of the TV series know more than they do, and asked if anyone could name the cook they had when they stayed at Gatewood while filming the second series. Was it Olive, perhaps, or was that the name of yet another chaperone? They didn't seem too sure!

Sometimes tempers became frayed and the cook once threw a potato at one of the chaperones! Another time, Michele picked up a dish of spaghetti bolognese (or something like that) and threw it over Marcus, leaving Gary feeling very put out as he'd been looking forward to eating it!

Gatewood, a farmhouse, doubled up as Kirrin Cottage for some close-up shots of windows etc, to save travelling back and forth between Gatewood and Blackwater House. There was a lot of mixing and matching of various exteriors and interiors throughout the series.

Well, I hope I've remembered things correctly. If I haven't, Gary or anyone else who was at the Day can always put me right! It was a very entertaining talk and great to see the two of them together.

Anita

Impressed? Moi?

Thank you very much, Anita for your detailed report!
And thank you, lucky Star!

lucky Star wrote: following a ton of complaints from the other, more staid residents about the behaviour of all those high spirited kids.

I'd like to know what kind of behaviour that was.

So it seems to me that Gary and Marcus basically said what they told several times before. No surprising news (e.g. about a DVD release)? And nothing more about Michele, Jenny, Michael Hinz or Friedrich von Thun?

How's the page coming along, Keith?

If Keith has any more fingers in other pies, he'll turn into a pasty!

Ming wrote:How's the page coming along, Keith?

Any update?
No pressure of course!

To hell with the pressure, Come on, Keith!

Has Keith been kidnapped by a gang of up to no gooders? Any clues?

Yes, I just escaped their evil clutches a few moments ago. Over the weekend I was forced to decorate the basement and lay flooring -- oh, the horrors! And meanwhile I've been forced to work on customer websites in order earn a living! It's just too much for words. I'd much rather be creating the Enid Blyton Day page and talking to y'all in the forums!

To make matters worse these villainous nasties are making me continue on the website work and basement by threatening to take away my collection of books. So I have to keep plugging away here for the time being. However, the EB page is very much on my mind, and WILL get done. Sometime.

Keith, what a life! I think you should come back to England!

As for the nasties threatening to take away your collection of books, well, I don't blame them.

Nah, you work hard enough - I should think threats are useless!! - you work just as hard.