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Six-Five Special (1957-58)
 

Synopsis

Warning: screenonline full synopses contain 'spoilers' which give away key plot points. Don't read on if you don't want to know the ending!

Edition originally transmitted on BBC on 31 August 1957

Pete Murray introduces Eric Delaney and his Band. They play 'Ole King Rock'n'Roll' (a rock'n'roll version of 'Ole King Cole'). The studio audience jives.

Pete Murray introduces Spike Milligan, playing an inventor, Mr Pym, who has invented a device which indicates when jelly is present in a room. Michael Holliday mimes to 'Old Cape Cod', then sings 'Love you Darlin', accompanied by Don Lang and his Frantic Five.

Holliday introduces Jo Douglas, Freddie Mills and Pete Murray, who sing a comic song around the Six-Five Special train theme. Mills is dressed as a Teddy Boy and Murray enacts rock'n'roll steps. Don Lang's tenor sax player, Rex, plays a solo.

Don Lang sings his new record 'White Silver Sands'. Don Lang says the programme has received many letters from people who want to know the difference between jive and rock'n'roll dancing. He introduces Bill Ross and Lesley who perform a rock'n'roll dance to Rex playing his own composition 'Rex's Rock'. Lesley wears a very, very short flared skirt, neckerchief, flat pumps and seamed tights; Bill Ross wears a check shirt, sneakers and denim jeans.

Murray introduces American band leader Ray Anthony. Anthony says he finds the show very exciting and comments that there is nothing like it on US television. He says that he is on a 'goodwill tour' of the UK and his band will be brought over to Britain in a few months. Murray asks him which is his favourite composition; Anthony replies 'Mr Anthony's Boogie'. They speak briefly on the Band's film work. Anthony has made a record called 'Bunny Hop' - Bill Ross and Lesley dance to it after brief instruction from Anthony. The studio audience joins in and Don Lang plays.

Douglas on location with climbers from the Polytechnic Climbing Club. They climb the Milestone Buttress in North Wales. Douglas introduces Chris Barber and his Band and Ottilie Patterson, who sings 'Steamboat Bill'. Chris Barber and his Band play an instrumental as the studio audience jives.

Milligan, Mills and Douglas in a sketch in which Milligan is a butcher cutting up meat as the two customers ignore him and gossip. He eventually blows the meat joint up with dynamite. Murray introduces the Deep River Boys who sing 'All Shook Up', 'Love Me Tender', 'When Rock'n'Roll Came to Trinidad' and 'Not Too Old to Rock'n'Roll'.

Eric Delaney and his Band play their version of 'The Banana Boat Song'.