Francis Matthews

[Francis]

Originally Posted by Steve Crook Destiny Angel was voiced by Elizabeth Morgan Sylvia Anderson was the voice of Melody Angel. She was also the voice of Lady Penelope Steve

There you are. I said you all knew more about my past than I do! :

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by Francis There you are. I said you all knew more about my past than I do! :

It's our shared past - we just didn't know back then that we'd all be meeting up like this

Steve

[Francis]

Originally Posted by smudge Don F had a great turnout for the last event. Jimmy Sangster was there, Renee Glynne turned up. Yvonne Monlaur and Catherine Feller appeared amongst many more, including Carol Marsh from the original Dracula. Plenty of Hammer 'staffers' were there too. Sad to say it was the last event attended by the wonderful Peter Graham Scott, who passed away the very next day. That was a terrible shock to all who attended but his family said he had a great time on the day and enjoyed meeting both the fans and his old friends from Hammer days. We all signed a card on the day, sending good wishes to Barbara Shelley as she was unwell at time - I hope things have improved since. If there is to be another event, do please come if you can Francis; it was a very nice day (though blisteringly hot) on the riverbank last time. Smudge

I had no idea Peter Graham Scott had worked for Hammer. He was briefly in at the beginning of setting up the "Paul Temple" Series, representing H.M.Tennent. He also directed me in a scene with Alan Badel from a movie called "Beauty Jungle" in the early sixties.

[batman]

Originally Posted by Francis I should not have spoken. Can we all stop being unkind to Gerald

Sorry Francis, I wasn't meaning to be unkind to Gerald. I did reveal what he was up to here ...

Filming on Location at Mid-Hants Railway

I don't think you look like you are 'shuffling' in that photo, and neither does Mrs Bat. She said you looked 'really handsome'.

[Moor Larkin]

Originally Posted by Steve Crook Destiny Angel was voiced by Elizabeth Morgan Sylvia Anderson was the voice of Melody Angel. She was also the voice of Lady Penelope

Originally Posted by Francis There you are. I said you all knew more about my past than I do! :

Don't you just hate it when other people are pulling your strings......

[Fellwanderer]

Originally Posted by Francis I had no idea Peter Graham Scott had worked for Hammer. He was briefly in at the beginning of setting up the "Paul Temple" Series, representing H.M.Tennent. He also directed me in a scene with Alan Badel from a movie called "Beauty Jungle" in the early sixties.

Welcome, Francis.

It has been very remiss of me not to welcome you before but, as others will no doubt testify, I'm rather pre-occupied with the heavenly Jenny. What a shame you never appear to have worked with her although you did both make guest appearances in Heartbeat.

Always enjoyed PT - many thanks

[Francis]

Originally Posted by Fellwanderer Welcome, Francis. It has been very remiss of me not to welcome you before but, as others will no doubt testify, I'm rather pre-occupied with the heavenly Jenny. What a shame you never appear to have worked with her although you did both make guest appearances in Heartbeat. Always enjoyed PT - many thanks

Thank you, Fell. Sorry to be thick but which "Heavenly Jenny" is that ? I have known quite a few over these many years !

[CaptainWaggett]

I believe Fell is referring to the lovely Ms Agutter.

Mr M - I have to ask. The thing that sticks in my mind of yours is a sort of promenade musical in a tv studio about Orpheus and Eurydice. Am I remembering right or was it Gerald Harper in disguise? I enjoyed it at the time but have never been able to remember what it was called. Oh, and you were great in Cabaret - I hope it was fun to do.

[Francis]

Originally Posted by CaptainWaggett I believe Fell is referring to the lovely Ms Agutter. Mr M - I have to ask. The thing that sticks in my mind of yours is a sort of promenade musical in a tv studio about Orpheus and Eurydice. Am I remembering right or was it Gerald Harper in disguise? I enjoyed it at the time but have never been able to remember what it was called. Oh, and you were great in Cabaret - I hope it was fun to do.

What a memory! Even I had forgotten that. Invited audience in a circus-like surround. BBC Studios. Audience took part, I was Orpheus and we improvised the whole thing. But who was Eurydice ?

[CaptainWaggett]

It was improvised? Wow! You sang and herded people around and stuff. I am mightily impressed. No doubt somebody on these boards will have a better memory than us!

[Joenoir]

I wasn't aware that Francis was the brother of Paul Shelley, who, amongst many other credits, was in Secret Army.

[hatpeg]

Francis,

One of my favourites was Trinity Tales.
With you, Susan Littler (who died so young) Paul Copley, Bill Maynard etc.
The actor who plays Bernie Scripps in Heartbeat (Peter Benson) was in one episode - with his goldfish Peggy!
Written by Alan Plater.

I particularly enjoyed the episode where you had a scam to win money on horse racing, by using a video and a clock that was an hour slow. Great fun.
I wish it could be issued on DVD, but no sign of it at the moment.

I briefly met you at a convention at Clacton on Sea 3 or 4 years ago, and you mentioned you had Trinity Tales on video, and you were surprised anyone had remembered it.

I remembered it because it was a quality television series.

Was it fun to do?

[Francis]

Originally Posted by hatpeg Francis, One of my favourites was Trinity Tales. With you, Susan Littler (who died so young) Paul Copley, Bill Maynard etc. The actor who plays Bernie Scripps in Heartbeat (Peter Benson) was in one episode - with his goldfish Peggy! Written by Alan Plater. I particularly enjoyed the episode where you had a scam to win money on horse racing, by using a video and a clock that was an hour slow. Great fun. I wish it could be issued on DVD, but no sign of it at the moment. I briefly met you at a convention at Clacton on Sea 3 or 4 years ago, and you mentioned you had Trinity Tales on video, and you were surprised anyone had remembered it. I remembered it because it was a quality television series. Was it fun to do?

Hello Hatpeg, Ah! A fan of "Trinity Tales". Another piece of matchless TV Drama that the BBC chose to forget, just like the equally wonderful "Don't Forget to Write". They've never been repeated or issued as DVD Classics. Thank heavens some kind technician copied Trinity for me. All six Episodes., so at least I can enjoy them. They were the best work any of us did then, because of the genius of Alan Plater and Charles Wood.......and Yes, it was the greatest fun I ever had as an actor.
Thanks for the memory,
P.S. You know "Trinity" was only shown on BBC 2. It was meant to be repeated to the main audience on BBC 1 but Bill Cotton blocked it. He said "We don't want "satire" on my channel" ! So the other ten million viewers never had a chance to see it.

[Lord Brett]

Hi Francis,

I remember you telling me at a Fanderson convention back in 1991 that the BBC's attitude to Paul Temple was hardly more welcoming. Something along the lines that this was the sort of thing that commercial television was there for, not the Beeb.

Probably explains why most of the episodes were only kept by German TV, while the BBC junked a lot of them.

[image45]

Originally Posted by Lord Brett Hi Francis, I remember you telling me at a Fanderson convention back in 1991 that the BBC's attitude to Paul Temple was hardly more welcoming. Something along the lines that this was the sort of thing that commercial television was there for, not the Beeb. Probably explains why most of the episodes were only kept by German TV, while the BBC junked a lot of them.

‘Probably explains why most of the episodes were only kept by German TV, while the BBC junked a lot of them’

So many early 625 PAL colour recordings made on Amplex 2” Quad videotape have been wiped by the BBC over the years. Sadly I feel the reasons for wiping are larger than just believing that it was a production that should have been made by commercial TV rather than wasting BBC videotape and time on such a production.

Only this morning I watch the 1969 Out of the Unknown episode ‘The Last lonely Man’, that is the only remaining full colour episode from the third series out of an original 13 episodes all on 2” VT in 625 PAL

I have seen six Paul Temple episodes and I must say I liked them all indeed, I have heard that the German episodes are edited very differently to the UK versions as well as been in German too of course!