Fifty years ago, Saturday 18th December 1965, was a fairly quiet weekend, the Pier has promised something interesting for the Christmas & New Year – but more of that next week.
Friday Nights Ready Steady Go had started the weekend off with some super tooons – The Fourmost “ Girls, Girls, Girls”: The Walker Brother “ My Ship is Coming In” – also on the show Tom Jones, Cleo Laine, Joe Tex, and Dee Dee Warwick. My spies tell me that next week is going to be something special.
Along in Marine Court, the Christmas Decorations are out amongst the shrunken heads ready for the coming weeks. This Saturday night it is the return of Pay Anton & The Peppermint Men, supported by Paul Dean and The Soul Savages! Late Bar till 11.00pm!!- Sunday it’s the Top 30 Afternoon Spin between 2.30pm-5.00pm. Tuesday its Candlelight Record Session, and the week ends with Thursday and The “Muscles” Maxted Show. I quote from the advertisement “This idiot must be seen to be believed”
Over on the BBC – The Light Programme presents Saturday Club with The Hollies : Marianne Faithfull : The Kinks : Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames and The Roulettes, with compere and front man Brian Matthew in control. In the afternoon at 3.30pm its “Pop over Europe” 7.30pm from Cologne courtesy of BFBS its Home and Away and this week’s entertainers include George Chisholm, Mike Burton, The Honeys, Brian Poole & The Trems. 8.15 and its “Carols for Everybody” This is followed at 10.00pm from Butlins Holiday Camp Bognor Regis with “Dancing Round Europe” with the Eric Winstone Orchestra. Late Night Saturday features the Andy Williams Christmas Album.
Sunday morning its 10.00am – Mr Joe “ Piano” Henderson and the Sing-along’s. This is followed by Easy Beat a and lunchtimes “Two Way Family Favourites” from London and Cologne. In the afternoon its “The Joe Brown Show” and at 4.00pm “Pick of the Pops”
Television – Saturday Grandstand, 5.15pm “Juke Box Jury” this week with Cilla Black, Con Clusky, Peter Hague and Edina Rowley. David Jacobs in the Chair. 9.00pm that even ing it was “The Benny Hill Show” Over on ITV – Thank Your Lucky Stars included Jim Dale, The Mersey Beats, Freddie & Thee Dreamers, Alma Cogan, Vince Hill, Kenny Ball and His Jazz Men and Johnny Tillotson.
The build up to Christmas is now well underway, and unlike today, the advertising and decorations do not start to appear until the beginning of December, which goes to show just how things have changed. We still had Buses and Trains running throughout the holiday period, but with many not owning their own means of transport this was essential.
Until next week, make the most of the next few days in the run up to Christmas, the next episode of the History of the Happy Ballroom- Hastings Pier and subsequent stories, is due for release on Christmas Day so I will do my best ! Andre Palfrey-Martin ©2015
Andy Qunta… Fabulous! Thanks, Andre! I loved all the music in those days, but not so much now!