One of the great things about the SMART meetings, are the times that people will ask ”What ever happened to ?” and that’s the start of another trip down memory lane and it was just that last week, we had been sad at the demise of “Ready Steady Go” but what ever happened to “Thank Your Lucky Stars” as some of you will remember I used to also include in my weekly blog, details of this regular pop show from the 1960s. The last regular edition of TYLS was broadcast on Saturday 25th June 1966, but they did put together a Christmas Special that went networked on NYE 1966. The final show included Brian Matthew, Jim Dale, Ivy League, Keith Fordyce, Pete Murray, Gene Pitney, Helen Shapiro, Cleo Laine, Herman’s Hermits and Peter and Gordon.
This weekend Saturday 21st January 1967, the Happy Ballroom, Hastings Pier is quiet, the only dancing being held were the twice weekly Pier School of Dancing in The Restaurant – Monday & Friday Night. The Witch Doctor was functioning on Saturday & Thursday nights, but I have to say that I have been unable to track down any advertising or details of who appeared. The Thursday would have been the traditional record entertainment in the hands of Steve Maxted, when anything could and did happen. BBC Light programme for the 21st included Saturday Club with The Who, Paul Jones, Brian Poole & Tremeloes, The Settlers, Brian Connell and the Round Sound and Sue & Sunny. The usual Saturday afternoon shows followed, Call it Country Style, Jack Jackson Record Roundabout, Des O’Connor, Swingalong, Saturday Band Stand, Music from the Movies, Those were the Days, Moira Lister, Forces Startime from Celle in West Germany. Dancing Round Europe, Pete’s Party with Pete Murray, On Sunday the key shows were Easy Beat, Three Way Family Favourites – London, Cologne and from RAF Luqa Malta. The Ken Dodd Show, The Clitheroe, Pick of The Pops, Movie Go Round, Sing Something Simple, Grand Hotel, Sunday Half Hour, The Men from the Ministry, Nicholas Parsons and The Jazz Scene.
Television for the weekend included on Saturday – Grandstand, Juke Box Jury this week David Jacob hosted the show with guests,Simon Dee. Alan Freeman, Pete Murray & JS. –Dr Who, The Monkees, The High Adventure Film was Saigon with Alan Ladd and Veronica Laki. Later that evening – The Rolf Harris Show, Adam Adamant Lives, Match of The Day and The Late Show. BBC 2 included The Forsyte Saga, and the Midnight Movie was Pitfall starring Dick Powell and Lizabeth Scott. On Sunday the schedule included Look at The Beachcombers a nature programme filmed in the North East, International Skiing from Austria, Film Matinee – Reach for the Sky, Great Expectations, Pinky & Perky’s Island, Meeting Point, Songs of Praise, Film – This Man Reuter starring Edward G Robinson, Dr Findley’s Casebook and the evening ended with Leonard Bernstein Concerts and this week featuring Stravinsky: Right of Spring. Over on the Pirates, Tony Blackburn on Radio London with the Big L Chart on Sunday, the top 5 records that weekend were:1 Matthew & Son : Cat Stevens, 2 Standing in The Shadows of Love : Four Tops, 3 Lets Spend the Night Together: Rolling Stones, 4 I’ve been a bad bad boy: Paul Jones, 5 I’m a Believer: Monkees. Over on Radio Caroline a hitch in the delivery of the new records caused a dely in broadcasting the week show until Tuesday 24 January. 1, I’m a Believer: Monkees, 2 Standing in the Shadows of Love: Four Tops, 3 Sitting in the Park: Georgie Fame, 4 Matthew & Son : Cat Stevens,5 Night of Fear : Move.
In the week leading up to this weekend, there had been several interesting events in the music world, 15th Jan: Rolling Stones perform on the Ed Sullivan Show – “Let’s Spend the Night Together”. 18th Jan: Epstein’s NEMS Enterprises amalgamates with The Robert Stigwood Organisation bringing together The Who, Cream, Merseys, Chrispian St Peters, Lord Such under one management. Jan 19th: Monkees No 1, Stones No 3. Jan 20th: Stones Release between “The Button Album. And finally on Sunday 22nd Jan the Rolling Stones appeared on Sunday Night At The London Palladium – but refused to go on the roundabout at the end.
Well there we have Week ending 22nd January 1967, not a great deal happening in Hastings, the weather was Dry, Sunny and rather mild with little light rain, the cold had left us for a while. Thinking back where I was working at the time, it must have been quite good, as there was very little heating, which fact has remained with me from way back. Moving on, I hope that your keeping warm, the temperatures have dropped over the last couple of weeks, and I fear that the Energy bills will have risen . Until next week and perhaps something more to report about the History of The Happy Ballrom – Hastings Pier have a good week. Andre Palfrey-Martin © 2017
