SO FOLLOW ME, FOLLOW...
I notice from some banners on the side of buses that a new Smurfs film has just hit the cinema screens.
Did you know that ‘The Smurfs’ in French is, ‘Les Schtroumpfs’? You learn something new every day… if you’re not careful!
A couple of years or so ago, I wrote a script for ‘Goldilocks And The Three Bears', which I set in Russia.
This follows on my writing ‘Red Riding Hood’, where Holly Hood goes to visit her granny in the village of Dillydally
I am not suggesting any kind of plagiarism you understand. I didn’t know about their version, and I’m sure they didn’t know about my version, but I did beat them to the punch, by quite a margin.
And there’s more…
When I wrote ‘Hickory Dickory Dock’, I decided that the story would major on the theme of time… the mouse ran up the clock, remember? I decided to introduce a time traveller, Dr. Watt… to avoid infringing copyright, you see. He (or she) travels in a jukebox, rather than a police box and… well, I did wonder if the kiddiwinks would ever have heard of Doctor Who. Lo and behold, just after I added the script to my catalogue, the BBC revived the show. Thanks, Auntie!
I included the Lone Ranger and Tonto in my version of ‘Goldilocks And The Three Bears’ – to find out how and why, you will have to read the script.
An amateur drama group who decided they wanted to do the script, were concerned that some of the younger generation may not have heard of this famous Western hero, and would be asking the question, “Who was that masked man?” So, I added a little bit of explanation.
Shortly after, I discovered that a new big-screen adaptation of the story had been announced, and so once againg, G. Wizz would be bang up-to-date.
However, “after years of being stuck in development hell”, the project has apparently been put on hold, over problems with reducing the movie's estimated $250m (£154m) cost.
That’s a lot of lolly for a Western. I can only presume that they must be using real silver bullets!
Where G. Wizz leads, others follow!
Where G. Wizz leads, others follow!
CLASS ACT #6
Never heard of Wally Boag?
Well, he was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1920, and honoured in 1995 as a "Disney Legend" for his long tenure performing in Disneyland’s ‘The Golden Horseshoe Revue’.
He appeared in the first performance on Sunday, July 17, 1955, which was featured live on ABC-TV, and watched by over 90 million television viewers.
Alongside the can-can dancers, he was the comic star of the daily shows. By the time he retired, in 1982, from his roles as the outrageous Pecos Bill, and the Travelling Salesman, Wally had performed in nearly 40,000 productions of the popular Revue!
Wally Boag appeared in such Disney films as ‘The Absent Minded Professor’, ‘Son Of Flubber’, and ‘The Love Bug’, and was the guest star in episode 520 of the ‘Muppet Show’.
Wally Boag appeared in such Disney films as ‘The Absent Minded Professor’, ‘Son Of Flubber’, and ‘The Love Bug’, and was the guest star in episode 520 of the ‘Muppet Show’.
While appearing at the London Hippodrome in 1947, he brought the 12-year-old Julie Andrews on stage to help with his balloon act, and she astonished the audience with her singing. It was her professional solo debut.
He died in June this year, aged 90.
At his home, hung on his wall, he had a framed letter from Walt Disney. It included the following... "I can't remember how many times I've seen the show, but I always find it stimulating to be there and watch the response of the audience... and although I practically know the routines by heart, it's always new and exciting."
In this clip, he looks to be enjoying himself... and so are the audience!
Of course, the Drabbies wouldn’t allow all that simulated violence these days. Isn’t that a good-looking set that the stuntmen smash up? It was the work of Harper Goff, who designed the saloon set for the film, "Calamity Jane", starring Doris Day.
The barman is banjo-playing, baggy-pants comedian, Gene Sheldon… another class act.
Love the dummy gag!
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