old radio programmes in pre TV days

Oh, I remember that, Aka! (it was awful...). And Semprini's Serenade.

Just Googled it Ana Cliff Adams and The Cliff Adams Singers, with Jack Emblow on accordion. Dire

Ooooh, Ron!

Yes, Eff!

My mother used to listen to Grand Hotel - often while doing some ironing.

It was broadcast from a virtual 'Palm Court', and was gentle light music as one might have heard in, yes, a grand hotel, but minus the tinkle of tea-cups... A variety of violinists took the helm over the years - Tom Jenkins, Albert Sandler, Max Jaffa and the Pips,, and it must have been relayed to France, because the opening announcement would be repeated in that tongue.. 'Monsieurs et Madames, nous vous prions d'écouter une progamme de musique légère, interpreté par Tom Jenkins et son orchestre' - funny how things stick in your memory!

and the signature tune was a waltz, Roses From the South

I'll bet nobody remembers the morning programme that featured the Charlie Katz Novelty Sextet, with announcements by Tim Gudjin...

Tcha! Why did I type une programme - it was un programme of course...

ITMA had Mona Lott who married a Mr Little?

Mona was played by Joan Harben, who was the sister of the early TV cook, Philip Harben.

After a long moan about everything she would end up "It's bein' so cheerful as keeps me goin'"

I have only the vaguest recollection of her becoming Mona Little!

Lift Up Your Hearts came on the Home Serviice radio at ten minutes to eight every morning. It lasted only 5 minutes, consisting of a story, a hymn and a prayer.
But in our house it was always a signal to hurry up and get ready for school. "Will you hurry up!!! Lift Up Your Hearts is on and YOU'RE NOT EVEN DRESSED YET!!!"

It was known in our family as 'Lift up your feet'.

Valentine Dyall.....The Man In Black

Oooh yes, Valentine Dyall, so creepy, but fascinating!

Dyall also cropped up in the Goon Show from time to time... as Doctor Longdongler, for example, stealing false teeth to be painted black and presented as castanets to a dancer at the Café Filthmuck that he fancied!

Does anybody know what the original Paul Temple signature tune was? It was eventually replaced by Coronation Scot, but to start with they used an excerpt from something like Scheherzade -- only it wasn't, and I can't find what it was! Polovtsian Dances comes to mind...

Answering my own question, it seems it was Scheherezade - just not a part I have been able to locate!

Talking of music does anyone remember Helen Henschel at the piano ,a rather short programme on Children's Hour introducing us to classical music as I remember. ( or not!)

I too remember The McFlannels. All the families had 'fabric' names - The poor McCottons, the better off McTweeds and I think a very posh Mrs McSilk? The theme tune was the Glasgow Highlanders - I am humming it now. At least it has got A Summer Place (see other thread) out of my head

What about Victor Sylvester?

Slow,slow,quick,quick,slow

Workers Playtime came on during the day. It was played in factories to keep the workers happy. Anyone remember it?

As a child I looked forward to weekday lunchtimes and Workers Playtime. When I was very young, my aunt and uncle, with whom I was spending my summer holidays, in Rochdale, took me to the local theatre to see an accordionist friend of theirs, a man called Billy Bowers. I don`t know whatever became of him, but the very last time I heard of him was when he appeared on an edition of Workers Playtime.

I can 'hear' the Workers' Playtime music in my head mrsmopp.

And Hunt yes, I remember the name Helen Henschel, but nothing of what she said or did!

Helen Henschel used to play the big slow movement of the Brahms FiIrst Symphony as her signature tune, and then go to talk about the instruments of the orchestra and related musical matters.

I can't remember the Workers' Playtime signature tune but I remember that Bill Gates was the producer. Much, much worse was Works Wonders, also a lunchtime programme, featuring the 'talents' of the factory workers...

Victor Sylvester, lor' luvaduck yes! "And now, for Jonas Mutembira, somewhere in Nyasaland, we're going to play a fox-trot - Sand In My Shoes".

I had a vision of a chap in a grass skirt slow fox-trotting in a mud hut...

Odd line-up - always two pianos, and a front line consisting of saxophone (probably E.O. 'Poggy' Pogson) and Oacar Grasso on muted violin - always muted! I understand it was subsidised by the Foreign Office, but I wouldn't swear to it.

Feetle, you`ve disappointed me greatly, I was hoping that you could tell me what happened to Billy Bowers, but you didn`t!

I have just discovered this thread and read it all.

Thankyou everyone for bringing back alot of happy childhood memories!.

Wilfred Pickles, takes me back to my grandma's house on a Saturday.She would always cook Pot Pie as we called steak and kidney pudding, and have Wilfred Pickles on the wireless while we ate it.

Wilfred Pickles brought his 'Have a Go' show to our village hall. I was too young to go but did listen on the radio and thought the local people he talked to sounded very strange. The 'talk of the 'steamie' for weeks afterwards was that the audience could see that he was totally drunk but that you would never know when you heard him on the radio.