Moonlighting
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This page is dedicated to the many appearances Pan’s People and Legs & Co made away from Top of the Pops. I have personally checked each of the listed programmes in the relevant editions of the Radio Times/TV Times or daily newspapers. Whilst I am confident that the information listed here is accurate, I am far from confident about its completeness. There must be many more appearances that are not listed here simply because they’ve either been overlooked or they’re just too obscure. |
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The Gojos
1966
to 1968 The Gojos were regulars on three series of ‘The Val Doonican Show’ between May 1966 and December 1968, appearing forty times in total. For their first appearance on 14 May 1966, the Radio Times described the Gojos’ style as “snap-crackle-pop dancing” and also credited Jo Cook with “dance direction” on the shows. These programmes were actually broadcast ‘live’, leaving no room for error in the performances. You can read an article about the Gojos’ time on the show that appeared in Radio Times 24 October 1968.
1969 Sci-fi adventure movie produced by Hammer Films. The Gojos appeared as dancers in a futuristic club and Jo Cook was also credited with the film’s choreography.
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November 1971 Wendy Hillhouse and Linda Hotchkin played ballroom dancers in this early edition of “The Goodies” entitled “Wicked Waltzing”. June Whitfield and Joan Sims also starred.
Pan’s People
Bobbie Gentry (BBC2) Six
weekly appearances 13 July 1968 to 17 August 1968 This programme was shown within a week or two of Pan’s People’s debut on Top of the Pops. Not only is it the earliest non-TOTP example I can find, it is also the earliest example of Pan’s People televised in colour. The full title of the show was ‘Bobbie Gentry Sings Of The Fragrance, Love, Sorrow And Rumour Of The Delta Country’. I wonder why it was shortened?
Lulu (BBC1) Thirteen
weekly appearances 28 December 1968 to 22 March 1969 This programme was broadcast early on Saturday evenings and is Pan’s People’s longest series of appearances away from Top Of The Pops.
With A Little Help From My Friends (ITV) 25
December 1969 All-Star musical extravaganza presented by Beatles’ producer George Martin and starring many the acts he worked with including Ringo Starr, The Hollies and Lulu.
The Price Of Fame (BBC2) 25
December 1969 Yet
another Christmas Day appearance by Pan’s People, this time on a show
starring Alan Price and Georgie Fame. The programme was subtitled ‘or Fame At
Any Price’ and also featured Billy Preston and The Ladybirds.
Gentry (BBC2) Six
weekly appearances 01 February 1971 to 15 March 1971 Apart from showcasing the wonderful Pan’s People, this series was also notable for an early appearance by Elton John whose very first hit ‘Your Song’ was riding high in the charts at the time. The programme was not broadcast on 01 March because of an extended edition of ‘The High Chaparral’.
The Talk Of The Town (BBC2) 30
April 1972 and 07 May 1972 ‘The
Talk Of The Town’ was actually the programme’s subtitle. The full titles of
the two shows featuring Pan’s People are ‘Nancy Wilson From The Talk Of The
Town’ and ‘Glen Campbell From The Talk Of The Town’.
Cilla (BBC1) 20
January 1973 Saturday evening entertainment from Miss Cilla Blaaaack. Actor John Alderton also appeared in this edition.
Frankie Howard In Ulster (BBC1) 14
March 1973 This show featured Frankie Howard performing in front of British troops stationed in Northern Ireland. It was staged inside an aircraft hangar at RAF Aldergrove and starred Wendy Richard, June Whitfield and Pan’s People (of course!). I shall resist the temptation to say that the show raised a few titters, as that would just lower the tone of the website.
The John Denver Show (BBC2)
(LINK) Six
weekly appearances 29 April 1973 to 03 June 1973
The Two Ronnies (BBC2) This
series ran alternate Thursday evenings on BBC2 between 27 September 1973 and
03 January 1974 Pan’s People appeared on at least six of these shows, possibly more. They feature some of Pan’s People’s best routines, dancing to tunes such as ‘Yesterday’ and ‘Johnny B. Goode’.
Clunk-Click (BBC1) Before ‘Jim’ll Fix It’, Jimmy Savile previously entertained Saturday night audiences with the short-lived ‘Clunk-Click’. This series of 13 weekly shows was broadcast immediately after ‘Dr Who’ between 02 February 1974 and 27 April 1974. Pan’s People were guests on one edition wearing very revealing black dresses. You can catch a flavour of this edition in the “I Love 1974” transcript in the Bits ‘n’ Bobs section. The name Clunk-Click is taken from the 1970’s “Clunk-Click Every Trip” wear your seat-belt campaign, which Jimmy Savile fronted. By the early 1980’s Jimmy Savile was presenting the British Rail TV ads urging people to travel by train. Hence the now twenty year old joke, “For years Jimmy Savile told us to Clunk-Click every trip…but as soon as it becomes Law he takes the train”. Rest assured folks, that joke is as bad as this website gets – by a long, long way.
In Concert (BBC2) 17
April 1974 Between
1970 and 1976 this BBC2 programme showcased top class musical acts in what
was the ‘MTV Unplugged’ of its day. Elton John, Cliff Richard, David Essex
and The Kinks all appeared at one time or another. On 17 April 1974, viewers
were treated to 35 minutes of non-stop Pan’s People, including an infamous
set with Louise and Dee Dee dancing on cushions wearing very little indeed.
This routine is shown today on virtually all Pan’s People retrospectives. In
a 1994 documentary Louise said that these skimpy little outfits were actually
one of the most expensive costumes ever made for the group. For all the stick
the BBC gets over its license fee, I think we can all agree this was money
well spent.
Jim’ll Fix It (BBC1) 31
May 1975 In contrast to his short-lived ‘Clunk-Click’ series, Jimmy Savile’s next Saturday teatime programme would run for a staggering twenty years. Given Jimmy’s lecherous behaviour when Pan’s People appeared on ‘Clunk-Click’, it was no surprise when the girls also featured in the very first edition of ‘Jim’ll Fix It’ on 31 May 1975. Out of the hundreds of young girls who had written to the BBC asking to dance with Pan’s People it was lucky eight year old Victoria Cullom whose wish came true.
Aladdin (BBC1) 24
December 1975 One hour long Panto also featuring Michael Aspel, Dana, The Goodies and Ed Stewart.
The Morecambe & Wise Christmas Show (BBC1) 25
December 1975 Eric and Ernie got dressed up in full drag and joined the girls dancing to ‘Big Spender’.
Celebrity It’s A Knockout (BBC1) 29
August 1979 According
to the Radio Times, dancers under the name Pan’s People made an appearance on
this 1979 ‘It’s A Knockout’ celebrity special. I doubt whether this Pan’s
People featured more than one or two of the original dancers.
Celebrity It’s A Knockout (BBC1) 11
July 1980 The
Radio Times intriguingly billed ‘Dee Dee Wilde’s Pan’s People’ as guests on
this celebrity edition of ‘It’s A Knockout’.
Wogan With Jonathan Ross (BBC1) 18
May 1990 Terry Wogan certainly chose the wrong week to take a holiday in 1990. Jonathan Woss was the lucky host of this edition of the talk show, which featured a Pan’s People reunion. Several of the girls were back together in the TV studio after fifteen years to talk about old times. The programme shown immediately after this was none other than Top Of The Pops.
Digging The Dancing Queens (BBC1) 04
January 1994 This 25-minute documentary was shown to coincide with the thirtieth anniversary of Top Of The Pops and featured interviews with several members of Pan’s People.
Babs Lord The Beat Room (BBC2) 06
July 1964 to 25 January 1965 Before Babs became a Pan’s Person she danced with an all-female dance troupe called The Beat Girls. The Beat Girls enjoyed a regular slot on a TV programme called “The Beat Room” which was broadcast on Monday evenings between July 1964 and January 1965. However, I am not sure whether Babs appeared every week.
1965 Babs appeared as a dancer during a dream sequence by actor Kenneth Connor.
This Is Your Life (ITV) 28
February 1979 Actor
Robert Powell was the subject of This Is Your Life. I think it’s fairly safe to assume that his wife Babs also appeared on the show.
Wish
You Were Here…? (ITV) 24
January 1994 Babs
and husband reporting from their holiday destination in New England.
Flick Colby
Let’s Go Dancing (Book) In
1979 Flick Colby wrote a book with Elizabeth Romain entitled ‘Let’s go
Dancing’. Readers were enlightened on how to Waltz, Tango and Cha Cha Cha as
well as Disco, Ballroom Dancing and Samba. I understand that Flick continued
to choreograph dancing after leaving Top of the Pops.
Dee Dee Wilde
The Lipstick Years – ‘Give Us A Twirl’ (BBC2) 26
July 2000 This BBC2 documentary series looked at the role of women on television and the often sexist way they were portrayed. The ‘Give Us A Twirl’ edition featured game show hostesses Anthea Redfern (Generation Game) and Carole Ashby (Sale of the Century). Also appearing was Dee Dee Wilde, reminiscing about Pan’s People. There is a transcript of this featured in the Bits ‘n’ Bobs section.
Cherry Gillespie
‘Woman In The Wings’ By Maddy Prior (Album) Maddy
Prior’s first solo album ‘Woman in the Wings’ (1978) included a track called
‘Cat’s Eyes’. One of the credited backing vocalists was a Cherry Gillespie.
The album also featured the entire Jethro Tull line-up. In 1974 Pan’s People
appeared alongside Jethro Tull at the Rainbow Theatre in London and Jethro
Tull’s Ian Anderson even wrote a dance number for the girls entitled ‘Pan
Dance’. Coincidence (or not) ?
The Bitch (Film) 1979 Cherry played the part of ‘Disco Girl’ in Joan Collins’ discotheque.
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May 1982, 05 May 1982 & 06 May 1982 Mention
ITV’s daytime schedule and what do you think of? Aussie soaps, tacky
gameshows, exploitative Jerry Springer-type talk shows, naff cookery
programmes…the list goes on. If it’s crap then it’s probably on ITV some time
between 9.30am – 3.30pm Monday to Friday. But this was not always the case.
Up until 20 years ago ITV still had some pride in their daytime output and
actually spent money on original, British drama. In October 1972 ITV debuted
two drama series that would remain staple lunchtime viewing for several
years; ‘Emmerdale Farm’ first aired on 16 October 1972 followed two days
later by ‘Crown Court’. Whilst ‘Emmerdale Farm’ eventually switched to ITV’s
evening schedule, ‘Crown Court’ soldiered on in its traditional lunchtime
slot until it was axed in 1984. Each week ‘Crown Court’ presented viewers
with fictional court cases spread over three days. The participants in each
trial were played by actors but the jury consisted of ordinary members of the
public. In a “trial” broadcast in 1982 entitled ‘Face Value’, Cherry played
the part of Lucy Brennan, the winner of a beauty contest. After the contest,
she had dinner with one of the show’s organisers who then attempted to rape
her. The jury had to decide whether she gave him the “come-on” or whether he
was guilty of attempted rape. Viewers wanting a more easy-going lunchtime no
doubt turned to ‘Pebble Mill at One’ on the other side.
Nutcracker
(Film) 1982 Cherry appeared alongside Joan Collins again.
Octopussy (Film) 1983 Excellent James Bond film with Cherry playing ‘Midge’.
The Hot Shoe Show (BBC1) Series
One: Six weekly appearances 05 June 1983 to 10 July 1983 Series
Two: Four weekly appearances 06 September 1984 to 27 September 1984 Christmas
Special: 23 December 1984 This was basically ‘Come Dancing’ on speed. The driving force behind the show was Wayne Sleep who, along with Bonnie Langford, ensured the programme received plenty of publicity, not to mention BAFTA nominations. Cherry received third billing on the credits and this is probably her best TV dance work to date.
The Morecambe & Wise Show (ITV) 05
October 1983 Cherry starred with Morecambe & Wise again, 2841 days after her previous appearance on their show. This programme was originally scheduled for 21 September 1983, but was postponed.
Blankety Blank (BBC1) Five editions of Blankety Blank hosted by Les
Dawson: 16
November 1984, 25 January 1985, 20 December 1985, 13 February 1987, 06
November 1987 Vastly underrated game show with Les Dawson as the perfect host. Amongst the prizes on offer were an ‘Orange Tree’ and a ‘Do-It-Yourself Boy George Make-Up Kit’. I kid you not!!!
The Funny Side (ITV) 31
July 1985 Guest appearance on this short-lived ITV comedy sketch show starring Derek Griffiths.
Bergerac (BBC1) 09
January 1988 Cherry played the part of Marianne Roussillon in an episode entitled “Crossed Swords”.
Casualty (BBC1) 01
December 1989 Cherry played the part of Barbara Conrad in an episode entitled “Hanging On”.
Minder (ITV) (LINK) 19
September 1991 Cherry starred alongside George Cole and Gary Webster in the story ‘Whatever Happened To Her Indoors’.
TV Commercials (1996) Cherry
contributed to TV Commercials for Kellogg’s All-Bran and Wella Hair Care in
1996.
Stage Musicals Cherry
has appeared in a number of stage musicals since leaving Pan’s People,
including ‘A Chorus Line’.
Legs & Co
Tiswas (ITV) Legs
& Co appeared on this anarchic ATV Saturday morning show in the late
1970s.
Celebrity It’s A Knockout (BBC1) 16
August 1977 ‘It’s
A Knockout’ must rank as one of the tackiest programmes of the Seventies.
However that didn’t stop me, or millions of other viewers, tuning in each
week and loving every minute of it. The programmes were presented by the
wonderfully OTT Stuart Hall and featured three teams fighting each other over
water obstacles and inflatables. Every year from 1975 until 1981 the BBC
broadcast a celebrity special that usually featured The Lord’s Taverners and
a host of B-list celebrities (ie Radio 1 DJs, cast members from ‘On The
Buses’, etc). Legs & Co made an appearance on this 1977 edition.
Jim’ll Fix It (BBC1) 1978 Jim
fixed it for some young girls to dance along to ABBA’s “Take A Chance On Me”
with Legs & Co.
Multi-Coloured Swap Shop (BBC1) 18 March 1978 The BBC’s answer to Tiswas hosted by Noel Edmonds. Other guests on this edition of the popular Saturday morning kid’s show were Peter Shilton, Cleo Laine, Johnny Dankworth and The Pleasers (who they?).
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August 1978 Yet
another appearance for Legs & Co on this ‘It’s A Knockout’ celebrity
special.
The British Rock & Pop Awards (BBC1) 11
April 1979 Ten
years before Mick Fleetwood and Samantha Fox turned the British Record
Industry into a laughing stock the BBC broadcast the first annual ‘British
Rock & Pop Awards”. This ceremony would in later years become “The
British Record Industry Awards” before eventually being called “The Brits”.
Legs & Co featured in this 1979 ceremony along with Dave Dee, Georgie
Fame, Mary Hopkin, Hank Marvin and Dusty Springfield. Hardly contemporary was
it?
Blue Peter (BBC1) December 1979 In December 1979 Mike Oldfield released his version of the Blue Peter theme tune in order to raise money for the programme’s Cambodia appeal. Legs & Co did their bit to promote the single by performing on Blue Peter dressed in sailor suits.
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December 1980 The
‘Basil’ in question is that annoying little hand puppet Basil Brush. His 1980
Christmas show was set aboard a luxury liner and involved the hunt for a
stolen ruby. Legs & Co must have been the ship’s cabaret act.
Doctor Who Magazine (LINK) Issue 283 (1999) To celebrate the magazine’s twentieth anniversary, DWM Issue 283 featured a comic strip entitled “TV Action!” illustrated by Roger Langridge. The Doctor travels back in time to the BBC Television Centre circa 1979 where Legs & Co are dancing to Art Garfunkel’s Bright Eyes. Strangely, the comic strip only features four members of Legs & Co?!? Click on the above link to see the comic strip for yourself.
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January 2001 This
programme looked back over the previous 37 years of Top of the Pops and also
featured the dance troupes that appeared on the show. Besides an interview
with choreographer Flick Colby, there were also appearances by members of The
Gojos and Legs & Co. Check out the Bits ‘n’ Bobs section for a transcript. |