- Hardcover: 352 pages
- Publisher: Allison & Busby; 1st edition edition (5 Nov 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0749005769
- ISBN-13: 978-0749005764
- Product Dimensions: 20.4 x 13.7 x 2.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 402,647 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Review
'A deeply dangerous, but wholly satisfying little hardback which promises to take your mind into areas untouched since childhood' Newcastle Journal
Scotland On Sunday
'A genuine reference book, wittily written and on a nicely small scale to keep you browsing.'
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was going to give this book three stars. After all, it missed my fave show ever Ace of Wands. But after spending a weekend with the book, and therefore its author, I came to realise that humour and truthful comments was more important. The jokes come thick and fast and Lewis's observations are perceptive and well worth the money. I (sadly) read it cover to cover and laughed all the way. Thanks. A great trip down memory lane and a really funny way to spend a weekend. MW.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I bought this book one Sunday lunchtime and didnt put it down until I had finished it; it was as gripping as a who-dunnit; except in this case it was a who-was-it? - all those questions which arise after too much alcohol with friends "what were the name of the Banana Splits?", "what exactly were the flumps?" and "were the creators of ALL our childhood heros under the influence of mind-altering substances??!!" All these and many more are answered in a humerous book with many hysterical insights from the author. Turning the page to find a long-since forgotten tv favourite from my childhood, I was shreiking with delight all afternoon; and was still giggling the next day . If you were a child in the 70s; BUY THIS BOOK!!!!
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Reading this, you can almost hear the publisher phoning the author, hassling him to have it ready to hit the shelves in time for Christmas...clearly no-one even had time to proof-read it, nor did the writer even take the trouble to organise his information in a useful manner - for instance, numerous entries for various Hanna-Barbera cartoon series tell us that so-and-so's voice was provided by Daws Butler, but there is no entry on 'Daws Butler' to give us a complete listing of the voices he supplied - on the other hand, entries for individual characters appear seperately, and invariably duplicate information in the entries for the series in which they appeared - but then this is a frivolous book and it would be missing the point to complain about stuff like that- as if to emphasise that, the author thoughtfully provides an entry for the term 'pishdy-cuf', and cross-references it to the entry for 'Ivor the Engine'.
The book never gets more serious than its tongue-in-cheek analysis of social heirarchies in Chigley, but there are loads of little facts in here to make you think 'I never knew THAT!' or 'Oh yeah - I'd completely forgotten'... for instance, who was the presenter in the FIRST series of 'Rainbow-?' And why IS 'Jackanory' called that-?
My only real gripe is that, frivolous though it is, it really is a bit too slapdash... a good many names are spelt incorrectly - not typing errors - he simply gets them wrong... Hong Kong Phooey's voice was Scatman Crothers, not Crowther; Catweazle was played by Geoffrey Bayldon, not Blaydon - I could go on - it's not hard to get these things right... and if you can't find 'Hector's House' straight away, don't despair - it's listed AFTER 'Help! It's the Hair Bear Bunch!' - that's right - this is an encyclopedia that can't even get its alphabet right!
However I'm being really picky here. Its technical faults are more than made up for by its astute speculations on Mr Benn's offscreen life, and whether or not Moominpappa was having an affair with the Snork Maiden (I'm convinced). This is the most fun book I've read in ages - I relished each and every page. Buy the thing, then hassle the publisher for a revised edition.
The book never gets more serious than its tongue-in-cheek analysis of social heirarchies in Chigley, but there are loads of little facts in here to make you think 'I never knew THAT!' or 'Oh yeah - I'd completely forgotten'... for instance, who was the presenter in the FIRST series of 'Rainbow-?' And why IS 'Jackanory' called that-?
My only real gripe is that, frivolous though it is, it really is a bit too slapdash... a good many names are spelt incorrectly - not typing errors - he simply gets them wrong... Hong Kong Phooey's voice was Scatman Crothers, not Crowther; Catweazle was played by Geoffrey Bayldon, not Blaydon - I could go on - it's not hard to get these things right... and if you can't find 'Hector's House' straight away, don't despair - it's listed AFTER 'Help! It's the Hair Bear Bunch!' - that's right - this is an encyclopedia that can't even get its alphabet right!
However I'm being really picky here. Its technical faults are more than made up for by its astute speculations on Mr Benn's offscreen life, and whether or not Moominpappa was having an affair with the Snork Maiden (I'm convinced). This is the most fun book I've read in ages - I relished each and every page. Buy the thing, then hassle the publisher for a revised edition.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Missing programs
The Encyclopaedia Of Cult Children's Tv is a good book even though a lot of the programs I remember aren't in it. Where is "Sara & Hoppity. Read more
Published on 17 Feb 2010 by David Wisdom
Poorly organised
This book would have been much better to have the shows / characters listed in date order, rather than alphabetical. Read more
Published on 4 Feb 2009 by S. M. Owen
Richard, you're a man after my own heart!
I sat in a packed room reading this creased over laughing much to the alarm of the strangers around me who clearly thought I'd escaped from somewhere. Read more
Published on 9 Jan 2008 by Clegsy
Better title would be Cult Children's TV of the 70's
I am a great reader of this type of book and looked forward to maybe having somthing a bit definitive. However this book did not give what it's title so readily declared. Read more
Published on 1 May 2006 by M. Brown
Superficial Nostagia Cash-In
I was really looking forward to this book, to curl up and indulge myself in some some nice cosy nostalgia. Read more
Published on 9 July 2005
The definitive children's TV book
This book is superb. Alright so some of the names are spelt wrongly, but I've finally found someone who shares my view on Dogtanian and the Three Muskahounds (I was young at the... Read more
Published on 2 Nov 2003 by "misterlister169"
Great fun and well worth a read
I've just recieved this book for my birthday, and have spent the last week chortling to myself over these fond, long forgotten memories so vividly brought back to me by the witty... Read more
Published on 7 May 2002 by k_levin@mail.com
Good idea, Poor execution
What with the recent spate of nostalgia television programmes and viewers' polls to decide the best children's programme ever, this book couldn't have been timed better. Read more
Published on 26 Mar 2002 by Christopher Pittard
Essential purchase for children of the 70's and 80's
I spent a day chuckling to myself on reading this book, remembering all the Telly I watched as a child. Read more
Published on 27 Dec 2001
Enjoyable to dip into
I have enjoyed dipping into this book - its easy to access A-Z format means it is an ideal book to browse. Read more
Published on 26 Dec 2001
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