Patrick George Callaghan

You know, I recently sat back in front of the screen and watched the few surviving episodes of  Dixon of Dock Green… Some 22 episodes from 1973 to 1976, and I guess, I felt that these had stood up well to that Test ofTime. The series started in 1956 featuring Jack Warner and Peter Byrne, in Ted Childs BBC productions. I found the story lines were still very strong, offering not too differing and absorbing scenarios that have appeared and been applauded in latter years. I guess, these episodes would have been shown early on Saturday evenings, as far as I can recall. My parents and I would sit and watch the opening introduction from a uniformed Sargent Dixon and with his opening invitation of “Good Evening all” and raised salute. These were comfortable family shows, and you knew the villains would get their come-upence at the end. The series was based on an earlier full length Cinema feature entitled “The Blue ...

The weather can just about catch you out, whenever. The day before, we had sunshine and blue skies, and now several feet of snow, and what can be one guy’s misery, can be another’s pleasure, like these fella’s fooling around on the Chiltern Hills…

You know, there are times when you just don’t turn your back, specially, when your friend has gathered up a snowball. Still with us, is the snow of the Chilterns.

Well, it’s going to be Winter Break shopping until the New Year, I guess,  So it’s time for me to thank all you guys out there who have supported the PGC blog throughout the year in respectable numbers and enjoying hopefully, writings that come straight from the heart. The Winter Break is a time of reflected thoughts, when we think of others, giving support to people less fortunate than ourselves. It’s also a time when we support those closer to home, around our own campfires, with love and help where it’s most needed. There were two wonderful additions to the family this year. Elijah and Amelia Rose. So let me take a moment out, and say, thanks little guys, you are most truly welcome.

Whiplash… Outset 1959 Ok, I’m not one for name-dropping, so I’m kinda gonna work this little connection into my latest aquision. My father loved a number of programs put out by ITV. So in those days, and I guess it was a Friday evening, their news would end at 10.30 and for one full half hour, once a week, we would be treated to an Australian set drama featuring America actor Peter Graves, brother of James Arness (Gunsmoke) in the role of Christopher Cobb, who was the first man to run a stagecoach line from Sidney to Camden and on to Gundagai in New South Wales. Now, me and dad loved to watch this series before going to bed, and recently, I discovered a reasonable priced DVD on NTSC to my absolute joy and from Amazon. Now, for the name dropping bit. Frank Ifield, born in this country to Australian parents  had a string of hits in the UK and voiced the theme to whiplash on the outset of his career. In the...