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Stanley's
vocal dexterity soon caught the ear of the TV producer set and
it wasn't long before he was making the transition from radio
and film to the box in the corner.
Like
his radio stuff, it's very difficult to produce an exact
tellyography - especially as he made guest appearances on
countless shows over the years - but here's basically what I've
been able to pinpoint.
The
one big gaping gap is Unwin Time, details of which I've
not been able to track down anywhere. If you can lend a hand
here, or if you know of anything else that's
worth adding, please drop me a line.
Early
To Braden - July '57 to March '58 (BBC)
Stan's
first real break on TV came via old mucker Bernie Braden who at
this time - long before his reincarnation as a consumer rights
champion and the spawneur of Esther Rantzen's 'That's Life' and
all that followed in its wake - was actually the king of the
sketch show.
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Bernard
Braden
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Think
of a major writer or writer team from the 50s, 60s and 70s and
they'll all have cut their TV teeth on Braden's TV shows: Muir and
Norden, Galton and Simpson, Monkhouse and Goodwin, Antrobus,
Merriman and Speight to name just a few.
And
amongst
all that talent was Stanley Unwin, who nobody could write for
better than the man himself. top
Gala
Opening - March 1959 (BBC)
This
was Eric Sykes's fourth one-hour BBC special with a playhouse
themed title ('Dress Rehearsal', 'Opening Night' and 'Closing
Night' being the previous three, broadcast between '56 and '57).
'Gala
Opening' was a spoof 'lavish extravaganza from the Floral Hall,
Grapplewick' and was notable for the first TV teaming of Sykes
with Hattie Jacques. Stanley was the only other guest artist on
the bill. top
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The
Secret Service - 1968/9 (ITV)
This
oft forgotten and sadly almost buried chapter of the great Gerry
Anderson's canon featured Stanley in the second of his two most
remembered and iconic roles. It deserves its own page which
you'll find here. top
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Tell
Tarby - October to December 1973 (ITV)
Unusually
for Jimmy Tarbuck at the time, this was a fairly topical
stand-up and sketch show put together with a regular cast that
included Kenny Lynch, Linda Bellingham and Hugh Paddick.
And,
of course, our Stan. top
Do
It! - early 80s (ITV)
I'm
going to leave this description to the brilliant TV Cream,
who have suffered on our behalf more than most:
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Very
eager "Hey! Let's make stuff!" show for
holiday mornings, presented by tomboyish Sheelagh Gilbey,
notional 'Editor' of the 'Do It supplement' to some
fictional rag or other. Featured the great Professor
Stanley Unwin on more than one occasion. Other than
that, average. But keen.
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The
Innes Book of Records - September 1981 (BBC2)
Neil
Innes, all-round genius and ex-Bonzo Dog guitarist, started this
half-hour series of quirky songs in 1979. Not too much information
beyond that I'm afraid, but Stan appeared as 'Himself' in series
3 episode 6, as far as I can gather. top
TX:
Ready For Transmission - Autumn 1985 (ITV)
Tony
Slattery (remember him?) was one of the 'cool' presenters of
this flashy Saturday morning 'Tiswas' replacement. Mixed in with
cartoons, bands and 'issue' based chin rubbing for the under
twelves was the excellent Frank Sidebottom and a regular turn
from Stanley. top
The
Laughing Prisoner - April 1987 (Channel 4)
Jools
Holland's post-'Tube' career sort of started with this - a
part piss-take, part-homage to the much-lauded Patrick MacGoohan
conspiracy-fest from the 60s.
Featuring
Stephen Fry as 'No. 2' and Stanley as a sort of itinerant
narrator, it passed the time nicely enough. top
Lazarus
and Dingwall - February to March 1991 (BBC2)
If
you can remember that Carling Black Label 'Dambusters' ad, you
can remember Mark Arden and Steve Frost who played the
eponymous detectives in this...er...'comedy' cop series.
However,
it was brightened up considerably by the appearance of one
Stanley Unwin as a High Court Judge in the 'Little Mark On The
Side of the Head' episode, broadcast on 8 March '91. top
Inside
Victor Lewis-Smith - November to December 1993 (BBC2)
One
of many cameos, Stanley appeared as a Laboratory Assistant in
the first episode of the first series ('The Money Programme') of
this, V L-S's oddball trawl through (primarily) BBC TV
programming.
Others
who contributed to the series included Chris Langham, Arthur
Mullard and (Dr) Phil Hammond. top
The
Great Bong - 1995 (Channel 4)
Deemed
'too unique for US television', this live action puppet show was
written, co-produced and co-directed by Jim 'Muppet' Henson
sidekick Karen Prell.
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The
Great Bong - top row, centre
(pic
© Barclay, Quinn & Prell) |
It
featured voice artistes such as Spike Milligan, Michael
Bentine and Barbara Windsor, and starred Stanley as the Great Bong,
an eccentric badger magician (not often you see those last three
words next to each other).
Bong
employed Stan's language to the full, reacting to every magical
disaster with the now familiar words 'Deep Joy!'. top
Rex
the Runt - December 1998 (BBC2)
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Mr
Wangle (left) gives Rex some
financial advice
(pic
© Aardman Animations) |
As
far as I'm concerned, this is a meeting of greats. Not only do
you get the brilliant plasticine square-on dogette of the title
and his family (created by Aardman Animations), but in series 1
episode 12 ('Johnny Saveloy's Undoing'), you also get the voice-over contributions of gag
ubermeister Bob Monkhouse as TV-envangelist-gone-postal Johnny
Saveloy and Stanley as Rex's accountant Mr Wangle. A treat. top
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