Crossroads Crossroads: 1964-1988, 2001-2003

[Spells & Karma]

Im still trying to work out why Diane is now on the farm - misssing epiosdes are annoying!!

Luckily, we have @James from London to fill in those pesky gaps:

I think Carney got into debt with some bad men who threatened to kill his beloved whippet if he didn't cough up. Diane found out and pinched some money from one of the wage packets in the sitting room to give to him. Then I think Faye later caught her putting the money back. Diane refused to defend herself, partly cos she didn't want to get Carney in trouble and partly (as I remember it) cos she didn't want to be answerable to Faye who she still resented for nicking her secretarial job. So instead she quit in a huff, let them all think she was a thief and went to live with her Uncle Ed.

 

[Angela Chilling]

Im still trying to work out why Diane is now on the farm - misssing epiosdes are annoying!!

I think it was her uncle's farm. She went to a funeral, possibly her aunt's, and her Uncle was in a bad way so she stayed to look after him.

Luckily, we have @James from London to fill in those pesky gaps:

Oh, I've just read this, maybe my memory is wrong.

 

[Barbara Fan]

Glenda being so nasty to her back before she reformed.

Glenda and her bright blue eyeshadow arrived last night

The last few epiosdes Ive watched have been rather Meg less

I do vaguely remember Kelly who was with David Hunter and i remember thinking that Mark Colleano was rather tasty when i was young

Thought i recognised his girlfriend in Xroads only to discover she appeared in quite a lot with Victoria Wood as seen on TV!

 

[Barbara Fan]

a few old familiar faces here including Meg, Amy and a young looking Terry Wogan

 

[Barbara Fan]

Managing to get through a few more Crossroads DVDs and really liking Sandy, how sad he died so young

and also

Was looking at some Crossroads web sites and Mrs Whitton / Jo Richardson died on holiday in the Seychelles in suspicious circumstances

her daughter posted this on twitter a few years back, how sad for her children to lose both parents at a young age

 

[Julia's Spooky Nun]

What a sad story thanks for posting.

I've been watching Xmas episodes from 1975 and 76. They were lovely and nostalgic to see, especially Amy Turtle being invited over for a cup of tea as she had no where to go on Xmas Day. It reminded my of an aunt I had that no-one wanted to have over at Xmas, so she used to invite herself to ours instead! David and Sandy's bright kipper ties are hard to watch at times, I almost had to put sunglasses on to get through one episode.

At the moment I'm on disc 11. There was a fab row betwen Meg and David about him offering shares to Rosemary. For a moment Crossroads was lifted to a whole other level, the acting was great. Noele got so angry, I loved it, but alreayd things have moved on again, it's frustrating that there are so many gaps with these episodes on the DVDs, but it can't be helped.

I'm kind of enIjoying this box set, even when the episodes/dialogue are very dull, It's still fun to focus on the garish 1970s curtains and backgrounds and how they remind me of friend's houses when I was growing up. This show brings back so many memories of childhood.

 

[Barbara Fan]

I'm kind of enIjoying this box set, even when the episodes/dialogue are very dull, It's still fun to focus on the garish 1970s curtains and backgrounds and how they remind me of friend's houses when I was growing up. This show brings back so many memories of childhood.

oh I agree with you 100% @Julia's Gun - and also wish there werent so many episoes missing; With a few its ends and I think I wonder what will happen next, only to find we have jumped 30!!

I love the fashions, the hair styles, the props, the 70s sets and seeing the guest cast pop in and out *

- Miss Diane in particular has lovely hair, long or short and always seems jolly. I love David Hunters Teddy bear fur coat (cant belive people wore that at the time) and as you say some kipper ties are - wonder if side burns will make a comeback too??

* This week with me - I see that Mrs Peignoir aka Yvonne Gillan (and AA Gills mother) has checked out of Fawlty Towers in Torquay and made it to the Midlands to check into the Crossroads motel, no longer French and with her own Scots accent

 

[Spells & Karma]

Was looking at some Crossroads web sites and Mrs Whitton / Jo Richardson died on holiday in the Seychelles in suspicious circumstances

Gosh - I had no idea. I wonder how this is not more widely known.

At the moment I'm on disc 11.

it's frustrating that there are so many gaps with these episodes on the DVDs

The good news is that the consecutive episodes begin around Disc 17. I must confess I found that quite an adjustment at first.

I'm kind of enIjoying this box set, even when the episodes/dialogue are very dull, It's still fun to focus on the garish 1970s curtains and backgrounds and how they remind me of friend's houses when I was growing up.

Oh, absolutely. There's something incredibly nostalgic and cheerful about the whole vibe.

 

[Julia's Spooky Nun]

I love the fashions, the hair styles, the props, the 70s sets and seeing the guest cast pop in and out *
- Miss Diane in particular has lovely hair, long or short and always seems jolly. I love David Hunters Teddy bear fur coat (cant belive people wore that at the time) and as you say some kipper ties are - wonder if side burns will make a comeback too??

I couldn't work out how lovely Susan Hanson ended up working at the farm with Benny either. But i'm impressed with Paul Henry's acting - he is always totally in character. Like Columbo was always the dishevelled detective, Benny is always the same, whatever his lines, so sensitive and vulnerable but always in the zone, he never seems to give a duff performance. I was concerned to see him put not 1 but 4 spoons of sugar in his mug of tea in an early 1977 episode (2689 to be exact), whether this was a one-off I don't know but thankfully Paul is still with us, so he must have reduced his sugar intake before the diabetes set in.

Vera Downend has become a favourite of mine. I loathed her hair, make-up and those ghastly turqoise earrings to beign with, and they have peristed through much of the 1970s, but she suddenly ditched them for the Xmas 1976 episode, and I must say she looked stunning. She appears to live on a barge with hideous curtains, but i've grown to really like her and all her gossipy hair salon scenes, just hope she stays around a bit longer.

The good news is that the consecutive episodes begin around Disc 17. I must confess I found that quite an adjustment at first.

Really, are the 1978-80 years any good, or are they tough to sit through? I'm hoping I will get a Sons & Daughters addict vibe, and be glued for endless episodes of binge-watching Crossroads bliss.

If not, then maybe i will need to invest in the upcoming Sons & Daughters seasons 3-4 combined boxset aswell, if I intend to get that kind of soap pleasure vibe again?

 

[Spells & Karma]

I was concerned to see him put not 1 but 4 spoons of sugar in his mug of tea in an early 1977 episode (2689 to be exact), whether this was a one-off I don't know

Something I’ve noticed in many of the episodes is that three sugars seems to be the requisite amount. Nobody ever seems to drink a hot beverage without several heaped spoonfuls. The first couple of times I saw it I thought perhaps it was in order for the actors to have something to do with their hands, but then they actually drink the stuff so it seems to be a preference.

She appears to live on a barge with hideous curtains, but i've grown to really like her and all her gossipy hair salon scenes

I grew to like her as well. And I'm very partial to those hideous curtains, so perhaps I've been watching too long.

Really, are the 1978-80 years any good, or are they tough to sit through?

There were reasons why I found the first of the consecutive episodes a challenge. There were some plots and characters I didn't care for and, without the added interest of playing catchup regarding who's living where and dating whom, I feared it would feel a very long haul indeed.

Once I settled into the "new" pacing (and some of my niggles around tedious plots and characters were resolved) I've grown to like it. I'm around 40 episodes into the consecutive episodes, so I'm still only up to September 1978 and finding it very watchable (even though I haven't watched an episode in around two weeks - but that 's flipping life getting in the way), so there's a good chance you'll be getting your soap pleasure vibe on.

 

[Julia's Spooky Nun]

I'm around 40 episodes into the consecutive episodes, so I'm still only up to September 1978 and finding it very watchable (even though I haven't watched an episode in around two weeks - but that 's flipping life getting in the way), so there's a good chance you'll be getting your soap pleasure vibe on.

I hope so thanks, but am a bit concerned you've gone a full two weeks without viewing an episode from this stunning box-set. It must be sitting there feeling very abandoned?

 

[Spells & Karma]

am a bit concerned you've gone a full two weeks without viewing an episode from this stunning box-set. It must be sitting there feeling very abandoned?

Oh, I'm sure it is. I haven't watched any TV at all in that time, so I don't feel too disloyal to good old Nolly. As soon as my TV-viewing mojo is back, Xrds will be the first on my list... and I'll be in it through to the last disc!

 

[Barbara Fan]

Ive got to Episodes now with Spencer Banks - and had to burst out laughing at his hair!!

Many moons ago aged 7 or 8 I was at my Nans in Kent on holiday and wanted my hair cut

Well its a small village and had one hairdressers shop and her clientele was usually the 70s and above

I wanted my hair blow dried but she stuck me in rollers and under a big hairdryer - when the rollers came out I looked exactly like Spencer Banks does in Crossroads (and i think i might have cried)

Also forget that Last of the summer wine Jane Freeman appeared in the show

Hugh Mortimer seems to be MIA for most of it -loving Meg, Sandy and Carny is another fav along with Vera

Sam Kydd has also appeared and i think he was MIke Baldwoins dad in Corrie

 

[Barbara Fan]

Benny is always the same, whatever his lines, so sensitive and vulnerable but always in the zone, he never seems to give a duff performance. I was concerned to see him put not 1 but 4 spoons of sugar in his mug of tea in an early 1977 episode (2689 to be exact), whether this was a one-off I don't know but thankfully Paul is still with us, so he must have reduced his sugar intake before the diabetes set in.

When i was watching Nolly and googling the cast I came across this article with Paul Henry

He has sadly had an eye removed but is upbeat and cheery

He was good in Crossroads - My old Auntie always had a soft spot for him!

Crossroads star Paul Henry on how he played Benny, health and giving up smoking

Paul Henry's career as Benny in Crossroads overlapped Lee Majors' reign as the bionic Six Million Dollar Man by three years - and almost five decades later he's been rebuilt himself

www.birminghammail.co.uk

 

[Barbara Fan]

Decided to dig into one of the end of the box extras, Disc 92 i think and watched a Meg and David Hunter gag reel

and 2 long footages of Megs final scenes aboard the QE2.

For much of it its filming not a lot happens - cars arriving at the docks, the band playing, luggage being loaded onto the ship, Jill on the dock

Then we get in the cabin to film Meg and Jills final scenes together which i always thought must have been very poignant for Noele Gordon

When i saw Jack Barton in shot i wanted to Boo hiss him!

Its take upon take, scene after scene - stand up, sit down, sit a bit further forwards on the bed Meg, and it all looked good in the 1st take
She really did look lovely in her last scenes but with all the retakes she did get worried about her skirt getting quite creased

There is a scene in the second compilation extra when Meg / Noele is outside waving and all of a sudden she shouts out to "Jill" its Tony and waves furiuosly in his direction - so he must have appeared in his boat - just as in Nolly

I always wonder (now) what happened to Noele Gordon as the boat sails away from the UK - i think i read she had to stay on it until Cherbourg and I hope she didnt have to come home alone / on her own / they sack you and leave you on your own

She really was SH*F*ED by ATV

I am now very tempted next time im south of the border to go to see whre she is buried in Ross on Wye - just wish it was closer to London x

 

[Angela Chilling]

I watching another episode of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) today and who should appear in it as Jeff Randall's lawyer but none other than a young Sue Lloyd, Crossroad's Barbara Brady.

 

[Barbara Fan]

She was in Journey to the Unknown with BBG - I couldnt get used to her with dark hair, as Barbara Brady was blonde (ish)

 

[Angela Chilling]

Another Crossroads alumnus appearing in Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), this time Diane Parker/Hunter's uncle Ed Lawton played by Thomas Heathcote.

 

[Angela Chilling]

Tony Steedman seemed to like playing doctors in the 1970s. Before he was Dr Butterworth in Crossroads, he played a doctor in the penultimate episode of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased).

 

[Barbara Fan]

Have decided to take a wee break from wall to wall crossroads but still on wall to wall Noele Gordon

Today i dug out Disc 93 and watched Noele Gordon on Russell Harty and Derek Batey (Mr and Mrs - my nan loved him!!) chats shows in the 70s

They are both lovely interviews and she is just a chat show dream guest, she is bright, eloquent, witty, entertaining and full of fun - with a little bit of a twinkle in her eye and a flirt with Russell Harty - shes just lovely! She is a great raconteur

I recommend them both :bravo1: