I discovered your excellent site yesterday and have enjoyed very much re-acquainting myself with some of the programmes I watched when I was very young. I was born in 1952. my dad wouldn't stretch to ITV until the advent of 625 line sets, considering it a bad influence, or just another expensive aerial that might bring down the chimney!

I remember the Garry Halliday series very well. Elwyn BrookJones was quite a frightening villain with some particularly unpleasant bottom teeth as I recall. I may be wrong but I don't think he died during the last series but did become ill and died subsequently. I remember he was replaced by an actor called Hamlyn Benson who was, as you said, not particularly like him and was almost congenial by comparison. He did wear glasses though. Bill Dodds was a bit unreliable as I recall - good preparation for Terence Alexander's role in Bergerac.

Have you any information on Studio E or Vera Mckechnie? The highlight of the show that I recall, as a boy of about 5 or 6, was a live appearence by The Lone Ranger, Clayton Moore. I remember him pushing his way through a few tired looking branches for his entrance, which seemed a bit of an anti-climax for one used to riding the wild open spaces. The Beeb obvioiusly couldn't stump up for a horse. Wasn't Studio E called Focus in an earlier or later incarnation?

I do remember a dark haired thick set and very irritable weather man 'losing it' one night when the map he was pulling into shot got stuck. He said he was going to complain to the Met office, had never been so embarrassed in his life etc. etc. I don't remember him appearing again after that!

I have memories of seemingly endless breakdowns in transmission, usually during children's television. Also one night when Chan Canasta blacked out all the Tv screens in the country. I can remember the white dot and total silence for a few seconds. How did he do that?   Thank you for the information on 'Playbox' - always the 'b' side of Crackerjack I felt. I remember one game where contestants were blindfolded and had to taste and identify a mixture of ingredients on a dessert spoon, which they rarely managed. Food too posh probably. Inspector Bruce and the six mistakes he had to spot. I seem to remember he was played by an actor called Ivan Owen. Was this the man who later became the voice of Basil Brush? My wife has fond memories of Bengo the Boxer Puppy. It was nice to be able to show her a picture on your site.

Adrian Hill's sketch Club..All charcoal and white chalk. I wonder how he would have coped in colour? i remember thinking how pretty awful the show was at the time. Someone sent in a letter to him that he read on air  'Dear Adrian Hill, I don't think your drawings are very good.......'

Once again thanks for a very entertaining site.

Best wishes,

Jeff Wilkins.