Are you looking for a taste of nostalgia from your childhood? The streaming service ITVX is sure to have something for you. Britbox content is available as part of an ITVX Premium subscription, and they’ve been adding ‘Old School Classics’ to their catalogue for many years now. Viewers can experience such highly praised delights as Grange Hill, Press Gang, the 70s Famous Five and Mr Benn. We wanted to highlight some of these gems by focusing on a specific decade.
While the focus in mainstream media is skewing more towards the Millennial audience when it comes to classic TV, there are many 70s titles available on the platform. Here is our pick of the ’70s titles you should check out!
Rentaghost
Rentaghost is a classic comedy series created by Bob Block. A staple among “do you remember that” conversations from a certain generation, the series followed a group of ghosts as they ran a business. It began in 1976, running for 58 episodes over 9 series and ended in 1984. The main cast for most of the ’70s episodes consisted of Michael Derbyshire, Anthony Jackson and Michael Staniforth.
The early adventures of the ghosts are a must-see for fans of classic comedy. While most of it lacks the total pantomime chaos of later series, the situations are still absurd and silly enough. It’s the characters of Mr Claypole, Mr Davenport and Mr Mumford that keep you coming back. Highly recommended.
Catweazle
If you’ve ever heard the phrases electrickery and telling bone, but have no idea to their origins, then give Catweazle a go. Originally broadcast on ITV for 2 series between 1970 and 1971, it ran for 26 episodes. Created by Richard Carpenter for London Weekend Television, the series starred Geoffrey Bayldon as an eccentric 11th-century wizard who finds himself in the present day. The series also featured Robin Davies, Gary Warren, Neil McCarthy, Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell, Moray Watson and Peter Butterworth.
Guest actors including Patricia Hayes, Hattie Jacques, John Junkin, Peter Sallis and Paul Eddington also featured. This is possibly one of the greatest TV shows ever made, although it is somewhat let down by the change of world and characters in series 2. Regardless, Bayldon’s childlike reading of the character is absolutely brilliant. Catweazle rules!
Paddington
Ah Paddington, this one needs almost no introduction whatsoever! Paddington was created by Michael Bond, who wrote a series of books starting in 1959. A TV series adaptation was first broadcast in 1976 and was made by Ivor Wood and Filmfair. It ran for 52 short five-minute episodes. Michael Horden provided the narration for the series. The series follows a bear who has stowed away from “darkest Peru”. He meets the Brown family at Paddington station, who take him home. A series of adventures follows.
Nearly 50 years on, this series continues to captivate audiences. The visual difference between the Paddington model and the 2D world he inhabits shouldn’t work but it does. This TV adaptation is potentially the most faithful to the books, with each episode representing a chapter. Horden’s commentary is timeless, owing to the actor’s serious attempt to give each character a believable voice; So good that his voice is the one I hear in my head when I’m reading the books to my son. Don’t just look after this bear, watch it!
Bagpuss
“Old fat furry cat-puss. Wake up and look at this thing that I bring”. The work of Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin is adequately represented on ITVX Premium. We could have chosen to highlight The Clangers or Ivor The Engine from the Smallfilms stable, but it was clear it had to be Bagpuss. This show often ranks among the best there has ever been with good reason. Despite being somewhat choppy compared to contemporary standards, the stop-frame animation of Bagpuss retains a certain allure. The characters are charming, the songs catchy and the storytelling has a refreshing gentleness.
The series of 13 episodes of Bagpuss was first broadcast in 1974. The opening sequence tells the story of a little girl called Emily, a shop and her cloth cat Bagpuss. In each episode, a new item was left for the toys to ponder. Other characters that lived in the shop include the six mice of the “mouse organ”, a rag doll called Madeleine and a wooden woodpecker bookend called Professor Yaffle. Watch Bagpuss and discover what Emily brought.
5) Worzel Gummidge
Worzel Gummidge, based on Barbara Euphan Todd’s books, starred Pertwee as the endearing scarecrow. Una Stubbs portrayed Aunt Sally, Gummidge’s snobby love interest. Jeremy Austin and Charlotte Coleman took on the roles of the children, John and Sue. Geoffrey Bayldon appeared as the Crowman, with guest spots from notable actors like Joan Sims, Bill Maynard, Barbara Windsor, Lorraine Chase, and Norman Bird. The show was a Southern Television production, spanning 30 episodes across four series, including a Christmas special, from 1979 to 1981.
Indeed, Worzel was somewhat frightening, but Jon Pertwee’s depiction remains as charming as it has always been. There are some freaky moments, but most of it maintains an old-world charm that can’t be found in modern productions. The version of the series on ITVX is taken from dusty old TV prints, not the remastered transfers as seen on Talking Pictures, but it is still an enjoyable piece of television history.
Which classic children’s show from the 1970s do you like to watch on ITVX Premium?
Please note that the information contained here was correct at the time of publication. Titles available to stream on ITVX could change without prior notice. Please see the ITV website for more details.
