Blue Peter
Louise
Gold appeared as one of the puppeteers performing puppets from the film The Dark Crystal in the studio. BBC 1, 17:10
to 17:33 on 17 February 1983.
Featuring
Blue Peter Presenters
Simon Groom
Sarah Greene
Peter Duncan
Guests – Puppeteers
from The Dark
David Barclay - Podlings
Louise Gold - Podlings
Mike Quinn – SkekEkt, Fizzgig, Podlings
Production Team (includes)
Editor
– Biddy Baxter
The Blue
Peter item about The Dark Crystal
is featured on page 25 of Blue Peter Annual No 20 (which
details the programme from September 1982 to June 1983). One of the photographs
on that page is of the three puppeteers wearing Podling
puppets on their arms, demonstrating their
‘Podling Dance’ in the Blue Peter Studio. Louise Gold is easily recognisable as the centre puppeteer, because
of her wild chestnut hair, and the distinctive look on her face.
David Barclay, Louise
Gold, and, Mike Quinn went on to
puppeteer on the UK Co Production of Fraggle Rock, and, The Muppet Christmas Carol.
David Barclay, and, Mike Quinn
went on to puppeteer on Labyrinth.
David Barclay, and, Louise Gold
went on to puppeteer on Alice In Wonderland.
Louise Gold and Mike Quinn had previously puppeteered on The Great Muppet Caper, and, The Muppets Go To The Movies; they
went on to puppeteer on The Tale Of The Bunny Picnic,
The Ghost Of Faffner
Hall, Jim Henson’s Memorial
Service, The Secret Life Of Toys,
and, Muppet Treasure Island; they can
be heard on The Muppet Christmas
Carol (Soundtrack album), and apparently also on A Green And Red Christmas (well they
are credited on it).
Peter Duncan went on to appear in the Regents Park 70th Anniversary Gala.
BlackAdder, Joint Account, Allo Allo, The House Of Eliott,
Casualty, Doctors, Gina’s Laughing Gear , and, That Puppet Game Show were all first shown
on BBC 1.
Summary/ Review
by Emma Shane
As I was rather young at the time, my memory of watching this is somewhat vague. But I definitely saw it. All I really remember about this notable item. Is that it was an item about some film or other. These people were doing strange things at about head height. Basically they had worked on some film were in the Blue Peter studio demonstrating how they achieved some of the effects on this film. But at the time I didn’t really understand what it was all about.
Many many years later, I came to understand that what I had actually seen were a group of puppeteers, and I came to realise that this was the first time I ever saw Louise Gold, she had been one of those “people doing strange things at head height”.
Links about Blue Peter
Blue Peter’s official Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/bluepeter/ (this has pretty well nothing to do
with this particular little episode from 1983, but in case anyone needs to know
where that site is).
BBC Cult Classic site, Official section
for Blue Peter: http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/classic/bluepeter/
Mike Quinn’s Resume: http://www.quinnzone.com/page7/page17/page17.html
Webpage about Blue Peter Annual No 20: http://www.animus-web.demon.co.uk/bpeter/annuals/bk20.html
BBC Programme Guide’s entry: http://open.bbc.co.uk/catalogue/infax/programme/LCHA367N (I am pretty sure the reference to “Tim
Rice” is incorrect, could it be “Tim Rose”)
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