Fascinating Facts and Trivia

For the song Weather with You by Crowded House, the band decided to sent copies of their song to the address mentioned in the song "at 57 Mount Pleasant Street" so everywhere in the world there was a 57 Mount Pleasant Street people received a copy of their single.

Some tunes you are sure you know have been used by the BBC to become memorable theme tunes:

Soul Limbo-Booker T and the MG's was the long time introduction music to Cricket.

Star by Kiki Dee was reworked and used as the theme to Bob Says Opportunity Knocks, a revival of the 70's talent show.

Where I Find My Heaven by the Gigolo Aunts found its way to the theme to comedy series 'Game On'(Ben Chaplin/Neil Stuke/Samantha Janis)

Top of the Pops had several including Paul Hardcastle-The Wizard(which the producer Michael Hurll bet would make the chart if released as a single) Led Zeppelin-Whole Lot of Love and Yellow Pearl by Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy.
Computer World-Kraftwerk tune for opening title sequence of The Computer Programme 1980's

ABC's Look of Love(the instrumental part towards the end of the album track) was used at the end of Radio 1 DJ Gary Davies's programme.

^ Allman Brothers Band - "Jessica" - Top Gear
Pet Shop Boys - "Opportunities" - The Clothes Show
and of course Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain" which was used by BBC for their motor racing programmes for years.

Others: Douglas Wood Group-original Snooker theme/ Vangelis -To the Unknown Man(incidental music once)
London Marathon theme taken from film 'The Trap' by Ron Goodwin.
BBC Athletics theme-Blind Faith by Chase and Status.
Ski Sunday(and other skiing stuff) Pop Goes Debussy
Superstars theme by Johnny Pearson(one time conductor of Top of the Pops)

ITV's Van der Valk - Eye Level by the Simon Park Orchestra.
Minder theme-I Could Be So Good For You by Dennis Waterman.

Remember Big Break with Jim Davidson and John Virgo, the Saturday teatime quiz show about snooker and featured well-known snooker players trying to help the contestants win a prize(by potting the coloured balls as fast as possible while the contestant answered general knowledge questions?) Well then you will also remember the catchy theme tune 'Big Break' (I'm going to be Snookering you tonight) but did you know that it was adapted from the original score of a West End play called 'The Hunting of the Snark' by Edward Lear(Jabberwocky) about a group of people from all walks of life looking for the mythical creature. In that play was a character of the Snooker Player and that was once played by Radio 1 DJ Kenny Everett and he sang the 'Big Break 'song. Naturally some bright spark worked out that it would be perfect for the Big Break quiz show and so that was adapted for the BBC series.

When Gianni Versace was killed in the US by his lover all the papers were very sombre about it but only the British newspaper The Sport managed to find something funny for their headline-remembering he was involved in the fashion industry, their headline was SHOOTS YOU!

The name Mattel was derived from Ruth and Elliot Handler who set up a company in 1945 in the US to make toys along with their friend Harold Matson-combining Mat and Elliot they formed the name Mattel (but note Mat has only 1 T where as the name has 2 and Elliot the same)

Liverpool have reached two Champions League finals since Manchester United last won a home game in the Premier League while keeping a clean sheet.

A reporter wanted to know the great British actor Cary Grant's (born Archibald Leach) age so he sent him a telegram saying "How old Cary Grant?" to which Cary Grant sent back the reply "Old Cary Grant fine,how are you?"

Fine British actor Francis Matthews used his voice as the voice of the hero Captain Scarlet (Gerry Anderson's puppet show of the 60's) in Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. Other well known names were Nicholas Parsons-Tex Tucker(Four Feather Falls) and Bob Monkhouse as Dr Grant in the film version of 'Thunderbirds Are Go!'

Speaking of puppets the faces of some were modelled on famous actors. Scott Tracy(Thunderbirds) was modelled on Sean Connery, Troy Tempest(Stingray) on James Garner and Jeff Tracy(Thunderbirds) was based on Lorne Greene(Bonanza) Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward(Thunderbirds) was based on Gerry Anderson's first wife, the glamorous Sylvia Anderson, who sadly died two years ago.

The term FAB was really not based on anything, possibly short for fabulous but one fan theory reckoned it was For All Brothers which has a ring of credibility.

FAB1 the amazing pink Rolls-Royce driven by Parker had a special grill made by Rolls-Royce who gave their permission to use the design on the model. A larger full size one was used to promote the film in the 1960's and still exists today. It has powerful missiles built in front and rear, grappling hooks(at the rear) and can change to a hydrofoil. FAB 2 was the name of Lady Penelope's yacht.

Special effects wizard Derek Meddings designed and built the iconic Thunderbird 2 but he would then go on to do all sorts of models for various films from James Bond to the original 1989 Batman film. In the James Bond film Goldeneye(his last film before he died) he was responsible for the shuttle launches in 'Moonraker', the helicopter sequence in 'For Your Eyes Only' and the afore-mentioned 'Goldeneye.'

(14-05-2019 10:00 )GreenMachine Wrote:  A reporter wanted to know the great British actor Cary Grant's (born Archibald Leach) age so he sent him a telegram saying "How old Cary Grant?" to which Cary Grant sent back the reply "Old Cary Grant fine,how are you?"

Read somewhere recently that when he married his second wife, who was quite wealthy, the newspapers called the couple "Cash & Cary"

But I suppose with his real surname being "Leach" that could have led to some monikers just as bad!