In Memory 2011 Googie Withers

Not an easy name to remember Googie Withers. She was born in India in in 1917, and died in July 2011 at the good old age of 94. She will be remembered in British 1970s culture for two things.

The first was a women's prison series made by London Weekend Television called "Within These Walls", where she played prison governor Faye Boswell from 1974 to 1978. Some of the episodes were wiped, but the remaining can be found on DVDs. In all over 72 episodes were shown.

Googie, had lived for years in Australia, and was in fact married to an Australian. She was happy to live in Australia with her husband John McCullum who dies in 2010. They were together since 1947.
It was with him that she helped develop the international classic children's TV series "Skippy The Bush Kangaroo". Although the series ended in 1968, it still was being shown around the world throughout the 1970s.

Catweazle

This classic TV comedy from London Weekend Television in Britain, was based on the premise that a wizard from the 1100s was moved through time, right into the 1970s England. This must see TV series was from 1970 and 1971 and starred Geffrey Bayldon as the Catweasle, whos amazement at the modern technology he was now in was pure "Magic" and mosyt of the comedy came from his reactions to the modern world, and all attempts to keep him, that is Catweazle secret from adults and the authorities.

Catweazle lived in a water tower for most of the 25 episodes, and was always planning magic to get him back to his own time. The seires written by Richard Carpenter, was such a success for adults and children alone, and got picked up by many countries, alas America did not see it in their schedules.

Here is a scene with Catweazle at play. No sound but you get the jist.

The series won the Writers Guild  award for Best Children's TV Drama Scrip in 1971.

The series was huge in Germany and still gets shown from time to time, but I cannot recall seeing it replayed in the UK, however a DVD to celebrate the 40th birthday, from which this excerpt comes from.

The Main Cast

Geffrey Bayldon born in 1924 played the  Catweazle, and during the 1970s had roles in "Doctor Who","Duchess Of Duke Street","Space 1999" and "Special Branch".

Robin Davis played the young boy "Carrot", he also starred in "And Mother Makes Five","Doomwatch","The Secret Army". Robin died of lung cancer in February 2010 ARTICLE