Don’t ask me what set me down nostalgia trail the other evening; I found myself on youtube looking for videos of Muffin the Mule. Television was in its infancy in the post-war years in Britain, and I suspect I was fortunate in living in London at the time. Innovations came our way first. Even if it was by way of a 9 inch black and white set on the sideboard.
But did I really watch Muffin and Sooty when I was ten or eleven years old? Can you imagine it nowadays? Young people are more interested in High School Musical, technology or the environment.
However if you happen to need a five minute break, this little video will hopefully give you a lift and make you smile. If you have got the time to look, do let me know what you think. Oh and by the way, it is a useful lesson on how to use puppets with children. Charlie the raccoon was my puppet of choice when I did Children’s talks, and I know it would have been useful to have some some lessons on puppetry and story-telling. He used to sleep on the communion table and pop up at appropriate moments in a Service. He also went down quite well with the younger children at school.
oh dear, Freda, not part of my memory banks, but I think my children might have known Sooty and Sweep? Or have I got that wrong?
Today’s children’s TV is very different, I can’t imagine them sitting peacefully in front of the box watching and listening to an organ playing the Anniversary Waltz.
I don’t remember the donkey but vaguely in the recesses of my mind I remember a little bit of Sooty.
I can’t imagine kids watching the Anniversary Waltz either. Life has really changed in the last 50 years. Now that’s scary when I say 50 years. How is that possible???
Sooty and Muffin were not shown on TV in the U.S., at least not where I grew up in Nevada. Maybe the east coast got it. So this was the first time I ever laid eyes on that puppeteer (excellent one, at that) and his adorable puppets. I had a kitten named Sooty when I was about nine years old so it brought back sweet memories of that brave little thing. And the horse puppet, including the clippety-clop sounds it made, is one of the best puppets I’ve ever seen. I would have adored this show when I was a kid. Thank you for a trip back into your childhood (lucky you!).
Now……… have you seen Nora the cat playing piano?
You’re right, Friko, it was Sooty and Sweep. As far as I can see Matthew, the son, carried on the Father’s good puppetry. When He retired the act was taken over by a younger entertainer. It still seems to be type of good, wholesome entertainment that parents can rely on – even now. And I so agree with photowanabee; where did those fifty years disappear too. but isn’t it fun to have all the resources we have to hand nowadays?
The Anniversary waltz holds a special place in my memory because I think of one of the few occasions when I saw my parents happy together. They were dancing round the living room to the record.
Lydia, thanks so much for the link to Nora the cat. She is tremendous – intelligent and more willing than I have ever seen a cat before.