The Worzel Book is out this November

I'm pleased to announce that The Worzel Book: The Making of the Children's TV Classic Worzel Gummidge will finally be published this November as an illustrated hardback from Miwk Publishing. Here's the cover, featuring a great shot by original unit photographer Tony Nutley. The book will also feature hundreds of rare and unseen pictures, along with a 16-page colour centre section. Here's the promotional blurb:

When a former Time Lord swapped time and space for the mystery of the countryside, one of children's television's most unusual personalities was born. Jon Pertwee's portrayal of the anarchic scarecrow Worzel Gummidge won him a new generation of viewers and would become his most enduring character.

The Worzel Book traces the journey of Scatterbrook's scarecrow, from the days of early radio and the novels of Barbara Euphan Todd, through to the hit ITV television series and its eventual resurrection in New Zealand for Worzel Gummidge Down Under.

This is the untold behind-the-scenes story of a much-loved TV classic, featuring over 40 new interviews with cast and crew, including Geoffrey Bayldon, Jeremy Austin, Bernard Cribbins, Barbara Windsor and Lorraine Chase, illustrated throughout with over 200 photographs in black and white and colour, many previously unseen.

So far, the roster of interviewees has grown to over 40. From the original Southern Television series: Jeremy Austin (John Peters), Geoffrey Bayldon (Crowman), Mike Berry (Mr Peters), Barbara Windsor (Saucy Nancy), Lorraine Chase (Dolly Clothes-Peg), Bernard Cribbins (Jolly Jack Tar), Arnold Gutbucket (Scarecrow Extra), Lewis Rudd (Executive Producer), Hazel Peiser (Production Designer), Christine Ruscoe (Production Designer), David Pick (Associate Producer and Director), Nigel Pickard (Assistant Director), Wolfgang Suschitzky (Lighting Camerman), Ken Brinsley (Cameraman), Gaynor Brinsley (Make-up Artist), Christopher Marlowe (Production Assistant/Stand-in) and Denis King (Composer), plus from the Worzel Gummidge Musical, Lucy Benjamin (Sue Peters) and Mike Finesilver (Scarecrow Dancer).

From Worzel Gummidge Down Under, Bruce Phillips (Crowman) Jonathan Marks (Mickey), Olivia Ihimaera-Smiler (Manu), Danny Mulheron (Blighty Tater), David Weatherley (Bulbous Cauliflower), Laurence Wilson (1st Assistant Director), Costa Botes (3rd Assistant Director), Kirsten Shouler (Production Designer), Mick Coote (Production Designer), Nick Dryden (Production Designer), Kim Sinclair (Art Director), Jill Cormack (Art Director), Shayne Radford (Make-up Artist), Barbara Darragh (Costume Designer), Lynn Dunphy (Costume Designer) and Lorae Parry (Chaperone).

Rounding off the list is Jon Pertwee's widow Ingeborg Pertwee, along with Look-in artists Mike Noble and Arthur Ranson and, from the unmade Irish Worzel series, James Mitchell (producer) and Barry Blackmore (production manager). I've also spoken to David Coote, who acted in the 1953 television serial Worzel Gummidge Turns Detective and John Clark, who appeared in some of the early BBC Children's Hour broadcasts, and there may yet be some late additions and surprises.

For more information about The Worzel Book please visit Miwk's website by clicking here.