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.

Speaking of Scarecrows…

I've had a busy start to the year, as work on my Worzel Gummidge book continues. Having made some significant headway, I'm now hoping to have the book out in June this year.

Over the last few weeks, I've been deep into work on cast and crew interviews. Recent interviewees include Mike Berry (Mr Peters), Barbara Windsor (Saucy Nancy), Bernard Cribbins (Jolly Jack Tar), Lewis Rudd (executive producer), David Pick (associate producer), Hazel Peiser (production designer), Ken Brinsley (cameraman), Christine Ruscoe (production designer), Denis King (composer), Arnold Gutbucket (scarecrow extra), Lucy Benjamin (Sue Peters, the Worzel Gummidge musical), Mike Finesilver (scarecrow dancer, the Worzel Gummidge musical), Mike Noble and Arthur Ranson (Look-In artists), Andrew Skilleter (book illustrator) and from Worzel Gummidge Down Under, Bruce Phillips (New Zealand Crowman), Jonathan Marks (Mickey Peacock), Danny Mulheron (Blighty Tater), Costa Botes (assistant director), Nick Dryden (production designer), Kirsten Shouler (production designer), Lynne Dunphy (costume designer), Jill Cormack (art director) and Lorae Parry (dialogue coach), with more in the pipeline.

I also had the pleasure of recently speaking with James Mitchell, who was instrumental in Worzel's resurrection after Southern Television's collapse. James is a very accomplished film producer who, in wry fashion, revealed the remarkable untold story behind the unproduced Irish Worzel Gummidge series, and just how close it came to making it on screen. It's an amazing tale of near-misses, wheeler-dealer entrepreneurism and shady ITV network politics that I think will make for fascinating reading.

To receive advance notification about the book's publication, please join the mailing list by emailing webmaster@worzel-gummidge.co.uk with "list" in the subject header.

Early Broadcasts

A new year and work continues on my Worzel book project. I recently had the pleasure of speaking to David Coote-Prime, who as a 14-year-old actor appeared in Worzel Gummidge Turns Detective, the first time the scarecrow appeared on-screen.

More than 60 years on and living in Canada, David was able to share a wealth of first-hand information and insight, which really helps to bring that lost production back to life. The broadcasts were performed live and never recorded, so I'm really excited to be able to share David's recollections with a wider audience.

I'm now working hard gathering remaining interviews and material for the book, with the manuscript currently standing at 150 pages and growing fast. I hope to finally be ready to publish later in 2015 and please keep visiting for updates in the meantime.

Val Biro: 1921-2014

It was recently reported that veteran artist Val Biro died back in July at the grand old age of 92. To many children he will be best remembered as the writer and illustrator of the long-running Gumdrop series of stories.

During the 1980s, he worked on a number of illustrated storybook editions of the Worzel Gummidge TV stories for Purnell and St Michael, capturing the likenesses of the show's actors. He was a prolific figure in children's publishing and will be much missed. Here's a charming piece of his work from The King of the Scarecrows book, showcasing Val's distinctive caricatures of Scatterbrook's regulars.

Worzel Musical CD

A rare Worzel merchandise release comes later this month, when Stage Door Records issues the full soundtrack to the Worzel Gummidge Musical on CD for the first time. Produced in 1981 to coincide with Worzel's transfer to London's West End, the CD features Denis King's complete score, plus bonus tracks taken from the A Cup o' Tea an' a Slice o' Cake Christmas special, presented in full stereo.

The musical marked the high point of Worzel's run, with Jon Pertwee, Una Stubbs and Geoffrey Bayldon playing to packed houses, and comes highly recommended. It can be pre-ordered from Amazon now by clicking here.

Elsewhere, I'm resuming work on my Worzel Gummidge behind-the-scenes book following a break over the summer. I've finally finished cataloguing the BBC radio broadcasts, along with uncovering information about a hitherto unknown 1970s Jackanory adaptation featuring a very surprising narrator. Keep visiting for more updates in the coming months.

Pathé Rarities

Pathé have recently taken the ambitious step of releasing their entire newsreel archive on Youtube, which includes a couple of Worzel Gummidge-related films. Of particular interest is a 1949 film of Mabel Constanduros, who played Earthy Mangold in the BBC radio stories, judging a scarecrow-making competition. Mabel apparently attended a number of these events, often accompanied by Worzel author Barbara Euphan Todd. Watch out for her companion, who is seen holding a copy of the first Worzel Gummidge book.



And, just for fun, here's a raffish 1950s Jon Pertwee, out on the town with wife Jean Marsh at the London Waistcoat Club.

Radio Daze

As some people will know, Worzel Gummidge's early success was fuelled by the regular appearances on the BBC's Children's Hour radio broadcasts in the 1930s and 1940s. A great deal of misinformation about the productions has been published over the years and I'm keen to redress that balance in my upcoming book.

In addition to the first comprehensive guide to the radio stories, I've managed to collate a wealth of information on the productions, which introduced earlier generations to Scatterbrook's scarecrow. I was lucky to recently make contact with John Clark who, as a child actor, played John in several of the stories. His recollections genuinely help to bring some of those lost broadcasts back to life and I'm delighted he was able to share some new insights into Worzel's formative years.