Gessler was the first of screen villains

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32621, 1 June 1971, Page 11

Gessler was the first of screen villains

Early evening, June 1,1961. In a very few thousand Christchurch homes, the television sets were on to receive the first regular entertainment from CHTV3. The first programme, in 10 years of service? Conrad Phillips was there, as William Tell, the first of hundreds of small screen adventurers who have thrilled Christchurch audiences.

It did not take long for William Tell to be a Ann favourite, particularly with younger viewers. Jennifer Jayne played his wife, and there was Willoughby Goddard as the villainous Gessler. That Ant night, there was tiie first series comedy •'The Larkins," with Peggy Mount and David Kossoff. Michael Denison appeared later that night in “Boyd Q.C.” and before the station closed down, there was Henry Fonda as Chief Marshal Simon Fry in “The Deputy." The CHTV3 programme schedule for the day shows that transmission began at 7.30 pun. and ended at 9 25 pun. The following day marked the beginning of other shows which became exceedingly familiar to viewers. There was Ann Sothern in “Susie,” and Patrick McGoohan in "Danger Man.” On the very

first Sunday evening, Donna Reed and her screen family began their oustandingly popular series. How many vieweri remember Gale Storm in “Oh Susanna”? That programme, about a hostess on a cruise liner, began in the first week of CHTV3 regular transmissions and with it, “The Four Just Men," with Jack Hawkins. By the time the station had been operating for a month, there were many still familiar favourites. Lucille Ball had started, so had “Robifi Hood,” and “Laramie,” the “Californians” and “Spycatcher.” The “Army Game" had viewers roaring with laughter. It is harder to recall the reaction to Ronald Colman's “Halls of Ivy” and “Interpol Calling." Very soon after this, Hans and Lottie Hass began some undersea adventures, "Lassie” was on her missions of goodwill,

"Fury" was a steady performer, and there was “Stage 7.” The stories of the Stone family in “The Donna Reed Show" went on until June, 1964. It maintained a remarkable standard, appealingly inoffensive, always in good taste, often amusing. And the month it ended marked the beginning of “Coronation Street” At first it screened once a week, then twice a week. Tonight’s episode will be the 566th screened from CHTV3. After just under two years' operation, there was the first production of a locally-written play. This wm "All Earth To Love” by Al Flett It was set in the refreshment room at a railway station. In it were Alan Jervis—seen recently as Kane in “The Killing of Kane,” Pamela Jones, Barbara Laurenson and Pat Evison, of “In View of the Circumstances.”

“Mister Ed,” the talking horn, became a popular feature about this time and in August, 1963, “Z Can" began a steady diet of British crime and detection programmes.

In the early yean, one of the most popular programmes, with adults eg well as children, was baaed on Fergle Fang, a delightful puppet show fronted by Judy-Ann Garlend end written by John Nash, who manipulated tho glove puppets. Many viewen will remember Fergie’s disarming habit of declaring ho was a failure, and turning gracefully on to his back. But usually, he was something of e amort Aleck, tryIng to run the effaire of e country cousin or two but not so successful with his tart little aunt. The John Freeman Interviews, “Face to Face” were startling, and extremely popular, in 1961. And that same year “Grandstand” began, compered at first by P. B. Vincent, the All Black half-back. In 1963, the Royal tour was big television news and in February that year, CHTV3 produced Ita first live telecast of an outside event tho Canterbury athletic championships.

So the programmes broadened and strengthened. “Platform," a brains trust-type show, and "Have

a Shot,” a talent quest, were there in 1963 and in February, 1964, the opening of the ChristchurchLyttelton road tunnel was televised. With the development of the staff, the increase in equipment, and years of experience, there are few embarrassing ■ moments these days. But there were some, early. One evening,

within tiie first year, the studio began to reek vilely and there was an immediate call for an inspection of tho drains, which disclosed no flaw. The odour was traced, finally, to a malathion spray being exhibited by the garden expert, the late Mr David Combridge. And when a former district sports officer, Mr D.

Williams, interviewed the manager of e visiting Japanese hockey team, considerable trouble was taken with the settings. And with the principals. They both sat, cross-legged, on a Japanese met Mr Williams, however, measures considerably more than six feet in height, and when the interview was over, he had the greatest of difficulty in standing up.