Blue Peter

Louise Gold appeared as one of the puppeteers performing puppets from the film The Dark Crystal in the studio. BBC 1, 17:10 to 17:33 on 17 February 1983.

 

Featuring

 Blue Peter Presenters

Simon Groom

Sarah Greene

Peter Duncan

 

Guests – Puppeteers from The Dark Crystal

David Barclay - Podlings

Louise Gold - Podlings

Mike Quinn – SkekEkt, Fizzgig, Podlings

 

Production Team (includes)

 Editor – Biddy Baxter

 

The Blue Peter item about The Dark Crystal is featured on page 25 of Blue Peter Annual No 20 (which details the programme from September 1982 to June 1983). One of the photographs on that page is of the three puppeteers wearing Podling puppets on their arms, demonstrating their ‘Podling Dance’ in the Blue Peter Studio. Louise Gold is easily recognisable as the centre puppeteer, because of her wild chestnut hair, and the distinctive look on her face.

David Barclay, Louise Gold, and, Mike Quinn went on to puppeteer on the UK Co Production of Fraggle Rock, and, The Muppet Christmas Carol.

David Barclay, and, Mike Quinn went on to puppeteer on Labyrinth.

David Barclay, and, Louise Gold went on to puppeteer on Alice In Wonderland.

Louise Gold and Mike Quinn had previously puppeteered on The Great Muppet Caper, and, The Muppets Go To The Movies; they went on to puppeteer on The Tale Of The Bunny Picnic, The Ghost Of Faffner Hall, Jim Henson’s Memorial Service, The Secret Life Of Toys, and, Muppet Treasure Island; they can be heard on The Muppet Christmas Carol (Soundtrack album), and apparently also on A Green And Red Christmas (well they are credited on it).

Peter Duncan went on to appear in the Regents Park 70th Anniversary Gala.

BlackAdder, Joint Account, Allo Allo, The House Of Eliott, Casualty, Doctors, and Gina’s Laughing Gear were all first shown on BBC 1.

 

Summary/ Review

by Emma Shane       

As I was rather young at the time, my memory of watching this is somewhat vague. But I definitely saw it. All I really remember about this notable item. Is that it was an item about some film or other. These people were doing strange things at about head height. Basically they had worked on some film were in the Blue Peter studio demonstrating how they achieved some of the effects on this film. But at the time I didn’t really understand what it was all about.

Many many years later, I came to understand that what I had actually seen were a group of puppeteers, and I came to realise that this was the first time I ever saw Louise Gold, she had been one of those “people doing strange things at head height”.

 

Links about Blue Peter

Blue Peter’s official Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/bluepeter/ (this has pretty well nothing to do with this particular little episode from 1983, but in case anyone needs to know where that site is).

BBC Cult Classic site, Official section for Blue Peter: http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/classic/bluepeter/

Mike Quinn’s Resume: http://www.quinnzone.com/page7/page17/page17.html

Webpage about Blue Peter Annual No 20: http://www.animus-web.demon.co.uk/bpeter/annuals/bk20.html

BBC Programme Guide’s entry: http://open.bbc.co.uk/catalogue/infax/programme/LCHA367N (I am pretty sure the reference to “Tim Rice” is incorrect, could it be “Tim Rose”)

 

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