Friday 18 July 2014

1975, Music: “Bohemian Rhapsody” (Queen)

On 31 October 1975 the British rock band Queen released the single "Bohemian Rhapsody". The song was written by Freddie Mercury for 1975 album "A Night at the Opera". It was produced by Roy Thomas Baker. Recording began on 24 August 1975, band members May, Mercury, and Taylor sang their vocal parts continually for approximately ten hours a day.

The entire song took three weeks to record, and in some sections featured 180 separate overdubs. The song can be divided in six sections: introduction, ballad, guitar solo, opera, hard rock and finale. The sudden changes in style were at that moment unusual in popular music.
Queen in 1975

"Bohemian Rhapsody" (Official Video)

Tuesday 15 July 2014

1974, Deaths: Cass Elliot


On 29 July 1974 the American pop singer Cass "Mama" Elliott died of a heart attack in London at the age of 32. Miss Elliott who became famous with "The Mamas & the Papas", became ill suddenly in her flat at 9 Curzon Place, Shepherd Market, Mayfair, after performing two weeks of sold-out concerts at the London Palladium.

Cass Elliot was born as Ellen Naomi Cohen in Baltimore on 19 February 1941. By the age of 17 she had started acting, and assumed the name Cass Elliot. Her father Philip Cohen, a restaurateur, had nicknamed her Cass. Elliot, she said later in an interview, was in honour of a friend killed in a car accident. The Cohens moved to Alexandria, Virginia, Washington, D.C. While still attending George Washington High School, she was cast in a school production of the play "The Boy Friend". She left high school shortly before graduation and moved to New York City to further her acting career.
Cass Elliot, Barry Levinson High School Yearbook Photo (1960)
She moved to Greenwich Village in New York at the age of 19 and appeared in a number of Off-Broadway productions. She also began to perform as a folk singer the New York folk scene. Elliot met the singers Tim Rose and John Brown, and the three began performing as "The Triumvirate". In 1963, James Hendricks, her first husband, replaced John Brown and the trio was renamed "The Big 3". When Tim Rose left The Big 3 in 1964, Elliot and Hendricks formed with the Canadians Zal Yanovsky and, future Papa, Denny Doherty "The Mugwumps".
The Big 3: Tim Rose, Cass Elliot and James Hendricks
The Mugwumps: Zal Yanovsky, James Hendricks, Cass Elliot and Denny Doherty
This group split after only eight months and Cass performed as a solo act for a while. In the meantime Doherty joined “The New Journeymen”, a group including John Phillips and his wife, Michelle. In 1965, Doherty convinced Phillips that Elliot should join the group. It was Cass who came up with the idea of renaming the group “The Mamas & the Papas”.

The Mamas & the Papas: John Phillips, Michelle Phillips, Cass Elliot and Denny Doherty
Elliot's powerful, distinctive voice was a large factor in the success of the group. She is best remembered for her vocals on the hits "California Dreamin'," "Monday Monday," and "Words of Love" and the solo "Dream a Little Dream of Me". After the breakup of “The Mamas & the Papas” in 1971, Elliot started a solo career.
Tom Jones and Cass Elliot in "This is Tom Jones" (abc, 1969)
On 26 April 1967 Elliot gave birth to her daughter, Owen Vanessa Elliot. She never publicly identified the father. In 1968 Elliot divorced James Hendricks and in 1971 she married Baron Donald von Wiedenman, a German nobleman. Their marriage ended in divorce after a few months.
Cass Elliot with daughter Owen Vanessa Elliot (1967)
Elliot Cass was cremated at the Hollywood Memorial Park, and is now buried in Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.
Michelle Phillips and John Phillips at Cass Elliot's funeral in 1974

Cass Elliot: Dream a little dream of me


The Mamas & The Papas: California Dreaming


The Mamas & The Papas: Monday Monday

Saturday 12 July 2014

1973, Television: “Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em”

The British sitcom "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em" premieres on BBC1 on 15 February 1973. It was written by Raymond Allen and starred Michael Crawford and Michele Dotrice. The theme tune composed by Ronnie Hazlehurst has a piccolo spelling out the series title in Morse code.

The series is legendary for its stunt work, performed by Michael Crawford himself as well as featuring various well-remembered catchphrases for instance "Ooh Betty, the cat's done a woopsie on the floor". “Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em” ran for 22 episodes over three series, ending in 1978. By the end of series two Frank had become father of baby Jessica.

Michele Dotrice as Betty and Michael Crawford as Frank Spencer
Michael Crawford as Frank Spencer and Michele Dotrice as Betty
Synopsis
The series follows clumsy Frank Spencer and his tolerant wife Betty. Frank's various attempts to get or hold down a job almost always end in total disaster...
Michael Crawford as Frank Spencer and Michele Dotrice as Betty
Main Cast
  • Michael Crawford as Frank Spencer
  • Michele Dotrice as Betty
  • Jessica Forte as Jessica
  • Jane Hylton as Mrs. Fisher
  • Glynn Edwards as Mr. Lewis
  • Hazel Bainbridge as Miss Partridge
  • Dick Bentley as Grandad
  • Anthony Woodruff as Dr. Smedley

Opening Credits

Friday 11 July 2014

1972, Cars: Daf 66

Dutch car maker DAF introduced the new DAF 66 in September 1972. The car replaced the DAF 55. Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti redesigned the DAF 55 with a new front giving the new DAF 66 a more modern appearance. Another important change was the replacement of the swing axles by a leaf sprung De Dion rear axle with a Variomatic differential.

Predecessor DAF 55
The DAF 66 was launched as a three model range: a 2-door saloon, a 3-door estate and a 2-door 2+2 coupe. Each model was available as 'De Luxe' (drum brakes and vinyl seats), 'Super Luxe' (Front disks and cloth seats) and 'Marathon' (Extra power and wider wheels).
DAF 66 Sedan
DAF 66 Coupé
DAF 66 Estate 1300 Marathon
The car had a reworked 1108 cc Renault Cléon-Fonte engine with 40 kW for the 'De Luxe' and 'Super Luxe' models, and 45 kW for the 'Marathon'. In 1973 the '1300 Marathon' replaced the original 'Marathon', it had a 1289cc 43 kW version of the Renault C-series inline 4 engine.
DAF 66 Sedan 1300 Marathon
DAF 66 Coupé 1300 Marathon
In 1974 the Dutch Armed Forces commissioned DAF to build a small personnel carrier. This DAF YA 66 was roofless, Jeep like adaption of the normal DAF 66 sedan. 1201 DAF YA 66s were built, they were all decommissioned in the early 90's and sold to the public.
DAF 66 YA
Successor Volvo 66
The DAF 66 was superseded in August 1975 by the Volvo 66 after Volvo Cars bought DAF. A total of 101.967 DAF 66s were build.

DAF 66 UK Advert (1975)



Brochure DAF 66 Sedan (1972, The Netherlands)
Brochure DAF 66 Estate (1972, The Netherlands)
Brochure DAF 66 Marathon (1972, The Netherlands)

Monday 7 July 2014

1971, Fashion: “Hot Pants”

Hot Pants, introduced to the fashion scene by Mary Quant during the sixties, replace the mini skirt in 1971. During the seventies, for a brief time, hot pants were even acceptable to wear to the office, weddings, and even as a Flight Attendant. They soon disappeared from the mainstream fashion scene but were still worn on the street and in the disco.






Veruschka Rome (1971)
Summer Shorts Dior (1971)
Miss Hot Pants, The Netherlands (1971)
Hot Pants, New York (1973)
Hot Pants, Hawai (1971)
Hot Pants Southwest Airlines (Texas, 1972)
Sally Carr (Middle of the Road)
Madeline Smith (1971)
Debbie Harry (Blondie)
Agnetha Fältskog (1972)
Car Wax Advert (1972)

Friday 4 July 2014

1970, Film: “The Man Who Haunted Himself”

The British psychological thriller "The Man Who Haunted Himself" premiered on 18 February 1970. The film was directed by Basil Dearden and starred Roger Moore. It was based on the novel “The Strange Case of Mr Pelham” by Anthony Armstrong.

Synopsis
While driving home from work Harold Pelham (Roger Moore) appears to be possessed and has a car accident. Afterwards on the operating table there appear to be two heartbeats on the monitor. When he awakes, Pelham finds his life has been turned upside-down. Apparently he now supports a merger that he always opposed. He is having an affair and people claim they have seen him in places that he has never been...
Roger Moore as Harold Pelham
Hildegarde Neil as Eve Pelham and Roger Moore as Harold Pelham
Roger Moore as Harold Pelham
Main Cast
  • Roger Moore as Harold Pelham
  • Hildegarde Neil as Eve Pelham
  • Alastair Mackenzie as Michael Pelham
  • Hugh Mackenzie as James Pelham
  • Kevork Malikyan as Luigi
  • Thorley Walters as Frank Bellamy
  • Anton Rodgers as Tony Alexander
  • Olga Georges-Picot as Julie Anderson
  • Freddie Jones as Dr. Harris
  • John Welsh as Sir Charles Freeman
  • Edward Chapman as Barton
  • Laurence Hardy as Mason
  • Charles Lloyd-Pack as Jameson
  • Gerald Sim as Morrison
  • Ruth Trouncer as Miss Bird
  • Aubrey Richards as Research Scientist
  • Anthony Nicholls as Sir Arthur Richardson
  • John Carson as Ashton

"The Man Who Haunted Himself" Trailer

Tuesday 1 July 2014

1969, Television: “Paul Temple”

"Paul Temple", a British-German coproduction premieres on BBC Two on 23 November 1969. It features Francis Matthews as Paul Temple. The fictional detective created by Francis Durbridge, solves crimes with the assistance of his wife Steve, in the series played by the Scottish actress Ros Drinkwater. A total of 52 episodes were produced between 1969 and 1971, each with a running time of fifty minutes. The series was a BBC coproduction with Taurus films of Munich, West Germany (ZDF).

Francis Matthews as Paul Temple

Synopsis
Paul Temple (Francis Matthews) is a writer of detective novels and an amateur detective, always finding himself in adventurous situations. Most of the time he is accompanied by his wife Steve (Ros Drinkwater)...
Ros Drinkwater as Steve Temple and Francis Matthews as Paul Temple
Francis Matthews as Paul Temple
Main Cast
  • Francis Matthews as Paul Temple
  • Ros Drinkwater as Steve Temple
  • June Ellis as Kate Balfour
  • George Sewell as Sammy Carson
  • Blake Butler as Eric
  • Derek Martin as Paddy

Paul Temple Opening Credits Season 2 (1970)


Paul Temple Opening Credits Season 3 (1971)