From the Vault — ‘The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus’

Filmed before a live audience in London on December 11-12, 1968, The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus was organized by The Rolling Stones and originally conceived as a BBC-TV special. Centering on the original line up of the Rolling Stones — Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman (with Nicky Hopkins […]

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Benny Hill’s The Strolling Ones – part of the British Invasion that never landed in the U.S.

In the overall British comedy landscape, The Benny Hill Show had more than its share of slapstick, mime and double entendre during its brilliant run from the mid-50s up until the British sketch comedy series was cancelled in the late 80s. A steady decline in ratings and what was, at the time, a very high production cost of approximately £450,000 […]

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Wild Horses couldn't drag them away….from 'Downton Abbey', that is

On the virtually impossible outside chance that The Rolling Stones sound a bit off during their current “50 and Counting” tour which began this past week at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, they have a good reason. According to Downton Abbey star, Laura Carmichael (Lady Edith), guitarist Ronnie Wood confessed the Stones’ love of […]

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The Rutles: A Look Back at Dirk, Nasty, Stig and Barry

The early 60’s were not especially kind to The Rutles. Languishing in the Rutland Cavern for years, it wasn’t until 1975 when this relatively unknown British pop group fronted by Neil Innes appeared on Rutland Weekend Television singing “I Must Be In Love” from their 1965 album, A Hard Days Rut, that The Rutles began […]

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Happy 70th, Ringo

Hard to grasp the concept that one of The Beatles turned 70 on Wednesday. Right up with there with the realization that in 2010, both Back to the Future and The Breakfast Club are 25 years old, Seinfeld has been off the air for 12 years, The Simpsons are entering their 22nd year on television […]

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Dateline NYC (1964) – Britain invades U.S.

When I think of British television, I immediately think of classic comedy, drama, mystery and nature programming. But, you have to think of music also. Without question, the Brits have also had a history of creating some of the most influential music television for over 40 years with series like The Old Grey Whistle Test […]

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