Review The Ghosts of Motley Hall (1976)

michaellevenson

michaellevenson

Moderator
Staff member
Anyone remember this series. Created by Richard " Catweazle, Robin Hood " Carpenter.
A beautifully written series about a group of ghosts haunting the dilapidated Motley Hall. Led by Sir George Uproar, a veteran from the Charge of the Light Brigade, but died falling down the stairs at Motley Hall. Francis Uproar, a younger ghost but Sir George's grandfather, Bodkin an Elizabethan jester, Matt the stable boy, and The White Lady, a ghost from possibly pre William the Conqueror England, who has no memory of being alive.
Peter Sallis plays the Estate Agent trying to sell the place, Freddie Jones and Arthur English star as George and Bodkin. Great fun as the ghosts interact with various living visitors and wayward spirits.
I'd like to put up a link but I'm having trouble getting it to work,don't know why.



 
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Carol

Carol

Member: Rank 5
What a wonderful memory you have - and have prodded mine for this lovely bonkers show! Children's TV commissioning editors must've taken a refresher course in O level lit with The Canterville Ghost as a set book just before all these came along.
That's 3 for three great series I have to thank Richard Carpenter for - till now I'd never realised this was one of his too. Robin of Sherwood remains an all-time favourite version of the tale, and provided the hunkiest heroes I think I'd seen since Arthur of the Britains.

Funky Phantom is new to me - but for full-on spooky during the children's TV slot, what about Ace of Wands
 
Doctor Omega

Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
Yes, indeed. Although the details of it are vague. Arthur English, I certainly remember most out of all the ghosts.

It seemed to be a bit of a tiny subgenre of the time, what with Rentaghost and Nobody's House and many other shows and cartoons that had friendly ghosts, such as Randall and Hopkirk and the Funky Phantom!

It's a wonder that we ever found the concept of ghosts frightening at all really after that lot.


I completely missed Ace of Wands for years and only recently got the box set of surviving episodes.

It sadly turns out to be another series that has suffered a purge of whatever archive it was resting in. Something like the entire first two series have been wiped and the box set only contains series three, the final series.

To my shame, I have yet to conduct a marathon of these episodes, but, from what I have seen of the show, it looks interesting.

They recently found a poor quality audio of one of the earlier episodes on reel to reel tape. So there is hope.

As for Ghosts of Motley Hall, this is one I do remember - and I look forward to watching the entire show again one day.

Blessed by Network DVD. They are marvellous for releasing the wonderful treasures of telly of the past.
 
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Doctor Omega

Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
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A group of spirits restlessly squabble in an abandoned country home.
Click to expand...






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