Betcher

My past is catching up with me. I was amazed to see a couple of months ago a 1971 film I'd almost forgotten about show up on You Tube. 'Betcher' was a cycling proficiency film, one of those C.O.I. productions they'd show you in class when it was sunny outside and you didn't want to be there. The only thing I remember about it was that it starred Peter Noone (yes, him) but now I learn that one of my co-stars was none other than Keith Chegwin. I have encountered 'Cheggers' many times as a photojournalist and I wish I'd known that the last time I interviewed him.

Now one of the 'Betcher' stars has left a comment on You Tube and so has the sister of another lead. She appears to be the gal who played 'Peggy' in the classic film 'Melody' aka 'S.W.A.L.K.

Now it all fits together. It seems these sisters and I went to the same stage school. Now I understand why the place was plastered with photos of Jack Wild.

Made by Alan Parker and David Putnam, Melody/SWALK is one of those films that really affected my generation. No one I know who has seen it forgets it. Although my favourite Jack Wild film of that era is 'Flight of the Doves'. Matt Dillon is a huge fan of this film too.

Looking the cycling film over, I think there's a glimpse of me with long hair and flares (from Biba I recall) riding a Moulton Mini. At the time I was rather peeved as the props master gave my best mate a Chopper to ride and me a bike with titchy wheels but now both are considered design classics (the bikes, not me and my mate) I can hold my head up high. Where the heck was it filmed? It'd be interesting to see how many cars are parked on the roads there now. It seemed so idyllic then.

I don't think I'll bother to update my IMDB listing just yet but there's a lot of my work I've never seen. One of 'my' films I'm really hoping to find a print of is 'Justine' made by Stewart Mackinnon at the BFI and I'd like to see the BBC Schools programme 'Watch' that I filmed on Sark in 1968 although the Beeb say the 16mm print has most likely been trashed and Stuart's people say that his film of the De Sade story never got a release and he doesn't have a copy.