Adventure Island Pt A

[Leowen2]

Mate at the start I almost went back to 68.

[Tish1023]

The theme sounds very similar to Gilligan's Island!

[Tish1023]

@Tish1023 Notice they are not talking down to the kids and using "big" words!

[LiteracyLabyrinth]

That sent chills through me as I remembered as a 5 year old that opening music and those crazy puppet birds. I felt joy to see them again. Every aspect was magical and I am so glad to relive the memories here. I had forgotten the main premise but never forgot the music and Percy the Panda.

[naedsukram]

gotta say, this show scared the crap outta me when I was about 4 or 5 living in melbourne, I ran and hid when the opening credits came on, my older sister used to stir me about it. I think I sorta liked it, but it was scary to watch, I see now why...Adventure Island is produced like a Hitchcock thriller with all that dim lighting, what were they thinking. Good to re-visit though, thanx for this.

[mumandtwins]

isn't it amazing they would never get away with it now, esp with regards to giving out the addresses of the child contributors to the show

[crocfme]

Lol. Howson's clown looks like something out of a Steven King novel in this clip!

[cabiney69]

LOL I hardly rember this it was so long ago but seeing it brings it all back

[lisababeex0]

You know i can listen to this music 1000 times 1000 times and it still gives me that unique feeling inside.I feel so sad that this time and the way Australia once was will never be again.We didn't have much in the way of money and the like back then but I would gladly swap all I have today to go back then.Thanks for the memories.

[waitingtolive]

Whatever happened to Fester Fumble & Miser meanie?

[BlackMariaDownUnder]

@waitingtolive

Fester Fumble (Ernie Bourne) made many character apperances in shows like Homicide & Prisoner & also had a long career in stage work, in such places as Dracula's Theatre Restauraunt.

Miser Meanie (Colin Mc Ewan) also did lots of TV work, most notably on the Naked Vicar Show, And the Big Men Fly , Ryan and many others, and worked as a 3AK radio announcer in his later years. He died in 2009 and Ernie in 2007

[frankscan65]

Hmm, this episode comes from the final batch of episodes, and this is bring such great memories, the closing Friday song still makes bawl my eyes out as a 44 year old.

As to a DVD release, doesn't Godfrey Phillips own the rights as it was one of the earliest examples of an independent producer making a program for the ABC and I'm assuming they have to deal with Royalities and getting permission from the estates of Ernie Bourne and Colin McKewan - so it may not be possible.

[auskinboy]

Does TV GET any better than this? Mind you, with level of tranvestitsm and cross dressing is it any wonder I turned out the way I am?

[ohthepussies]

How did you get hold of this old time classic ? Are there many more episodes ?

[BlackMariaDownUnder]

I don't know the original source, I got it with a bunch of other shows from a TV collector. I want to get more but no one has the sense to release a DVD of it, though John Micheal Howson is reviving it as a shopping centre entertainment, following the sucess iof Wiggles & Hi 5 in this area

[avidutubewatcher]

@BlackMariaDownUnder - After reading your site I emailed ABC Archives in Sydney to see what they had and they said they held most of the series but were not able to copy it to DVD or post it on the ABC site due to copyright issues

[lake40]

i always wondered what it be like if it was colourised it would be magic to wach

[waitingtolive]

OMG I SOOOO loved this show when I was a child I used to run home to watch it on TV & I never realized Mrs Flowerpot was a dragqueen...lol... I wish itt was on dvd !!!

[lake40]

now this is what i call a blast from the past excellent

[BlackMariaDownUnder]

A good question, it annoys me that we can see a swag of US & UK TV from the dawn of television but very little Aust TV pre 80's. Did you know that John Micheal Howson has revived it as a kids entertainment to tour shopping centres, there will probably be DVD's of that, I think he's seen how well the Wiggles have done

[aVeryStylishGirl2]

I have met John Michael Howson, he has always been talented and a great writer. As this was made at the ABC, they have giant refrigerated vaults, & kept a lot. Channels 10, 7 & 9 threw so much out. Hardly any Number 96 exist for example. Now with more new digital channels coming, why not show our classic children's shows, like TV Land in the U.S. The American's kept almost everything, and are now releasing well loved classics to DVD. I even have the Shirley Temple Storybook 'Babes in Toyland'.

[aVeryStylishGirl2]

How wonderful to see a complete episode from this wonderful classic Australian children's show.('67-72') I fondly remember Liza, Clown, Percy Panda, Fester Fumble, Miser Meanie & Mrs. Flower Potts. Seeing it now I can appreciate it's camp fantasy panto style, with songs and slapstick, and really well rounded characters. Of course The Magic Circle Club came before this, and was my favorite as a baby. Sue Donovan, Jason's mother, looks really beautiful here. Why isn't this on DVD?

[francis1971]

Do you have any more episodes?