Hugh Fraser, the actor who so definitively portrays Captain Hastings in David Suchet's ITV Poirot, and is a superb narrator for many Agatha Christie audiobooks; was a musician in younger days, and played jazzy flute - and guitar (below) - on the theme tune of TV's Rainbow programme, for pre-school kids in the 1970s.
Rainbow is probably most remembered for the legendary, "naughty" and boastful, character of Zippy.
(Note: Zippy is the one above, with the orange head... and zippable mouth.
Zippy was the instigator of most of the trouble that led to the plotlines (his abrasive character being refreshing and necessary, given how soppy and insipid were his co-stars); and he had an distinctive throaty and whining voice - somewhat like a deeper-toned, and English, version of Kermit.
5 comments:
It's a marvellous bit of flute in the Rainbow theme (I also enjoy the drum 'fill' I think it's called). In fact the theme & introduction were probably the best part of the whole show and I didn't usually watch much beyond that, being frankly scared of Zippy with his grating voice and appetite for destruction. However it was still shocking to discover decades later that his actor also voiced the Daleks!
I remember Poirot fondly. I love those older times and the way people behaved. You almost feel these days that if you called a woman a lady she would be mightily offended.
During a period of my mother's illness she watched this. But later the music haunted her and she could not watch it.
Zippy was very funny. He came across like a cheeky naughty boy in school that you could not help but love.
@Ron - Never knew that about the Dalek/ Cyberman link (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Skelton)
I’ve logged a lot of hours over the years watching the David Suchet version of Poirot. Indeed I just recently watched the final episode of the series, “Curtain”, wherein Captain Hastings features as more or less the main character. Hugh Fraser’s portrayal of Hastings is delightful. “I say!” Hastings's the type of the gentleman who, though not very intelligent, is invariably well-motivated.
The ideal man will presumably combine good motivation with intellect. Suchet’s Poirot (I can’t speak to the original stories) is gentlemanly (albeit arrogant), highly intelligent and religious. Is he a kind of exemplary man? Of course, he’s controversial as Hastings never can be, due to his (Poirot’s) occasional exercise of prudential judgment (something good yet not according to rule)...
@Wade - "Poirot’s occasional exercise of prudential judgment - something good yet not according to rule"
It is only very occasional - albeit it does happen in probably the best known story (no spoilers here!). I suppose it indicates that Poirot does allow for a higher authority than Man's law; while being sceptical of his own ability to judge this.
Certainly, I regard Poirot as a good man, even though I would not much like him IRL! (Whereas I Would like Miss Marple.)
Post a Comment