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Toni Arthur
Toni Arthur-Hay (born Antoinette Alice Priscilla Wilson; 27 December 1940) is an English theatre director, former folk singer and television presenter. Early life and education Arthur was born in Oxford, England. At the age of nine, she won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music, and gave a concert at the Wigmore Hall in the same year. She was educated at Mary Datchelor Girls School in Camberwell and the Royal Academy of Music. In 1959, Toni Arthur went to University College Hospital to become a nurse, and then went on to start a degree in psychology at University College London. Career Television Arthur was one of the presenters of the children's programmes '' Play School'' and ''Play Away'' with Brian Cant, Jeremy Irons and Lionel Morton. She also presented ''Woman's Hour'' and TV-am's breakfast show. Music After releasing their first single, the traditional songs "The Cuckoo" / "A Rich and Rambling Boy", under the name The Strollers on Fontana Records (TF 598) i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brackets
A bracket is either of two tall fore- or back-facing punctuation marks commonly used to isolate a segment of text or data from its surroundings. They come in four main pairs of shapes, as given in the box to the right, which also gives their names, that vary between British English, British and American English. "Brackets", without further qualification, are in British English the ... marks and in American English the ... marks. Other symbols are repurposed as brackets in specialist contexts, such as International Phonetic Alphabet#Brackets and transcription delimiters, those used by linguists. Brackets are typically deployed in symmetric pairs, and an individual bracket may be identified as a "left" or "right" bracket or, alternatively, an "opening bracket" or "closing bracket", respectively, depending on the Writing system#Directionality, directionality of the context. In casual writing and in technical fields such as computing or linguistic analysis of grammar, brackets ne ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brian Cant
Brian Cant (12 July 1933 – 19 June 2017) was an English actor of stage, television and film, television presenter, voice artist and writer. He was known for his work in BBC television programmes for children from 1964 onward, most notably '' Play School'', and in later years, '' Dappledown Farm.'' Early life and education Cant was born on 12 July 1933 in Ipswich and educated at Northgate Grammar School for Boys, a state grammar school, since renamed Northgate High School. He trained with Ipswich Town F.C.'s youth team. He worked as a printer before starting to act in the late 1950s. Television and film Cant was performing in BBC Schools drama television programmes about the Romans for the corporation when he heard that auditions were being held for a new pre-school children's programme which was to be shown on the new BBC 2 channel. This was '' Play School''. At his audition he was asked by programme creator and the series' first producer Joy Whitby to get in a cardboard b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as the Edinburgh Fringe, the Fringe or the Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest performance arts festival, which in 2024 spanned 25 days, sold more than 2.6 million tickets and featured more than 51,446 scheduled performances of 3,746 different shows across 262 venues from 60 different countries. Of those shows, the largest section was comedy, representing almost 40% of shows, followed by theatre, which was 26.6% of shows. Established in 1947 as an unofficial offshoot to (and on the "fringe" of) the Edinburgh International Festival, it takes place in Edinburgh every August. The combination of Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Edinburgh International Festival has become a world-leading celebration of arts and culture, surpassed only by the Olympics and the World Cup in terms of global ticketed events. It is an open-access (or " unjuried") performing arts festival, meaning that there is no selection committee, and anyon ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Graham Chapman
Graham Chapman (8 January 1941 – 4 October 1989) was a British actor, comedian and writer. He was one of the six members of the Surreal humour, surrealist comedy group Monty Python. He portrayed authority figures such as The Colonel (Monty Python), The Colonel and the lead role in two Python films, ''Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Holy Grail'' (1975) and ''Monty Python's Life of Brian, Life of Brian'' (1979). Chapman was born in Leicester and was raised in Melton Mowbray. He enjoyed science, acting, and comedy and after graduating from Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, he turned down a career as a doctor to be a comedian. Chapman eventually established a writing partnership with John Cleese, which reached its critical peak with Monty Python during the 1970s. He subsequently left Britain for Los Angeles, where he attempted to be a success on American television, speaking on the college circuit and producing the pirate film ''Yellowbea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Adrian Poynton
Adrian Poynton (born 29 January 1979) is a British screenwriter, playwright, producer and stand up comedian. He is best known as the creator and writer of BBC Three comedy '' White Van Man'' and its American remake '' Family Tools''. He has written projects for BBC, ITV, Sky, ABC and CBS and is often used as a Script doctor. Biography Born in Staffordshire in 1979, Poynton attended John Taylor High School at Barton-under-Needwood in Staffordshire in the early 1990s. He first began performing as a member of the Lichfield Youth Theatre. For many years he toured as a stand up comedian regularly performing in comedy clubs and theaters across the UK and Europe. He was also one of the UK's most popular TV studio audience warm-ups. Writing career In 2003 his play, ''A Very Naughty Boy'' based on the life of Monty Python's Graham Chapman, won an Edinburgh Festival Fringe First award. It then had a national tour followed by a West End run at London's Soho Theatre. During thi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Cruel Mother
"The Cruel Mother" (a.k.a. "The Greenwood Side" or "Greenwood Sidey") () is a murder ballad originating in England that has since become popular throughout the wider English-speaking world. According to Roud and Bishop :''Widely collected in Britain and Ireland, and in North America, 'The Cruel Mother' has clearly struck a chord with singers over a number of generations. We will never know quite why, of course, but in performance the combination of the matter-of-fact handling of a difficult subject and the repeated rhythmic refrain often creates a stark and hypnotic tale, which is extremely effective.'' Synopsis A woman gives birth to one or two illegitimate children (usually sons) in the woods, kills them, and buries them. On her return trip home, she sees a child, or children, playing, and says that if they were hers, she would dress them in various fine garments and otherwise take care of them. The children tell her that when they were hers, she would not dress them so but m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tam Lin
Tam Lin, also known as Tamas-Lin, Tamlane, Tamlene, Tamlin, Tambling, Tomlin, Tam-Lien, Tam-a-Line, Tam-Lyn or Tam-Lane, is a character in the legendary ballad originating from the Scottish Borders. History The story of Tam Lin revolves around the rescue of Tam Lin by his true love from the Queen of the Fairies. The motif of winning a person (or subduing an enemy) by holding him through all forms of Transformation chase, transformation is found throughout Europe in Folklore, folktales. The story has been adapted into numerous stories, songs, and films. It is also associated with a Reel (dance), reel of the same name, which is also known as the ''Glasgow Reel''. Tam Lin is listed as the List of the Child Ballads, 39th Child Ballads, Child Ballad and List of folk songs by Roud number, number 35 in the Roud Folk Song Index. Synopsis Most variants begin with the warning that Tam Lin collects either a possession or the virginity of any maiden who passes through the forest of Carterh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alison Gross
"Allison Gross" (Roud 3212, Child 35), also known as "Alison Cross", is a traditional folk ballad. It tells the story of "the ugliest witch in the north country" who tries to persuade a man to become her lover and then punishes him by a transformation. Synopsis Allison Gross, a hideous witch, tries to bribe the narrator to be her lover. She combed his hair, first. When a scarlet mantle, a silk shirt with pearls, and a golden cup all fail, she blows on a horn three times, making an oath to make him regret it; she then strikes him with a silver wand, turning him into a wyrm (dragon) bound to a tree. His sister Maisry comes to him to comb his hair. One day the Seelie Court comes by, and a queen strokes him three times, turning him back into his proper form. Motifs The horn motif is not clear. In " The Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea", the witch uses it after the transformation to summon her victim, but nothing appears to stem from it here.Francis James Child, ''The English ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hearken To The Witches Rune
''Hearken to the Witches Rune'' is a studio album by the English folk music duo Dave and Toni Arthur, recorded in 1970 and released by Trailer Records. It features English folk music with a focus on uncanny and magical elements. Ahead of making the album, the Arthurs held discussions with the Wiccan leader Alex Sanders and were invited to Wiccan coven meetings. The title comes from Doreen Valiente's poem "The Witches' Chant". The album has not been rereleased and has developed a cult following. Background Dave and Toni Arthur were an English husband-and-wife folk music duo who recorded albums in the late 1960s and early 1970s. They married in 1963, released their first 7" record in 1965 and their first album in 1967. Their musical approach was minimalist and they gradually came to focus on obscure songs with uncanny, magical and potentially pagan elements. They did extensive research by interviewing farmers and folklorists. When they made ''Hearken to the Witches Rune'', they we ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Record Collector
''Record Collector'' is a British monthly music magazine focussing on rare and collectable records, and the bands who recorded them. It was founded in September 1979 and distributes worldwide. It is promoted as "the world’s leading authority on rare and collectable records" and claims to be currently "the UK’s longest-running music magazine". History Music journalist and publisher Sean O'Mahony, under the pen name Johnny Dean, had published an official Beatles magazine, '' The Beatles Book'' (also known as ''Beatles Monthly''), from 1963 to 1969. In May 1976 O'Mahony started reprinting it, enclosing it in eight pages of new information about the Beatles along with small ads, in a magazine he named ''The Beatles Book Appreciation Society Magazine''. The interest shown in the small ads of ''The Beatles Book Appreciation Society Magazine'' for records and memorabilia of bands other than the Beatles led O'Mahony to launch ''Record Collector'' in Sept 1979, along with a copy of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fontana Records
Fontana Records is a record label that started in the 1950s as a subsidiary of the Dutch Philips Records. Fontana Distribution, an independent label distributor, takes its name from the label. History Fontana began in the 1950s as a subsidiary of the Dutch Philips Records; when Philips restructured its music operations, it dropped Fontana in favor of Vertigo Records. Fontana's U.S. counterpart label was started in 1964 and distributed by Philips US subsidiary Mercury Records. The initial single release (F 1501) was an instrumental track with a wild teen beat by famed British session drummer Bobby Graham, both sides featuring Jimmy Page on guitar. Among the hitmakers were Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders (later on their own simply as The Mindbenders), The Troggs, The New Vaudeville Band, Manfred Mann, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, and Steam. In 2009 the label released Brooke Hogan's album. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
TV-am
TV-am was a TV company that broadcast the ITV franchise for breakfast television in the United Kingdom from 1 February 1983 until 31 December 1992. The station was the UK's first national operator of a commercial breakfast television franchise. Its daily broadcasts were between 6:00 am and 9:25 am. Throughout its nine years and 10 months of broadcast, the station regularly had problems, resulting in numerous management changes, especially in its early years. It also suffered from major financial cutbacks hampering its operations. Though on a stable footing by 1986 and winning its ratings battle with the BBC's '' Breakfast Time'', within a year turmoil had ensued when industrial action hit the company. Despite these setbacks, by the 1990s, TV-am's flagship programme '' Good Morning Britain'' had become the most popular breakfast show on UK television. Following a change in the law regarding television franchising, the company lost its licence and was replaced by GMTV in 1993. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
