Keith Hopwood
Keith Hopwood (born 26 October 1946) is an English pop and rock musician, singer-songwriter, composer, businessman and record producer, who served as the rhythm guitarist and backing vocals for the 1960s pop band, Herman's Hermits. Hopwood also served as a keyboardist, singer and guitarist for the post-Peter Noone outfit, Sour Mash, which recorded an unreleased album, ''A Whale of a Tale'' for RCA. Early life Born on 26 October 1946 at Park Hospital, Davyhulme area of Manchester, he attended Urmston Grammar School. Career A talented musician and composer, he continues to live and work in the music industry in the UK. Several rare demo recordings from his time in Herman's Hermits are available through his website. Peter Noone credits his old friend with coming up with the idea of recording "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter" as an afterthought, when Herman's Hermits were short of material for their first album. Noone's heavily accented delivery, together with Hopwood' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Davyhulme
Davyhulme is an area of Greater Manchester, England, historically in Lancashire. The population at the 2011 census was 19,634. Davyhulme Sewage Works The area is notable for Davyhulme Sewage Works, one of the largest wastewater treatment plants in Europe. Opened in 1894, the site is operated by United Utilities and serves a population of 1.2 million in and around the city of Manchester. The facility includes a biogas combined heat and power facility, producing renewable energy from gas produced by the anaerobic digestion of sewage. Parks Davyhulme Millennium Nature Reserve is a green area set along the Manchester Ship Canal, formerly part of the waterworks site. It is popular with dog-walkers, and children on bicycles. The area is owned by United Utilities. Davyhulme Park is a green flag awarded park in the area. It contains two large wildlife ponds, two bowling greens, tennis courts, children's playgrounds and a rose garden. Trafford General Hospital Trafford General H ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Cosgrove Hall Films
Cosgrove Hall Films (also known as Cosgrove Hall Productions) was an English animation studio founded by Brian Cosgrove and Mark Hall; its headquarters was in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester. Cosgrove Hall was once a major producer of children's television and animated programmes/films; Cosgrove Hall's programmes are still seen in over eighty countries. The company was wound down by its then owner, ITV plc, on 26 October 2009. It was mainly known for its series '' Danger Mouse'', '' The Wind in the Willows'' and '' Count Duckula''. History Stop Frame Productions Brian Cosgrove and Mark Hall first met while both were students at Manchester College of Art and Design, which is now part of Manchester Metropolitan University. They later became co-workers at Granada Television, where they produced television graphics. Hall left his job in 1969 and founded his own production company, Stop Frame Productions. Cosgrove joined the company shortly after its establishment. Their firs ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Albie (cartoon)
''Albie'' is a British animated series about a 5-year-old boy with a wild, distorted imagination. Unfortunately, this gets him into trouble with his friends, family and his neighbour, the grouchy Mr. Kidhater-Cox. Albie was created by award-winning children's author Andy Cutbill and was based on his own childhood. Andy also helped develop '' Rupert Bear, Follow the Magic...'' for Channel 5. These series can be often seen repeated on the ITV children's digital channel, CITV. Overview The concept of Albie involves a small boy who keeps encountering exotic animals in his garden whose sole purpose seem to be to get him into trouble. This includes a herd of Welsh water buffalo on a mission to nick the bath from Albie's house, Geordie elephants obsessed with buns and a couple of Sahara-missing cockney camels living in the sand-pit. Albie's interaction with the animals is left open as to whether the occurrences are real or not. From a technical point of view, the show is noteworthy ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Discworld
''Discworld'' is a comic fantasy"Humorous Fantasy" in David Pringle, ed., ''The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Fantasy'' (pp.31-33). London, Carlton,2006. book series written by the English author Terry Pratchett, set on the Discworld, a flat planet balanced on the backs of four elephants which in turn stand on the back of a giant turtle. The series began in 1983 with ''The Colour of Magic'' and continued until the final novel ''The Shepherd's Crown'', which was published in 2015, following Pratchett's death. The books frequently parody or take inspiration from classic works, usually fantasy or science fiction, as well as mythology, folklore and fairy tales, and often use them for satirical parallels with cultural, political and scientific issues. Forty-one ''Discworld'' novels were published. Apart from the first novel in the series, ''The Colour of Magic'', the original British editions of the first 26 novels, up to ''Thief of Time'' (2001), had cover art by Josh Kirby. After Ki ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Andy Pandy
''Andy Pandy'' is a British children's television series that first appeared on BBC Television in summer 1950. Originally live, a series of 26 filmed programmes was shown until 1970, when a new series of 13 episodes was made. A revival of the show was made in 2002. The show was the basis for a comic strip of the same name in the children's magazines '' Robin'' and ''Pippin''. Original 1950 and 1970 versions The original version of ''Andy Pandy'' premiered on BBC TV in 1950, on either 11 July or 20 June, as part of the ''For the Children'' strand (later ''Watch with Mother'') narrated by Maria Bird who also narrated the black & white 1950s original broadcasts of Flower Pot Men, The Woodentops and Bizzy Lizzie. Initially it was broadcast live, but it was realised that if the programmes were filmed, they could be repeated. 26 fifteen-minute episodes were filmed on 16mm [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Foxbusters
''The Foxbusters'' is a British animated TV series very loosely based on the Dick King-Smith book ''The Foxbusters''. It was made by Cosgrove Hall, and consists of two series of thirteen 11-minute episodes each, made between 1999 and 2000. The show was co-written by the animation partnership of David Max Freedman and Alan Gilbey, and occasionally with Joel Jessup as a third writer. It was directed by Jon Doyle. The show itself is laden with gags and action. It also won two major awards in 2000: a BAFTA for "Best Animated Series" and the British Animation Awards for "Best Children's Series". Despite being a critical success, the show did not obtain the same level of commercial success as some of its competitors, and ended in 2000 after just two series (unlike other animated shows, who utilize seasons). While not seeing much commercial success upon release, in spite of this, the show and the series is still fondly remembered a decade later by fans and has picked up a cult follow ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Alias The Jester
''Alias the Jester'' is a British animated series created by Cosgrove Hall Films, airing in 13 episodes on ITV starting on 13 November 1985. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation aired the show in 1987 during their after school timeslot and is considered one of the Classic ABC shows. GBC TV in Gibraltar aired the series several times in the late 1980s, mainly as a filler during the children's 6:30pm–7:30pm weekday slot. Synopsis The show follows the adventures of a time traveller by the name of Alias and his dog-like companion Boswell. After their malfunctioning ship gets stuck in the Earth's magnetic pole, they crash-land in a Middle Age kingdom called Houghton Bottoms, ruled by the diminutive King Arthur and his Queen Edith. Taking up a secret identity of sorts as Alias the Jester, he gains employment at the court and befriends the bumbling court wizard Meredith. When the situation calls for it, Alias instantly changes back into his red uniform, which enables him to fly, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Creepy Crawlies
''Creepy Crawlies'' was a stop motion animation series created by Cosgrove Hall. The series consisted of 52 ten-minute episodes, which were broadcast on CITV, Children's ITV between 1987 and 1989. All episodes were written by Peter Reeves and directed by Franc Vose and Brian Little (animation director), Brian Little; narration and character voices were provided by Paul Nicholas. Overview The series was based upon the daily goings-on of a group of common invertebrate creatures that lived at the bottom of a garden around an old sundial. Characters * Mr Harrison the snail * Suppose the worm * Ariadne the spider * Anorak the pillbug (woodlouse) * Ladybird the ladybird * Lambeth the beetle * Ancient the caterpillar VHS releases The Video Collection and Thames Video released 2 VHS tapes containing 5 episodes each. References External links * 1987 British television series debuts 1989 British television series endings 1980s British children's television series Animated telev ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The BFG
''The BFG'' (short for ''The Big Friendly Giant'') is a 1982 children's book written by British novelist Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake. It is an expansion of a short story from Dahl's 1975 book '' Danny, the Champion of the World''. The book is dedicated to Dahl's late daughter, Olivia, who died of measles encephalitis at the age of seven in 1962. An animated adaptation was released in 1989 with David Jason providing the voice of the BFG and Amanda Root as the voice of Sophie. It has also been adapted as a theatre performance. A theatrical Disney live-action adaptation directed by Steven Spielberg was released in 2016. As of 2009, the novel has sold 37 million copies, with more than 1 million copies sold around the world every year. In 2003, ''The BFG'' was listed at number 56 in ''The Big Read'', a BBC survey of the British public. In 2012, the novel was ranked number 88 among all-time best children's novels in a survey published by ''School Library Journal' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The BFG (1989 Film)
''The BFG'' is a 1989 British animated fantasy adventure film produced by Cosgrove Hall Films and Nelvana, based on the 1982 novel of the same name by Roald Dahl. It was directed by Brian Cosgrove and written by John Hambley. The film was first shown on 25 December 1989 on ITV in the United Kingdom. The film was dedicated to animator George Jackson, who had worked on numerous Cosgrove Hall productions prior to his death in 1986. This film is also the last role of Ballard Berkeley (the voice of the Head of the Army), who died in 1988. Plot Sophie is a young orphaned girl living in the orphanage of the cantankerous and abusive Mrs. Clonkers. One night, Sophie wakes up and looks out of her window to see a cloaked Giant Man blowing something through a trumpet into a bedroom window down the street; whereupon the Giant Man notices her and snatches her through the window, carrying her away to a mysterious realm known as "Giant Country". In his cave, the Giant identifies himself a ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Wyrd Sisters
''Wyrd Sisters'' is Terry Pratchett's sixth ''Discworld'' novel, published in 1988. It re-introduces Granny Weatherwax of ''Equal Rites''. Plot ''Wyrd Sisters'' features three witches: Granny Weatherwax; Nanny Ogg, matriarch of a large tribe of Oggs and owner of the most evil cat in the world; and Magrat Garlick, the junior witch, who firmly believes in occult jewelry, covens, and bubbling cauldrons, much to the annoyance of the other two. King Verence I of Lancre is murdered by his cousin, Duke Felmet, after his ambitious wife persuades him to do so. The King's crown and child are given by an escaping servant to the three witches. The witches hand the child to a troupe of travelling actors, and hide the crown in the props-box. They acknowledge that destiny will eventually take its course and that the child, Tomjon, will grow up to defeat Duke Felmet and take his rightful place as king. However, the kingdom is angry about the way the new King is mistreating the land and hi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Soul Music (TV Series)
''Soul Music'' is a seven-part animated television adaptation of the 1994 book of the same name by Terry Pratchett, produced by Channel 4 Television Corporation/Cosgrove Hall Films/ITEL/Ventureworld Films and distributed by Channel 4 Television Corporation (1996) (UK) (TV) & Vision Video (2001) (UK) (DVD). It was first broadcast on 28 December 1998 and released on DVD in 2001 alongside Wyrd Sisters in a box set entitled "Soul Music". The feature-length miniseries was developed by Acorn Media, and directed by Jean Flynn. It was the first film adaptation of an entire ''Discworld'' novel (following the '' Welcome to the Discworld'' short, which was based on a fragment of the novel '' Reaper Man''). The series soundtrack was also released on CD, but the disc is now out of production. The soundtrack is, however, now available through iTunes. Editz did the title sequences, Flix Facilities did the digital picture editing, and Hullabaloo Studios did the audio post-production. Plot The f ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |