Worzel Gummidge > Reviews (3)

Mmm whilst pondering over what I should write about today. Having the urge
to write brewing within I decided to go back again down memory lane as I
do every now and again. The journey I am taking you on today is to a time
when there was a programme on television called Worzel Gummage. You must remember old Worzel? The loveable Scarecrow?

Go on…You remember the scarecrow that came to life with the weird looking wart on his face and dear old aunt Sally who used to be highly annoying. Played by Jon Pertwee and Petula Clarke.

YOU PUT A WER AFTER W AND A WER AFTER O A WER AFTER R AND IT'S AWAY WE GO
YOU BUT A WER AFYER Z AND A WER AFTER E
A WER AFTER R AND YOU'RE LEFT, WITH ME.

This is the song that Worzel used to sing. Is this ringing any bells yet? Petula Clarke was the snobby dress maker who was always highly made up with loads of blusher on her cheeks.

Worzel Gummage was set in the 1980’s as a children’s television programme.
To be honest in some ways it was quite scary and changed my opinions of
the scarecrows that stand in the field. Even though Worzel was very lovable
the nasty crow man who used to chase after him was just pure evil. He even looked evil with his black suit on and staring eyes. Worzel was a scarecrow made by him that not only could talk he could even walk.

What stands in my mind about Worzel was his very long nose and wart. Not only this, but the tatty clothes he always wore.

Aunt Sally sticks in my mind as the dress maker who was always overly made up. She used to wear this cheesy grin all the time and it never changed. I wondered if she’d had it fixed there. Aunt Sally was enough to scare me or annoy me at the very least.

I mean it was a funny programme too and made me laugh a lot. The thing
is that I could never decide whether I liked this programme or it was just
sheer annoying, but whichever one it was I certainly watched it. I think
it was a mixture of both between the characters that annoyed me Worzel used
to annoy me too at times. Though the characters were lovable and you definitely couldn’t forget them.

A cup of tea and a slice of cake? Said Worzel. This was one of Worzel’s favourite sayings. This also used to annoy me not just the fact that it was repeated over
and over, but the way Worzel used to say it. This was the way the programme went though it seemed to appeal to kids more by using more simple approaches to language and repetition was one of the script writer’s ways.

Now don’t get me wrong I know I say there were things that annoyed me about
the programme, but despite all those I actually loved this programme and
it will always remain in my memory as one of my favourite children’s programmes. As I look back over the years it still remains one of my most memorable programmes that I used to watch.

Jon Pertwee played an excellent Worzel it just wouldn’t have been the same
with any other actor playing him. Jon Pertwee was the right choice for
the part and I can’t picture anyone doing the job as well. You often felt sorry for Worzel because Jon Pertwee showed him as such an innocent character.

I look to the future and think if this programme was ever brought out again
it would simply ruin the memories and wouldn’t be as good. Maybe the only
way I can see this coming out again is in a cartoon version, but I think
there are far too many cartoons out nowadays. Mostly what children watch nowadays pays no comparison to what we saw when we were young. It’s just not in the same class. Or maybe I’m biased because they are my memories and I treasure them.

Jon Pertwee also played as an excellent Doctor Who. I think in my personal
opinion he was the best Doctor Who that there ever was. His Doctor Who
days ran from (1970-1974) Before my time, but I still managed to watch repeats of these episodes.

Jon was born in 1919 in the Chelsea area of London. Now own up how many of you knew he was a Londoner?

Worzel gummage was the type of person from the Country. Or a Country bumpkin
as the title suggests. You could see him leaning on a gate in the sunshine with a pipe hanging out of his mouth. Aunt Sally sitting in the shade of an umbrella next to him making daisy chains.

Worzel Gummage was the type of character you felt sorry for. He had a gormless type of look on his face and pitiful eyes. As a child it made you wonder if Scarecrows all came alive and if so were you safe to walk past one? It made the whole way you looked at Scarecrows change. I mean if they all were as lovable as Worzel Gummage then how come they looked so mean and evil in the fields? How come the birds were scared of them?

The series saw renaissance for Barbara Windsor and Geoffrey Bayldon. 'Worzel Gummage' ran for several seasons, and Christmas specials. It was produced by James Gatward and is a programme sadly missed. I don’t think there will ever be a children’s programme like it. Nor do I want there to be.

I can remember as a kid my mum talking about the programmes she used to watch as a child now it is the other way round. Though there are some children’s programmes that just pass you by and you never think of them again. (I sound all old now!) Worzel Gummage wasn’t a programme that you could forget. Although it was annoying at times it was also incredibly good and clever.

The story lines were always good in Worzel and both gripping for a child and hilarious too. The costumes were brilliantly made. The acting was superb and the characters so believable. Worzel Gummage always used to get inside my head he was weird, but lovable. There will never be an actor like Jon Pertwee who most of you will remember as being the first colour Dr Who. He is an actor to be remembered for the talent he portrayed.

Una Stubbs is still around, but I never really grew close to Aunt Sally and therefore don’t really find an attraction in Una Stubbs though I’m sure she’s a very nice person. I have seen her on Pebble Mill quite a number of times and I think she went on to run her own programme which if I’m correct was about knitting or clothes making.

I miss Jon Pertwee and I know that there are many who do particularly the television.

I mean Jon Pertwee was so flexible that he would have been good in anything, but he played a superb Worzel and I think that’s his most memorable role. There must be many who miss him.

If you are thinking of buying a gift for someone you love who as a child loved Worzel Gummage you will not go far wrong in buying the video sets of this which are also available on E Bay for less than you would find in the shops. Remember 4 month’s is not long till Christmas. This will not only please a lover of Worzel it will cause them to reminisce. I hope I have brought back some good memories for you and those who are too young to remember this programme I hope I have educated you on a programme that is timeless.