They Don't Make TV Series For Kids Nowadays Like This/ 1.The Feathered Serpent/2. Catweazle/3.Ace Of Wands/4.THE GHOSTS OF MOTLEY HALL/ 5. TIMESLIP

[HawkMan]

In the marquee Archie is about to proclaim his marrow as the winner, when in walks Charles and Groome carrying their marrows. They are still large, but now about 2 feet long only. They place them on the table, Archie looking a bit sullen, he is not going to win , measures the two marrows.

LyC ( whispers)" they don't look 6 feet to me Mavis"
MG " men always exaggerate m'lady "
Archie finishes his measuring,
Ar " it's a tie I'm afraid "
Cedric enters,
Cd " just a minute Mr Goodwin "
He has been secretly growing a marrow too, he places it on table.
Archie measures the marrow, leans towards Cedric and gives him a warm smile and a wink.
Ar " well done my boy, you're the winner , I couldn't have grown a better one myself "

Charles and Dotty smile proudly at their son, Groome the old curmudgeon not too happy.

At Duck Halt Cedric enters carrying the first prize wrapped in a cloth , he places it down. Catweazle is feeling grumpy, sitting reading one of his magic books.
Cd " hello"
C " did you bring the magic stirrer?"
Cd " no sorry, the marrows have shrunk anyway so it wouldn't have worked "
C ( angry) " nothing works, nothing ever works, nothing will ever work , it is all folly"
Cd "yes...you're well again that's the main thing. I've brought you a present "
Catweazle in a right huff ignores him.
Cd " look Catweazle what's more important, giant bananas or the flying spell!?"
C " flying thy gowk"- (old English foolish person)
Cd " then what about the sign of aquarius "
Cedric removes the cloth from the porcelain statue. It is a child in traditional Greek style design with an urn on his shoulder.

C " the water carrier! You are indeed a great magician. Thy power is greater than mine"
Cd " don't be silly, you're much better than I am. I just got lucky that's all."
C " it is for me?"
Cd " of course, I won it"
C " huh?"
Cd " in a marrow competition!!"

Cedric and Catweazle stare at each other then realise the extraordinary link between recent events, marrows, potion and Aquarius, the sign Catweazle needed. They burst out in fits of laughter.
C and Cd "   "
THE END

Edited March 24 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

S2 E12 THE MAGIC CIRCLE 

Catweazle gets off his tricycle that he got from a junk shop earlier in this his second visit to 20th century England , he is carrying a glass jar filled with water with a couple of fish in it swimming about, and enters Duck Halt, the deserted railway station that is his home.
He places the jar on the floor to complete his search for examples of all 12 signs of the zodiac. He has them in a circle on the floor, including among others, a bath mat with a bowman motif on it , a armband with a goat logo on it, he has examples of all 12 signs.

He turns to Touchwood his toad.
C " the sign of the fish, 12 signs of the zodiac, the great quest is almost ended. Now I have them all. I shall fly."
He picks up his magician's stick and looks heavenwards.
C " Algar, Tetragram, Shempamparash, where is the 13th sign"
He listens for an answer from the deities.
C" where is the 13th sign?"
He turns to Touchwood,
Geoffrey Bayldon is Catweazle.

C " Touchwood thou art my familiar, where is the sign"
The toad croaks,
C " thou mirksome kinded wimble , what use are thou?"
More croaking,
C " aye, none, may thy warts grow warts. Mayhap I must begin again. But where did thou begin again in this new world Catweazle?....( smiles)...the moat...and the magic power of water..yes!"

In the drawing room of King's Farthing Lord Collingford puts the phone down glumly, Lady Collingford and Cedric are there too.
LC " well, the bank won't help "
LyC " oh dear"
LC " we'll just have to think again "
LyC " I suppose we could sell the car"
LC " who to, a museum, we need 10,000 pounds. Trouble is I love the old place, don't really want to sell it "
Cd " what about the treasure?"
LC " please Cedric don't start that again there's a good chap"
Cd " but if we really searched"
LyC " no darling "
LC " my father once spent an entire summer digging up the croquet lawn, all he found was 8 arrowheads , 2 cannonballs and a key to the front door, people just aren't interested anymore in paying to see the historical weapons we have displayed here. I think they come here just to draw on the walls "
LyC " or throw cigarette packets into the moat"
LC " Groome is clearing them away now..( sighs)..don't suppose he'll be doing that next year "
Moray Watson is Lord Collingford (Charles). Elspeth Gray is Lady Collingford ( Dotty)

Edited March 24 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Henry Groome the handyman and gardener is pushing a wheelbarrow across the lawns to the moat ready to fish rubbish out of it. Suddenly he stops , he hears moaning, he silently walks up to moat and sees Catweazle sitting on bank calling up to the heavens.
C " what is the 13th sign.....oooohh...what is the 13th sign"
G " hey you"
Catweazle spins round and sees Groome and runs away. Groome in pursuit.
G " come back you...."
Cedric looking out of the window of the drawing room sees this.
Catweazle comes to a concreted section of the bank, where a sort of jetty goes out into the water, he runs along it, and realises he's trapped as Groome cuts off his retreat. Catweazle looks to the water, he has to try to jump across.
G " don't try it"
Catweazle does indeed jump in and splashes into the water, AND THEN BOUNCES OUT , and lands back on the bank, BONE DRY! Groome faints, in a heap on the grass.
Catweazle stares unbelieving at what happened, he pats himself, his robe is dry.
Cautiously he peers into water, then straightens and says,
C " salmy dalmy adonay " and jumps in again.
The same result , he looks at the unconscious Groome and casually walks off.
Cedric runs up to Groome a few minutes later.
Gary Warren is Cedric, Peter Butterworth is Groome.

Cd " Mr Groome are you okay "
Groome stirs, he's okay.

Gwen Nelson is Mrs Gowdy

In the drawing room all are present as Groome comes to terms with what he saw.
Mavis Gowdy the housekeeper hands him a cup of tea.
MG " here you are Henry "
G "...jumped in......bounced out....bone dry."
LC " gently Groome gently "
G ( shouting and blubbering)" BOUNCED OUT...BONE DRY....he was bone dry"
LyC " do you think it's overwork?"
LC " what..Groome?!"
LyC " there's someone I know who might be able to help"
LC " who's that Dotty?"
LyC ( thumbing through directory) " he specializes in this sort of thing. "
Groome is still in shock,
G " jumped in...bounced back bone dry "
MG " of course he was Henry "
Dotty has found the number,
LyC " ah....here it is...Doctor Renwick...Benjamin Renwick ".

 

In the woods Cedric finds a sullen looking Catweazle by a tree.
Cd " Catweazle what an earth did you do to Groome?"
C " Owlface the way back is barred"
Cd " what?"
C " I cannot get into water"
Cd " what are you talking about "
C" water, the magic power of water that carries me through time...oh thou empty headed acorn I'll show you"
Cd " stop fooling about , you scared Groome half silly "
C " but how shall I get back?"
Cd " on your tricycle of course "
C " ( angry) " thy maggot....listen "
Cd " not now Catweazle....please get lost "
Cedric leaves him,
C " nay Owlface , I am already lost, trapped in thy time forever "

Edited March 24 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Dr Renwick is in the drawing room, everyone is there trying to help. Renwick has a slight German accent.
Dr R " now tell me everything"
G " but I've already told everyone everything "
LC " come along Groome we're all here to help you"
G " I don't need help m' Lord"
Dr R " perhaps it is better we are alone"
Everyone leaves,
G " don't go m 'Lord"
LyC " it's alright Groome "
G " but....m' Lady"
Derek Godfrey is Renwick.

Renwick sits next to Groome,
R " don't worry my boy, you must relax very important you know"
Renwick takes out a pocket watch and gently swings it to and fro before Groome .
R " watch....you feel sleepy...sleep...that's it...you must sleep "
Renwick slowly drifts off to sleep himself.
G " here doc, you alright "
Renwick snaps out of it,
R " er..where was I "
G " don't ask me"

Dr R " now tell me what exactly did you see. Don't be afraid to tell me everything "
G " alright if you must know, I saw this old man with a beard"
Renwick takes out a notebook and writes.
R " a beard...good..have you seen him before "
G " yeah, I keep seeing him....he is dressed in a long brown robe, and sometimes he rides a ....a...tricycle "
R " tricycle..go on"
G " he was standing by the moat and as soon as I started to chase him he tried to jump across and he fell in...then..then.."
R " yes..yes"
G " he bounced back like a ball, he was absolutely dry he was, even his feet "
R " I see......but that's quite impossible my dear chap"
G " I KNOW THAT!!...ANY FOOL KNOWS THAT "
Groome stands and goes over to the window.
R " calm down Mr Broom"
G " IT'S GROOME...GROOME "
R " sorry, Mr Groome Groome "
Groome suddenly sees Catweazle again on the lawn, Catweazle sees him, and runs.
G " it's him"
Groome clambers out of window and is in pursuit.
G " here...come back ...come back.."
Catweazle reaches his tricycle and jumps on and pedals away, Groome gets on his bike which was leaning up on the outside wall of the manor house.
Groome chasing Catweazle as they pedal off down the driveway that leads to the country lane at the end of the estate. Dr.Renwick running after them, but then sees a bike propped up against a railing. It belongs to Cedric but Renwick gets on it and follows.
Catweazle reaches the end of the driveway and turns right....and sees dozens of cyclists heading towards him, a road race , all cyclists in gear, a proper competitive race. Catweazle nimbly manoeuvres his tricycle out the way onto the grass as they pass.
Groome is next to reach the lane he turns left , looks behind him and screams.
G " AARRGGHH help "
The cyclists surround him,
Cyclist " get out the way old fool"
He can't get out the way, he tries to stop but there's shouts of " move it move it you're in the way ". The pelaton whizzes away down the road ,Groome is swept along.
Finally Renwick reaches the lane and looks right to see Catweazle pedalling away.
Dr R ( consults notebook) " beard, brown robe, riding a tricycle....hey Sir....I'd like a word please "

 

Edited March 24 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Groome meanwhile can't disentangle himself from the racing cyclists, if he tries to slow he is shouted at.
" get moving " and " out the way"

The road ahead bends sharply but Groome can't turn at this speed accurately and veers off the road and into a ditch, and ends up face down in the mud.
He climbs back on his bike for the pedal back.
Meanwhile Renwick has followed Catweazle back to Duck Halt. He dismounts from the bike and gingerly opens the waiting room door on the platform of the abandoned station and enters.
R " where are you my friend. I won't hurt you, don't be frightened"
He sees Touchwood sitting on the table, he looks around, the room chock full of junk. Suddenly Catweazle comes up behind him and attempts to throw a large net over him, but Renwick dodges it.
C " get thee gone, it is my chamber, be gone thy prying fox. Would thou steal Touchwood "
R " Touchwood?"
C " my faithful minion "
R " no never, I am a friend "
C " art thou, I know thee not"
R ( offering hand) " Renwick...Benjamin Renwick "
Catweazle looks at Renwick's outstretched hand and nods.
R " can I sit down "
C " thou knowest that better than I"
Renwick sits on a bench , Catweazle sits next to him.
R " nice place you have here"
Catweazle holds two bananas and offers one to Renwick.
R " thank you, you're very kind"
They eat their bananas.

Renwick begins what he believes is a bit of therapy with a patient, nothing unusual, or so he thinks.
R " tell me what are you doing living here for"
C " nay I can't tell you "
R " but you can tell me"
C " can thy keep a secret?"
R " of course my dear chap of course "
C " thou will tell no one?"
R " no no"
C " one day soon..( flapping arms)..I shall fly"
R " you mean..( flapping arms)...fly?!"
C " 'tis so"
R " erm....how long have you been living here?"
C " I will tell thee more"
R " why not my dear chap, why not"
C " I cannot go back to the past "
R " ah...and this worries you"
C " I am trapped "
R " no need to get upset, you feel trapped, I feel trapped"
Catweazle excitedly gets the wrong end of the stick.
C " THOU ALSO ARE TRAPPED?!"
Renwick is now looking a bit worried by this conversation with a possible madman.
C " did thou come through water "
R " er....yes...I will help you get back, now what is the first thing you remember "
C " the battle of Hastings "
R " oh yes Harold with the arrow in his eye"
C " nay it was grit in his eye, the arrow was in his back...I saw it"
R " erm....what else do you remember "
C " the dungeons "
R " dungeons?"
C " aye but I escaped"
R ( humouring) " excellent , a big step forward "
C " it was a jump...900 years. What does thou remember?"
R "I'm supposed to be helping you"
C " does thou know the signs "
Renwick nods , and ever so slightly backs away on the bench.
R (warily) "erm...I can recognize most of them"
C " I have 12, I will help thee"
R " but I don't need help "
C ( in awe) " thou has the 13th sign?"
R " of course my dear chap of course "
Catweazle grabs Renwick and pulls him over to his collection of zodiac signs in a circle on the floor.
C " you see I have 12, give me the 13th, then we will fly together "
R " fly?"
C" as the birds of the air fly. I will serve thee , truly thou art great "
Catweazle removes his witch knife from around his neck and waves it around.
C " Shempamparash, salmy dalmy adonay"
Renwick has heard enough and scarpers, running out the door.
C " come back master"

Another chase , this time in reverse, Catweazle on his tricycle is chasing Renwick back to King's Farthing. Mavis Gowdy stares out of the window.
MG " m' Lord, Doctor Renwick is back on Cedric's bike riding into the estate "
LC " what about Mr Groome "
MG " no m' Lord but there's a strange man chasing Doctor Renwick "
LyC " chasing him?"
MG " yes m' Lady and it's exactly like Groome said, brown robe and beard"

Renwick is now cornered at the waters edge by the moat. Catweazle approaches, Renwick fearful of him thinking him a lunatic.
R ( nervously) "I tell you I haven't got the 13th sign"
C " thou maggot, thou art as foolish as the Normans...then..(sadly).. truly I am trapped "

Edited March 24 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Charles, Dotty and Cedric walk out of the front door and see Groome trudging up path to door, pushing bike , mud splattered face, covered in sweat.
LC " Groome what happened to you?"
G ( gasps)....mmm...my....Lord..."

Back at moat,
R " no please don't jump"
Catweazle is preparing to jump in again "
C " thou shall see"
Renwick is agitated as he believes he's going to witness a potential drowning.
R ( pleads) "please please be reasonable "
C " I am trapped in thy time, thou shall see"
Catweazle leaps in the water, bounces out and lands back on bank.
C " there, thou has seen that I am trapped "
Chales, Dotty, Cedric and Groome run towards Catweazle and Renwick, Catweazle gets on his tricycle and pedals away. Renwick stares open mouthed lower jaw down in astonishment as the others arrive.
LC " Doctor Renwick? Are you okay?"
R " he...er..jumped in..... bounced out... bone dry" 

In Duck Halt, Catweazle and Cedric sit by a fire , both lost in thought staring at the flames hoping for something.
Cd " I've just got to find it"
C " indeed Owlface it must be found"
Cd " time is running out and school starts in a week"
C " nights grow colder, and I have the bone ache "
Cd " if only I knew where to look"
C " the 13th sign of the zodiac "
Cd " the lost treasure of the Collingfords "
C " I would fly"
Cd " I would save King's Farthing "
They both sigh deeply and in unison say,
C and Cd " mayhap....mayhap"

THE END

Edited March 24 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

FINAL EPISODE 

S2 E13 THE THIRTEENTH SIGN

Catweazle has found examples of all 12 signs of the zodiac in his quest to fly. He has been assisted by Cedric and have followed the flying spell, written by Cedric's grandfather in the cellar of King's Farthing, the ancestral home of the Collingfords.
" twelve are they that circle round, if power you seek they must be found. Look for where the thirteenth lies, mount aloft the one who flies. "
The Collingfords are not particularly rich, in fact in financial difficulties, their ancestral home inherited , and a long dead ancestor Lord Alfred hid some treasure somewhere in the grounds of King's Farthing. Numerous attempts have been made to locate the treasure over the previous century but to no avail. Now , the story comes to a conclusion .

 

In Duck Halt, disused railway station that is home to Catweazle he is listening to a record on a old wind up turntable he found. He doesn't really understand what records are, he thinks voices are trapped in the vinyl, departed spirits. But he is singing along to a tune. The song reaches the chorus, we hear the female singers;
Female Singers " tara ra boom de ay, tara ra boom de ay, tara ra boom de ay"
Catweazle is tapping his feet and singing along.
Catweazle ( singing) " boom de ay! boom de ay"
The record unfortunately gets stuck...not for the first time.
" ta ra ra ta ra ra ta ra ra ra ra ra "
C " boom de ay, thy spinning spirit, has thou forgotten again. I know the spell better than thee"
Catweazle climbs onto a crate , picks up his magician's stick.
C " O spirits of the brazen vessel. Once more I call on thee. What is the 13th sign. Salmy Dalmy Boom de Ay"

In the drawing room at King's Farthing Lord and Lady Collingford look miserable as sin.
LyC " was he very upset?"
LC " yes as a matter of fact he was "
LyC " what did he say?"
LC " he said if he'd known he wouldn't have ordered the manure....for the roses"
LyC " yes of course...the roses"
LC " have you told Mrs Gowdy?"
LyC " no, have you told Cedric?"
LC " er...no"
LyC " aren't we a couple of cowards "

Edited March 24 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Handyman and gardener Henry Groome is helping Cedric to carry a large trunk down the stairs and into the hallway. Cedric returns to boarding school soon, his belongings all packed.
G " school isn't too bad is it?"
Cd " no, it's okay I suppose "
G " here I got something for you."
Groome pulls out from his inner jacket pocket a pocket telescope. Brass in colour it extends to reveal a good length telescope.
G " belonged to an uncle of mine in the merchant navy "
Cd " thanks it's great"
G " no, it's just an old telescope, no good to me"
Cd " I think it's smashing, thanks ever so much Mr Groome "
G " sort of souvenir "
Cd " souvenir? Not leaving are you "
G " well I wouldn't want to stay on here after you've all gone"
Cedric looks shocked, Groome grimaces, he has let the cat out of the bag.

Mavis Gowdy ,housekeeper, is in tears as Dotty tells her the news.
MG " but it's my home as well m'lady"
LyC " yes I know "
Cedric runs in,
Cd " Groome says we're selling up, is it true "
Mavis in tears leaves for her kitchen.
Cd " then it is true"
LC " I'm afraid so Cedric "
Cd "why didn't you tell me?"
LC " I didn't want to spoil your last day"
Cd ( tearful) " well it's ruined now isn't it!"
Cedric runs out of front door across lawns.

Catweazle is just outside the grounds as Cedric runs towards him. Even Catweazle can see Cedric is upset as they meet by a tree, Cedric squats down.
C " Owlface what ails thee?"
Cd " it's dreadful we're leaving going away "
C " away?"
Cd " yes, even Groome is upset, look what he has given me."
C " tis magic?"
Cd " no , it makes far away things look much nearer"
C " it is magic!"
Cd " if only I could find the treasure "
Catweazle takes telescope and points it to the ground,

Edited March 24 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

C " oh 13th sign draw thou nearer"
Cd " not like that, point it at something "
Catweazle points to tree.
Cd " no, oh I'll show you ..erm...see the clock tower?"
C " aye"
Cedric focuses the telescope on the clock tower that tops the huge King's Farthing home. It's a big four sided clockface, a spire above it, and an old father time weather vane on top of spire.
C " let me look'"
Cd " just a minute, thirteen, it says thirteen"
The clock numbers are in roman numerals, but the twelve is XIII

C ( not understanding) "wondrous wondrous thou has found the 13th sign"
Cd " twelve are they that circle round, if power you seek they must be found..."
C " look for where the thirteenth lies"
Cd" it says 13"
C " what sayest thou"
Cd " power you seek....it's the treasure Catweazle "
C " treasure?"
Cd " look for where the thirteenth lies, and it lies, it's pretending to be twelve. Mount aloft the one who flies. It's up there it's just got to be...come on"
C " I shall fly! I shall fly"
They run off to the clock tower.

Edited March 24 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Cedric and Catweazle look down at the ground below from the base of the spire, the huge clock behind them , there is a walkway with railings that encircle the four faced clock.
Cd " it's hidden up here somewhere "
C( looking down) " must I fly from up here?"
Cd ( snaps fingers) " I've got it"
C " then give it to me"
Cd " Lord Alfred built this tower, it must be inside it"
They enter the inner part of the spire through a hatch, and find a cobwebbed room, wooden floorboards, dust everywhere, but empty of anything other than some old tools.
Cd " come on Catweazle do something"

 

Catweazle pulls out his witch knife and spins round the room pointing it, and finally points it upwards to the ceiling.
Cedric climbs on box and knocks on ceiling , it sounds hollow.
Cd" I think you're right Catweazle"
Cedric picks up metal pole, and prods ceiling with it, and again harder.
The ceiling gives way, the treasure pours out, gemstones, jewellery, a gold chalice, gold goblets.
Cd " we've done it!!"
C ( jubilant) "the thirteenth sign "
Cedric finds a rolled up piece of parchment, words on it written by the same great grandfather that wrote the flying spell.
Cd " listen to this, .....the hours are they that circle round, the 13 you have surely found. The one who flies is father time the spells' undone the treasures' thine"
They proceed to put all the valuables into a sack.
C " but the sign, where is the sign?"
Cd " don't you see, there is no sign"
C " but thou has promised "
Cd " I can't explain now, I'll see you back at Duck Halt "
Cedric clambers down through hatch leaving Catweazle alone with sad thoughts , the understanding that the flying spell he translated was nothing of the sort, but a treasure clue, is beyond his reasoning.
C " then I shall never fly, the quest is over, and thou also Catweazle "

In the drawing room Cedric empties the sack on the table, Charles and Dotty stare at the treasure.
LyC " I can't believe it"
LC " where did you find it?"
Cd " in the spire, we won't have to sell the house now will we "

Edited March 24 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

At Duck Halt Catweazle is furious, angry, hurt, raging at the spirits who have let him down.
C " by the mysteries of the deep ? by the power of Hecate? by the power of the east wind? It's all ( shouting) IDLE GIBBERISH!!"
He stamps on his magic book , and picks it up and rips out pages.
C " THE FLYING SPELL IS GIBBERISH, ALL MAGIC IS GIBBERISH "
He picks up a porcelain bowl and hurls it across room smashing it to pieces.
C " spirits of the brazen vessel NOTHING WORKS! The 13th sign ...I Catweazle that have flown through time, jumped 900 years, FOOLED, DUPED, CHEATED There is no magic..none"
He stands on crate, holds his magician's stick and breaks it in half.

He turns to Touchwood his toad, picks it up and speaks softly to it.
C " Touchwood am I thy master?...nay..nay..I cannot keep thee, I have forsaken magic. Go, find thee a true magician one worthy of thee"
Outside on the platform of Duck Halt he places Touchwood down , the toad hops off.
C " merry meet, merry part. Hide from hungry crows, beware of foxes, swallow no bees"
Catweazle returns to waiting room and sits moroseness engulfs him.
C " I knew him when he was a tadpole...and I have the heartache "

Edited March 24 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

At King's Farthing,
LC " it's fantastic there's an absolute fortune here"
LyC " how did you know it was in the spire"
Cd " well it was the rhyme really I suppose "
LyC " what rhyme?"
Cd " sort of magic writing, I wouldn't have been able to translate it in the first place if it hadn't been for....oh dear"
LyC " hadn't been for what?"
Cd " excuse me, I'll be back in a minute "
At Duck Halt Catweazle can hear croaking from outside,
C " I say thou should leave me, ( more croaking) where art thou, ( walks out onto platform) it is no croaking matter "
Catweazle gasps in wonder, a hot air balloon has landed about a quarter of a mile away, the huge balloon dominates the immediate horizon. He picks up Touchwood and runs towards it.

Catweazle arrives in the field where the balloon has landed. In awe he walks around it
C " tis wondrous round like a circle. Touchwood what's the 13th sign of the zodiac, a circle, no beginning no ending. Nothing and everything. Why does this great ball hang in the air, it is the moon perhaps "
Catweazle has been taught rudimentary
reading by Cedric, he shows Touchwood the name of this balloon, printed on the front of the basket. The name is Zodiac, that clinches it for Catweazle.
C " see Touchwood the 13th sign."

Cedric is at Duck Halt, no sign of Catweazle, he walks out of waiting room and onto platform, takes telescope out of pocket, extends it and looks through it. He sees Catweazle dancing around balloon, he sets off in pursuit.
Catweazle can't contain his curiosity, he climbs into basket, then sees Cedric running towards him, he ducks down.
Cd " come on out"
C " it is the 13th sign "
Cd " no it isn't it's a balloon "
C " aye, the 13th sign"
Cd ( grabbing Catweazle) " please come out, you'll get caught "
C " unhand me "

 

Catweazle pushes Cedric away, and looks above his head, a lever, what does that do ? Curiosity again.....he pulls it, gas jet fires up into balloon. BALLOON LIFTS.
Cd " Catweazle, please it's dangerous, don't touch anything!"
Too late, the balloon lifts higher.
Catweazle is totally at ease with this experience.
C " I fly I fly "

Edited March 24 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

At King's Farthing the owner of the balloon is nursing a slightly twisted ankle, rough landing, he is a family friend. He sits as Charles offers him a drink.
LC " where is your balloon Boris"
B " only about half a mile away....cheers "
LyC " I'd love to see it"
B " come on I'll show you..( trying to get up)...arrgh my ankle "
LC " you better stay here and rest your leg"
B " you know you're right Pongo, why don't you two pop along and I'll keep an eye on this amazing find of Cedric's, by the way where is he?"
LC " I wish I knew "

Charles and Dotty walk out of King's Farthing and across lawn, they look up, the balloon is sailing over the property and it's quite low, but who's in it?

LyC " oh my god, Cedric "
But they see Cedric running towards them.
LC " thank goodness "
The balloon skims the top of King's Farthing just missing the spire before ascending again, Catweazle looking down, presses the lever again and another gas jet is released.
LC " whoever is in that must be mad"
Cd " no he's not"
LC " what d'you mean?"
Cd " well, he always said he'd fly"
LyC " always?"
LC " you mean you knew him?"
Cd " he helped me find the treasure "
L " who was he?"
Cd " you'd never believe me"
LyC " come on Cedric who was he?"
Cd " he was a magician called Catweazle "
Cedric runs off in the direction of the balloon.

Catweazle is loving every minute of the incredible experience, he looks down at the ground below, he sees horses galloping along fields, looking tiny from up in the air.
C " I fly, EVERYTHING WORKS, EVERY EVERY THING WORKS"

Cedric is at Duck Halt , a bit sad, he knows he is unlikely to see his amazing and very strange friend again. He sits looking at Catweazle's belongings, his collection of examples of the zodiac signs, his tricycle he occasionally rode, the Wellington boot that Touchwood lived in. He winds up the record player and hears,
(Singers) " ta ra ra boom de ay ta ra ra boom de ay ta ra ra boom de ay"
He leaves the waiting room for the last time and sees the balloon miles off in the distance and smiles and gives a hand salute to his friend.
Cd " goodbye Catweazle "

Catweazle holding Touchwood in his palm,
C " where the wind blows Touchwood we go, fear not my minion. Magic will lead us. EVERYTHING WORKS TOUCHWOOD "
Catweazle floats away to .....who knows where ?

A lovely end to a great series.
THE END

 

Edited March 29 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Children's series about Tarot, a stage magician with psychic powers who dabbles in detective work and investigating weird criminals. First two series completely wiped from the archives, third series intact and available on dvd.
 

'One and One and One are Four' (3 Parts) by Trevor Preston

The laboratory of Nobel Prize-winning Professor Ekdorf is broken into, and a device that can cure paralysis is stolen. Realising the harm that such a machine could cause if in the wrong hands, Professor Ekdorf goes to his friend Mr. Sweet, an antiquarian bookseller, for help. Mr. Sweet turns to his colleague Tarot, a mystery-solving stage magician, who, with the aid of his stage-manager, Sam Maxted, immediately sets off to track down the thieves. While following a villain named Teddy Talk, Tarot and Sam, together with Lulli Palmer, Tarot’s assistant, discover that the brains behind the theft is Madame Midnight, head of a Mafia-like organisation run from a monastery. Madame Midnight plans to sell the stolen device to the highest bidder, and arranges for a demonstration for the various interested parties from around the world. Unfortunately, the subjects for the demonstration are Sam and Lulli…

 

'The Mind Robbers' (4 Parts) by William Emms

Tarot is asked to investigate the mysterious disappearance of two important government ministers; intrigued, Tarot, Sam and Lulli set off to track them down. The kidnappings point to a strange house owned by Señor Zandar, which is bizarrely populated by goats, a donkey and even a Zulu warrior. After Lulli is captured by Zandar, she is hypnotised and then used to lure Tarot into a trap. The two of them are imprisoned deep in the cellar by Zandar’s assistant Fat Boy - and left alone with a deadly poisonous snake...

 

'Now You See It, Now You Don’t' (2 Parts) by Don Houghton

After a daring robbery takes place at his bank, the manager seeks the help of Mr. Sweet; the bookseller turns once more to Tarot for his help in solving the crime, and so the magician and his friends set off on the trail of the thieves. They are led to the mysterious Falk, a neo-Nazi who lives aboard a houseboat filled with computers and paraphernalia from the Third Reich. Falk and his associate, Macreedy are about to put a devious master-plan into operation - but Tarot has a plan of his own, and soon a dramatic confrontation at Battersea Power Station occurs…

 

 

'The Smile' (4 Parts) by Trevor Preston

Mr. Sweet is invited to the Bond Street art gallery owned by Bartlett Bonnington; however, when Sam and Lulli go in his place, they soon find themselves in the middle of a very strange robbery. An old lady named Mrs. Kite uses a pair of lorgnettes to freeze time, enabling an oriental art-thief named Tun-Ju to steal a valuable painting named ‘The Carzette Venus’. After a tip-off from a taxi driver named Digger, Sam tracks the old lady to a Chinese restaurant; however, when Tarot later investigates he becomes the victim of Tun-Ju’s mind-wiping machine. Luckily a squawk from his pet owl Ozymadias is able to restore his memory. Meanwhile, Tun-Ju is now planning his life’s ambition: to steal the priceless ‘Mona Lisa’ from the Louvre; he hypnotises Sir Patrick Landau into painting a duplicate so that he can then switch the fake for the real one. Tarot, Sam and Lulli attempt to stop him, but once again find themselves at the mercy of the ingenious oriental - and faced with the prospect of being reverted back to children…

Edited March 29 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

SERIES 2
 

 

'Seven Serpents, Sulphur and Salt' (3 Parts) by Trevor Preston

 

A man named John Christopher arrives at Mr. Sweet’s bookshop, desperate to see the bookseller, but he is killed shortly after hiding a parchment inside one of the antique books. In a sinister taxidermist’s shop, the dark magician Estabis, also known as Mr. Stabs, is searching for the ‘Seven Serpents’ parchment, which holds the secret of turning base metal into gold; he is assisted in his task by the smelly Luko and a spirit named Polandi. Learning that Tarot has now found the script, Stabs takes on the form of Polandi so that he can break into the magician’s flat; he hypnotises Lulli into poisoning Tarot, but in the nick of time the plan is thwarted by Sam. Tarot, Sam and a restored Lulli take a trip to Swineshead, where the alchemist Flameld hid is secret of transmogrification six-hundred years ago. It is the site of the final confrontation between Tarot and Mr. Stabs - but which of the magicians will win the deadly battle of wits?

 

'Joker' (3 Parts) by P.J. Hammond

 

A bizarre troupe of travelling players dressed as playing-card characters is run by the eccentric Uncle Harry; operating out of their brightly-decorated bus they journey across the country visiting schools and entertaining the pupils. However, these good intentions hide a sinister motive, for when the act reaches the part involving the Joker, Uncle Harry’s ventriloquist dummy, the children suddenly go berserk and wreck their classrooms. Learning of the strange behaviour of the schoolchildren, Tarot and his friends investigate; while the magician looks into a company called ‘Spells on Wheels’, Lulli poses as a hitch-hiker and thumbs a lift with Uncle Harry and his players. However, the Joker has realised Lulli is not what she seems, and has set a trap for her…

'Nightmare Gas' (3 Parts) by Don Houghton

Mr. Sweet is visited by Doctor Winthrop, who urgently needs help in locating a consignment of his deadly hallucinogenic gas known as ‘H23’, so called because it induces sleep and then horrifying nightmares in its victims, who then die of shock after just twenty-three minutes; the lorry containing the gas canisters was recently hijacked while en route to a dumping ground. After Mr. Sweet contacts Tarot and his friends, Lulli discovers that Winthrop’s former assistant Thalia Smith is involved in the theft. She takes the doctor to see Brigadier Connaught, but before they can reach him they are both captured by Thalia and her brother Dalbiac, and taken to their windmill hideout. Thalia plans to sell off the stolen consignment of ‘H23’, and plans to demonstrate its effects to her buyers by using the gas on Lulli and Winthrop. Lulli uses her telepathic link to Tarot to inform him of Thalia’s hideout, but when Tarot arrives he falls victim to the effects of the gas, and finds himself in the nightmare world of the English Civil War, about to be burnt at the stake for practicing sorcery…

 

'The Eye of Ra' (4 Parts) by Michael Winder

When a priceless diamond called ‘The Eye of Ra’ goes on display in London, Tarot learns that the diamond has magical properties, and that its light is capable of turning people into six-inch-high chalk statuettes. The diamond is also sought by Ceribraun, a crippled chess-master, who, aided by his master computer and his butler, Fredericks, begins a devious campaign to steal the diamond. He kidnaps Mr. Sweet and leaves behind a chalk statuette of the bookseller as part of his scheme to use Tarot to obtain the jewel; however, when the statuette of Mr. Sweet is accidentally smashed, Tarot and his friends believe him to be dead. Ceribraun then captures Lulli and replaces her with a figurine; however, she is able to inform Tarot via their telepathic link that she is being held in the vaults beneath the house of Sir John Packham. Tarot attempts a rescue, but is swiftly trapped on a huge chessboard between two giant robotic chess-pieces, which are slowly crushing the life out of him…

Edited March 29 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

SERIES 3
 

'The Meddlers' (3 Parts) by P.J. Hammond

When Tarot answers an advertisement concerning a new conjuring trick, he meets photographer Chas Diamond and his journalist sister Mikki. They tell him that the market where their studio flat is located has been plagued by bad luck and accidents, which Mikki believes is due to a curse dating back a hundred years ago. Meanwhile, atop a high-rise block of flats, a mysterious man called Mr. Dove watches the proceedings through high-powered binoculars. Tarot discovers that a group of street musicians led by a man named Spoon seem to be at the centre of the disasters; they are working for Mr. Dove, who wants the stall-holders scared away so that he can find the location of a money-lender’s fortune, buried somewhere under the market. But when a series of tremors strikes, Spoon and his men deny causing them; it seems that the answer lies with Mockers, the local prophet of doom…

'The Power of Atep' (4 Parts) by P.J. Hammond

Mikki experiences a strange dream of Egypt, in which she sees a bizarre ceremony, a mummy, and then Tarot. Meanwhile, Mr. Sweet and Tarot investigate the theft of the ancient mummy of powerful Egyptian minister Atep, stolen from the museum. As part of her research into the dream, Mikki contacts a medium known as John Pentangle; she decides to attend one of his séances, but when the voice of Atep is conjured up, strange forces are unleashed which nearly cause Tarot to drown while practising an underwater escapology trick at his boat. Chas visits Mr. Sweet at his bookshop’s new location in a nearby university, but he is attacked, apparently by Tarot, and a book entitled ‘The Power of Atep’ is stolen. Unknown to the others, Ozymandias is replaced by another owl, which then attacks Mikki. In order to discover the reason behind these events, Tarot decides that they should to travel to Egypt; the three friends arrive and track down Fergus Wilson, the archaeologist who uncovered the tomb of Atep. Tarot visits the tomb, but is trapped within its stone walls and confronted by his double, Pentangle - in reality the magician’s former-stage partner, Quabal, who now wants revenge against Tarot…

Edited March 29 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

'Peacock Pie' (3 Parts) by P.J. Hammond

When Mikki bumps into an ordinary-looking man in the street, she becomes instantly struck with the uncharacteristic idea of going on holiday to a lonely place far away. The next day, a security team delivers their cash boxes to an abandoned house, which they inexplicably believe to be the bank. Convinced Mikki’s compulsion is connected to the unusual bank robbery, Tarot and Chas investigate the old house; however, Chas soon finds himself apparently imprisoned inside a room with no doors, while Tarot, after stepping on a brick outside, believes that he is teetering at the edge of a high building. Meanwhile, Mikki is visited by the man, who calls himself Mr. Peacock, and leaves behind his calling card. After he and Tarot manage to escape from the illusions, Chas travels to Mr. Peacock’s lodgings in Penge, while Tarot and Mikki perform their magic act in ‘Purcells’, a restaurant in the West End of London. But Mr. Peacock has other plans, and user his powers of suggestion to transform their stage act into a robbery…

 

'Mama Doc' (3 Parts) by Maggie Allen

While visiting a toy fair with his two children, Doctor MacDonald is kidnapped by a fake policeman, and later on, Chas witnesses the same policeman steal a doll from the children. MacDonald’s colleague, Professor Darian, seeks Mr. Sweet and Tarot’s help in locating the missing doctor; but when he then calls at a dolls’ hospital run by the eccentric Mama Doc, he too is captured by the bogus policeman. Learning that Darian has now disappeared, Mr. Sweet decides to visit the dolls’ hospital, while Mikki seeks information about dolls from a woman named Posy Peagram; however, after she leaves in her car, Mikki is stopped by the fake police officer, actually Mama Doc’s henchman Bobby, and taken prisoner. Tarot and Chas discover that Mama Doc is using a special drug that turns people into living dolls so that they can join her ‘family’; while the two of them make plans to stop the insane plan, Mr. Sweet becomes part of a bizarre and disturbing tea party with Mama Doc’s latest dolls: Mikki, Doctor MacDonald and Professor Darian…

[HawkMan]

'Sisters Deadly' (3 Parts) by Victor Pemberton

Chas is invited to Bliss Cottage to photograph the one-hundredth birthday party of Matilda Edgington, to be held by her sister Letty and attended by many of her old friends. But during the celebrations Chas is knocked unconscious, and when he comes to, he hears the voice of the Major, a friend of the old ladies, and what he believes to be the voice of his inner self, who compel him to rob the village post office. Afterwards, Chas returns home, but is unable to recall anything about either the party or the hold-up. Tarot is concerned at Chas’s behaviour and decides to investigate, only to discover that Matilda died two years ago. Chas is taken over by the influence of the Major once more, and he captures Mikki and Tarot and imprisons them in the cellar at the cottage; here they find stored memorabilia from the Major’s days in the British Empire. They soon uncover a plot by the Major to use Letty and the other old ladies to kidnap the Commander-in-Chief of the British Land Forces NATO, General Sir Richard Oliver, who is due to visit military manoeuvres being held nearby. It seems that the Major wants a return to the days of the Empire - and that ‘Matilda’ is not at all what she seems…

[HawkMan]

'The Beautiful People' (4 Parts) by P.J. Hammond

When Mikki attends a ‘Peace and Love’ fête in the village of Dewerton, she is refused admission by two beautiful girls called Dee and Emm, and a handsome young man named Jay. Curiously, old people are allowed free entry, and are permitted to win expensive household appliances, such as vacuum cleaners and hand-mixers in easy competitions and games. After Mikki tells Tarot of the strange fair, he becomes intrigued and decides to investigate; together with Chas they attend the fête, where Tarot is given a clock by Jay. They then leave for London, but the clock releases a gas which causes Tarot to crash the car; luckily the trio are unhurt, and they return to the fête, only to find that it is about to leave. Mikki and Chas are attacked by Dee and Emm, while Jay threatens Tarot using a hedge-trimmer that seems to have a life of its own. The three friends are overpowered, and when they eventually come to, find that the fête has now gone. Meanwhile, Jay sends a signal and the appliances that were previously given out suddenly come to life and attack their owners. Tarot and his friends attempt to locate the three beautiful people, but Emm contacts the magician telepathically and arranges to meet him, saying that she wants to learn from him. Tarot, Chas and Mikki discover that the three beautiful people are actually extra-terrestrial jokers - and they are once more planning to release their deadly machines at a jumble-sale

 

 

 

T

[HawkMan]

  THE GHOSTS OF MOTLEY HALL - created by Catweazle writer Richard Carpenter 

S1 E1 The Last Uproar

There has always been an Uproar at Motley Hall, until now. The last Uproar, Sir Humphrey, has died leaving caretaker Gudgin facing two scheming men who are plotting to steal Motley Hall out from under him.

But Motley Hall is inhabited by a group of ghosts. Sir George Uproar a Victorian military type who is the de facto leader. His grandfather,  but bodily younger  as he died young, Francis, Bodkin an Elizabethan jester, Matt the stable boy and The White Lady, a medieval probable aristocrat. Probably because she has no memory of her former life. It's up to the ghosts to figure out a way to save Motley Hall  from the scheming businessmen and save their way of life (death)!

 

Edited April 1 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

S1 E2 Old Gory

"Old Gory" is a Motley Hall Ghost who appears faithfully every 5 years and can be seen by everyone, living people and ghosts alike. Unfortunately this year, his scheduled appearance is likely to be seen by a ghost hunter and his very perceptive wife who are staking out Motley Hall. The appearance of Old Gory to the Ghost Hunters would be disastrous for the resident ghosts by exposing them and threatening their happy home.

Edited April 1 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

S1 E3 Box Of Tricks

The ghosts find several cardboard boxes in the main hall, left by a gang of thieves. The boxes contain tv sets , which leads to much puzzlement as they've never seen television before. A policeman, unbeknown to himself psychic, finds the sets and can see Sir George, and puts two and two together and makes five. Funny scene when the ghosts watch horse racing on TV then accidently switch over to a  cooking show which infuriates Sir George. " Madam we don't care about Angel cake, bring the horses back!"

Edited April 1 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

S1 E4 Bad Lord William And The British Banana Company 

Gudgin has finally sold Motley Hall to The British Banana Company, but their agent has accidentally released Bad Lord William, surely one of the worst of the Uproar Clan ghosts by removing a sword hidden in the wall of the Main Hall. William is a braggart and tries to take over Motley. Francis finds Sir George's hidden brandy, and challenges Bad William to a duel.

 

 

 

S1 E5  Perfidia Blackart Rides Again

It's just been discovered that Motley Hall is 400 years old, so to commemorate this, the ghosts decide to hold a Masque. But when Bodkin tries to write it, the pages of the history book that might finally identify the mysterious White Lady have disappeared! Was she somebody so horrible that she doesn't want it to be found out and her deep dark secret revealed?

This is nice story with a very poignant ending. The white Lady finds out who she is when a history book about Motley is found. Perfidia Blackart an infamous figure in the history of Motley and The White Lady are one,or are they?
Francis comes over as having a caring side, and Sheila Steafel excels in 'her' episode.

 

Edited April 1 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

S1 E6 Double Trouble 
A seance organised by the ghosts themselves, to contact an ancestor ,leads to trouble. The appearance of a mischievous doppelganger. A second Matt appears intent on causing trouble by playing the ghosts off against each other.

Edited April 1 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

S1 E7 The Pogmore Experiment 

Last episode of series 1.
Gudgin, the estate agent turns to Professor Pogmore , an expert in ghost destruction, to rid Motley of its spooks. Gudgin begins to regret this move as the ghosts one by one disappear.

This is a masterpiece of writing from Richard Carpenter, series creator and Catweazle creator too. Pogmore's psychic wave pattern phenomena to explain ghosts is ingenious and quite persuasive. Ghosts are just hallucinations of what deep down we want to believe generated by latent psychic energy plays on our readiness to enjoy the ghostly characters of the show because we would like them to be real.
Neil McCarthy is excellent as Pogmore, and Gudgin finally admits to himself that Motley is haunted by genuine departed spirits. As Pogmore's machine was designed to disperse electro magnetic psychic waves, and it did disperse the ghosts temporarily at least, one can question whether the ghosts are indeed just in our imagination or real. Well, in the show they're real, but imaginary beyond that of course. Brilliant stuff.

 

Edited April 1 by HawkMan