Discovered In 1977

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Thirty years ago, on Monday 13th June, a small production company called Mark One brought together some actors, some cameramen, a director and various other bods, to begin filming a new action series for British television. Three days later they did the best thing they could have done - they stopped filming. Why? Unbelievable as it may sound, there was no chemistry between Bodie and Doyle! But when everything started up again, Martin Shaw and now Lewis Collins were the stars of the show, and Gordon Jackson as the head of CI5, and it turned out that something pretty special had been discovered in 1977…

From now until 30th December 2007 - exactly 30 years since The Professionals were first seen on the tv screens of thousands of British viewers - discoveredinalj will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of our gorgeous Pros.

Each month will feature a challenge based on the year 1977 in some way, shape or form, and from the 13th to the 20th the comm will be open for people to post their stories, art, and other creations in answer to that month’s challenge.

To get you in the mood, try these links to websites describing various aspects of Britain in the year 1977 - and then keep your eyes open for the very first challenge of Discovered In 1977.

I love 1977

1977 according to Wiki

BBC - On This Day

The weather in 1977

Summary of some of the important things in life (Well, maybe Doyle’s?)

…and the next season…

England vs Scotland, Wembley 1977

Liverpool FC in the European Cup"> Keeping Bodie happy? (Does he really care?)

The cricket…

…and the scandal that is cricket…

Playboy 1977 (just for the articles *g*)

Films in the cinema in 1977

What was happening in Corrie…

Vrillon of the Ashtar Galactic Command Incident takes over the airways

What the kids were into

Miss Universe

The UK entry for the 1977 Eurovision Song Contest (Go on, you know you want to click on this one)

The news as we saw it then - liberation of Somalia

World in Action reports on the death of Steve Biko

What the lads probably weren’t watching (well, unless one of them was stuck at home on the couch…)

Comments

[solosundance.livejournal.com]

hooray, nostalgia *is* what it used to be! I was wearing smock tops and flared jeans, and whaddya know? Still am, still look silly *g*

Looking forward to the challenges and thanks for the links!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

and whaddya know? Still am
Heeeee! Look forward to reading what you do with the links throughout the challenge! *g*

[ancastar.livejournal.com]

Ooh, sounds like fun! Thanks for the links. They're ever so inspirational. :-)

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh yeay for inspiring Ancastar!

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

Oh wow! What a fun idea - excellent links, thank you!! Yup, I was busy wearing flared everything and begging for tartan to be added to my bell-bottoms..

[andreathelion.livejournal.com]

I was wearing tartan trimmed Jeans and was listening around the clock to BCR's album 'It's a game' .... *snigger*

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

I was allowed neither flares nor tartan (nor to wear my platform sandals with my flared mini-skirt...) Hope we'll see you around here in your gear!

[paris7am.livejournal.com]

Fabulous! What a great collection of links!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Very hard to stop it was, once I'd started! *g*

[andreathelion.livejournal.com]

I would have loved to be in Britain in 1977, but .....
Does it count that I was mad at the 'Bay City Rollers' and wearing tartan trimmed clothes ? That's all I remember anyway about 1977.

Thanks for the links, they are great.

I loved the 70's

[(Anonymous)]

The 70's! Great fiction fodder! I, too, would have loved to visit England in the 70's. I fell in love with it during my trip to Europe last year, although such was my thrall with Scotland I think I lived and loved there in another life. Cowley would be pleased. I love stories featuring Bodie and Doyle in Scotland! Sometimes I think I'm complete stuck in the 70's so I'm thrilled with this challenge and looking forward to reading all the stories. The 70's were my favourite years - Starsky & Hutch, Bee Gees, Paul McCarney & Wings, James Taylor, Gilbert O'Sullivan (early 70's), Eagles and, yes, damn it, Barry Manilow;) Didn't go much for the music underground scene. I guess England was listening and watching similarly, no? ... MaDonna (listening to her Time Life 70's Music Explosion CDs)

Re: I loved the 70's

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Yeay for the '70s, and yeay for the lads in Scotland (well, and anywhere else, come to that)!

I'm curious about I guess England was listening and watching similarly, no? - I wasn't here then, so I can't really say much about it, but it's not necessarily the impression I get. I'm wondering if James Taylor, Gilbert O'Sullivan and the Eagles were as big in Britain as they were in America and Australia? Ooh, just found this link - http://www.everyhit.com/, you can search for the UK number ones, or numbers up to 5 or whatever (though it only gives you 50 results at a time...) *g*

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

I would have loved to be in Britain in '77 too actually - even way back then I knew where I wanted to live! (I was loving the Bay City Rollers too, I remember having a huge collection of the posters that you used to get in the TV Times in Australia (and swaps with girls who got TV Week as well!)

[(Anonymous)]

In 1977 I took my younger sister to see the Bay City Rollers when she visited me while I was working in Edmonton, Alberta. It was a sea of tartan and my sister went wild; the stadium erupted when they started and it didn't die down;) I thought they'd storm the stage.

No *way* was Bodie and Doyle listening to BCR:) I'm guessing Moody Blues, Led Zeppelin, Beatles and classical; Queen maybe, perhaps The Chieftans? I don't see them following the punk band movement of the 70's. Will writers of this challenge be incorporating music in their prose? I'd jump for joy. Doyle... no, Bodie, on a dimly lit stage - just him and a guitar. Too AU perhaps?... MaDonna

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've got to admit I don't see either of them as really really into music the way people are nowadays - though Doyle dances in the disco, and taps along to the radio and all, he does turn music on, doesn't he - I can see where that comes from in fics! Bodie really doesn't seem fussed, the way he's shown - he sort of ballroom-dances along the corridor in FF, but I don't think there's anywhere else, is there? Oh, he plays the guitar though, of course! That does suggest something...

Writers could definitely incorporate music in their fics! Hmmn - Bodie on stage with a guitar... *ponders and daydreams*... Have you read Tarot's Masquerade? That's them being musical - and I do like her writing... Be quite the challenge that, get the lads to be musical in some way... (*goes off, writes down on list*) *g*

1977

[(Anonymous)]

On the Friday before the show started filming I moved into my first house, a three-storey, three bed terrace with huge living rooms and a garden large enough to serve as an additional London Airport.

All this for the princely sum of £8950. Our mortgage was £84 pm. The decoration was apple white (a bilious tinge of Granny Smith, IIRC). The wallphone was cream. The curtains were Laura Ashley. The taste was non-existent! Those were the days.

Love the links and look forward to the challenges.

Re: 1977

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh wow - although I've got to say, that sounds like far better taste than most '70s houses I imagine! And oh house prices in 1977... *sighs heavily* Excellent information for fics too - would love to hear more if you pop by again!

[smirra.livejournal.com]

Can only repeat: great collection of links! Thanks for posting them!
I was just thinking of s kind of data base of all these events and things related to the time of pros universe.
Would be a great help for fic writers, I think! Graet idea!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Ah, thank you! And don't forget that artists are very welcome to join in the challenges... *g*

[smirra.livejournal.com]

Err, yes. The idea is there. A book to write or draw in, too. But thinking about writing or drawing is easier as doing and finishing something especially in a fandom with so much good stuff as pros. Won't produce anything, that will be a shame. :)
How about a warholish pop art Bodie & Doyle! He-he!

Ah... there should be a list of the top ten chocolate bars and cookies of the time; how can you write a decent Bodie story without it... *g*
As mentioned in a lot of stories there were Jaffa Cakes all right, the odd mars bar of course, but as someone from Germany I'm more or less at a loss what kind of English chocolate bars, cookies and Mints (Trebor should have been there at the time) there could have been.

Thanks again for the links!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

especially in a fandom with so much good stuff as pros
Oh don't say that! No one would ever do anything if we all said that!

Hmmm, as for chocolate... I found these bits on the web - the first is advertisements that were on tv in 1977, then a list of what Rowntrees chocolate was around, and then a link to some Cadbury's Chocolate information! I did actually try to find a website about food in the 1970s in Britain to include with the other links, but there wasn't one anywhere...

Cadbury's Fruit & Nut (2): 1977
Everyone's a Fruit and Nut case
It keeps you going when you toss the caber,
Whatever you are doing.
Punting, canoeing
It's nutrious and beauticious
To judiciously be chewing.

Everyone's a Fruit and Nut case
If only it could help improve my singing,
A healthy recreation.
What a combination
Cadbury's — Fruit and Nut.
(We make these up as we go along, you know.)
[Frank Muir; Tune: Tchaikovsky's "Dance of the reed flutes"]

Cadbury's Fudge
A finger of Fudge is just enough to give the kids a treat,
A finger of fudge is just enough until it's time to eat.
It's full of Cadbury goodness, and very small and neat,
A finger of fudge is just enough to give the kids a treat.

Cornetto (1): 1977
Just one Cornetto
Give it to me,
Delicious ice cream
From Italy
Vanilla
And strawberry dream,
Give me Cornetto
From Wall's ice cream.
[Tune "O Sole Mio"]

Jacob's Club biscuit (1): 1977
If you like a lot of chocolate on your biscuit join our club,
If you like a lot of chocolate on your biscuit join our club,
If you like a lot of chocolate on your biscuit join our club.

Jacob's Club — have you ever seen more chocolate on a biscuit?
If you like a lot of chocolate on your biscuit join our club!

Monster Munch (Smith's): 1977
This Monster is having his favourite dream —
The one where Monster Munch grows on trees —
Giant trees of course!
There's one tree for Pickled Onion flavour,
One tree for Saucy flavour,
And one tree for Roast Beef flavour —
Which is all very nice and fun for him —
But not so for his somewhat smaller friends!
However, while he's enjoying his dream —
Guess who's enjoying his Monster Munch?

Monster Munch from Smith's in three flavours
The biggest snack pennies can buy!

Twix (1): 1977
Some people find that most quick snacks are a little too quick —
Snap! and they're gone!
Twix gives you more to bite into,
Crunchy shortcake biscuit topped with caramel, covered in creamy milk chocolate.
Deliciously satisfying!
Next time, get the longer lasting snack,
Twix — the longer-lasting snack.

From the Rowntree Website:
1933 - Black Magic chocolates are introduced.
1935 - Chocolate Crisp (Kit Kat) is introduced. The Joseph Rowntree Theatre opens.
1935 - Aero is introduced.
1936 - Dairybox is introduced.
1936 - Blue Riband is introduced.
1936 - Quality Street are introduced.
1937 - Chocolate Crisp changes it’s name to Kit Kat.
1937 - Rolos are introduced.
1937 - Smarties are introduced.
1948 - Polo Mints are introduced.
1953 - Polo Fruits are introduced.
1957 - Munchies are introduced.
1959 - Caramac is introduced.
1962 - After Eight is introduced.
1963 - Toffee Crisp introduced.
1963 - Tooty Frooties introduced.
1965 - Jellytots introduced.
1967 - Golden Cup is introduced.
1968 - Matchmakers is introduced.
1970 - Breakaway is introduced.
1976 - Yorkie is introduced.
1976 - Lion Bar introduced.

<a href="http://www.cadbury.co.uk/EN/CTB2003/about_chocolate/cadbury_milestones/><u>This website for Cadbury's Chocolate history</u></a>

[smirra.livejournal.com]

Oh don't say that!
Ups! You're probably right! I won't mention it again. Also as the "Grand Dame" of slash fandoms it's it's duty to ever improve to stay on top.

"A finger of fudge is just enough..." Well, if that's not an inspiration!!!
I'm quite familiar with several bits of these 70's chocolate history.
Thank you so much for your recherche!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

as the "Grand Dame" of slash fandoms
Heeee!

[smirra.livejournal.com]

*snicker*
Oh and it's Grande Dame, isn't it? I don't remember much of what little french I had at school.

[schnuffi.livejournal.com]

*snicker* Thanks a lot for the cool links. I especially enjoyed "The Ghosts of Motley Hall" - they're sooo British, lol. Wouldn't mind having those in the house at all.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Couldn't believe it when I found that on youtube - I read the novelisation of that at school in Australia, and was desperate to see the programme, but it wasn't on tv there. Thirty years later I can finally see it!

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

I can't wait to see what all the artists, writers and vidders come up with. It will be like Christmas for the rest of the year. I'm excited!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Hee! I hope so - it should make a good DIALj Bound too!

[magenta-blue.livejournal.com]

Great selection of links! 'What the lads probably weren't watching' - hahaha.

I don't remember 1977 but there is in existence a picture of myself as a particularly grumpy toddler at a Silver Jubilee street party with a Union Jack plastic hat strapped to my head. So I guess there were a ton of impromptu street parties on that day - 7 June, lots of road closures, people dragging their paste tables and chairs outside to join in, flag waving, stereos turned up full blast and aimed towards the front windows... Now imagine CI5 have an urgent crisis that day and have to wend their way through all that!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh brilliant - I love that vision, it's perfect! And yes, the idea of the grumpy toddler with the Union Jack plastic hat strapped to her head watching in bemusement as a Silver Capre screeches to a halt in front of the table of food, and two equally grumpy men jump out and continue the chase on foot - Bodie stopping just long enough to snag a sausage roll and wink at the kiddie... *g*

[magenta-blue.livejournal.com]

Hee! Gosh, were you there?!!

I love that - really made me smile, awwww :)

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

*g*

[(Anonymous)]

Great idea! These new challenges should be very interesting and I look forward to participating. :-)

I remember 1977 well but I wasn't living in Britain. :-/ I was 17 and my family was living in Germany at the time. The high rise building next to ours in Landstuhl was British officers only--while ours was American officers. I remember the British kids dressed very differently but really didn't pay a lot of attention, being a stupid teenager. They didn't go to the same schools the American and Canadian kids went to for some reason. I would have liked to have befriended some of the Brits. :-)

And in 1977 I was doing some of my earliest fan art. ;-) Here's a link to one of the few pieces remaining after all the moves. It's pencil on paper. http://www.lorrainebrevig.com/images/hutchFirstjpg.jpg

[artconserv.livejournal.com]

That last comment was mine. Sorry I forgot to log in. :-/

XXXOOO
Lorraine

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh very nice! And I'm not at all an S&H fan! In 1977 I was doing some of my earliest writing, but there's no way anything I wrote then is going up online... *g*

You know that was always the impression I got about schools abroad, that Americans/Canadians and British/Australians were completely separate for some reason... interesting to hear it was true!

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with for the challenges!

[izzie7.livejournal.com]

OMG these links take me back! I was a very sheltered teenager in 1977, far more into classical music, Moody Blues & Greenslade than Bay City Rollers or Donny Osmond. I love the list of chocolate & all those advertising jingles -brilliant bit of research there, byslantedlight!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Hee! Thank you! As long as you're inspired, you know... *g*

[przed.livejournal.com]

Very cool. And here's hoping I manage at least one challenge before the end of the year. (Surely that's not to much to expect, is it? Is it?)

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

That's not at all much to expect! There's bound to be a few hours free between now and next year. Definitely. *g*

[myrebelcat.livejournal.com]

I remember June 1977 (sort of, anyway...)!

I was five, and living in the US. So, no memories of 1977 Britain to share, unfortunately. But, look, here's a picture of me from right around that time, give or take a month or two. You'd never guess my mother cut my hair herself, would you? ;-)



I think the Micky Mouse Club jumper is a nice touch. (Okay, I'm told that in the UK a "jumper" is a sweater - so what do you call the thing I was wearing?)

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Hee - I seem to remember having hair like that at one stage... And yeah, an American "sweater" is a UK "jumper". You look like you're wearing a pinafore dress in the photo... *g*

[firefly1311.livejournal.com]

Oh my dear, it`s all coming back! My twin-sister and I (seventeen then) were send to London in June / July 1977 to improve our language skills. We discovered swiss-rolls (!!), Flake, Pimm`s Nr.1 and the Vin-Mag-Shop in Brewer Street, where we bought lots of posters and pictures from Robert Plant to Leonhard Nimoy. After that, we spend all our holidays in England. 1979, when we fell in love with pros we bought our first VCR, a JVC for more than 2000 euros and we flew to London for a weekend, just to see MS in "They are playing our song" on stage. We never shared our slash writing with anyone else, but we hosted mini-conventions with non-stop pros watching in our house... we really should do that again!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh how brilliant - and swiss rolls, no less! I'm really jealous that you've seen MS on stage too, I'm really hoping he'll do something else while I'm here, although it's not quite the same as having seen him when he was younger and more Doyle-like... *sighs*...

Your mini-conventions sound fabulous - but you've not shared your Pros slash with anyone else? Are you sure you wouldn't like to..? *g*

Sorry for the massively late response, btw, I'm not always this bad, I promise...