When was the last time we had a glimpse of Ruby on a television programme? The last occasion I can remember was more than a year and a half ago, just after Christmas 2003, when ITV1 ran a short series titled 'The 50s & 60s in Living Colour' and they included a brief clip from the Pathe feature 'The Birth of A Record' (in which Ruby sings 'Bambino'). Actually, I think that series was repeated some time after its original screening, so it may not be as long as 1½ years ago. Anyway, her turn has come round again - and it's thanks to ITV once more that she made an appearance last Thursday evening on a series titled 'The Way We Were'.
I've been following this series anyway, and maybe some other regular contributors to this board have too in view of its nostalgic content, but it came as a complete surprise to see a clip featuring Ruby. Most of the footage used in this series comes from amateur cine film collections, but sometimes newsreel clips are used too, from studios such as Pathe etc. Quite where the Ruby clip came from I'm really not sure, but the colour picture quality was excellent. She was seen on a skating rink with Tommy Cooper (I think in Great Yarmouth, but I wasn't concentrating closely enough on the commentary). Tommy (on skates) is fooling around pretending to fall over, and Ruby is supporting him by holding one arm, while someone else is holding the other arm. I was so surprised to see Ruby that I didn't have time to notice who was holding Tommy's other arm (it was presumably someone famous). Just a thought - could it have been you Bernie? No date was given, but from Ruby's appearance I would say it was definitely filmed in the 1950s. Maybe you remember the occasion anyway and can tell us how it might have come about. Whichever resort it was, I would guess Ruby and Tommy were appearing in a summer season show - and their appearance on the skating rink was by way of a publicity stunt.
At the time I was watching this programme last Thursday, the Ruby segment was off the screen before I had time to set a recording in motion, but earlier today a friend of mine told me that he had recorded the programme. Although he remembered seeing Tommy Cooper, he'd actually not even noticed that it was Ruby holding him up. Anyway, he's under strict instructions not to wipe it off until I can get a copy of the show, so I'm hoping within a few days I'll be able to take a more leisurely look at the clip (and hopefully be able to identify the third party).
Brian
Ruby On TV
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Graham Bunn
- Posts: 193
- Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2005 5:17 am