Goodness me. It's on again tonight - now, BBC 4 until 20:00.

That caught me out. I saw a TV guide at a relatives house this evening by chance and just managed to get home in time to set the recorder. Another one for achiving to blu-ray.

1972 tonight. We have Arthur Askey and Eartha Kitt topping the bill.

Is it me, or is the picture quality on some of them a bit naff?

Aw, brilliant - just caught that by accident. Used to love watching The Good Old Days as a child. I can remember Larry Parker well (although couldn't have told you his name) - for me as good as Tommy Cooper. Never heard of Eira Heath, but boy could she sing. My dad used to sing "By the shade of the old apple tree". Obviously know and remember Eartha Kitt and Arthur Askey (just about!). Silly but fun. Great memories!

I must admit Doghouse I haven't really noticed. I'm not watching on HD though.

This one was no better, but then it was from 1972.
Eartha Kitt looked particularly hot, a very sensual singer, whose records I first encountered in my teens.

Thanks for that, didn't know it had started being shown again. Will make sure to watch it by some means, either I-player or Catch up TV.

Same for me. I have The Good Old Days on Series link and record but it didn't pick this up.

Having worked on them I can assure you that the picture quality at the time was very good (Pye PC80 cameras). What has happened in the meantime is anyones guess, early episodes were soft, desaturated and sat up. Dubbed via various formats, original format was 2 inch quad, by junior untrained staff is my best guess, sad but not uncommon.

On again tonight folks!

8pm BBC4.

Not sure what year it is from but Ray Allen is a guest so I'm guessing it'll be some time from the mid seventies. Terry Scott appearing also.

First shown 1st February, 1974.

Terry Scott also appearing, as is Georgia Brown who died too young at 58

Ah thanks Dave. Your EPG must be working better than mine!

I'd forgotten about Georgia Brown. She was definitely the star of tonight's episode. I looked her up on wikipeda afterwards and realised I had heard of her.

On again tomorrow night (Fri. 20.5.16) 8pm.

It's from 1973 this time featuring Bernard Cribbins and Sandie Shaw.

Also Bill McHue, who google tells me is a scottish opera singer of quite some repute. I look forward to being impressed.

http://www.billmccue.com/about/

Bumped as a reminder for tonight.

Ah yes, excellent vido quality, has it been digimarmalised I wonder ?

Eh gad, Sandie Shaw ?

Missed last night's broadcast as I was at the theatre in Leeds, although not the City Varieties.

I'll be watching this online tonight after the FA Cup final is done. Looks like a good one. (The Good Old Days that is not the football)

Nice one Dave. It was a good one in my view.

It's another 1973 edition tonight.

Charlie Drake, Wilfrid Pickles, Hugh Paddick and Lorne Lesley.

Wilfrid Pickles? I wonder what his variety act consists of ? I know he was a lot more than just the old Steptoe charactor.

Wrong person Wilfred Brambell was old man Steptoe. Wilfred Pickles was a variety performer. Who used to present a show called Have A Go. "What's on the Tabel Mabel" was one of his catchphrases.

He was Uncle to the Judge James Pickles.

Thank you bryemycaz, you are right. I realised my mistake when I got to work today. I was in too much of a rush to leave this morning really to have my head in the right place and post the details correctly. Never mind.

Yes like many TV and radio people since, he "worked his wife (Mabel) into his show."

Previously it was "Give them the money Barney."

Barney Colehan was the show's producer, he also produced "The Good Old Days."

It's 1974 tonight featuring Roy 'dedication' Castle. Wonder if he'll play a trumpet solo or do a tap dance like he used to on Record Breakers.

Pickles also read the BBC News in the war years. The BBC, in a Reithian rush of blood to the brain , thought people from the icy north might like to hear a regional accent now and again.

I had to go out last night to a Dr Feelgood gig but I shall be watching this episode back on my hard disk later on.

Amazed how well these variety shows from the 70s stand up today,they really are very entertaing and show the quality of talent in those days.Wonder how the BBC didnt manage to wipe all these tapes.

It DOES show the quality of talant especially some of the singers.

That trapeze act amused me. We took it for granted then but I can't imagine it being done today in such close proximity to the audience.

A bloke balancing on his head upside down on a trapeze without holding on grasping the hands of another bloke beneath him so they could swing back and forth 30 feet in the air NOT across the stage but out in the middle above the audience stalls!

No wonder the cameras kept panning cose up on the faces of some very anxious looking audience members. It was truly remarkable.

Not sure about that Roy Castle clown sketch. It was of course very clever, but a bit slap sticky. I suppose it was of its time though. Slapstick was stround quite a lot then.

A good episode.