As fiancée and, later, wife to the pretty hapless Bob Ferris (played by Rodney Bewes) Thelma had a good line in exasperation, very well portrayed by Forsyth.
Forsyth had an extensive stage career as well as many parts on TV and film, the most recent of which was as Madge in Still Open All Hours.
Brigit Dorothea Connell (Brigit Forsyth:) 28/7/1940 – 1/12/2023. So it goes.
He was most famous as one of The Likely Lads in the 1960s TV series of the same name. Of the twenty episodes braodcast only eight survive of which the following is one.
It was fondly remembered and a sequel series Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? was broadcast in the 1970s. (I featured its theme tune here.)
In between these two series I remember Bewes appearing with Basil Brush as “Mr Rodney”.
Unlike his co-star as a Likely Lad, James Bolam, Bewes never quite managed to escape the shadow of his character, Bob Ferris, in the public consciousness, though he worked extensively on stage.
Rodney Bewes: 27/11/1937 – 21/11/2017. So it goes.
This is a much more poignant song written by Mike Hugg who was a member of 60s band Manfred Mann. When the band morphed into Manfred Mann Chapter Three Mike shifted into writing theme tunes and incidental music for film and TV as well as having a solo career. His album Somewhere was released in 1972 and Blue Suede Shoes Again got a bit of radio airplay as a single at the time but wasn’t a hit – which I could never understand as I really liked it.
Mike Hugg: Blue Suede Shoes Again
His theme tune for the TV series Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads is undoubtedly much better known. This is the full version.
Mike Hugg (as Highly Likely): Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads?
When looking for Blue Suede Shoes Again I came across this track and it’s brilliant.
