A Brief Interlude
A short film about "The Interludes" - a series of short films made by the BBC in the 1940s and 1950s to fill in during technical breakdowns and gaps in the schedules. The most famous ones showed a potter's wheel, a cat playing with a ball of wool and a horse-drawn plough.
More from Season 1
Episode 1
The Grunwick Strike
Documentary recalling the industrial dispute at the Grunwick film processing business in North London in 1976. Featuring film archive from the time and interviews with key players.
Episode 2
The Cannabis Years
An in-depth examination of how the debate surrounding cannabis has evolved over the past 50 years.
Episode 3
The Writer's Trade
Examining the changing image of the novelist over the last 50 years.
Episode 4
The Sailing Sixties
In the mid 1960s Britain went boating mad. This documentary tells the story of how an extraordinary maritime revolution that was kick-started by waterproof glues developed for bomber aircraft led to a whole generation of DIY dinghy builders, and ended in tragedy with the suicide of amateur yachtsman Donald Crowhurst.
Episode 5
Attenborough: The Controller Years
Charting the time of our favorite presenter at the head of the then struggling and controversial BBC2. Packed chock full of interviews, clips and reminiscences both old and new, including the very tasty Joan Bakewell of the 60s... Sir David Attenborough's reign as controller of BBC TWO, from 1965 to 1973, is still thought of as the golden age of television.
Episode 6
he Rise and Fall of the Comedy Straight Man
Timeshift celebrates the comedy double act's unsung half, with archive footage of Morecambe and Wise, Benny Hill and the Monty Python team. Contributors include Syd Little and Barry Cryer. Narrated by Mark Lamarr.
