Ben said a dirty word

It happened so fast that you might not have noticed it, but while Ben and Angelique were arguing whilst Barnabas was languishing on the bed, Ben blurted out:  "damn it".  We might've seen TV history there.  That was 1967/68, and while I do remember the "d" word becoming common on the boob tube after 1970, I don't ever remember hearing it spoken before that.  They did begin to allow them to say "damnable" in the sixties, or to say "damned" if it was used in the context of describing the possible state of having to shovel coal for all eternity, but not as a cuss word.  Was it deliberately written in the script?  Did Thayer David just blurt it out (and you know how reluctant they were to reshoot a scene)?  Did we see TV history?

I remember that Star Trek used "hell" when William Shatner, at the end of the "City of the Edge of Forever" episode gave his final line:  "Let's get the hell out of here."  I think that was also a first.

Well, who knows about that first possible use of the "d" word.  Anyway, who gives a damn?

Gerard

Gerard,

  "Damm it " cannot believe you listen that close to the dialogue!

Heard the forbidden D word on one of The Avengers Episodes, (from the Honor Blackman era) just last week. (We just got the two latest Avengers '63 boxed sets). Was kinda shocked to hear it, but you know the Brits do what ever they dam well please on BBCTV!

B

Did we see TV history?

Not even DS history, apparently.  This is from David Hofstede's review of Volume #4 in the Collector's Series, excerpted from his article in a '97 TWODS:

"In episode two, watch Louis Edmonds' effortless cover of a line misreading, when he says 'a hundred miles' instead of 'a hundred feet.'  He later yells, 'I don't give a damn about proof!', which I didn't think you could say on TV in 1966."

Obviously Hofstede and Gerard were on the same wavelength about the significance of uttering the d word in the 1960s.

Hi Allen Collins,

Glad to hear there is another Avengers fan here.  I love the Cathy Gale (Honor Blackman) episodes, especially the ones from the second season (1962-63).  Blackman had such a wonderfully expressive face.  I think she expressed too much strength and independence to make it as a big star back in the Sixties, though.

The Avengers weren't shown on the BBC.  I think ITV which was the first British commercial TV network ran them, but I could be wrong.  The logo at the end of the episodes says ABC which does NOT mean the network that aired DS originally back in the Sixties.

Best,

Steve

Gerald,

Reading your comment about shoveling coal
reminded me of something.

A couple of weeks ago, one of my "senior" tax
clients - she's about 85 - was in to see me.

She had a little car accident in December. She
walked away from it but her car was totaled.

Her comment to me about it - It just wasn't my
time - Their not ready for me upstairs and they
have enough people downstairs shoveling
coal so it just wasn't my time.

My senior citizens clients - you just got to
love them.

Annabelle.

It happened so fast that you might not have noticed it, but while Ben and Angelique were arguing whilst Barnabas was languishing on the bed, Ben blurted out:  "damn it".  

Gerard, after reading your message, I went back and watched the episode again, but I couldn't hear the naughty word.  Approximately where in the dialogue did it happen?  There was one point when Ben said to Angelique, "Haven't you done enough to him already?" but that was the closest thing to 'damn it' that I could pick up.  

Do I need a hearing test? ?!?

ProfStokes

It was right around then, I think, Prof. Stokes.  Of course, I've already erased those episodes and have taped the next set over them.  He says it at the end of a line, very quickly, but it's there.

And the next time the show starts from the beginning, I'm gonna hafta listen for Louis Edmonds "damn" in episode two, as revealed by Midnite!  All these cus words in DS!  Who'd ever think it was so racey?  What next?  Mary Anne and Genie showing up with their navels exposed?

Gerard

i think David Selby says it too in some episode in the future!!
Also remember Gerard, Rob and Laura had to sleep in twin beds!!

jennifer(who also remembers two pro athletes in the late 60's saying the really bad word that got caught on
tv ,one Red Sox and one Bruin and my mother telling us we were mistaken they never say bad words hahaha!

>>Also remember Gerard, Rob and Laura had to sleep in twin beds!!

jennifer<<

So did Lucy and Ricky, Jennifer, and they were even married in real life!  Although, in the first season, the twin beds were pushed together.  If my television history serves me right, the first TV sitcom to show a single bed in the parents' bedroom was on "Leave It to Beaver".  For the first few seasons, they had twin beds, by towards the end, they had only one.  However, they were never shown in it.  I do believe the first sitcom to have a married couple share the same bed in full view of everyone was "Bewitched".

Gerard (Who wonders if Barnabas and Angelique slept in the same bed during their short, turbulent marriage, and if either one of them snored)

Hey Gothick,
Glad to hear there is another Avengers Enthusiast out there. The Honor Blackman Eps are awsome. I remember watching some of them a few years back on cable, but Ive really had the chance to watch them on the new DVD/VHS boxes. The Emma Peel eps go without saying, AWESOME!!!!  

B

You Avenger and Prisoner fans might wanna check out a newsletter called 'Anglofile' - published by Goody Press, a sister publication of Beatlefan.  Its about all things British, with entertainment as a mainstay.  Always articles about BBC TV and 'where are they now' type stuff.  No web site yet, but it's 15 bucks for 12 issues, and $1 for a sample.   The goody Press, PO Box 33515 Decatur GA 30033.

shameless plug, not even for our own mag!!

Ringo the huckster.

>>Also remember Gerard, Rob and Laura had to sleep in twin beds!!

jennifer<<

So did Lucy and Ricky, Jennifer, and they were even married in real life!  Although, in the first season, the twin beds were pushed together.  If my television history serves me right, the first TV sitcom to show a single bed in the parents' bedroom was on "Leave It to Beaver".  For the first few seasons, they had twin beds, by towards the end, they had only one.  However, they were never shown in it.  I do believe the first sitcom to have a married couple share the same bed in full view of everyone was "Bewitched".

Gerard (Who wonders if Barnabas and Angelique slept in the same bed during their short, turbulent marriage, and if either one of them snored)

I think I read somewhere(don't quote me) that
Ozzie and Harriet could be shown with a double bed because they were married but they probaly thought
they were too old to do anything and Lucy and Ricky were just wild kids (even though they weren't that young)

spoilers



I remember being shocked that Carolyn and Jeb were shown in a double bed  :o9even on their honey moon!)

;DI don't think it was episode two that Louis Edmonds said the hundred feet line. I think it had to be more like episode number 20. Also it is a good idea whenever possible to know which episode number a certain blooper is in so we can watch for it more carefully. Are there any upcoming bloopers we should watch for? Paul ?!?

;DI don't think it was episode two that Louis Edmonds said the hundred feet line. I think it had to be more like episode number 20.

I probably should've spoken up when Gerard called it episode 2, though I can understand where he got that from-- what I said was that it was from David Hofstede's review of Volume 4, and he was talking about the 2nd episode in that volume, which would make it #17.

Also it is a good idea whenever possible to know which episode number a certain blooper is in so we can watch for it more carefully.

I highly recommend Hofstede's DS Video Reviews, Paul.  Episode 139 to the end of the series (and the special releases also) are in book form, and his reviews of the Collector's Series were published in TWODS.  I got both from Kathy Resch, who may still have some of those TWODS left.  David usually mentions the bloopers in each volume, and has a humorous twist on a lot of other things, too.

Are there any upcoming bloopers we should watch for?

SPOILER?

You might want to keep an eye on Josette's attire in Friday's last scene, but you'll have to commit it to memory for a few days until the scene replays on Monday.