Sarah Cronin-Stanley from Talking Pictures TV on Hebden Bridge TV Festival
By Sarah Morgan
“My nan’s from Sheffield,” says Sarah Cronin-Stanley, one of the brains behind nostalgia channel Talking Pictures TV (TPTV). “She’s long gone now, but Yorkshire’s definitely in our blood.”
Perhaps that’s why Hebden Bridge has become one of her favourite destinations – after a successful event last year, she and the rest of the team are heading back there for two days of movie, music and small screen fun on October 11th and 12th.
TPTV is one of British broadcasting’s biggest recent successes, so it may come as a surprise to learn it was created out of a collapse of one side of the industry.
“We always had a distribution company where we used to sell all the black and white matinee films to all the big boys, like Channel 5 and Channel 4,” Sarah explains. “They suddenly stopped buying them. They were like, ‘nah, black and white’s over, we’re not going to bother’.”
Sarah’s dad Noel Cronin realised that for people of his age – he’s now 79 – that meant there was little to appeal to them. Thankfully he had a bright idea.
“He said, ‘Right, I think we’re going to have to start a channel’. And so that’s literally how it started. We took the idea to all the big boys of broadcasting, but they said, ‘no, you’re 20 years too late. It’s not going to work. Nobody watches black and white’.
“We have proved them wrong since! But I have had to put some colour in too. We’re not completely blinkered thinking everyone’s going to watch Dixon of Dock Green from 9 till 9 Monday to Sunday. We’ve done a sprinkling of foreign films as well.
“Anyway, 10 years later, with an audience of five million a week, here we are.”
“It’s a community”
Those five million are treated to a mix of classic films and TV series, some of which have rarely, if ever, been broadcast on British telly since they were made. But these productions haven’t just brought entertainment into people’s lives.
“The big thing about Talking Pictures is that it’s not just a TV channel, it’s a community,” claims Sarah. “I’m very proud of that. I love the fact that people can ring us up. I don’t think there’s many TV channels that you can have a chat with the scheduler and the controller and the CEO! People are shocked, they go, ‘who am I talking to?’ And dad goes, ‘it’s Noel’, and they go, ‘THE Noel?’ They love it and he gets all smiley.
“We’re very down to earth, me and dad. We do work our arses off seven days a week, but we wouldn’t do it if we didn’t enjoy it.”
The community aspect is certainly embraced in the series of events Sarah and her team organise around the country throughout the year, as well as various film and TV-themed holidays. They’re incredibly inclusive, with both young and old attendees, as well as single and married folk.
“I love how many people come on their own and make friends and have a chat about a film they’ve watched… Then you see people sitting together at the next event because they’ve made friends. I just think, ‘this is what it’s all about’.”
The Picture House in Hebden Bridge is fast becoming one of Sarah’s favourite venues.
“It’s just adorable. When I walked in, I thought, ‘this is just what Talking Pictures is all about’. You’re stepping back in time. The guys that run it are just the nicest people on the planet and there’s never a crisis because I know they’ll help me.”
This time around, Sarah is particularly thrilled to be reunited with the legendary Bernie Clifton: “I’ve never met such a wonderful performer who’s been in the industry longer than God! He is something else. He makes you cry, makes you laugh, all in 40 minutes. Bernie’s always a big highlight.”
Other highlights to look out for include an exclusive Goons-related showing, presented by members of the hilarious radio show’s Preservation Society, The Nolans, Julie Peasgood and Grumbleweeds member Robin Colvil (whom Sarah describes as “hilarious”).
Plus, there’s a chance to hear from Carry On and Corrie favourite Amanda Barrie, who turned 90 recently, who’s “fantastic. She’ll be entertaining, she’s a lot of fun.”
“Lost films for the big screen”
The list is almost endless, as Sarah goes on to mention: “The Norman Wisdom guy, Glenn Ford, what a hero! He’s just amazing. The Daisy Belles I’m looking forward to hearing live. And Anita Harris! How can you not mention Anita? She sings beautifully live.
“The Joyce Grenfell lady, she’s brilliant. I love Joyce Grenfell, I find her humour really funny. It’ll be interesting to see if it translates over the decades.”
Sarah’s dad Noel will also be there, taking part in live editions of the hugely popular Sunday tea-time nostalgia show The Footage Detectives, which he presents alongside DJ Mike Read.
“We’re going to be doing some giant competitions, which will be quite fun. We’re going to do a huge game of consequences on one day. And I’ve got some amazing lost films for the big screen…
“I’m really excited about Hebden,” adds a breathless Sarah. “It’s a nice mix of acts we’ve had before and some new faces.”
One of whom is yours truly, who’ll be heading onto the stage, alongside Diana Dors’ biographer, Garforth-based Anna Cale, to discuss the Blonde Bombshell’s links to the north.
Once the event is over, there’s no time to rest, with more on the horizon, including November’s Saving Celluloid Sunday in Potter’s Bar; many other shindigs are also being planned.
So it seems that Talking Pictures TV is in rude health. But what does the future hold? Maybe Sarah’s teenage son Archie will take over one day.
“I’m hoping it’ll be sooner rather than later if I’m honest,” grins his proud mum. “I’m bloody knackered!”
Tickets for Hebden Bridge on October 11th and 12th, as well as all future events, can be found at renownfilms.co.uk
Sarah Morgan studied film journalism at post-graduate level with the BFI and has been writing about TV and film for PA Media’s newspaper, magazine and new media customers since 1996. She’s also written for a wide range of other publications, both online and in print, including the book Offbeat and Intermission magazine, and is a regular contributor to the Talking Pictures TV podcast. When she isn’t watching movies, she’s collecting and reading vintage crime and horror paperback books or, for her sins, watching her beloved Sheffield Wednesday.
