Raffles 1977 ITV Studios
Now, this really does go down memory lane and with such class and sparkle. Anthony Valentine features as the charismatic Victorian jewel thief ‘Raffles’ ably assisted in his exploits by dear friend ‘Bunny’ played beautifully by Christopher Strauli in an adaption of E.W.Hornung’s original stories.
This is a wonderful step into the past with Raffles becoming a modern day Robin Hood, the poor really being himself and ‘Bunny’ who with their extravagancies were broke. This is no Toby Meres. This is Anthony Valentine as a most charming character.
This is my second outing with this complete boxed set and again it takes no prisoners. A lovely romp into an era that simply takes you into another gentlier world.
Yes, I’m at it again with another ‘name dropper’ A lovely guy, I photographed many years ago who had appeared on ‘The Golden Shot’ a number of times was TV’s Mr Pickpocket ‘Mark Raffles.’ He and wife Joan hold many happy recollections for me. I pictured Mark back in the Seventies dressed in such Victorian evening wear as topper and white silk scarf in the old manor house of the Savoy Country Club IOW and on a further occasion wife Joan, not in period dress of course, but for ‘Woman’s Own’ that popular magazine. Then, it became the turn of their two children, who at the time had formed a ‘pop’ group and were about to appear on ‘Opportunity Knocks’: Hughie Green’s highly rated talent show for ITV.
Around that time, I did photographed a number of very hopefuls to the show and by way of Tony Barrie my agent. Yet, it’s sad so many only surface just that once for their shot of stardom, but I guess, you can get a buzz for just being there!
Ps. I did hear recently, that Mark Raffles had done a show in the North of England, just a couple of years back… And at the age of 97! Well, I guess, that’s got to be “One for the record books.”