On Any Sunday (1971) by Bruce Brown, who passed away yesterday at the age of 80, is considered the very best documentary that covers motorcycle racing action in Dirt Track, Road Race, Moto Cross, Hill Climbs, Bonneville Salt Flats World speed records and more. The movie stars Steve McQueen (who also backed its production), Malcolm Smith, Mert Lawill and Gene Romero. At nearly 50 years old, it still remains as a “MUST SEE” required viewing if you have anything to do with motorcycling.
Alien – on the return flight home over the Atlantic I watched the latest film in Ridley Scott’s space epic where: “no one can hear you scream.” A small but pivotal character Sir Peter Weyland who funds the Prometheus expedition to the Engineers system. Played by the quietly talented Guy Pearce he is the creator of Android David a critical character that proves to be a key player in the entire Alien series. Here’s a motorcycle sitting portrait of the British born antipodean on a classic Matchless. Photo by Robert Ascroft
¡Ay Caramba! – The voice of Bart Simpson is 60 today. Nancy Cartwright vocalizes this cheeky misbehaving brat.
Flowery Friday / British TV presenter Anthea Turner is draped florally over a maroon & silver Bonneville for some 90’s photo shoot.
“I don’t believe it!” – the catchphrase of character Victor Meldrew from 90’s sit-com One Foot in the Grave. An ornery old got played perfectly by Scottish actor Richard Wilson who can be seen here on a ’93 Triumph Trident for a publicity shot of a TV show ‘Under the Hammer” about a London auction house. Back then this was the best way to zip about the Big Smoke.
Heeey! When you want to play it cool nobody does it better than The Fonz (Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli) played by Henry Winkler. His bobbed Triumph TR5 became as iconic as his hair-do and thumbs.
GoPro ’63
In the olden days if you wanted to film from the riders eyepoint a cameraman holding firmly to a Boulex 16mm whilst standing on the pillion pegs.
McCallum – back in the late nineties I lived in London; and it was there I took to motorcycles as a means of transport. Also at that time was a television show where the talented Scottish actor John Hannah played the titular yet unassuming role of a clinical pathologist. Like myself, this character managed to scoot about the Big Smoke on a motorcycle. He on a sharp black Triumph Thunderbird 900; I zinged about on a 125 Cagiva… I felt every bit as cool as our urbane character. I actually saw him in an East End pub about this time too.
Raindrops keep fallin’ on my head! Through the dappled shade of a dreamy scene Brit actionman Jason Statham, who turns fifty today, enjoys a blue Bonneville blast with a blonde beauty.
MAD Grinning imp Alfred E. Neuman takes to the streets on his choppered trike whilst the Harley riding gang of Captain America, Billy, and Jim Bronson rumble on in cool style… Born to be Wild.
BATMAN – looking back it’s a very tongue-in-cheek version of the caped crusader and his crime fighting escapades. But growing up with the show when Bruce Wayne was played cooly by a serious Adam West and your Corgi Batmobile would recreate his daring-do along with Boy Wonder Robin, there was nothing better. Sadly we hear of the recent passing of Adam West who owned this role – grey one piece, yellow utility belt, and satin glove and all.
“Cracking toast Gromit!” As part of the frenzied inventor with his dedicated sidekick hound, and as one of the youthful hearted pensioners in a long running sitcom, Peter Sallis became a household name as a cheese and cracker gastronome and Holmfirth scallywag respectively. Sadly he passed away today at the grand age of 96. His voice and demeanor were calm and reassuring and he seemed to fit both characters perfectly.
“Did I lock the door?”
Get Down Shep! – Part of my youth was a biweekly watching of the children’s BBC show Blue Peter. Where the presenters got up to all sorts of studio or outdoors hi-jinx. One of the most popular was John Noakes who was on the show for a record 12 years. He Was never without his sidekick , border collie, Shep. Sadly John passed away yesterday at the age of 83. Here’s screenshots of his 1980’s show Go with Noakes where he tried his hand at trials riding across the grassy moors of the Isle of Man.
These aren’t the bikes you’re looking for. Here’s trooper TR-595 aboard his Speed Triple on an Empries errand. Today is Intergalactic Star Wars Day ‘May the Fourth”.
