The Adventures of Francie and Josie (1962–1965) User Reviews

The Adventures of Francie and Josie - 1962 to 1965

[andy-20656-62037 · 10/10 · 22 August 2018]

The Adventures of Francie and Josie - 1962 to 1965 Although I am English, I went to school in Scotland, and this show was the talk of the whole school, when it was first broadcasted. Even the teachers, who usually watched more intellectual programmes, were talking about it, and often used to compare these two characters to some of the more difficult pupils. The phrase: "Who do yoos 'hink yoos are? Francie and Josie?", springs to mind. The series was first shown on Scottish television, the station we not have a television aerial for at the time, and then later it was shown on Grampian TV, which we were able to tune into. My mother and father did not always understand what was being said, as the Scottish people are famous for their comic dialect. I understood what was said because I played and went to school with Scottish children. So, sometimes I was able to translate for my parents. It was not long before everyone in the school was quoting these two innovative comedians. "Well, hal lar there, Francie," and "Well, hal lar there, Josie. How's it goin'?" Soon the whole school was walking around saying phrases like this - which were the two characters catch phrases. This was probably was probably one of the first comedy shows, produced in Scotland, that was shown on the TV, proving that the Scots did have a sense of humour and were capable of laughing at themselves. It was also a show that the Scots could identify with. Like the poems of Robbie Burns, it was in a dialect that ordinary people could understand. Rikki Fulton, who played "Josie", was awarded an OBE in 1992 for his services to entertainment and appeared in many TV shows and films during his busy career. Where Charlie Chaplin was identified by his bowler hat and little moustache, the character of "Josie" was identified by his Beatle styled haircut, with a comic little twirl in the middle of his head. This was one of "Josies" main features that was always copied by many of my school friends. Jack Milroy, who played "Francie", was awarded an MBE in year 2000, and as well as appearing with his long-time partner, Rikki, did much pantomime and stage work. He even had his own show at the Tivoli Theatre in Aberdeen.

The Advwntures of Francie and Josie - 1962 to 1965

[andy-20656-62037 · 10/10 · 23 August 2018]

I have looked through all the episodes of "The Adventures of Francie and Josie" and I cannot relate any of the titles to some of the episodes that I remember watching. I am sure many users of IMDB would remember this very funny series, which other comedians have never been able to imitate. Here are some details of the shows I remember and maybe some other users can help in matching them to the appropriate episodes: The first episode I remember watching is where our two characters book into a posh hotel. Josie sees a beautiful woman walk past on her way to the lift and accidently drops one of her gloves. Josie with his charm, which only his partner Francie admires and lionises him to the concierge and everyone else in the hotel foyer, walks over and, after picking up the ladies' glove, says: 'Ya drapped yer mitten, kitten.' The woman looks around and, after taking the gloves, says: 'Your face. It's incredible.' Josie jutting out his chin and, smilingly vainly, he replies: 'Aye, it is - isn't it.' Unbeknown to Josie, the lady was not making Josie a compliment. She thought Josies face was a perfect resemblance to that of her boss and malevolent boyfriend, the notorious gangster, "Harry the Horse", who is just upstairs in the hotel. A plan is then hatched by "Harry the Horse's" gang to substitute Josie in a deadly gangland plot - with comical results. * * * * The second episode I remember watching is where Francie and Josie are invited to a school reunion, where everyone has done well for themselves, except our two comical characters. One of the old school chums says he is a salesman travelling in ladies' underwear. Josie looks at the salesman dubiously. Francie, reading Josie's thoughts, says: 'Well maybe he feels more comfortable in ladies' underwear, Josie.' Another one of their school chums, dressed as a scoutmaster, feigning modesty, says he is leader of his own troop. They then come across a plain looking girl - the one who was usually the last to be asked to be a partnered at the school dance. 'Am still single,' she coyly says. As usual, Francie is the first to speak, and as himself and Josie hurry away from her company, in a parting reply, he says: 'Weel, there must be someone fer you somewhere.' The two friends are finally asked how they have done for themselves. In a vacant effort, they both pretend that they are now in show business and promise to get one of their big named friends to appear at their amateur dramatic event. After being thrown out of every theatre in town, including one, by a strange coincidence, bills: "Rikki Fulton and Jack Milroy" - they eventually come up with an act that all their school friends are very surprised at. The scene changes to where the old school chums are seen going into their amateur dramatic theatre and outside the billboard displays the names of no other than - two of the greatest ballet dancers in the World - Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn. The next scene shows a supreme female ballet dancer pirouetting onto the stage, dressed finely in a tutu, as the "Sugar Plum Fairy". To everyone's surprise it is not Margot Fonteyn - it is Josey. The next person to come prancing onto the stage, dressed in tights and a braided tunic, is the Sugar Plum Fairies' Cavalier. But it is not Rudolf Nureyev - it is Francie. .......and the usual comical results transpire. **********************************************************************************

The Adventures of Francie and Josie - 1962 to 1965

[andy-20656-62037 · 10/10 · 27 August 2018]

In addition to the reviews I have already done about the very funny TV series of "The Adventures of Francie and Josie", played by the two famous and very popular comedians, Jack Milroy and Rikki Fulton, I have just remembered the content of a few more of the episodes, even though I am unable to match them up with the titles of any of the episodes listed on IMDB - perhaps other users could help with this. The third episode I remember was where Francie and Josie go on holiday to somewhere in the Near East - I think it might have been Cairo.

What I think transpired was that they were mistaken for two international criminals and wrongly thrown into an Egyptian jail. As well as the thought of being handed over to the "Interpols", I remember Francie telling Josie that he had forgotten to cancel the milk and they both started crying, as they imagined all the bottles that would have piled up during their holiday. The fact that they were going to be in jail for a very long time, made the thought of piled high milk bottles made our two comical friends cry even louder.

I think what later happened was that a visitor had smuggled them in a bomb, so that they could blast themselves out of jail.

They had put the bomb next to the wall under one of the jail benches, and the Police Chief, wearing a posh white suit and a fez, comes in and sits on top of it.

'For catching you two bad people,' he says, 'I have been recommended for high promotion. You are now looking at a man who is going up in the World.'

At that very moment, the bomb explodes, and the Police Chief goes "up in the World" alright. You then see him sat on the bench all covered in soot and his posh white suit is now all dirty and in tatters. To match this, his fez now looks like a tin can with the lid open.

With that, Francie and Josie make their escape, with more comic results.

The fourth episode that I remember was where Francie and Josie visit two of their friends, who our two characters believe to be the perfect married couple. However, unbeknown to them, when the couple are on their own, they argue like two people who really hate each other.

'Josie will say "Well, hal lar there, my sweet kitten,' the wife says, before our two friends arrive, 'and Francie will gi'e us a box of chocolates and for the entire visit he will hover over them, until I gi'e him the contents o' the whole box.'

Needless to say, the married couple are not the perfect happily married couple that Francie and Josie believe them to be. Also, they are not as welcome as they thought themselves to be - the wife being the least glad to see them.

Francie and Josie arrive and act in the same way that the wife had anticipated, with Josie saying his; "Well, hal lar there" bit, and Francie gives her a box of chocolates and hangs avariciously over them, expecting to share the contents.

During the course of the evening, our two friends say they have arranged a slot for them on a TV Game Show for perfect married couples - a sort of Scottish version of "Mr. and Mrs." - and of course, when they appear on the show, and after the first question they are asked, they start fighting and arguing with each other.

The episode finishes with Francie acting as a frustrated and embarrassed diplomat, tries to convince the shows' host that they are not usually like this.

'Och, they're really very happy,' he says. I think out of the two characters, it is Francie (played by Jack Milroy) that seems to have the funniest things to say: and although Josie (played by Rikki Fulton) has a few funny things to say as well, he sometimes acts as the "straight man", feeding Francie his lines - a sort of Scottish version of Bud Abbott of "Abbott and Costello" fame.