By Paul Dunwell, writing for EasyFrame
© Copyright EasyFrame 2020
What this article is about
EasyFrame has framed thousands of pieces of memorabilia. As huge fans of 'Only Fools and Horses', its owners have a special relationship with the show's fan club, and have framed endless signed collectables and merchandise for it over the last 20 years.
This article looks at some other great British TV institutions, focusing on family entertainment, and tells you where to find memorabilia suitable for framing.
1. Thunderbirds
Forget the recent remake. I mean the Supermarionation shows made from 1964 to 1966, with puppets whose heads were a quarter of their body length (in real life it's about a sixth). The site at https://fanderson.org.uk/ is the only official fan site for Gerry Anderson and his wife Sylvia, who was behind a great deal of it and voiced Lady Penelope. For memorabilia, try eBay at www.ebay.co.uk/b/Thunderbirds-1960s-TV-Movie-Character-Toys-with-Vintage/2624/bn_7078041661, and definitely visit https://shop.gerryanderson.co.uk/collections/prints.
2. Doctor Who
Doctor Who has been running since 1963, and I remember watching the first episodes on a grainy black-and-white television. We've had 13 doctors since, which hasn't proved unlucky: the show goes from strength to strength. Such a long run means plenty of memorabilia to collect. The BBC runs a fan club at www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/joinin/doctor-who-fan-club. There is also the long-running Doctor Who Appreciation Society at www.dwasonline.co.uk/ and a well-established shop at www.thewhoshop.com/.
3. Blackadder
If you're a huge fan of the Blackadder dynasty, as I am, the best site appears to be www.blackadderhall.com/, where speculation abounds about a revival. There are lots of frameable items at www.redbubble.com/shop/blackadder and www.cafepress.co.uk/+blackadder+gifts. As ever, unique items such as scripts turn up online if you search.
4. Fawlty Towers
It ran for only two series, but Fawlty Towers is widely considered the best comedy the BBC ever made. There will never be a revival, but there are plenty of collectable items to grace your walls. The one below commemorates the unforgettable episode in which Basil Fawlty gives his car a damned good thrashing. See www.originalmemorabilia.co.uk/'a-damn-good-thrashing'~347. Unframed items abound, even on Amazon: see www.amazon.co.uk/BASIL-FAWLTY-TOWERS-UNFRAMED-CANVAS/dp/1000003760.
5. Dad's Army
If the humour and camaraderie of the Second World War are your bag, you may like to collect items related to the series or to the Home Guard itself. Dad's Army still has a following, which led to a recent feature film that was true to the original. The Dad's Army Appreciation Society is at www.dadsarmy.co.uk/. There is no end of merchandise at places like www.english-heritageshop.org.uk/gift-ideas/gift-ideas1/dads-army and on Amazon at www.amazon.co.uk/Walmington-Sea-Guard-Training-Manual/dp/1409128210.
6. The Good Life
We're all tempted to drop out sometimes. In the late 1970s Tom and Barbara Good did just that, seizing the moment of Tom's 40th birthday, and gave us 4 series of classic comedy that stand any number of repeats. Like Only Fools and Horses it is a Christmas perennial, and it made a star of everyone in it. To refresh your memory, start at www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00732tl and http://thegoodlife.flyingdreams.org/.
You can still find great memorabilia if you cast around. One example is at www.rutlandautographs.co.uk/tv-comedy/the-good-life-1111177900.html. Another is at https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Felicity-Kendal-Signed-Photo-Barbara-Good-in-The-Good-Life-E44/263640513947.
7. Porridge
One reason Porridge remains timeless is that it was set in a prison, and prisons have hardly changed since Victorian times, let alone since the pilot aired in 1973 or the series ended in 1977 (a film followed in 1979). It starred Ronnie Barker and made stars of Fulton Mackay and Richard Beckinsale, who sadly died of a heart attack in 1979, aged 31. There is a fan club site at www.porridge.org.uk/.
For examples like those above, try www.memorabilia-uk.co.uk/p/porridge or www.the-saleroom.com.
Conclusion
EasyFrame has become the preferred framer for one of television's most bankable assets, and its resources make it a natural choice for other fan clubs that want to offer their members affordable, high-quality frames.
It is always worth asking EasyFrame whether they can help develop a service for your fan club or appreciation society. Come armed with approximate numbers, likely dimensions, expected lead times and a verifiable copy of any prices you've been quoted elsewhere. They would aim to beat rivals on a like-for-like basis, and their state-of-the-art machinery should keep every precious memento in pristine condition for decades.
If you are framing anything precious, whether a memento of great TV or something entirely different, it's worth going straight to a professional framer like EasyFrame for advice. They don't need to sell something every time they take a call and will be happy to chat. EasyFrame is on 01234 856 501 and sales@EasyFrame.co.uk.