User Reviews

The sad death was recently announced of Pat Keysell, one of the presenters of the groundbreaking B.B.C. children's programme 'Vision On', which ran from 1965-76. Originally intended for deaf children ( and devised by Patrick Dowling ), it evolved into a programme that had everyone watching for different reasons. Pat communicated to the audience using both speech and sign language, the latter we see all the time now on the news but which was very rare then.

The programme itself skilfully blended animation with live material. It was very visual, almost psychedelic at times. Stock characters developed, such as 'Jonah', a little cartoon man who became the show's figurehead in its early years, invisible creatures called 'The Burbles' who lived in a grandfather clock ( and communicated in speech bubbles ), 'Humphrey Umbrage' the tortoise and his owner 'Suzanne', a strange furry thing that used to zip about which Tony Hart would try and catch ( and never succeeded ), a digging workman who kept finding odd things each week at the bottom of a pit, and of course, 'The Prof'. Played by the talented David Cleveland, 'The Prof' was a crazy figure in a white coat who appeared in sped-up film sequences similar to those in 'The Benny Hill Show', and backed by the theme to I.T.V.'s 'Jokers Wild'.

Each programme was built around a theme, such as 'lines' and 'pipes'. Wilf 'Makepeace' Lunn provided batty inventions, and mime artist Ben Benison was a regular for years, replaced later by future 'Dr.Who' star Sylvester McCoy. The latter's character lived in a world where time ran in reverse ( an idea later appropriated by 'Red Dwarf' ) and who entered Hart's art room by stepping through a mirror.

Probably the best remembered feature was 'The Gallery' in which viewers' pictures ( and sometimes, home movies ) would be displayed. Pat would say each week: "We cannot return any of them, but we give a prize for all those shown.". I sent in loads over the years, none were ever featured.

Speaking of pictures, the show's other main star was the great Tony Hart, of whom Jack Dee once said resembled 'Benny Hill on Valium'. He was amazingly talented, and watching him conjure up marvellous works of art in a matter of seconds was indeed a real treat. Thanks to the magic of television, said pictures would then come to life.

'Vision On' was like a rich fruit cake, full of delicious ingredients. You never quite knew what was going to happen next. Even the Daleks from 'Dr.Who' turned up one week ( they had probably heard McCoy was around ).

Music was another important ingredient of the show's success. The library tracks were well selected. The show's logo was a strange grasshopper-like creature whose body was formed from the show's title pushed onto its side.

'Vision On' won numerous awards, and gave birth to a spin-off - 'Take Hart'. In recent years, we have seen B.B.C.-4 documentaries on classic children's shows such as 'Jackanory' and 'The Magic Roundabout'. That one was not done for 'Vision On' ( when Hart and Keysell were around to contribute to it ) seems a bit of a shame.