Mandog

I haven't seen this show in 45 years, so let's check my eidetic memory... Two schoolgirls are in detention for fooling around. They're not taking the detention seriously and are gawping out of the window at a guy outside a row of lock- up garages. They spot a guy who enters one of the garage units; only thing, he hasn't bothered to open the door. He walks straight through it... Later, the two girls, curious as to what had happened there. They take the mongrel dog that belongs to one of the girls (Sammy, as I remember) with them. They gain entry to the garage; it turns out that the garage is being used by a bunch of (good) guys from the future. They are furious that the guy who walked through the closed door did so in plain sight, as they are trying to avoid the secret police (Galas) from their own time. The leader of the group states that it isn't the first time the guy has screwed up, and states that the group intend to kill him. Horrified, the two girls plead for the guy's life and ask if their is any alternative. The leader states that is one way; to put the guy in a coma, and transfer the bloke's personality into the dog "I'd rather die!" states the guy; apparently in his time, this is a form of demeaning punishment. The girls talk the guy into undergoing the procedure, and the dog, who is called Radnor,becomes "Mister ". Then the real adventure begins... "Radnor " was actually a canine actor called "Ben" who featured in a number of programmes in the early seventies, including Main Chance, with Jihn Stride.

I honestly can't remember where I first saw this, but it managed to leave an impression. The science-fiction/time warp plot elements are nice touches to what is basically a very 70s kids show. Think the Disney WITCH MOUNTAIN movies meets IDAHO TRANSFER. The show is great for anyone on a 1970s nostalgia trip or insomniac sci-fi fans. This is cheesy space-age action from the time of bell-bottoms.

For all you "location" junkies out there - the scrap yard used in the filming of this series was in Rampart Road on the banks of the River Itchen (next to Northam Bridge and diagonally opposite the old Southern and then Meridian TV studios) in Southampton, Hampshire, UK.

The site has since been redeveloped and is now covered with swanky apartments units.

The yard's operators were Ted and Tom Holden - my father's step brothers. Many's the day I would climb round the yard looking for 'treasure' - Still got a Chrome Viking from the bonnet (hood) of a Rover.

I am also surprised the series made US screens.

I'm seriously surprised to learn that 'ManDog' aired in the US! It was one of those quintessentially British children's dramas very like the output of the Children's Film Foundation. I remember its original and repeat screenings on the BBC in the seventies and have fond memories. Its star was a cute black and white Border Collie (some relative of 'Blue Peter's' Shep?) A family pet is, accidentally, the first to encounter a injured refugee from a totalitarian future whose only means of survival is to store his mind in the nearest living thing. The man-dog then strikes up a telepathic relationship with his boy owner to the latter's delight, as the two seek means to repair the traveller's time-ship which materialised in a junkyard (now where have I heard of a time-ship in a junkyard before, 'Doctor Who' fans?). The time machine looked like a changing room locker, I think - very tall and narrow. Definitely a curio I'd like to see again to find out how good my memory is, if nothing else.