Telly Savalas "visits" Birmingham, 1981

[Owain71]

Stumbled across this yesterday - not sure if it's been posted before, but 5 minutes of pure gold - makes 1981 seem like a very, very long time ago...

 

 

Would have loved to have been at that Birmingham City Council / Tourist Board meeting: "Right, who's the best ambassador for our great city? Jasper Carrott? Martin Shaw? One of Duran Duran?" "Nah, Telly Savalas."

 

Great soundtrack - I was half expecting CHiPs' own Jon Baker & Frank Poncherello to be in pursuit of the Allegro bombing down the outside lane of the "multi-carriageway motorway" - makes Brum look like LA!

 

According to the comments on YouTube, Telly never even visited - his voiceover was recorded in Soho. So much for spending "hours" in the Botanical Gardens, eh Tel?

[Jim Bell]

Worth it for the over forties disco dancing contest alone.

[gadgetgricey]

Seen it before as Birmingham born and bred. Quite sad to look back and realise how much has changed.

You tube then linked me to other "Telly looks at"

 

 

 

 

It appears he also visited Aberdeen and Portsmouth.....

[gadgetgricey]

Oh God. Turns out there is a full version for the Birmingham one (Over 20 mins long)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08bVHle1xX4

[Bren]

I thought I remembered a buick regal racing through Perry Barr.

[Eddie Honda]

Ahh, the days of the short film before the main feature. That's my kinda short.