Thursday 10 October 2019 is the date when you can see a real rarity film. Billy ‘Uke’ Scott will be featured on the TV channel Talking Pictures TV. You will have to set your recorder (and your alarm clock) as the film is transmitted at 05:15 am. The film was released in1944, directed by Herbert Wynne and stars Robert Griffith, Gerald Pring, Billy 'Uke' Scott, Marian Olive & Elsa Tee.

A Night Of Magic

Billy ‘Uke’ Scott film on TV

Talking Pictures TV describes the film as mummies meet chorus girls in this lost British musical comedy. No matter what the hour of screening, we should be grateful to Talking Pictures TV for even screening it. They are also continually showing the films of George Formby plus lots of other wonderful British films of the 1930s, 40s, 50s, and 60,s. There are even some of the films with subtitles for the hard of hearing. Talking Pictures TV was launched in May 2015 and has rapidly become a firm favourite with an older generation of film fans who are now sadly not catered for by any other satellite or terrestrial tv channels.

You've Got To Be Smart To Start Love - Billy 'Uke' Scott

Billy 'Uke' Scott - Between You and Me and the Lamp Post

I have to say that perhaps anyone who arose and watched the film at 5 in the morning would have been somewhat disappointed. The film is listed on Internet Movie Database as been 55 minutes in length but this version after removing the adverts comes out at just under 39 minutes. Obviously some songs were cut and whilst I pay due respect to all the actors in this film, I would think that the interest in the film is centred on Billy 'Uke' Scott so it was a real shame to learn that Billy's ukulele ssong "On The Beautiful Banks Of The Nile" was missing from this version. Perhaps this may not be the fault of Talking Pictures TV? Maybe the copy they hold lacks the missing 16 minutes? There is though, a DVD of the film which is still available on Amazon and also on eBay which will probably include the missing bits of this screening. The one drawback is for some reason the DVD is classed as NTSC which is region 1 and was created for USA and Canada viewers so many UK DVD players will not be able to play it. Billy's performance with his banjo-uke is brilliant, I can image that Beryl Formby would have been incensed that someone other than George could play like George! His songs are also always worth listening to, even without the ukulele, and with that in mind, you can view here, the other song that Billy sang in the film that was transmitted by Talking Pictures TV.

FILM UPDATE

at 10 November 2019

So now we have the full version of A Night Of Magic, or I wonder if we actually viewed two versions of the film? Most of the film is quite decent quality, then we see inferior scenes which appear to have been cut from the first transmission. No matter, we now have Billy’s song, “The Beautiful Banks Of The Nile” although I don’t think that uke will ever catch on! Here are two more songs featuring Billy. How nice to see him play the piano, I believe that is talent for the stringed instruments was equalled by his piano skills. I know that Billy’s family must be delighted to see Billy back on TV so well done to Talking Pictures TV for screening the second transmission which allowed us all to see more of the wonderful Billy Uke Scott .