The Manchester TV Props You Might Find in Storage
- April 28, 2014
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- Posted in : Manchester
Whether it’s been on BBC, ITV, or Channel 4, Manchester has provided the viewing nation with some top telly moments down the years. As such, we at Flexistore decided to sit ourselves down, scratch our chins and come up with a list of iconic Manchester TV props that might, just might, be lurking in storage somewhere. (Obviously we didn’t sit down until we’d finished another hard day’s storing. We don’t want you getting the wrong idea.)
Let’s kick things off with…
Hilda Ogden’s Curlers (Coronation Street)
The resident gossip and general busybody on Britain’s most popular soap wouldn’t have been half as iconic a figure without those curlers in her hair. She seemed to spend so much time curling that a place in Sochi with Team GB would have been assured. Actress Jean Alexander (now 88 and living in Southport, close to her native Liverpool) once explained the character’s look to The Sun:
“Like Hilda, my roots were in Liverpool and that’s where I first noticed the curlers and headscarf look. The curlers were put under the headscarf by the factory girls… They had their hair tied up and scarves like that to stop their fashionable long hair getting caught up in the machinery at work. They had the curlers in place in case they got asked out on a date, so they’d be ready for a night out after the shift. They could just take off the headscarf, remove the curlers and shake down their hair.”
Not that Hilda Ogden was being asked out on dates, she was a respectable married woman who spent 20 happy years in a screen marriage with her Stan.
Jim Royle’s Armchair (The Royle Family)
The patriarch of the Royle Family would be able to respond to the questions “What’s your catchphrase?” and “Which part of your body seems to be permanently parked on your armchair?” with the same answer. Us being a polite bunch, we’re just going to tell you to google that catchphrase. Even the most treasured piece of furniture can become part of a decluttering operation eventually and we’re pretty sure that at some point the rest of the family would have beseeched Jim Royle to entrust his armchair into the care of upstanding storage professionals such as ourselves.
Jim (played by Ricky Tomlinson) sitting in that armchair is one of the definitive images of the popular comedy show created by Caroline Aherne (who also created and played the popular character of Mrs Merton) and Craig Cash that spawned three series between 1998 and 2000 and has returned for a number of specials, most recently for Christmas in 2012.
Frank Gallagher’s Parka (Shameless)
Jim Royle’s armchair is probably not the only Manchester TV prop that could do with ‘a bit of an airing’. In 11 series (that’s 139 episodes!) of the popular comedy drama set in the fictional Chatsworth Estate, Frank never seemed to go a day without wearing it. Perhaps not such an issue if a rigorous programme of personal hygiene was being adhered to but, well, the Gallagher family’s philosophical patriarch was never that type of character, was he?
Shameless came to an end in the UK in 2013, but those still craving some Gallagher family action might like to check out the US version of the show, which is still running. The American Frank is played by William H Macy (who you may know from the Coen Brothers classic Fargo among other things) but he seems *whisper it* to often be found wearing a fleece-lined denim jacket instead of a parka.
Fitz’s Lighter (Cracker)
If Crackerwas to emerge onto our screens today then it would surely fit perfectly with the boxed-set or streaming culture. It was the kind of show so gripping that one episode was never enough. One thing that the show’s lead character, Fitz, wouldn’t have been perfect for today though would be the ban on smoking indoors. The classic image of criminal psychologist Dr Edward “Fitz” Fitzgerald (played by Robbie Coltrane) was always of him with a cigarette in his hand while ‘cracking’ another suspect. Into storage the lighter goes.
Another Manchester TV prop won’t be heading into storage just yet though…
Howard’s Dressing Gown (Fresh Meat)
The city, of course, has a large student population. A fact not lost on the creators of Channel 4’s popular Manchester-set comedy show, Fresh Meat. Living in a student house can get a little bit stormy at times, but at the eye of every storm is supposedly a calm. A role perfectly filled by the contemplative and analytical (over-contemplative and over-analytical?) character of Geography student Howard McGregor, played by Scottish comedian and actor Greg McHugh. Slightly older than his fellow housemates, and a man who avoids excess to the point of, well, to the point of excess, Howard is frequently to be found patrolling the flat in his trusty dressing gown. With plans afoot for a movie version of the show, Howard had better hang onto that dressing gown for now.
If you’re looking for storage services in the Manchester area then we’d be delighted to assist you. For a free no-obligation quote, or simply to find out more, please call us.
Also check out this related post: Why you should pack up and move to Manchester.
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Image source: http://www.thedrum.com/