Author Topic: Wierd name reversal  (Read 3723 times)

Offline Rusty Viewer

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Wierd name reversal
« on: November 26, 2008, 02:38:34 AM »
I noticed that most (if not all) the Follyfoot scripts were written by one Francis Stevens. I also recently noticed that the music was written by Steven Francis. Coincidence, someone using pen names, or are they just screwing with our heads? ?:D

Offline Sabrina

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Re: Wierd name reversal
« Reply #1 on: November 26, 2008, 06:08:38 AM »
Hi Rusty
Somewhere on this Forum - or on the old one - there's a thread about this. Steven Francis was, I believe, Tony Essex's brother (someone correct me if I'm wrong). He wrote the music under a pen name presumably so it wouldn't look like nepotism  ;)
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Sabrina x
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Offline Eilidh

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Re: Wierd name reversal
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2009, 10:54:39 PM »
And Francis Stevens (who wrote the majority of the Follyfoot episodes) was actually Tony Essex writing under a pseudonym. So both he and his brother wrote under pseudonyms. There you go  ;)

Offline Rusty Viewer

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Re: Wierd name reversal
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2009, 11:05:35 PM »
Is David Essex Tony's brother? The one that wrote the music? And appeared in an episode of series 3?

Offline Eilidh

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Re: Wierd name reversal
« Reply #4 on: January 04, 2009, 12:41:06 AM »
Here is what is written on Wikipedia on the topic:


Continuity in the series was assured by the use of mostly one writer, Tony Essex (writing under the pen name Francis Stevens), but there were also contributions from Rosemary Anne Sisson.

The series' theme song, "The Lightning Tree", written by Steven Francis (pen name of Francis Essex, the brother of Tony Essex) and sung by The Settlers, is well-remembered, sometimes more so than the series itself. The song reached No.36 in the UK Charts.[2] An album featuring music from the series was also released.



So there you go. Doesn't exactly answer your question about whether David Essex is the brother of Tony or Francis Essex but I think it unlikely. However, it was definitely Francis Essex (aka Steven Francis) who wrote the music performed so magnificently by The Settlers.

Ta now
Eilidh ;)

Offline Nik

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Re: Wierd name reversal
« Reply #5 on: January 04, 2009, 10:43:48 AM »
Quote
Here is what is written on Wikipedia on the topic:


but there were also contributions from Rosemary Anne Sisson.



Ta now
Eilidh ;)

Did you know that Rosemary is a member here?


Nik
x.
Nik - Follyfoot forum founder and editor 2004-2009 | Follyfoot website researcher and contributor 2004-2007

Offline Eilidh

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Re: Wierd name reversal
« Reply #6 on: January 04, 2009, 08:15:51 PM »
Thanks for that Nik - I didn't know that but very good to know. I think its great that people who were involved with Follyfoot way back then still hold it in such high regard and visit sites like this. Says an awful lot about the spirit of the show and the people who were involved.

Ta Now

Eilidh

Offline Rusty Viewer

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Re: Wierd name reversal
« Reply #7 on: January 05, 2009, 01:36:01 AM »
Well, now we really know why there was no movie or possible fourth series. If Tony Essex was the main writer as well as the director, who could replace him?

Offline Eilidh

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Re: Wierd name reversal
« Reply #8 on: January 05, 2009, 02:11:24 AM »
Tony was the Producer, I am not sure whether he directed any episodes but you are right, being the main Producer and Chief Writer, he was hugely influential on how the show turned out and without him, well a film could have been very different in tone. However, with the characters as established as they were, there would have been plenty of material for an experienced writer to use and not venture too far off the track. Actors are very good at saying "My character would not do/say this" to any writers who come in new and green, particularly in well established shows so I think a Follyfoot film would probably have tunred out ok either way.    ;)  

Offline Loopy

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Re: Wierd name reversal
« Reply #9 on: January 05, 2009, 01:10:00 PM »
But what would we be talking about now, all these years on, if there had been a film and a 'happy ending'.  I'd rather be doing this and reading the fanfics!

 8-)


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