An open book:Monica Dickens

[marshall]

I have just started this lovely book by Monica Dickens and it really is worth reading very funny in places,I wonder when it was last in print??I was interested to read about the inspiration for the follyfoot books and it was regular visits to a London home for neglected horses that set the stories going,The books sold very well and they came to the attention of the great British actor James Brolin...It was acting on his advise that Yorkshire television went on to produce the lovely FOLLYFOOT t.v series we all have grown to love...One question did Monica Dickens use the name Follyfoot..or was that used for the t.v series...Anyroad if you can get a copy of An Open Book..grab it?

[Jane]

Hi marshall

She didn't use the name follyfoot in cobblers dream, the first book, it was just referred to as "the farm" but after that the second book was called follyfoot so I think the answer is yes but if I'm wrong I'm sure someone will put me right!

Open book sounds good. I shall have to see if there is a copy in the library.

[Alfy Door]

I really never thought there would be an actual Follyfoot style home for horses. It obviously wouldn't make any money so it would require either state funding (highly unlikely) or some well-heeled do-gooder such as the Colonel, and I wasn't sure they existed in real-life. Must cost them a fortune.

I think it's been discussed before how the Colonel managed to fund the place, but I can't recall it now.

[garej]

I really never thought there would be an actual Follyfoot style home for horses. It obviously wouldn't make any money so it would require either state funding (highly unlikely) or some well-heeled do-gooder such as the Colonel, and I wasn't sure they existed in real-life. Must cost them a fortune.

I think it's been discussed before how the Colonel managed to fund the place, but I can't recall it now.

From what I remember, there was actual opening times to the public, and they charged something like 10p entrance fee.

Also, in Cobbler's Dream there was something about a TV crew, I cant remember if they paid the Colonel to film there or not.

[marshall]

  :Dthanks for all your feedback,I had a look at the dates the first editions of the books and apart from Cobblers Dream..the rest of the books may well have been published after the t.v series was commisioned..as said it was James Brolin who put the idea to YTV and I wonder if he only read Cobblers Dream..then pitched the series from there so the rest of the books were being written during the first t.v series was in production...Monica quotes that YTV found the old farm on the Harewood Estate and this was very close to FOLLIFOOT so thats why I think it was YTV idea to call the series FOLLYFOOT..also Monica does not mention this region in her book so it would seem a bit of a coicidence..that her FOLLYFOOT books would end up being made into a great t.v series ....and filmed only a few miles from its namesake...but for a small change in the spelling of the name...It would be great if the new documentary being made could contact James Brolin...as it seems its down to him that the series came to fruition...well done James??

[Squeezynz]

some lovely background information there Marshall....and I hadn't heard of that particular book before...so will have to take a look myself.

thanks for the heads up.

 8-)

[marshall]

  :Djust to update some of the info on an open book..I had another look last night and I had made a mistake as JAMES BOLAM(U.K actor)is the person responsible for the idea of a t.v. series on the book not Brolin..again it apears that Cobblers Dream that caught his eye..and knew he was onto a winner...And how right he was to??the first book Cobblers dream was written in 1962..and as states in an open book "it was 10 years after this(1972) that the t.v series went into production...once again well done James

[Michael]

I have just started this lovely book by Monica Dickens and it really is worth reading very funny in places,I wonder when it was last in print??I was interested to read about the inspiration for the follyfoot books and it was regular visits to a London home for neglected horses that set the stories going,The books sold very well and they came to the attention of the great British actor James Brolin...It was acting on his advise that Yorkshire television went on to produce the lovely FOLLYFOOT t.v series we all have grown to love...One question did Monica Dickens use the name Follyfoot..or was that used for the t.v series...Anyroad if you can get a copy of An Open Book..grab it?

There is a Redwings Horse Sanctuary in Norfolk (which I recommend to all Follyfoot lovers who can afford a bit of charity for this deserving cause) -- I wonder if it was around in the 1960s, perhaps in those days located somewhere in London, and might have been Monica Dickens' inspiration?

[marshall]

 :)Monica mentions that Elstree was the location of the home for horses..perhaps its still there..also mentions that her grandaughter was in some of the filming of the series as a rider at Follyfoot filming at Harewood

[Jane]

I have just started this lovely book by Monica Dickens and it really is worth reading very funny in places,.....I was interested to read about the inspiration for the follyfoot books

I've finally read this great book. How I would have loved to do what Monicas eldest grandaughter did, spending two summer holidays working on the farm and doubling up as the main characters in distant riding shots.  

[Loopy]

It's a great book - glad you enjoyed it .   

[Jane]

Loopy did you notice that Monica didn't mention the title of Cobblers Dream when she was talking about it, she just referred to it as "the book about cruelty to animals" When talking about her other books she called them by their titles.  :-?

[Loopy]

Loopy did you notice that Monica didn't mention the title of Cobblers Dream when she was talking about it, she just referred to it as "the book about cruelty to animals" When talking about her other books she called them by their titles.  :-?

Yes, a bit odd that.   :-?
She probably had a 'senior moment' and forgot the title... or perhaps early symptoms of 'Steveitis'.  

[Rob]

She probably had a 'senior moment' and forgot the title... or perhaps early symptoms of 'Steveitis'.    

Had "Cobblers Dream" already been reissued as "New Arrival at Follyfoot" by then? If so, then perhaps she didn't quote the title of the book as this might have confused readers who knew it by the other title?

Just a thought....

Rob   :-/

[Jane]

Hi Rob

An open book was first published in 1978 and looking at Louises website it says "New arrival at follyfoot" was first published in 1995.

Unless there was another book I don't know about  :-/