http://vimeo.com/34928012

Was that Troy (70's lost Countdown episodes) in this mini doco?

So true with the statement at the end 'and for the fans that refuse to let the good memories die'.

Don't know if it was Troys?

WOW, he should NEVER have given his lost one's to the ABC. They don't deserve to have any back!!!

Yes that is indeed Troy in the clip. Sad to see so many shows get destroyed - note how the majority of them are NOT sports shows!! Australian TV networks really don't care about our heritage which is a great shame.

But hopefully people out there are scouring their old Umatic/Beta/VHS tapes for gems that may have been destroyed by others - I'm quite sure there are some 'lost' shows out there somewhere.

Does Troy actually talk in this clip??? HOW FANTASTIC OF HIM!!!

Wave the flag for these corporate A S S H O L E S who have destroyed out Music television history that we will NEVER get back again!!!

There is actually a much longer segment of a number of interviews made by Larry Boxshall a few years back where a few major TV historians were interviewed including Chris Keating, Milton Hammon (custodian of the complete John Young archive - he also appears briefly in this footage in the link with YTT master tapes shown behind him) and Troy Walters, who discussed his own searches for missing Countdowns. I will need to find that link and post it if anyone wants to see the full interviews done at the time.

A missing 1978 Countdown hosted by John English was returned to the ABC by Troy some years ago, although it is not in the condition required for transmission, whilst myself and Milton located a missing 1977 episode in more recent years and this was also returned to the ABC and played in full a couple of Retro seasons ago. It too was hosted by John English.

Although some small segments have since turned up, no further complete episodes have been located since - they are very difficult to find as very few people in Australia had domestic videotapes at the time.

I was not aware of another documentary being made about current searches - there has been some 60s material discovered in more recent times including a clip off Kommotion and some nice 16mm promo films and Uptight segments but any publicity that can be garnered would be very useful.

The missing Flashez shows were recovered due to the great work done by John Williams at ABC archives and his search led to Ray Burgess and some other people originally associated with the production of Flashez -there was an item on-line where this recovery was also discussed (in the missing-believed-wiped online forums) and I will have to try to find that link also. There may be more info over at Troy Walters web page - I have not been on there for a while.

The segment in this doco that featured one of the men there at the time explaining how one of those responsible for the wipings saying something like 'That whole side there is going' really DISTURBED me to say the least. It was absolutely a HORROR story!!!

And to see that clipboard with Countdown on the top and others to follow down the list like Flashez and Number 96 was truly VILE!


Especially seeing at the time THESE shows were THE most highly rated ones and have become THE most historical Australian productions!!!