Today's story is "The Voice of the Minah Bird"
Written and told by William Rushton
(Repeated on BBC1 at 4.20 pm)
(Colour)
(to 19.00)
Introduced by Brian Jackson
with Peter Woods
Weather
Reporters Jim Douglas Henry, Jeremy James, Jeanne La Chard, Denis Tuohy, Desmond Wilcox, Harold Williamson
It is four years since the last condemned man was executed in the United States. In most states juries have continued to impose the death penalty, but an unofficial moratorium has so far saved the condemned from the chair. Meanwhile, throughout the country, the number of condemned prisoners has risen to 650. Recently the Supreme Court ruled against two of the appeals that have helped to keep them alive. Now the Court has to decide whether the death penalty is "unconstitutional". In the meantime as crimes of violence increase, new campaigns demand "that we warm up the electric chair again".
Denis Tuohy and a Man Alive film team have been allowed behind the bars in Death Row in Huntsville, Texas, to talk to three of the condemned murderers who have lived for years in the shadow of execution.
(Colour)
featuring George Hamilton IV with The Hillsiders
and guests Dodie West The Lorne Gibson Trio, Stan Stennett, Matthews Southern Comfort, Skeeter Davis, Brian Brocklehurst
The first of a series of four programmes, compiled from the George the Fourth series.
by John Wiles
A small group of soldiers have been briefed for a dangerous mission. But the briefing has been imprinted on their subconscious minds and can only be released by a special signal.
(Repeat)
"There's no doubt about it - they were fighters. They used to fight sometimes over a lock, sometimes over a bridge, and sometimes they'd have a fight just to see which was the best man".
The pains and pleasures of trading on Britain's narrow canals, recalled in tonight's film by: Chocolate Charlie Atkins, Joe Green, Jack James, Sam Lomas, Leslie Morton, Jack Roberts, Joe and Rosie Skinner.
"A really nice and gentle programme with the old boatmen recalling the songs they used to sing and all the life of the canals" (Daily Mail)
with Joan Bakewell, Michael Dean, Tony Bilbow, Sheridan Morley.
(Colour)
