TELEVISION OF THE 1960s

Television continued to evolve during the 1960s, with more channels and the general introduction of colour programmes.  In our digital age, it is difficult to realise that some shows (particularly American ones) sometimes never made it across the Atlantic (such as Blue Angels, Green Hornet), whilst others did.

Addams Family – Both the Addams’ and The Munsters brought comedy horror to the TV screens during the Sixties, but Morticia, Gomez, Wednesday and Uncle Fester have stood the test of time. We stock a range of Addams Family costumes to purchase or to hire.

Avengers – Bowler-hatted Steed and his several female assistants (notably Cathy Gale (Honor Blackman) and Emma Peel (Diana Rigg), who did much to popularize the ‘action jumpsuit’) save Britain from quirky villains.

Batman & Robin – In their early TV incarnation, the Dynamic Duo took on a rather comic-book look (‘Zap’ and ‘Pow’ captions during the fight sequences), but many famous people flocked to play villains, notably. Catwoman – Such a popular villainess, she was portrayed by four difference actresses, including Eartha Kitt. For the TV series, the Catwoman outfit was a simple black cat-suit (naturally) with a black eye-mask. We stock Batman & Robin costumes to hire as well as purchase.

Coronation Street – Long running and possibly most famous British soap opera, ‘official’ costumes for several of the best-loved characters are available. We stock Coronation Street Masks

Flintstones – ‘The modern stone-age family’ – Fred, Wilma and Pebbles (with neighbours Barney, Betty and Bam-bam Rubble) were (and still are) popular with both adults and children. We stock Flintstones Costumes

Hawaii Five-O – More generally associated with the 1970s, Jack Lord as Steve McGarrett is the cop in this US drama series, which ran from 1968-1980. Time to leave off the suit and break out the Hawaiian Shirt?

Jeannie (I Dream of Jeannie) – An astronaut finds a bottle on a beach and behold, it houses a female genie who makes her master’s life chaotic. Good excuse for an exotic Arabian belly-dance outfit (although an official costume (and bottle!) have been available in the past).

Jetsons, The – Hanna-Barbera sitcom about a space age family. Some costumes are available.

Lost in Space – Silver spacesuits are just one of the looks from this cult US show about the Robinson Family who were ‘Lost in Space’.

Lucy Show & I Love Lucy – Groundbreaking shows from an innovative redhead comedienne, Lucille Ball.

Prisoner, The – The Italian-style village of Portmeirion in Wales, was the setting for this cult TV series starring Patrick McGoohan.  Blue Prisoner blazer with white trim and suitable badges such as ‘I am not a number, I am a free man’ or ‘The Prisoner’ and a ‘Penny Farthing’, defines the look.

Scooby Doo – Just making it into the 1960s (first series aired in 1969) official Scooby Doo costumes for the Great Dane Scooby Doo, Shaggy, and the rest of the Mystery team (Velma, Fred and Daphne) are all stocked.

Star Trek Characters – Boldly going where no sci-fi had gone before, Star Trek’s innovative approach to space exploration and contact with alien species/civilizations created a cult franchise. Due to licensing restrictions, outfits from the ‘original’ series are hard to find, but with recent films, alternatives can be found. Props & Frocks stocks Star Trek Costumes to hire, or purchase.

Thunderbirds – Popular puppet-based series by Gerry Anderson (also responsible for Four Feather Falls, Supercar, Fireball XL5 and Stingray). Official costumes for International Rescue, plus British agent Lady Penelope and her chauffeur Parker are available. We also stock a range of Thunderbird masks for an easy costume option