Black Beauty: Back To The Seventies

I challenge you not to see the pictures shown of the super and majestic Black Beauty and not start humming the famous theme tune, “Galloping Home”! However, if the theme tune comes easily to you it will show how many years you have been graced by and probably now showing a few grey hairs….

Black Beauty was an absolute childhood favourite of mine and I have fond memories of watching the series on huge chunky (yes colour) tv that we were very lucky to have. The Adventures of Black Beauty was produced for television and shown on ITV between 1972 and 1974. Although it was mainly aimed at children, it was given the prime Sunday tea time family slot and gained a huge audience making it in the Top 20 ratings for that period.

The series was a continuation of the famous book by Anna Sewell with new characters Dr James Gordon and his children Vicky and Kevin. There were regular favourites Amy Winthrop who was Dr Gordon’s housekeeper and local boy Albert who were featured in the series. The programmes were filmed mainly at Stockers Farm in Rickmansworth in Hertfordshire.

The star of the show was undoubtedly Black Beauty a pure black thoroughbred who was befriended by Vicky. Every week the children would be involved in some adventures with lots of colourful characters and villains. Rest assured that Beauty was on hand to save the day!

Some twenty years later a new series was commissioned “The New Adventures of Black Beauty” that was shown on ITV through the 1990’s. Horse and Country TV recently aired this series again for the younger horse loving generation to watch and enjoy.

Written by  Samantha Hobden