Memories:

It’s ten years ago that I first met Ian Kelsey, when he began work as an entertainer at “The American Adventure” Theme Park in Derbyshire.

It was obvious from the start that he was destined to become a ‘star’ in his own right, because he had movement, personality, and a good sense of humour; in fact everything that was needed in the business. He was employed both as a dancer, and also took part in the daily cowboy ‘shoot-outs’, that took place in the cowboy town built by Granada, called ‘Silver City’.

He also gained experience in horse riding, stunt falls, and several other things, which earned him his Equity Card, which all proper performer must have for film and television work. It was hard work, doing five shows each day, and dancing continuously for fifteen minutes in each show, which left him breathless, but he always handled the performance with a smile on his face, and had a friendly rapour with his fellow dancers.

Appearing as a cowboy in the ‘shoot-outs’, was where he sparkled best, for it was very much ‘add-libbing’ to a very basic script. It gave him the opportunity to inject laughter, tension, and heroism, in his part of “Deadwood Dick”, (a name he chose himself), as he battled with ‘Johnny Ringo and the Hole in the Head Gang’.

Everyone at the park liked him, and Entertainments Manager Bill Thompson remarked to my buddy Harold and myself, “This one’s a natural, he’s going places”. From your first meeting with the guy, he left you with the impression that he knew just what he wanted from life, and whatever lay ahead, there were to be NO barriers.

Ian loved to ‘doodle’, and when birthdays came around, we would get a large birthday card, and all the park staff would sign it. That meant that a card would be covered with over 300 signatures, I have kept most of mine over the years, and now and then it’s nice to remember old friends of the past, several which have become famous as stuntmen in films like ‘Saving Private Ryan’, to name just one.

I could go on for ages about Ian, but if he ever reads this, I hope that he realises that we all won’t forget him; he was a great guy, and it’s nice to know he’s found success at last.

Here’s a typical explanation of his logo from one of my greetings cards of 1993, it shows a cowboy boot, the upside down person was Ian, and the wording in an arch-type fashion read: “There will never be another cart-wheel like mine”.

The reason for this is that he hated doing cart-wheels, mainly because of his height, and when he had to do them on stage, he either caught the light fittings, or hit the roof!

I’ll close for now, but later in the year I will think of something else about Ian Kelsey, there’s enough to fill a web site for myself, but this memory is dedicated to YOU his true fans, he deserves all the adulation you bestow on him.

BELOW: The 'famed' Ian Kelsey signature, from his days at 'The American Adventure', in his role as 'Deadwood Dick'.

On the right:

Here's Ian in his part in 'Emmerdale', as the lover of Kim Tate, here she's with husband Frank; together they made another Dynamic Duo!

Something completely different:

The photograph below was taken at the end of the 1994 seaon show, when ANYTHING goes. It was supposed to be a fun version of 'The Wizard of Oz', and if you look very closely, you will see the person with the white hat is IAN KELSEY, playing the part of Dorothy! It was avery funny performance,and was not the first time he had appeared in 'Drag'. He was releasing the tensions of a very hard season...

CLOSE UP:

‘Just a Country Bumpkin':

Although I had spent 50 years of my life interested in music, I never thought for one moment, that I would begin a new venture singing semi – professionally, around the pubs and clubs in the Midlands.

It happened by pure chance when I made a home tape recording of myself singing a Billie Jo Spears song called ‘Country Girl’, but I changed the lyrics to ‘Country Boy’. I asked Chris Andrew, who at that time arranged and recorded all the shows for the park, to give the tape a listen; and he in turn passed it on to Billy Thompson the Entertainments Manager at Granada’s ‘The American Adventure’. As a result Phil Sowter, the new Park Manager, gave me the chance to perform there, and in the end I completed four seasons doing my shows.

There was very little going on in ‘Fort St. Lawrence, a Canadian themed part of the park. There were a couple of fast food units, with a central area with picnic benches. Through here passed all the people who were going on ‘The Grand Rapids’ ride. Walt Bagshaw, the Area Supervisor, was instrumental in helping me to set up my own cabaret style show, performing to an ever changing audience throughout the day. Early season possibly about 500 visitors each day, and in high season ten to fifteen thousand each day!

I had my own public address system, with a couple of radio microphones tuned to about 162 megahertz. The shows started at 10.30am, and ended at 4. 00pm. They lasted 30 minutes each, with a fifteen minutes break between each show. On my club an evening gigs I was able to use the slogan “As seen at ‘The American Adventure Theme Park’; and I found myself with more bookings than I could cope with, from at least fifty miles around. I even wrote my own introductory song, and the lyrics went something like this:

‘The American Adventure':
'Forty Shades of Green’

We’d like to say ‘hello’, to all that’s here today,
We hope you enjoy your visit, ‘The American Adventure’ way,
To ride up on ’The Missile’, it’s the tallest that you’ve seen,
Set in acres and acres of parkland, with their forty shades of green.

But most of all you’ll like the girls in ‘Silver City’ town,
There’s ‘Lazy Lil’, and Janis who, never wear a frown,
So come along you cowboys, you look so tough and mean,
Head down to ‘Silver City’, with those forty shades of green.

(Up a Key)

Chris Andrew told the story, how Johnny Ringo and His Gang,
Fought Rex Roper and his Marshall, blazing guns that just went bang,
They cleared out all the baddies, restored the town all nice and clean,
Bringing peace to ‘Silver City’, mid those forty shades of green.

(Repeat)

Bringing peace to ‘Silver City’, mid those forty shades of green.


(Lyrics by Bernard Goodwin)
(Song by Billy Finnegan)

November 2003:

As another season passes by, the future of ‘The American Adventure’ remains uncertain, according to reports from the press and other media. Rumours of closure have been with the site for as long as I can remember, but somehow the park has struggled on in the past, and I suppose that it will continue to do so; if only in a more dilapidated state than under it’s previous owners, which is so obvious to the visitors. My web site has personal memories, and pictures of friends from the park’s best period; the time it was operated by GRANADA. Competition from other theme parks scattered around the U. K. continues to be a major factor, and what is needed is a major investment in money to replace it’s dated rides, let’s hope it will be forthcoming. Last memories from myself? Well, there are many, ranging from beautiful sunny mornings, to barmy, warm late nights. There was always competition from the unpredictable British weather; and the public who stayed away at the slightest change in the sky. I made a lot of good friends who moved on to greater things, but I won’t forget their kindness, warmth, their jokes and stories. The end for me came during the 1996 season, with the sudden death of my friend Harold at the age of 78; everyone, including myself never thought it would happen. From that point onwards I couldn’t face the idea of continuing at the park; there were too many memories, be them all good, and I realised it was time to move on. Special memories were of Dan Davis who visited each season from Lake Tahoe in Nevada, and of Tom and Verna Gwyllim, from the Welsh valley in South Wales. Like the proverbial cowboy who rode into the setting sun, I too went into a new direction; leaving behind just happy memories of ‘The American Adventure’, with it’s wonderful, and ever changing ‘forty shades of green’. This web site is dedicated to: Phil Sowter – for giving me the chance of a new career, Bill Thompson – for pleasant greetings whatever the weather, Rex Roper – for showing his mastery of the rope, despite age. And to a cast of thousands who entertained over the years.

Well, I CAN dream, can't I ?

‘The American Adventure Country and Western Festivals’

The highlight of Granada’s ownership of The American Adventure’ theme park came during the years 1992 and 1993, when a group of enthusiasts headed by Noel Dillon and the Foster Boys, booked ‘The Alamo’ area of the park. Here they erected a giant marquee in which they would stage ten days of country music, with bands performing to a paying audience. There were two such shows. From all over the U.K. bands and groups were engaged, along with stalls selling western gear. Near to what was the AA farm, where all the parks cowboys lived in bunkhouses, and the horses were stabled; caravans, wigwams, tents and tepee’s were erected.. The whole area was to become a makeshift village, where several hundred people were to camp for the ten day period. All this was arranged without consultation with the local residents living nearby, and the extra influx of more visitors each day was bound to cause aggravation. For 24 hours each day traffic would enter the park, and music would play from 10am to midnight. However during both years, there was no problems, and little trouble from a larger than normal gathering. In fact it enhanced the parks attraction, and many of the people attending the park also visited the new ‘temporary’ village. The local residents themselves have always been a problem to the park, and this would be no different, when complaints about noise were reported; and despite the fact that new landscaping was done well before the event. In 1992 they had been successful in stopping the parks annual ‘Pit Stop’ weekend, when hundred’s of customised commercial trucks, and custom vans, came to the park for their rally. The best vehicles in each class were presented with awards by Barbara Windsor, then just entering her ‘Eastenders’ phase, as landlady of ‘The Queen Vic’ public house. Her arrival by helicopter had to be postponed an hour early, when strong winds made landing difficult. In her usual bright (and breezy?) way, she arrived by chauffer driven limousine, and as expected, was right on time; to be greeted in ‘The Alamo’ arena (later to be called ‘Mexicoland’), by horn tooting truckers. These two years of shows were obviously a success, with singer Michael James, then currently touring the U.K; proving very popular. For me and ‘Truckerman Brown’, well we spent several nights sleeping in fabulous Indian tepee’s, returning to home next morning for breakfast. With the aid of a semi – professional video camera, I recorded several hours of the events, and these were edited into two four hour feature programmes. This could have been ‘The American Adventure’ in its most successful venture, but due to opposition from just a few people, it was not to be. As was usual with Special Events, the park failed miserably with it’s advertising, there was hardly anything! The local radio, television, and newspapers were not notified, and knew nothing of the events until they were all over.

In the giant marquee the bands performed, while country and western fans line danced in their colourful gear. A gunsmith tendered to six-shooters which fired harmless .22 and 9 mm. blanks, while for a modest fee, specially designed stocks were fitted. Outside competitions featured ‘the quickest gun’, and a prize for the most authentic dressed cowboy. The end of each long day came at midnight, and afterwards, grouped around bright camp fires, they sang songs to guitars and harmonicas, in the style usually associated with old western cowboy films. About 2 am. in the mornings, we returned to our designated tepee’s, to relax under starlight skies, wrapped in warm natural fur skins, like proper red Indians did two centuries ago. However this happened in the twentieth century, but it was so good to sample such pleasures, without the pressures of modern day life. Noel Dillon and the Foster Boys moved on to greater things, which firmly established them on the British Country Music scene; where they toured the holiday camps like Pontin’s and Warner’s. On a country music web site on the Internet, a short note reads: Very sad news of a treasured friend of British Country Music. June Dillon died suddenly, of a massive heart attack, on the 17th February 2003, at the family home in Almeria, Spain. June was the wife of Noel Dillon (& The Foster Boys). She lived nearly all her life in Shropshire, Market Drayton, Hinstock, and then Telford. Aside from being the driving force behind the Foster Boys band, she ran the Hinstock Girl Guides for a number of years during the 70's. She was the trainer of the Oakengates Leisure Centre Dancing Troupe, and she helped to revive both the Oakengates and Wellington Carnivals in the 80's. She was involved in a number of charitable fundraising events across the country, through her love of promoting Country music. Today nothing is recorded of these events, except perhaps, in a few peoples memories, and of course, my treasure video recordings. It is obvious the parks full potential was never used to the full, which was regrettable. © Bernies Wild West 2003