cuemaking on tv

[teacup]

a group of us have been trying to find the answers to
'how many cuemakers have appeared on television actually making cues and what programme did they appear on ?
the first 2 were easy
(1) John Parris - BBC tv - Snooker World championships
(2) Keith Auld - BBC tv - South Today

There was also someone who appeared on 'Flog it' - but none of us can remember who it was and also Sydney Lee appeared on Pot Black back in the 1970's with cues but we don't know whether he was featured actually making the cues or not

Can anyone answer the above and even add to the list?

[Haitch]

A programme on cue making is not exactly going to be riveting now is it... I think you will struggle to add to that list.

[teacup]

it may not be riviting, which may explain why we can't find the answers, but we thought that you knowledgable people out there might give us a hand.
It's one of those annoying facts that keep coming up in the pub after a few pints

[bongo]

I have a cue making clip from the 80's (probably early 80's), it shows how Peradon made their cues, I think Ron Gubba was the reporter in that clip.

[rbp1991]

Hi Im pretty sure it was john parris who appeared on flog it, maybe not john himself but I think it was a piece on his cues tho

[teacup]

thanks bongo - we'll definitely put that one down - peradons have got the history and the street cred - any others please !!!!!!!

[teacup]

hi RBP - I'm pretty certain that it wasn't John as (sad to say I'm an avid viewer of flog it) the programme came from the north/midlands of England - so I reckon it was someone from up there

[teacup]

hi Bongo - we've checked on the Peradon and Fletcher answer and you're correct - it appears that it was done when they were making a new cue for John Parrott. Perhaps you could check your clip to see if they were actually filmed making the cue or whether it was just when they handed over the new cue to John.
It seems that finding cuemakers demonstrating their art on tv is like finding hens teeth - perhaps in reality there's either very little interest in tv circles of how cues are made or very few genuine makers able to hand make from scratch and be filmed doing so.

[Cateran]

From the program "How it's Made - Billiard Cues" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyncnpjI384

[teacup]

thanks Cateran - but I'm afraid, interesting though the u-tube clip is, it can't apply in this case as it shows pool cues being made, which is an entirely different process to making traditional snooker cues, and its snooker cue makers we're really after, preferably on UK television, but at this stage having only identified 3 genuine makers we're prepared to take any country that has televised cues being made by hand on their networks - but we appreciate your input - thanks !!

[Cateran]

Aye, I know it's about pool cues, but since there's some pool players about, I thought they might find it interesting.

[teacup]

I agree with you - the video really is interesting and brought us round to thinking whether there is any future left for traditional handmade cues - so we've closed our little pub debate about cuemakers who have appeared on tv with the conclusion that there have only really been 2 who tradtionally made cues, John Parris and Keith Auld and I'm going to open another thread to see whether people believe that tradtional cues can survive in the modern era

[Deiseboy]

An Irish Cuemaker called Abban Reddy was living in Holland in the late eighties or early nineties and recorded a program on TV showing him making cues.
Not sure if it's in Dutch or English but I can probably get my hands on that and put it up on my site.
I'm designing a new site for him soon as he really wants to grow his cue business again so will also have it on that.
He will also have a stand down at the 6 Red Event so we might record a clip with him showing some of his cues for that site, if we get time.
Abban's cues are used by most of the Top Irish pro's and amatuers including David Morris, Rodney Goggins, David Hogan (Euro Champion), Brendan O'Donoghue and Mario Fernandez.
He also done a lot of work for Ken Doherty over the years on his cue.

[teacup]

Hi Deiseboy - good to hear that our celtic cousins are in the business - we'll take your word for it and add him to the list

[Cateran]

I agree with you - the video really is interesting and brought us round to thinking whether there is any future left for traditional handmade cues - so we've closed our little pub debate about cuemakers who have appeared on tv with the conclusion that there have only really been 2 who tradtionally made cues, John Parris and Keith Auld and I'm going to open another thread to see whether people believe that tradtional cues can survive in the modern era

I noticed the thread about traditional cuemaking vs. machine-made. What I was thinking, though, was contacting the program "How it's made" and suggest they do a slot on handmade snooker cues. I suppose they could use DeRoo cues for the segment.

It's not a bad program, it's Canadian-made and it's managed to stay on the air for quite a few seasons now.