Rainwear in the media

This is an attempt to list rainwear interest items on tv and in books etc. Film has its own extensive listing.

Please e-mail me with additions and corrections. Many thanks to those who are already contributing.

New or substantially revised entries have an orange panel.

Absolutely no reference to rainwear here, but a fascinating 'confession' and one which perhaps throws reflected light on the one of the best secrets in the world? (H)

"As Miss Lambercier felt a mother's affection, she sometimes exerted a mother's authority, even to inflicting on us, when we deserved it, the punishment of infants. She had often threatened it, and this threat of a treatment entirely new, appeared to me extremely dreadful; but I found the reality much less terrible than the idea, and what is still more unaccountable, this punishment increased my affection for the person who had inflicted it. All this affection, aided by my natural mildness, was scarcely sufficient to prevent my seeking, by fresh offenses, a return of the same chastisement; for a degree of sensuality had mingled with the smart and shame, which left more desire than fear of a repetition."

[more]

In Clayhanger (1910), the first of the trilogy, Hilda Lessways braves a wet chill night to call on Edwin, and he finds her mackintosh, its 'harshness' contrasting with her 'fragility', a thing of surprising charm : "At six o'clock ...

In the second, Hilda Lessways (1911), Bennett writes eloquently of rain and the play it makes of light on the pavement: "In the end ...

For extracts thanks to Penelope.

Jane A strip cartoon in the "Daily Mirror" which ran from 1932-1959.

Extremely popular with British Forces during World War II, Jane was drawn by Norman Pett and the stories written by Don Freeman. Mike Hubbard took over the artwork in 1948, when Pett left the Daily Mirror. Pett originally used his wife as a model but in 1939 he hired Christabel Drewery, who married an RAF pilot named Arthur Leighton-Porter. During the War Years, the strip became more saucy, with Jane sometimes shedding even her undies. Interestingly, from time to time, Jane was pictured in rainwear, suggesting that Pett appreciated the sexual allure of macs. (Domino)

George Orwell, Coming Up For Air, 1939.

e-text courtesy The University of Adelaide Library Electronic Texts Collection

(Pic Orwell's Passport Photo, courtesy MI5)

Chapter 7, Page 271

"I fumbled with the key, got the door open, and the familiar smell of old mackintoshes hit me."

Chapter 7, Page 273

"I followed her indoors, into the smell of mackintoshes."

Chapter 7, Page 278

"Nothing remained except a vulgar low-down row in a smell of old mackintoshes."

(EMILEY)

Robin

In "The seeds of Time", (first published 1956), there is a story called "Pawleys peepholes", some of which takes part in the rain.

".... It was overcast when we went in; when we came out it was raining hard. Seeing that there was less than a mile to her place, and all the taxis in the town were apparently busy, we decided to walk it.

Sally pulled on the hood of her mackintosh, put her arm through mine, and we set out through the rain."

"... Sally didn't move. With the rain shining on her mackintosh, she looked like a black statue. When she turned so that I could see her face under the hood, it had an expression I had never seen before.
...."

In Jizzle (first published 1954) there is a story
called "Confidence trick", which features a girl in a green mackintosh, and a girl in a blue mackintosh. The green mackintosh has a hood, because the girl pulls it on and later pushes it back. (JH)

From Chapter 7:

"Anything special you'd like me to wear in bed?" she whispered.

"Just your beautiful English accent."

"I thought you might like vests or something"

"You mean woolly vests? Terrible."

"Some people feel more if they wear a vest or something, you know. Wake up - how would you like me to be? I want it to be perfectly sweet and beautiful for you. Will I go to bed in a raincoat or rubber boots or nothing at all?" She giggled self-consciously.

"Gosh, I know - sure, sure. Talc powder - the kind they use on kids - that lovely smell..."

"I haven't any baby powder," she said. "I have perfumed French talc." "You make me feel humble," he said.

(James)

Roger Moore starred as Simon Templar.
In Season 4 (the first to be made in colour) which had its UK screening in 1966, there was an episode entitled "The House on Dragon's Rock", which featured Annette Andre, an Australian born actress, who, some may recall, rejected a marriage proposal by Benny Hill. She wears a lovely little ice-blue trench-mac in a couple of sequences. When we first see her she has it draped over her shoulders, but later, on a foggy night, she has buttoned and belted.

Also in Season Four, in an episode entitled "Locate and Destroy", Francesca Annis wears a shortie raincoat, but open.

(Domino)

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
US TV series (MGM/Arena) 1964-1967
Aired on BBC tv 1965-1968

Starring Sophie Agacinsky who is now the sister-in-law of former Prime Minister of France Lionel Jospin, born in 1943, and wife of French comedian Jean Marc Thibaut. It told the story of a young girl from Clermond Ferand, a little bit naive, who comes to Paris to make a carreer as stylist in the fashion world . She had a lot of adventures. Throughout nearly all the series Sophie was wearing a white trench coat even in the inside scenes. She wore a belt at first, but then seemed to lose it. (André)

The Avengers, ITV series (ABC), aired in UK 1961-1969

Rainwear interest in variety.

Nomination by Pete, RM and Domino

Strange Report, tv series, Directors
Robert Asher and Peter Medak, UK, 1968

Strange Report is now available eg from Amazon.

(H, but thanks for the nomination to SL.)

With Danny Thomas, Marjorie Lord, Angela Cartwright, Rusty Hamer, Sherry Jackson, and Hans Conreid.

One of Danny's tv daughters wore a plastic mac. (Leon)

Set in an English bar in Aigios Nicolaios (hope spelling correct). The mac interest came in the flashback that opened each episode, in which shapely blue-eyed blonde Wanda Ventham appeared in a crisp white Valstar double texture belted "Gangster" mac. We guess her mission is to check the progress of her husband, drying out from alcoholism in a clinic. (John S)

Paula Wilcox wears the red red 'Gangster' mac in the 1970's sitcom (BeeJay)

The image that graced the front of the TV Times announcing the 70's series "Enemy at the Door" based on the German occupation of the Channel Islands. This young lady - Emily Richards - wore her beige rubberised mackintosh in around a third of all episodes. One of the earliest Philips video recorders allowed me to appreciate each appearance more than once but sadly would not allow its transfer to the later VHS system. (RM)

Two series of Enemy at the Door. About the seond series: Emily appears (and wears her mac) I think in the first three episodes before her character has to be hospitalised. (LE)

The British television sci-fi series features an episode (1974) where the previous Doctor Who 3 (John Pertwee) metamorphosizes into Doctor 4 (Tom Baker). Sarah Jane Smith (Elizabeth Sladen) his sidekick wears a yellow vinyl slicker and rain pants..... For no apparent reason! (Evad)

In the Pertwee era, Katy Manning wears a Gangsters-style double textured mac in the first few scenes. Within about 5 minutes, after an alien plant sprays some vile-looking liquid on the coat, it is disguarded, never to be seen again.

In another Dr Who episode, Wendy Padbury wears a similar mac, but not in a 'Gangster'.(BM)

Yes, in Doctor Who 'THE WAR GAMES' which is a ten episode story shown in April - May 1969, Wendy Padbury as Zoe wears a Riding Mac in almost all her scenes. Sometimes belted, sometimes open, it is in constant use through a four hour story. More pictures ...(P.M.)

Brian explains that more pictures of Wendy Padbury (Zoe in the Dr Who serial "The War Games" - according to Dr Who experts one of the best) in her riding mac are here; also that the video is still available - one of the best Dr Who stories, says Brian, according to Whoies.

A story of frustrated love between François (Louis Velle), a french diplomat, and Koba (Marthe Keller), a kurlandish princess. She goes to France, incognito, to work au pair and meet François. In many scenes, Marthe Keller wears a nice beige trench-coat. She wears it sometimes full buttoned up, often collar turned up, but unfortunately, never both. (Bernard)

Dr Who's assistant in the early 1970's was Jo Grant, played by Katie Manning. She assisted from the beginning of Terror of the Autons (1971) through the end of The Green Death (1973) and her power to transcend time fortunately failed to render her immune from the fashionable double-texture rainwear of the period.

Thanks to Brian.

Yootha Joyce wears a long shiny dark blue PVC raincoat, which can partially be seen in the more recent pictures of this programme. (Rainy Brian)

The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries tv series Edward M. Abroms
Jack Arnold et al, US, 1977-79

Set before the building of the Thames barrage, this play featured the threat faced by London with the combination of a freak high tide and heavy rainfall. One scene had the heroine, played by Susan Tracey putting on a lovely beige rubberised mac and noisily tightening the belt.

In this age of frequent repeats, I'm sad to say that I've never seen it repeated.

(Maclover; Peejay)

In almost every one of the many episodes, Michelle "of the Ray-zis-tonse" (my favourite character naturally!) appears in a double- breasted gaberdine (or is it gaberdene?) [either are approved spelling - ed] mack of a distinctly "schoolgirl" style, enhanced by a beret and short white socks! Further, when other members of her resistance group (all girls, of course!) are seen, one or two wear what I am convinced are single-texture fawn mackintoshes - bliss! It would be something of a big job, I know, but it would be super if someone could prepare, from e.g. a DVD set, a montage of all these other girls' appearances to go on the website.... - ? (cm)

One memory has emerged, of a non-film media "impermeable event". It was in a "police drama" called, if I remember rightly, "The Gentle Touch". The main character was a female DI; I can't recall her name nor that of the actress who played her, but she had jet-black rather curly hair [This would be Jill Gascoigne, ed]. One episode revolved around a young mentally retarded man, who had a religious maniac of a mother, under threat of vigilante action on the council estate where they lived. The boy had a younger sister who was a fashion model, who vowed to protect her brother by taking him away. She was played by Gillian Taylforth. As far as The Gentle Touch was concerned she appeared in two scenes wearing a fawn single-texture mackintosh. First she appears talking at the station to the central character; then she is at the house to take off her brother from her very hostile mother, and puts on the mackintosh with a wonderful rustling!! (cm)

(IMDB tells us the episode in question was called "Do It Yourself", the 3rd episode of Season 5, getting its debut airing on 15th September 1984. Is this available on DVD? My information is that it isn't. Has anyone better news? (ed))

Juliet Bravo, BBC series aired in UK 1980 -1985

Inspector Jean Darblay is the first female officer in charge of the Police Station in the fictional Lancashire town of Hartley.

(Domino)

Lengthy shots of Julia (Diana Quick) in a hooded gabardine mac onboard an ocean liner in the thirties.

She wears it later without the hood. After the war, this style was to be seen on girls across Britain. (Preston)

Widows, written by Lynda La Plant, Drama Series, Euston Films, 1983

"The Master of the Universe stood up and managed to hold on to the leash and struggle into his raincoat..."

(Thanks to Dannimac)

A series about old police files in a store, the copper in charge was assisted by his secretary played by Carole Nimmons who in one episode wore a double-textured riding mac for quite a long spell. (PD)

These are the episodes Carole Nimmons appeared in (according to IMDB):

- Backtrack (1980)
- The Full Flying Carpet Treatment (1980)
- Fit Up (1980)
- Why Don't They Tell You These Things? (1980)
- Every Picture Tells a Story (1980)

Alas, no evidence of there being either a tape or a DVD. Incidentally, Carole Simmons is refrred to in the Wikedia entry entry as "the unit Administrator" - yup, OK, the Secretary. (LE)

SL writes: I recall this series quite well. I believe the lead male actor was Tom Adams, last seen fronting adverts for Northern Upholstery. Also part of the team was a Norman, who played a technical boffin. I'm sure he used to be one of ''The Comedians'. (SL)

Just completed the long haul read of this. Quite a lady! She and I have something in common - an absolute reluctance to dispose of any mackintosh! (CB)

Marlene Dietrich by her Daughter is still available eg from Amazon.

Lesley Vickerage wears a sophisticated red raincoat one dark wet night, allowing the conjecture of rubberised satin, which it can't possibly be, I'm sure. (H)

But RM thinks it is!

"The mackintosh worn by Lesley Vickerage was a 3/4 length Lady Harper style mackintosh in red rubberlined cotton. I can be certain as my wife had just acquired the same mackintosh in SBR." (RM)

Towards the end of the episode Rachel Welch appears in a short black PVC raincoat/jacket, black patent leather thigh boots and very little else. Transcript of episode is here.

Thanks very much to r-wfan for getting these terrific details for us.

One of the classic trenchcoat scenes. At the start of one episode, Julie T Wallace is seen walking a long a path to a house. The camera starts at her polished walking shoes, and pans up past the skirt of a navy blue trench coat (Burberry?), and up to her tightly fastened belt, end stowed away properly, and then to her bust. She wears the coat fully buttoned to the neck, with the storm flap firmly buttoned down, and it fits so beautifully that it is almost like an armoured second skin. The collar clips are fastened, and she even has the collar flap buttoned firmy across, with the collar down. She makes a most impressive sight, as she stands before the house owner, a Judge, and tells him that she is the new governess (if I remember rightly). She wears the coat several more times, but never buttoned up fully, and the whole character is softened by the end of the episode, along with the lines of her coat. (James)

Mrs Slocombe, understated as ever, wears a beige trench coat, a see-thru plastic coat over the top, an accordion rainhat (lopsided, bow under one ear, front almost over her nose) and carries a Barbara Cartland pink umbrella, none of which is particularly fetching. Miss Brahms wears an all-red ensenble of vinyl raincoat and hat with matching brolly. Mr Humphries wears a shower cap. (The episode is available on video but it's hard to find new copies). (BJ)

Also

In one episode there was a glimpse of a woman wearing a Gangster coming out of the lifts that you see in the background of a lot of the scenes, and then you get a close-up of the womans shoulder and back and you get a good sight of the ubiquitous shoulder vents so evocative of Attwood's design. (PD)

And

There is an episode with Joanna Lumley in it, where there is a see-through cape displayed on a mannequin to one side. (Priscilla)

Randall and Hopkirk (deceased), tv drama series 1969 -

Nov 2001 series Episode 1: Jeannie wears one of the pink single texture macs that have appeared in Connolly's - until it gets too hot? She changes into a plastic substitute half way through, and back again right at the end. (H)

September 2003

The woman in a silky raincoat

Poem by Polish writer Marian Czuchnowski.

Thanks to Ted.

pic 40kb

The Hunt, tv drama, 2001

Heartbeat, UK TV Drama series, Yorkshire tv, 1992 -

17th Feb 2002, episode 'Sympathy For The Devil': Here was a good double-breasted, raglan sleeve mack, tightly belted. Accurate to the period too. Hope others can confirm the material was double-textured. Shame the mack was sent off the edge of a cliff. (Dannimac)

The (then new) doctor wears a half-decent trenchcoat in the series first aired (UK ITV 1) November 2003. (H)

Actress Gunda Ebert wears throughout the episode a fantastic clear PVC-Jacket. (CP)

Sophie Ellis-Bextor, I Wont Change You, Video, 2004.

The video is here.

Play

The Solid Gold Cadillac, in production at The Garrick Theatre, London, November 2004

Chapter 24 describes a heavy rain storm:

"even his heavy rubberised raincoat would'nt stand up to it more than ten minutes."

A little later:

"she wore a glossy white mac, tightly belted and reaching only eight inches above her knees".
(Robin)

Gross slur on rubberised macs, surely! They do stand up to rain, actually, even though it's very heavy and prolonged. (The wearer might drown of course.) L.

Available from Amazon.

Alexandra Burke in a shiny red PU trenchcoat. (Beejay)

Properties Presentation Director, English Heritage, in a blue mackintosh. Appearing in a programme on Kenilworth Castle. (Brian)

Grub Street rainwear