References in Popular Culture
- In an episode of Porridge ("A Night In", 1974), Norman Stanley Fletcher (Ronnie Barker) jokes to Lennie Godber (Richard Beckinsale) in their prison cell about having a night out: "We could ring up those girls on Top of the Pops. Pan's People. There's one special one... beautiful Babs... dunno what her name is."
- The troupe were given one of the top accolades on British TV in 1975 when they were asked to perform alongside Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise on their BBC1 Christmas Day TV Show, one of the most popular TV shows in the UK. They danced to Brenda Arnau's version of Big Spender with Morecambe & Wise posing as two new Pan's Persons.
- The Benny Hill Show also spoofed the dance troupe as "Pam's People," with Benny Hill, Henry McGee, Bob Todd, Jackie Wright and Earl Adair appearing in drag. Ironically, two later editions of his show featured the late 1970s incarnation of Pan's People, one of whom, Louise English, went on to become a major cast member of the Hill show through the mid-1980s.
- The Goodies made frequent references to the group, as well as showing an all-pensioner dance-troop called "Pan's Grannies".
- In their TV series, French & Saunders, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders parodied the group, with their rendition of "Yellow River", with their group Pans Indeedy People.
Read more about this topic: Pan's People
Famous quotes containing the words popular culture, popular and/or culture:
“Popular culture entered my life as Shirley Temple, who was exactly my age and wrote a letter in the newspapers telling how her mother fixed spinach for her, with lots of butter.... I was impressed by Shirley Temple as a little girl my age who had power: she could write a piece for the newspapers and have it printed in her own handwriting.”
—Adrienne Rich (b. 1929)
“Fifty million Frenchmen can’t be wrong.”
—Anonymous. Popular saying.
Dating from World War I—when it was used by U.S. soldiers—or before, the saying was associated with nightclub hostess Texas Quinan in the 1920s. It was the title of a song recorded by Sophie Tucker in 1927, and of a Cole Porter musical in 1929.
“The future is built on brains, not prom court, as most people can tell you after attending their high school reunion. But you’d never know it by talking to kids or listening to the messages they get from the culture and even from their schools.”
—Anna Quindlen (b. 1953)