| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| HTA ID | HTA-0432 |
| Title | London Poem — Travel Guide |
| Date | c. 1980–1983 |
| Date Confidence | Medium — PM Magazine era |
| Program | PM Magazine |
| Station | WDVM-TV Channel 9, Washington DC |
| Duration | ~5:30 (main piece) + promo compilation |
| Format | Travel feature / comic verse + compilation of PM Magazine promos |
This file contains two distinct elements:
1. London Travel Piece (~5:30): Henry delivers a comic poem about British-American language differences ("A nappy's a diaper, a windscreen has wipers, a paper's a piper, it's making me hyper"), visits Madame Tussauds ("I didn't mean to lose my head"), rides London taxis, the Tube, and double-decker buses, and ends covered in pigeons at Trafalgar Square. The piece is a lighthearted travel guide wrapped in Henry's wordplay and physical comedy.
2. PM Magazine Promo Compilation (~1:30): A series of short opening teases for various PM Magazine episodes, including: a reception at the Russian Embassy, flying with hurricane storm chasers in a C-130, the cheerleading camp story, and the Green Berets story. These are valuable as a record of how PM Magazine episodes were introduced.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| People | Queen Boadicea (statue, mentioned), Richard (crew member) |
| Locations | London — Madame Tussauds, Trafalgar Square, the Tube/Underground, London streets |
| Subjects | Travel, British culture, language differences, London landmarks, tourism |
| Themes | Cultural humor, wordplay, fish-out-of-water abroad |
| Keywords | London, British English, Madame Tussauds, Trafalgar Square, double-decker bus, pigeons, travel |
| Career Period | PM Magazine, WDVM Channel 9 (1979–1984) |
"I'm happy with nappy, and loo, and queue, but what is the word 'gazump'?"
"You are about to see figures that are amazing. Remarkable. Incredible. I mean, I haven't... I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean to lose my head. Welcome to Madame Tussauds."
"According to local legend, some of you aren't going to like this, it's actually a tribute to the first woman driver. You'll notice that she's signaling left while the chariot turns right."
The London piece showcases Henry's literary side — the comic verse about British English is clever and well-constructed. The Madame Tussauds "lose my head" gag and the Queen Boadicea "first woman driver" joke are classic Henry wordplay. The Trafalgar Square pigeon sequence likely provides great physical comedy visuals. The promo compilation at the end is a bonus — it shows how Henry opened various PM Magazine episodes and cross-references other stories in the archive.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Source File | London Poem.txt |
| Video File | London Poem.mp4 |
| Source Location | PM MAGAZINE folder |
| Video Analysis Status | PENDING — Dropbox URL access issue |
| Reel Assessment | MODERATE-HIGH — The comic verse and Madame Tussauds sequence are charming. The promo compilation has archival value. Not as dramatic as adventure pieces but showcases Henry's wit. |
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Review Date | 2026-07-06 |
| Source File | London Poem.mp4 |
| Source Location | Dropbox / PM MAGAZINE folder |
| Duration (confirmed) | 4:50 (0:24–5:14) |
| Video Quality | Good |
Henry appears in multiple outfits throughout: grey suit with bowler hat and umbrella (airport), grey blazer with cream turtleneck (park/wax museum), blue blazer with patterned sweater and tan scarf (Underground), brown leather jacket with plaid shirt (Trafalgar Square). Locations include BWI Airport, London streets, a park, phone booth, Madame Tussauds, the Underground, Westminster Bridge, and Trafalgar Square (where Henry is swarmed by pigeons).
| Timestamp | Content |
|---|---|
| 0:24–0:50 | BWI Airport intro (bowler hat, umbrella) |
| 0:50–0:57 | London establishing montage |
| 0:58–2:30 | "The English English" poem delivered in park |
| 2:30–3:00 | Madame Tussauds — "I didn't mean to lose my head" |
| 3:00–4:35 | Transportation segment (Underground, Westminster Bridge) |
| 4:36–5:14 | Trafalgar Square pigeons conclusion |
"The British have no restroom, they always use the loo / They never wait on lines, they often stand in queue..." (continues with British vs. American English differences in rhyming couplets)
Henry performs an original rhyming poem about British English, changes costumes multiple times to match locations, poses with wax figures at Madame Tussauds, rides the Underground, and is swarmed by pigeons at Trafalgar Square. The multiple costume changes suggest this was shot over several days.
The original poem delivery is a creative risk — Henry as poet. The multiple costume changes create a theatrical travelogue feel. Tower Bridge in mist and Big Ben against clouds provide beautiful establishing shots. "I didn't mean to lose my head" at the wax museum and the "Alfred Hitchcock nightmare" pigeon swarming at Trafalgar Square bookend the piece with physical comedy.
Ends with pigeon sequence at Trafalgar Square (no formal verbal sign-off).