Day Ten and we look at a tradition which ran on children's television for nearly ten years but as such marked the start of Christmas, where as on the Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show, there was always a star guest from another field showing off. But imagine the whole of the BBC Children's Department all showing what they could do in one show, that show was The All Star Record Breakers, usually Record Breakers made facts and figures entertaining, though this once a year opportunity gave Roy Castle to show off what he could really do and effectively his own Christmas Special.
With so many talented people who presented and acted in shows for children on the BBC, All Star Record Breakers was the perfect idea to make a show as spectacular as any the Light Entertainment department could do. Effectively, the two departments of Children's Programmes and Light Entertainment crossing over made for something spectacular.
The series of specials started in 1974 with the likes of the Blue Peter team including John Noakes, Peter Purves, Valerie Singleton and Lesley Judd along with Pat Keysell and Tony Hart, Johnny Morris plus Michael Rodd, Julie Stevens, Bernard Cribbins as well as the McWhirters. But the fun did not start to get going until 1977, in the year when the BBC spared nothing to make the programme to more spectacular then ever before. It was the year which produced one of the show's most remembered moments. Roy Castle, one of the best tap dancers that the UK has ever produced did something so iconic that even after the closure of BBC Television Centre that it is still remembered to this day.
Not only did Roy tape dance his way around the Television Centre, but when he arrived at the centre courtyard where as he was joined by lots of tapping feet from the biggest tap troupe in the world. All in aid for raising money for Action Research For the Crippled Child, but as such to get the fountain to work at the right time in the routine, a little bit of persuasion was needed by the people who operated the fountain. Leading to one member of the All Star Record Breakers crew to sponsor the person who switched on the fountain for doing their sponsored knit.
Roy Castle Beats Time...
However the 1977 edition is full of jokes and songs, John Noakes getting pied in the face, Roy having to compete with whole cast in singing Catch a Falling Star who add the facts about the interstellar heavenly bodies whilst he is trying to perform. But in edition to Kenneth Williams' joke about the largest saxophone in the world adding that someone would need plenty of puff to blow it and he delivers that he's one of the biggest puffs in the business much to the knowing laughter of the band.
Though the performance of the story of Hans Christian Anderson brings out the best in all the performers with Peter Purves singing about wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen, Roy telling the stories of Hans with Kenneth Williams in full Jackanory mode narrating the story itself, the end result is anything as good as any musical. Though who wouldn't want to see Noel Edmonds dressed as an inch-worm?
But always the BBC wanting to top this, in 1978 to make the show even more like Light Entertainment, they decided to base that year's programme on Music Hall entertainment. This lead to more people who came from an entertainment background, all the Blue Peter presenters of the year were there so Purves, Noakes and Judd were joining by Simon Groom and Christopher Wenner. The programme has a feel of an edition of Crackerjack, but with Brian Cant, Bernie Clifton and Stuart McGugan joining the cast. Here were three people with entertainment experience and versatility, but also people who had experience on working on shows from the Light Ent and comedy departments.
If its 1978, then Grease is not far away. Maggie Henderson plays the Olivia Newton-John role but who played John Travolta is not known at all. To top last year's Hans Christian Anderson musical, the All Star team put on The Pickwick Papers for the finale. Later on Roy Castle was to star in Pickwick with Harry Secombe on the West End stage, so as good as training for appearing that musical. Adding to the musical performance is the All Star Steel Band, so the likes of John Craven clank along to make beautiful music together. Unfortunately or fortunately, this performance has been lost to the ages.
1979 brings a touch of the surreal, because for all the fun and jollity there is Miss Children's Programmes 1979. You read that right, a beauty contest for female children's presenter. Odd you might think, but it is apparently all a dream. Who's dream, I don't know? Anyway, the special guest judge for this is Valerie Singleton, who apparently won the contest in 1972. So who entered in this year's contest? Tina Heath, kept the Blue Peter end up plus also Lucy Mathen represented Newsround, Carol Leader went through the round window for Play School, Dame Floella Benjamin as she is now was trying to help Play Away walk off with the title, with also including Susan King, Su Ingle, Maggie Philbin, Jan Hunt and Maggie Henderson. So its odds on someone called Maggie could win it, sadly for the ages we do not know who won the prize. But more seemingly a touch of 'It Was Alright in the 70s' there, with the children's department thinking this was suitable viewing for 5 to 16 year olds.
Don't believe me? Then take a look at this!
Ask Aspel, if he wants to come back and host...
Return tomorrow for day eleven and we are nearly halfway through, so its time to launch those Christmas promos!
For today's door on the advent calender, we go back to 1978. So what's better then first off Bill Oddie larking about in a winter wonderland with the help of some special effects from Southern Television's box of tricks.
Goodie grief...
Quite a few ITV regions in the late 1970's decided to let Southern go down the short bearded presenter route with Bill Oddie for Saturday mornings, to go up against Swap Shop and so the Saturday Banana is born and meaning that Mr Oddie is catapulted into the world of children's television where he looks ill at ease somewhat. Not really wanting to be there trying to hold the programme together and helped by Metal Mickey, before he went off to get his own series. Though thanks to Southern owning formats which they had brought, at least there was Runaround on a smaller scale and plenty of creature features. Alas with most of ITV's attempts to stop Noel on the other side, the Banana didn't last that long, eventually with Tiswas taking over the whole country for ITV as ATV Land spread its wings. So for the third day, we bring you over eleven minutes of titles for the Saturday Banana not seen since its broadcast back in the late 1970's
February
2013 sees the 90th anniversary of children's broadcasting
on the BBC, from its earliest days on the radio through children's
hour. Its origins come from a broadcast gave by A.E. Thompson, an
Birmingham based engineer on their station based there did a short
spot for children on February, 5th 1922 and it lead to
other stations around the country doing their own broadcasts for
children. With the success of this, came the first London based
Children's Hour on December, 23rd 1922. These early shows
were mix of song, stories and poems performed by senior members of
the presentation team for each stations being referred to as 'Aunts
and Uncles'.
By
the start of 1923, Children's Hour became a feature of the daily
schedule and the audience grew over time. But with this came need for
the programmes to be more structured, so the appointment of Ella
Fitzgerald as the Central Organiser of Children's Hour for London and
the other provinces responsible for finding relevant material for the
programmes, however in December 1923 it was decided that various
'Aunts and Uncles' would have set times of appearing on the
programmes and also the structure of the productions would be more
rigid and less spontaneous.
In
April 1925, C.E. Hodges was appointed with the task to unite the
programmes together, though the idea was put forward to drop the
moniker Auntie or Uncle making the programmes more formal, however
protests from parents and children made the identities still exist
but not encouraged any more than that. Though C.E. Hodges was in
charge of the production, there were people at each regional station
to oversee the conduct of their station. 1930's were to see the loss
of several Children's Hour programmes from the regions as the
programmes merged into one as by the outbreak of World War Two saw
the staff move to Bristol to make the programmes from there, but
with only one programme during Monday to Friday but by September
1939, weekday programmes resume by only for half an hour at first.
There was a conflict because of the quality of material not seemingly
being of a good enough quality seen by some of the presenters, though
the regional stations were themselves not happy with the amount of
time they were given to their features on the programmes.
As
the end of the war itself came, that radio was facing something new
with the resumption of television. With Children's Hour, though the
actual length of the programmes were usually under an hour long. But
were on seven days a week with Sundays usually with a more religious
theme itself. The production had now become part of the Entertainment
Division of BBC Radio with audiences still at a high peak under W.E.
Davies who became the Head of Children's Hour in 1953. The effect of
television was now beginning to have an effect on audiences as over
the decade, slowly they ebbed away to the magic box in the corner.
Growth of television's overall audience meant that Children were more
like to be watching what the BBC would be offering, plus with
Independent Television starting in 1955, it meant that radio had to
compete even more for listeners.
With
the BBC offering Children's Television, the style of presentation may
have seen almost trying to be apart from the normal BBC presentation,
with the 1960's including a short film insert played out before the
programmes started to declare they had begun. Trying to forge some
sort of separate identity for the service, meant that there was a
clear boundary of what the programmes were within children's hour.
Stretching originally for an hour between 5pm and 6pm, between 1946
when television resumed after the Second World War and 1957.
At
some points between this period and the early 1960's, ITV's offerings
were winning against the BBC's significantly. In a review of the
children's output, there was a need that a radical overhaul was
needed in the service both agreed by the Director General Hugh
Carlton-Greene and Stuart Hood, the controller of the Television
Service. They thought the output was too middle class and
self-serving. The majority of new television viewers coming from
working class and more diverse backgrounds. This meant that shows
like Crackerjack being a variety show for children became part of the
Light Entertainment group of programmes, which made the programme
even better and it grew over time with Leslie Crowther in charge from
1964 onwards to the end of the decade and children's drama would also
go to the relevant adult department from 1961, but in January 1964
was to see a change in programmes for children as the Children's
Department was axed for a new 'Family Programmes Unit' to have a
larger then before remit under new head Doreen Stephens. Though this
helped new shows flourish and existing ones expand.
"It's Friday... It's five o'clock.. It's Crackerjack!"
Blue
Peter which had launched in 1958 was undergoing a change where actor
John Noakes joined Valerie Singleton and original presenter
Christopher Trace in December 1965. But it was only when Peter Purves
replaced Trace in 1967 that a new age of Blue Peter was born, by
teaming Singleton, Noakes and Purves together that then something
clicked between the three of them. Where the programme may have seen
staid to some people there were occasional nods that the social
backdrop to the programme was changing and that the young viewers
were changing as well. The programme got a second edition as reward
for its continuing success under the team of Editor Biddy Baxter and
also with Edward Barnes as well, though at this time with Blue Peter
settling down with Noakes, Purves and Singleton, Biddy Baxter came up
with a proposal for a new magazine for older children to be made by
Blue Peter's own production team focussing on items which were of a
more stranger nature. To be called 'John Bull'.
This
was to be the big brother or sister to Blue Peter with Britt Allcroft
later to be famous for adapting and creating the Thomas the Tank
Engine stories for television and also Terrence Edmond, an actor who
was famous at that time for appearing in Z-Cars in which his
character had been killed off from the series. Completing the team
was John Noakes, to be used on location as a presenter. But the style
of the pilot was jarring, the recognised formula of Blue Peter
combined with the spirit of the 1960's was a bit too much as the
pilot seemed disjointed in its style. Though it is interesting that
sort of style was used by Thames for Magpie when that launched in
July 1968, that it may have been seen as template inadvertently for
the show itself.
Though
the 1960's were to see the BBC put their own mark on Children's
Programmes, offering the alternative to ITV. One such programme was
Bristol-based production Tom Tom, whilst ITV and Southern Television
had How, this science based series presented by Jeremy Carrad and
John Earle with roving reporter Norman Tozer started in 1965 and with
new technology and the space age in full effect, but it did produce
some memorable moments in its five year history as author Louis Barfe
remembers. “The
main things that spring to mind are that when the SS Great Britain
returned to Bristol, my father-in-law Colin Godman, who worked on the
series did an OB into Tom Tom of it just before it came up the Avon
into dock. Being live, it doesn't survive, sadly.”
The
output itself relied on only a few home grown productions at this
time, there was a time when seventy-five percent of an afternoon's
viewing would have been imported with animation from Hanna Barbara
and filmed live action series in Champion, The Wonder Horse and also
Skippy, a mainstay of the schedule. Plus also European made dramas
such as White Horses and Belle and Sebastian to name but two, amongst
this all a gentle series which drew upon the BBC's links with Bristol
Zoo, made for a series which would live long in the memories of those
who saw it.
Animal
Magic started in 1962, with the antics of the animals and also zoo
keeper Johnny, Johnny Morris. The premise of Morris doing his rounds
at the zoo, allowed children to meet the animal and with Morris's
skills, he gave voices to them as well. In comparable to ITV's Zoo
Quest, this was a different format with everything during the 1960's
filmed with the programme later to move into the studio. Teaching
through entertainment was its message, for children who may have not
seen animals in a zoo, this was a first chance to do so. Morris' own
character made him hugely popular and likeable, so much so that the
programme lasted through the 60's, the whole of the 1970's and until
1983 when it was decided a new breed of wildlife programmes for
children would be thought of with Morris' later assistant Terry
Nutkins joining that new production, The Real Wild Show. But much of
that programme and also Wildtrack as well, owed much to Johnny Morris
paving the way for them.
But
what about the modern age? Children's BBC has now left BBC 1 and BBC
2, moving full time to their own channels in CBBC Channel and
Cbeebies, I decided to ask three people who have been there, seen it
and done it. Sarah Greene, former Blue Peter and also Saturday
morning television presenter, Richard Marson, former editor of Blue
Peter and now a BBC Producer and also Steve Ryde, former producer of
Children's ITV presentation and also a BBC Children's producer.
Though in these times, what did they think are or were the most
influential children's programmes ever? Richard Marson remembers “I
suppose I would have to say Blue Peter - and not just for the obvious
personal reasons. I think it must be the most influential because it
has endured so long and - in the heyday certainly - was a big part of
the lives of millions of children. There were the rituals of the
appeal, Christmas, the makes, the action films and the summer
expedition - the window on the world. But more than the presenters,
pets and items themselves, the influence extended to the way in which
many factual programmes are structured and made (much modern factual
TV owes a lot to the classic BP approach - look at The One Show as a
current example). They were good principles too - let the audience
reach up (never talk down) and have a rich mix. Above everything,
ensure that each programme or film had at least one 'killer' fact -
what are now known as 'water cooler' moments.”
Blue Peter from the 1960's with Chris, John and Val
Sarah
Greene herself was part of the 60th
Anniversary celebrations in 1983 and this was an exciting time not
only for the children's department but herself in meeting one of the
icons of children's television on the BBC “I can mainly remember it
for meeting the creator of Muffin the Mule! Though as far as the most
influential shows go then John Craven's Newsround for bringing the
news, sometimes harrowing events and explaining them to children in
not a condescending way. Also Blue Peter, which dealt with so many
different topics over the years, educating children and also the
appeals as well which helped many good causes over the years.”
Children's
Drama has always been a key part of the schedule, from the likes of
Russell T. Davies creating new and exciting drama to the screens and
also with the Sunday Teatime drama slot as well. Sarah Greene
continues “Children's drama has always been important from
the adaptations of The Railway Children, to The Swish of the Curtain,
Grange Hill & Byker Grove as well. These productions have shown
that both historical and contemporary dramas play an important role
in children's television and have done for many years.”
Though
for producer Steve Ryde his most influential programme comes from
another planet completely “I
think it's different for everybody. Whichever show makes a connection
and stays with you throughout your life. 'Grange Hill' was certainly
a breakthrough, tackling tricky real life subjects for the first time
on kid's TV. Blue Peter deserves a mention for its longevity and
tenacity. Tracey Beaker has been a more recent phenomenon and has
engaged so many viewers over so many years; this would have to be
contender for the title. Well written, acted and produced.
The
most influential BBC kid's show for me? The Adventure Game. I loved
the good humoured commitment of the celebrity contestants, the
improvised nature of it and the world they created. It had genuine
jeopardy; the vortex was simple but gripping.”
Children's
television can be a hive of creativity for production staff with
little budgets compared to the bigger departments, though for those
people who have been involved what do they think of this from their
standpoint? Richard Marson continues “You
can do amazing things with a small budget (and people do and always
have done in children's tv, which has never been well funded) but
there is no substitute for a bigger budget and better facilities. Why
should children have shows made in smaller studios with fewer
resources? Alas it's a reality - again, look at BP - which used to
regularly command big studios and now seems to spend most of its time
in a much smaller space which then has a direct effect on the scale
and ambition of the items you can do in the studio.”
Certainly
it is a help to have a bigger budget but as Steve Ryde points out
“It's
always better to have more resources. It's entirely possible to be
creative with a larger budget. Creativity is vital whatever the
budget.”
But
over the years has seen children's television develop into a
multi-channel, multi-million pound industry. Now children have a
greater choice of channels and channels dedicated to them which
broadcast for twelve hours a day. With the moving of children's
television off the two main BBC channels and also from ITV in the
past couple of years, means that the channels have got a lot more new
technology to compete against. From a public point of view there was
a small outcry at both times when it was announced that it was going
to happen, but is it a case of nostalgia from adults who remember the
days of strong schedules full of programming or is it a rose-tinted
view of what happened? Steve Ryde speak on the matter “If
a show still works, is relevant and watched then long may it
continue. Every show, no matter how great an idea in the first place
must come to an end or should radically re-invent itself to survive.
Tradition for its own sake feels like nostalgic adults trying to hang
on to their childhood, which isn’t necessarily the best thing for
the new audiences.”
Richard
Marson continues “Inevitably. Many more hours have to be filled -
which means programmes now must have a longer shelf life, standing up
to many repeats. Budgets have shrunk. Competition is now fierce (most
of it not TV - video games, Youtube, streaming, music etc.) But
original home grown production is, though there has been an
inevitable loss of range and quality because of these factors -
across the board, TV is now very risk averse and, other than some
token exceptions, really first class and original factual and drama
has shrunk in scale and quality.
He
continues “Yes, there is a lot of fantasy and adventure material -
and much of this is very good of its kind - but there is little
contemporary drama reflecting the lives of modern children. Tracy
Beaker and its spin-offs are not enough. Period drama (other than in
a fantasy context like Leonardo) - especially adaptations - just
doesn't happen - too expensive and niche. Fear of losing an audience
means that factual and entertainment content is often pitched pretty
low level. Again there are exceptions but there is a depressing
sameness about much of the content these days. I was very against the
move to introduce a ceiling of 12 to CBBC - I think this excludes a
lot of the audience of 12-16 year olds who can still be counted as
children in many ways but who are effectively excluded.”
But
as Richard Marson puts it “Scheduling
becomes less of an issue as children are always at the forefront of
technology and just expect to be able to access what they like on
i-player or streaming services.”
Steve
Ryde says on the same subject “Viewing figures would suggest that
Saturday morning kids TV as we remember it is no longer relevant.
Kids can find cartoons 24 hours a day and they don’t hold the
novelty value they had when we were kids. Back in the 70’s, 80’s
and up to the late 90’s Saturday mornings on BBC 1 and ITV were one
of the few opportunities to find shows aimed at you. As for kids’
shows these days on BBC One and BBC Two, the recent change feels
like we’ve lost something (to people of a certain age), but the
kids go to the dedicated channels anyway. As long as these channels
continue to be funded properly and creative risks are taken the genre
will thrive and evolve.”
So
as we look on over 90 years of Children's broadcasting on the BBC,
from John Craven, through Ant and Dec, also Val/Lesley, Pete and
John, Noel Edmonds onto Dick and Dom. With children's television
attracting the likes of Peter Serafinowicz and Vic Reeves to perform
and bring their sense of humour to the screens in the past few years
alone, I have to admit even at the age of 34, to see the likes of the
best comedians performing in programmes, that even I tune in. But the
stars have always been there, Roy Castle with Johnny Ball, Tony Hart,
Zoe Ball, Clive Dunn, Floella Benjamin, Toni Arthur. The kids have
always been alright and remain as new programmes continue to
fascinate into the future.
On
the 3rd of January 2013, CITV or by its full title
Children's ITV will be thirty years old. Following the documentary
broadcast on ITV over the Christmas and New Year period, which
concentrated on that period and shown that the service itself was the
first to offer national continuity for the children's slot, although
not live at first and not the first to do it at all. The programme
did try and maybe to set out its own history, but the history of
children's television and its programmes on ITV stretches back to the
origin of Independent Television itself.
With
the launch of Independent Television in 1955, they set out to offer
an alternative to the BBC and part of that service was to offer
something different from the BBC's Children's
hour.
The BBC had started to produce a strand for children called 'For the
Children' in 1930's at the dawn of television itself, the first
broadcast was ten minutes long on Saturday 24th April
1937. With a mixture of different presenters, performers,
story-telling and songs, the programme seemed more like a miniature
theatre show and with a regular slot on Saturday afternoons until
September 1939, when the programme was brought off the air by the one
thing which would dominate the lives of everyone and more so children
for the next seven years, World War Two. The suspension of the
television service meant children relied on the radio service where
Children's Hours was broadcasting and had been since 1922 and became
a vital companion for children everywhere, many of them evacuees away
from their own families.
When
fighting ceased and the television service returned in 1946, the
strand doubled in length to twenty minutes and moved to Sunday
afternoons, the first broadcast after the war was on July 7th
1946. Though during this time, it would see Muffin the Mule make his
debut with his “friend” Annette Mills. But by 1952, the 'For the
Children' would be dropped with the strand for younger viewers
falling under the Watch with Mother strand and the other programmes
introduced by continuity announcers. This settled the pattern for the
BBC for nearly thirty-five years, but with the launch of the
Independent Television service would see children's television
change.
Independent
Television launched on the 22nd of September 1955 with
Associated-Rediffusion on weekdays and ATV at weekend to start
broadcasting, followed by services in the Midlands in February 1956
with ATV during weekdays and ABC at weekends plus Granada launching
on weekdays in the North and ABC at weekends during May of 1956. With
these new companies came, new ideas for the making and broadcasting
of children's
television.
One of these was Small Time, the daily 15 minute slot for the under
five's produced by Associated-Rediffusion and eventually picked up by
Southern and Anglia Television plus also some others as well. The
slot started on 23rd of September 1955 at 12.15pm with Johnny and
Flonny, a series which had glove puppets as their performers as well
as their assistant Paul Hansard, the next had one of Britain's
biggest entertainers making one of their first appearances. Rolf
Harris appeared in the The Big Black Crayon alongside Jean Ford, then
on the Wednesday saw Toybox with Susan Spear. But Small Time also
started careers in children's television of presenters and programme
creators which would go onto bigger things and helped shape ITV's
output during the sixties, seventies and beyond.
But
this proved, that with one company making making such a slot, that
other ITV franchise holders would take their the best of others
programmes to be broadcast by themselves. Though this would be a
problem, with some regions picking and choosing their programmes and
sometimes placing programmes which may have been on family viewing
instead.
Come
1957, The Adventures of Twizzle brought the fist ever television
project by Gerry Anderson and his production company AP Films to the
screens, shortly afterwards in 1958 by Torchy the Battery Boy.
Anderson, so synonymously linked with Lord Lew Grade's ATV, had The
Adventures of Twizzle distributed by Associated-Rediffusion, Four
Feather Falls by Granada. But with APF in financial trouble and
following Anderson's direction of low budge feature film Crossroads
to Crime for Anglo-Amalgamated Studios, he was struggling to find a
buyer for his new project. But if it wasn't for a fortuitous meeting
with Lew Grade, who offered to buy the show. With the international
success of Supercar meant that Grade finance for Anderson to produce
Fireball XL5. With the success of Anderson's next project of
Thunderbirds produced between September 1965 and December 1966 going
stratospheric, meant that the output from AP Films was significant
part of ITV's children's schedules leading to in the mid sixties. As
well as the success of the programme being sold all around the world,
proving that home based production could be popular both in the
United Kingdom but able to bring profit back so money could be
spending on making new programmes for children.
But
with this, it proved that ITV could compete with the BBC over
children's programming. In the early 60's, the BBC had downsized and
merged their children's department into one Family Programmes
department which meant that all of the children's programming
including Blue Peter would be included under this department. With
ITV and the federal system that they offered, meant that other
regions were still buying in programmes from each other and also
material from abroad as well. The powerhouses such as Rediffusion,
Granada and ATV would produce programmes with other smaller regions
having a contribution to make such as Southern, Anglia and Tyne Tees.
Rediffusion brought comedy in the traditional style with Sooty and
Harry Corbett moving over from the BBC plus new comedy with Humphrey
Barclay overseeing new talents to performing Terry Jones, Michael
Palin and also Eric Idle later to go onto merge with with John Cleese
and Graham Chapman from Rediffusion's other new comedy show later in
the evening, At Last the 1948 Show to form Monty Python. Plus with
comic actors Denise Coffey and David Jason as well, they became the
performers in Do Not Adjust Your Set from 1967 and such was the
success of the programme that it led to it being repeated later in
the evening when people got in from work or whatever they were doing
during the afternoon so that more people could see this children's
programme which had became a cult hit with viewers.
Southern
Television had launched How in 1966, as a way to teach children about
different aspects of their world around themselves and how it worked.
Proving that what seemed like dry facts could be made interesting if
they were presented in an entertaining way. Though one man who
started on the programme in 1966, would go like the programme for the
next 15 years to become one of the best known children's presenters
in the country and even going beyond that to become a household name.
Rediffusion,
ATV and Granada was proving that the Independent network could make
quality programmes that had appeal, but by the late 1960's both the
BBC and ITV were to get ready for the decade to come with programme
which would a reflection of the world outside the front living room.
Though
in 1967, the Independent Television Authority advertised their ITV
franchises to start broadcasting in 1968, but with so much rumour and
counter-rumour in the air. What was to happen, was to maybe shock
and surprise people. But it was to have an effect on children's
broadcasting overall, with the franchise round most regions seemed
straightforward or were they? The creation of a new Yorkshire region
saw applications from all over, but with the Telefusion rentals and
pipe-tv group winning the franchise though with the stipulation that
they had to take on the management and talent of rival bid Yorkshire
Independent Television to form Yorkshire Television. ATV had lost
their weekend franchise in London to David Frost's London Weekend but
had gained the new seven day Midlands franchise and then came the
London Weekday franchise, two companies, Rediffusion London and ABC
TV, who provided great service for ITV individually since the
inception of commercial television. Though with London Weekend
getting the franchise for broadcasting at weekends in London, the new
formed Yorkshire Television taking up the area on the east side of
the Pennines, so neither could go their either with Lew Grade settled
even more so in the Midlands now. Lord Charles Hill had a problem,
both franchises had the talent and the management to make one
company, more important to our story though was that Rediffusion had
a very strong children's department which would be a huge part of
ITV in the years to come competing against the BBC.
The
small matter of this occurring between Rediffusion and ABC to form a
new company taking on the responsibility of broadcasting to London on
weekdays, though not a merger of the two companies but it was not
quite to have winners either way. From Rediffusion being top banana
of ITV, but their investment meant they were now part of a new
company called Thames Television. Meaning the children's department
at Rediffusion which had been so successful, took one the
responsibility of making programmes for itself, but also making
programmes to be distributed to the rest of the ITV network.
With
the new companies producing new programming such as Magpie from
Thames to rival Blue Peter, LWT moving into children's comedy and
drama with Catweazle, Yorkshire with Junior Showtime, along with ATV
with Captain Scarlet, the latest production from Gerry Anderson's AP
Films. But what about the presentation? Because of the federal system
of ITV, all the franchises had their own ways of presentation.
Usually a normal continuity announcers just being a bit more jovial
then usual in their usual suit or dress announcing programmes. Back
in the early seventies, plans were mooted to do networked children's
continuity in between the programmes. Though each region themselves
had a strong sense of its own identity by putting their idents on the
front of the programmes, meaning something broadcast by Southern
would have the ident at the beginning before the programme even
started to show it was from Thames. So the idea of networked
children's continuity didn't even leave the ground, though the
schedules having fully networked programmes with itself like How and
Magpie, would sit alongside Anglia's Survival films and even repeats
of family dramas which had been brought in by the various companies.
Over
at the BBC, without this problem they were starting to move ahead in
the schedules and something needed to be done for at least ITV to get
a brand for their children's programming, that it could be
identifiable from the other programmes surrounding it, making
children feel that the programmes were for themselves like they did
on the BBC. The BBC may have had the BBC1 globe before all the
programmes, but their menus and captions looked like they were for
children's programming. ITV regions had done it, but only the
children in each region saw their own identities, leading to puppet
characters such as Gus Honeybun and BC becoming such a success in the
Westward/TSW and Anglia regions respectively.
Watch It presentation from the early 80's
The
change in style came in 1980 when finally the idea of the Watch It
branding was formed, the programmes were distributed in the same way
that schools programmes were via ATV and it was little surprise that
it was conceived there too by the promotions department under Jim
Stokoe, who oversaw the style of presentation for schools and
colleges. Though not a wholly networked brand at all, ATV supplied
animation and stings for each franchise to use at their will and when
the seasons changed new one were sent out for companies to use if
they wanted. But the continuity announcers stayed meaning that
Southern or later TVS and Granada would have their own doing it, but
with the logo itself, the animation would have the exclamation mark
in the animation osculating to make it look like it was saying 'Watch
ITV', subliminal maybe. But the initial idea of Children's ITV came
from Lewis Rudd, Rudd had been involved in Children's television
since the mid 60's firstly with Rediffusion, through Thames being
involved with Magpie, Rainbow and The Sooty Show as a producer later
on becoming the Head of the Children's department at Southern and
then at the newly formed Central Television in 1982. He suggested a
new method of presentation and it was the Central presentation
department again with Jim Stokoe which came up with the concept of
Children's ITV. An all networked service with regular presentation
and presenters which would appear as a united brand to rival the BBC,
beating them to the punch.
The
way the system for broadcasting the service was itself like the
system used for supplying the presentation for ITV's School and
Colleges service from Central, whilst the individual companies played
out their own programmes and supplied them around the rest of the
network. Presentation itself was recorded, featuring faces from the
programmes which were being broadcast meaning that the first ever
presentation face was Matthew Kelly, already famous for Game for a
Laugh, but also presenting the Madabout series for Tyne Tees. Plus
taking their turns were Isla St Clair, from The Saturday Show, Mick
Robertson formerly of Magpie, now with his new programme Freetime,
Tommy Boyd also from Magpie and St. Clair's co-host on The Saturday
Show with lots more faces over time. Meaning it had made its mark and
the BBC had to fight back with the launch of the Broom Cupboard and
Philip Schofield in 1985.
So
contrary to ITV's documentary, Children's ITV may have started in
1983 but children's programmes on the independent channel stretched
even nearly thirty-years before that. The history of children's
television is a long one and also varied in the style, programmes and
presentation, but it is an important one to both for continuity and
also the way television came to be in the latter part of the 20th
century. But 1983 was not only famous for the launch of united ITV
children's service, the BBC's Children's Department also celebrated
an anniversary as well, more of which soon.
Whichever
way you look at Children's ITV is 30 years old and now has its own
channel instead of a strand, giant leaps in 30 years. But if it was
not for people like Lewis Rudd and Jim Stokoe, it would have just
been a continuity announcer in front of a plain background announcing
the children's presentation much like any other time of the day,
Watch It and Children's ITV brought colour to the screen and also
whole wave of programmes with it as well.
So where did we get to then? Its the early 1980's and it all change with the new ITV franchises coming into effect and even over at the BBC where Watch with Mother is phased out for something new and a new raft of programmes as well.
In late 1980, the new ITV franchises were announced with the biggest being ATV changing into Central Television. With that came new ideas and for Hartley Hare, the end of the line...
Let's Pretend which used both former Pipkins puppeteer Nigel Plaskitt and also former Pipkins producer Michael Jeans and deviser of Let's Pretend as well, was unique in that it used what it found around to make stories and also letting children use their imagination to create their own stories following on from the programme's end. First broadcast in January 1982, parents were disappointed to see Pipkins being replaced by a new programme but over time the programme grew in people's conciousness not only for the theme but also the puppet caterpillar which would move across the screen in the titles. For some people it would seem almost surreal with the puppet making a squeaking noise as it moved along, with its montage of what had happened during the programme at the end. It lasted nearly seven years until 1988 when once again new shows were brought in to replace it.
Meanwhile over at the BBC, the Watch with Mother strand has changed into See Saw. The See Saw branding was first used in 1980 introduced Pigeon Street, King Rollo and The Flumps to programmes for the under five's. Originally like Mr Benn, King Rollo had been a series of books for children written by David McKee published in 1979. Seeing the potential once again, the BBC commissioned the books to be animated creating 13 episodes made by King Rollo Films which was set up by McKee in 1978.
The tales of King Rollo, The Magician, Cook and his cat Hamlet were one of the young king exploring through life much like the young viewers at home whilst entertaining them as well. By using the same animation technique as Mr Benn, it gave the programme a bright look almost like a parent would have drawn for their child. With the walking aspect, the characters legs rotating outwards as they walked gave it charm and a look of something which had taken time to create. Much like the simple animations of Firman and Postgate did before this, enabling simplistic animation to become the norm which would used again in Peppa Pig at the start of the 21st century.
After the 13 episodes had been broadcast, King Rollo Films found a niche area for producing animations for younger children. Towser made in 1982 voiced by Roy Kinnear, Victor and Maria broadcast by ITV in 1983 and The Adventures of Spot made in 1987 adapting Eric Hill's books for television very much like had been done to McKee's one nearly twenty years before that. Such was the success of the animation studio, that it still makes programmes for the under fives, even reviving Mr Benn for Nickelodeon's Nick Jr channel in 2004 with a brand new adventure following McKee writing Mr Benn - Gladiator as a book in 2001.
Pigeon Street which like Mary, Mungo and Midge was set in an urban settting. Where as Mary's flat was a penthouse, Pigeon Street was more like an ordinary urban estate with terraced housing and tower blocks. Much were the norm of social housing at that time, Alan Rogers and Peter Lang made the animation who were later to make Rub-A-Dub-Dub for Tv-am. It showed an urban landscape which was real for most children in early 80's Britain. Using the character and their mixture of them allowed something different to what had been seen before, by taking Long Distance Clara and Hugo the Cook, who were cohabiting partners showed that people lived together who might not be married but this was balanced out by Mr Macadoo, his wife and their twins Molly with an 'M' and Polly with a 'P' as their song went when ever they first appeared on screen during the episode.
But not only this, the use of ethnic characters as well meant that these programmes were showing that Britain was changing and so the characters in these programmes had to as well. Reflecting the world outside the young viewers windows meant that seeing this changing Britain that they could recognise.
Meanwhile up at Yorkshire Television, they had been invaded by the cat from outer space... Get Up and Go featured Beryl Reid and Stephen Boxer assisting Mooncat in adjusting to his life on earth explaining his new surrounds to him much like a parent or guardian would do to a young child. In a similar vain to earlier shows such as Hickory House, the exploration of a young child's world. With a tried and tested format of filmed inserts, stories and songs kept the series going for four years even with a change of title to emphasize Mooncat's role in the show and allowed Mooncat to finally dump the Moon Machine in which he saw life outside on and get out into the wide world. Though Beryl Reid wasn't available to film the 1984 series after being offered a role in a major ITV drama, meaning the setting was changed to Mooncat and Boxer living in a junk shop that Boxer was supposed to own.
The role of Reid was filled by various celebrities playing different roles when they popped in the junk shop such as Pam Ayres, Wilf Lunn, Patsy Rowlands, Kenny Lynch and Pat Coombs later to have her own programme with Ragdolly Anna. Boxer eventually left as well with former Opportunity Knocks winner Bernie Flint taking over Boxer's role with Mooncat even though Boxer's face was on the opening credits still.
With Claridge's move with Roland Rat to the BBC in late 1985 meant Mooncat ended but the format of celebrities playing roles in a shop would be seen again though...
By the mid to late 80's, shows for the under fives were changing with more animations and puppet based shows becoming the norm each trying to compete with Rainbow which by 1987 had been on the air for fifteen years. In the mid to late 80's though two comedy stars were on both sides of the airwaves lending their voices to animated shows. From the BBC came Bertha with Towzer's own Roy Kinnear lending his vocal talents to the show, the show made by Woodland Animations came from a line of shows such as Postman Pat made by Ivor Wood. Bertha's purpose was to manufacture varying items but whenever there was a problem, Bertha would solve it. Bringing out teamwork and helping people in the show to the children.
On ITV, a man who had links with Monty Python was already performing in Puddle Lane for Yorkshire Television. Neil Innes, who had previously worked along side the Pythons and Eric Idle in Rutland Weekend Television narrated, voiced the characters, performed and composed the music as well. Where are Pigeon Street reflected a different Britain at the start of the 1980's , The Raggy Dolls encouraged young children to think about people with disabilities and also teaching them about humility as well. With Sad Sack being gloomy and cynical but with a heart of gold, Dotty with paint split on her and being the leader of the Raggy Dolls, Hi-Fi having a stammer after being dropped when being tested, Lucy having limbs which were poorly stitched, Back to Front having his head round the wrong way, Claude who was dropped out of a box of French Dolls heading for export over the channel and finally of the original dolls comes Princess who is made up of left over material.
The vast majority of the dolls in their own ways represent different disabilities both physical and mental as well. Hi-Fi having a speech impediment, Sad Sack having a mental illness Lucy having weak joints, Dotty having a birthmark and Back to Front having mobility problems etc. But this is a difference in these types of shows, at the time it doesn't seem obivious like most of these shows, they are dealing in social issues behind the background of animations and songs.
Where as The Raggy Dolls brought an understanding of physical disabilities to the screen, Granada's Tickle on the Tum brought the everyday local shop to the screen, familiar to any young child or parent who would go shopping locally. Ralph McTell who had come from another Granada programme for the under fives, Alphabet Zoo along with Danuschia Harwood in the first series and Jaqueline Reddin from the second series onwards worked in their shop where a local person came in recalling something which happened to them during that week, allowing McTell to play a song on the guitar or either play a song which would be related the story in that week's episode.
Similar to Mooncat and Co. performers played the local residents who came into the shop, such as Tim Healy playing Barney Bodger, the local handyman or Kenny Lynch, playing the local milkman. Plus Penelope Keith playing the local school bus driver or the late, great John Wells playing a local farmer. These characters helped the plot along interacting with Ralph, Danuschia or Jaqueline, it was a fun series always seeing familiar faces coming into the shop and making good use of performers as well who were established at that time and especially good comic people as well. Before the end of the final series in 1988, McTell went back to his recording career leaving Jaqueline in charge of the shop and to sing the theme tune that McTell did previously.
By the end of the 1980's lead to the ITV franchises changing again in 1992, meaning saying goodbye to another lot of shows, but with new franchises came new shows such as Meridian getting in on the slot with Wizadora. Wizadora, the trainee wizard performed the usual role of being the main performer with her friends Stan, the local shopkeeper played by Brian Murphy and Tatty Bogle, a scarecrow who was more bumbling then dim witted played from 1993 to 1994 by Joe Greco and from 1995 to 1998 by later to become the main anchor of CITV and future Dick and Dom in Da Bungalow producer Steve Ryde, himself a alumni of the Central Television Workshop in the early 1980's.
Taking elements from other shows meant that Wizadora followed in a long line of shows which is continued by both Cbeebies and Mini CITV for the terrestrial channels as well as plenty of other digital channels.
Television for younger children maybe seen by some people as stunting their growth, its also a part of growing up no matter what their age is. From the grandparents of The Woodentops, the parents of Pipkins, the Uncles and Aunties of Pigeon Street and King Rollo to the children of Wizadora. Thanks to DVDs, that we no matter what our age can still see them and show them to the next generation too...
You may think "Now that's an odd title for a blogpost..." But in a way, our earliest memories of television watching comes from puppets and their human friends. I'll admit, my earliest memory comes of watching Cockleshell Bay eating cheese and pickle sandwiches as a very young avid viewer. I know its odd that something as odd as a cheese and pickle sandwich can remind me of that, but it just does.
For as long as we've known it, we been lead on a journey by television through trying to make sense of the world as a young child. Programmes for the under fives do this, in their time dealing with new experiences even touching on death as well. Though with that, escapism play a part in the development of new viewers. Though originally For The Children which was presented by Annette Mills, the sister of Sir John Mills was conceived in 1937 being broadcast in a ten minute slot, with Muffin the Mule becoming the first success of this slot. With this arrangement happening until 1952 when Watch with Mother was launched.
From Watch with Mother's launch in 1952 as an offshoot of radio's Listen with Mother, these programmes have formed formative memories. Created by Freda Lingstrom, this slot was seen to be as a pre Children's Hour programme allowing older children their own programme a bit later in the afternoon. The show such as Bill and Ben, Andy Pandy and Muffin the Mule would have their own longevity such as Muffin being shown upto 1955, just before Annette's own death. Andy Pandy, which its twenty-six episodes had been repeated until just before the advent of colour, lead to the BBC commissioning thirteen new ones in colour and showing this upto 1976.
None the less, Andy even made a comeback at the turn of the 21st century when Cbeebies brought him, Teddy and Looby Loo back again so a new generation could see them playing together. Similarly the same happened with Bill and Ben and Muffin the Mule being revived for a new audience, meaning that in these classic shows that Grandparents, Parents, their children and their own children could watch together.
As the Sixties drew in new programmes such as the Johnny Morris voiced Tales of the Riverbank, The Trumptonshire Trillogy, The Herbs, Pogles' Wood were added to the line-up not reflecting as such the times outside the window. But one programme, got the atmosphere of that time just right. Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin, had been making children's programmes since the 1950's with Alexander the Mouse for Rediffusion being their earliest example of work. Though having to do cut-out animation live was not the most ideal solution for either of them. Their first joint project was to be a story told over and over again, as in 1959 they let the handbrake off Ivor the Engine for the first time. As this was such as success for the fledgling network, that Rediffusion wanted more to made, although Postgate and Firmin thought that Ivor had arrived in the sidings for good.
They offered a new idea Noggin the Nog to Rediffusion as a replacement for Ivor, but much like the Beatles being rejected like Decca, they took the idea to the BBC and six episodes were made, shortly after their success another six were made. Leading to other projects for their new production company Smallfilms to be made for both the BBC and ITV, but it was in 1968 that they took a colourful leap into a new era of programmes for younger children. Taking two ideas which come together to make seminal programme of its age.
The Clangers was the right programme at the right time, with the focus being on the lunar landings and also the new age as well. It was seen as something different to what had gone before, where as series previously had been only earth bound. It took an age old question and made it real, which was "Is there anybody out there?" By taking the situation of lunar exploration let Postgate and Firmin run their imaginations to another level, take on these types of programmes to new levels and to new imaginary worlds. But even The Clangers made it out of their own sphere when Postgate and Firmin made "Vote for Froglet" which was broadcast on the night of the second election of 1974, this was an answer the political unrest of the early 1970's and to be able to convey this to the voters in such a way they could understand it much like a child would.
Over at ITV, with the relaxing of broadcasting hours in 1972, this allowed programme for the under fives to become part of their daily daytime schedule. Allowing each of the big four weekday franchises to provide programmes of their own in different styles. From Thames came
Rainbow, originally with David Cook presenting with Bungle, Sunshine and Moony. When Zippy came along, they were phased out for George and the pattern of the regulars was completed when Geoffrey Hayes came into present. As such the programme lasted for twenty years, even with revivals the early 90's.
Those as such were memorable, but backing Rainbow up was Indigo Pipkins. Originally based around a puppet maker and his puppets, Hartley Hare was sent into the world on the first day of 1973. With George Woodbridge originally presenting up until March 1973 when during the filming of the second series he died. The following year this was put into the programme, which this had never been done by children's television. Although the subject was repeated in 1978 when a pet goldfish died, leading to Topov the Monkey and Johnny, played by Wayne Laryrea to discuss why did people had to die. When Woodbridge died, the original idea of a puppet workshop was changed to the puppet becoming "The Help People" as suggested they would help people in their daily lives.
Laryrea moved on himself in 1978 to be replaced by Jonathan Kydd, with him coming the human helper to Hartley and all with Kydd himself leaving in 1980 replaced by Paddy O'Hagan for the final two years. Even the set was given a revamp in 1979, by using techniques perfected on The Muppet Show lead to the set becoming roomier and giving the puppeteers more space to move around in.
Meanwhile, Granada had gone for different approach in its programme. Hickory House from the outside seemed almost like ITV's own version of Playschool. With human presenters in a mocked up house with puppers, it did have the feel of being able to talk down the lens to children at home, almost one on one... But also had the same sort of thing as Rainbow, Pipkins and other shows, with humans and puppets interacting with each other. But with concept of being based in a house, it allowed household objects to come alive. By setting it in what a young child could recognise as similar to their own surroundings with everyday objects. Encouraging them to build a fantasy world in their own real one, allowing them to learn at the same time.
Alan Rothwell with fellow Coronation Street alumni Amanda Barrie, Louise Hall-Taylor later present Watch for the BBC and Julia North all presented Hickory House until 1977 when the programme finished, though the programme may have been memorable in itself, it was also so for the Granada Giro 'G' ident transforming into the house itself through animating. Of all the shows for the under fives, it has never been released on DVD much to the opposite of Pipkins released through Network DVD although 129 editions remain in the Granada archives to this day.
For all the puppets and humans, come the shows from left field. One of the strangest has to be Yorkshire's entry into the pantheon of these shows, Mr Trimble. It was first broadcast like the others in 1972, by using the usual mixture of live actors, puppets and filmed inserts. Tony Boden played Mr Trimble whose wife Maureen Sutcliffe worked on another Yorkshire series for schools, My World took the leading part, although Sutcliffe provided some of the voices for the puppets. Based in an attic, Mr Trimble lived with Glug the Goldfish and also a robot for company as well. Though Trimble's look owed more to Mr Pastry, with glasses and a prominent moustache on his top lip, almost like a friendly uncle type of figure to be exact. Its strange combination of elements lead to the viewing experience to be slightly odder for anyone tuning in to catch Leonard Parkin reading the News at One, but this gave it a freedom to be more informal to younger eyes almost they had been invited to visit this man to interact with him. Seemingly almost trusting him in learning new experiences and also being entertained as well.
Though from the mind of John Read, a key part of Gerry Anderson's Supermarionation films during the 50's and 60's, having worked on Four Feather Falls, Supercar, Stingray, Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet came three series which were to key parts of the schedule in the mid to late 70's. Cloppa Castle was the first of these three, where he took a producing role then came Here Comes Mumfie in 1975 where he was producer/director.
The Munch Bunch set of books were created in 1979 by Denis Bond under the pen name Giles Reed, after their success Lord Lew Grade through ITC Entertainment commissioned 12 episodes to be made under Read and Mary Turner, the stories were different to the books with Read mainly penning new stories for the characters. The success of those first twelve, lead to another forty to be made over the next four years. The series of books lasted longer then the television show lasting until 1984 with the final episode of the series being shown in May 1982.
By this time with the ITV franchises changing in January 1982, lead to shows coming in plus new ideas as well, though old favourites would still be there on both channels...
Coming up next time...
A King, A cat from Outer Space, Neil Innes in full effect and a ride on the See Saw...
That's in Part Two of Pipkins down at Cockshell Bay with Mr Spoon...
"What is the tallest building in the world?" or "Who holds the record for putting the most number of underpants on in a minute?" Questions, questions... All vital and sometimes amusing, though from a simple idea of putting the Guiness Book of Records on television came Record Breakers.
The host Roy Castle would muck in himself, literally. The phrase jack of all trades is understated for Roy, an song and dance man, he transformed himself into a superman by setting three world records himself including wingwalking on a aeroplane across the channel!
The weird and wonderful nature of the show allowed people to set record by balancing milk crates on their head, making it certainly a very unique way of delivering milk. The set piece record attempts, such as the biggest dance troupe in the world, which was so iconic that it was voted one of the most favourite TV moments of all time, when perfomed it was so big that it filled the whole courtyard of BBC TV Centre full of tapping feet leaving Castle the only place to perform was a platform on the fountain in the middle, almost literally singing in the rain!
As always though the end theme tune said it all, dedication's all you need. The dedication of the viewers was enough to make sure that Record Breakers was a hit even after Roy Castle's death in 1994. As Roy would have surely said himself "How's about that for blowing your own trumpet, eh?"
As a kid I remember watching children's shows from both BBC and ITV and being from the south there was much to look at especially from TVS, but as well as it might be it may have looked professional but it still seemed a bit distant to me. In the BBC's Hey Look That's Me there was no no fancy budget, hell, there was a studio just small enough to squeeze a camera in. But it was this homeliness which appealed to me, even so much as writing to the programme and getting some badges in return for do so.
Though what I have seen and read, each region has tried to champion its own output, in Scotland The Untied Shoelaces Show entertained Scottish children through the school holidays and the South West, TSW served up Freeze Frame as a Saturday morning alternative to their children. But having this showed that their commitment to local programming was strong and it didn't have to always to appeal to the widest possible group. By having programmes like this for children, the regions felt that this was a link to their youngest viewers, hook them early and they'll stay loyal to your company.
Anglia was an example of a franchise, which would plug away to the network and supplying children's programmes with regularity, the same as Southern/TVS to supplement the bigger companies offerings. But they also had to remember that their viewers were important, so they both created programmes which appealed to their viewers embracing the local flavour. Even through birthday spots for most smaller companies that Gus Honeybun, BC, Oscar Puffin and even Ivor Honeypot became recognisable unofficial mascots for the stations they appeared on. Though Gus Honeybun came to optimise both Westward and TSW as well, becoming as big as the announcers who helped him.
Those days have long gone now with Channel gamely battle on with Oscar Puffin in new decade, not even a friendly puffin can suffice in the world of television now. Though I find it interesting that CBBC when for characters similar to this back up their presenters in the relaunch of the channel, so perhaps they are still there, maybe in spirit but you'll always need a dog or cactus to draw the viewers in.
