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Best Of ATV
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More from the
original archives of ATV
Saturday Variety
Entertainment
series that brought the top acts of the day to the ATV studios. In
many ways it was a studio-based version of Sunday Night At The London
Palladium, obviously only airing on Saturdays and wasn't from a
theatre venue.
The hour-long
programme brought a host of famous, and those who would become famous
to the format. Larry Grayson got his big break on the show, and it
wasn't long before ATV offered him his own series. Regulars included
Terry Wogan and Bob Monkhouse. Music from the likes of Carl Wayne and
Alan Price. First aired in 1972.
Shut That Door
Pop-it-in-Pete,
Apricot Lil, Slack Alice and Everard were loved by the British public
during the 1970s. They were all the fantasy friends of comic, Larry
Grayson. Having found fame on ATV's Saturday Variety - where he
appeared on all sixteen editions in 1972, he was given his own
series, Shut That Door. It was titled after one of his many
catchphrases. Others included 'Look at the muck in 'ere', 'What a gay
day' and 'Seems like a nice boy'.
Shut That Door
mixed sketches, guest stars, Larry answering (made up) letters from
viewers and music turns. The show evolved into The Larry Grayson Hour
of Stars and other appearances on ATV included in soap, Crossroads
and gameshow Celebrity Squares. Larry moved to the BBC in 1978 to
host The Generation Game. |
1950s
ATV Film With a 'Presents' Caption |
Sunday Night At The London Palladium
Variety series
that mixed entertainers with musical performances and threw in a game
show section for good measure. The series debuting on the first
weekend of commercial television in the UK. The show was often
described as a spectacular or a extravaganza. It certainly brought
entertainment into people's homes not seen on television before.
Stars of the first show included singers Gracie Fields and Guy Mitchell.
The programme
originally ran for 12-years, with later revivals in the 1970s and
2000s not reaching the hights of the original run. The various series
have been hosted by Tommy Trinder, Bruce Forsyth, Jimmy Tarbuck and
Jim Dale.
Tea with Noele Gordon
Noele Gordon, or
Nolly as she was nicknamed, was one of the first popular females on
commerical television. With ATV she became the first female sports
newsreader, the first woman to interview a Prime Minister and was the
first presenter to be seen on ATV back in September 1955. Just some
of her many feats and firsts from her long career.
Tea with Noele
Gordon gave Nolly another first - the first female chat show host on
ITV. This show saw her interview all the big names in showbusiness at
the time, such as Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise. The programme later
was revamped and instead of weekly, aired daily with a new time, and
new name - Lunch Box.
This Is Tom Jones
Just one of the
many programmes ATV made with 'pop stars' of the time. Recorded in
1969 in London and Los Angeles, the series saw Tom sing his big hits
while guest singers would join him for special performaces of songs
you'd not usually hear him sing. Guests included Ella Fitzgerald and
Sammy Davis Jnr.
Other pop stars
who had programmes with ATV include: Dusty Springfield, Rolf Harris,
Cilla Black, Peters and Lee, Val Doonican, Des O'Connor, Liberace and
Engelbert Humperdinck.
Thriller
43 episodes of the
hour long 'horror' series were produced by ATV between 1972 and 1975.
The series was later re-edited and re-released by ITC in America.
Titles from the series include, Lady Killer, Murder Motel, A Place To
Die, I'm The Girl He Wants To Kill and Killer With Two Faces.
Tiswas
Today Is Saturday,
Watch And Smile - or as some nicknamed it, Today Is Saturday, What A
Shambles. Tiswas was the first Saturday morning children's magazine
show. It was also the most outragious, with flan flinging and people
having buckets of water were thrown over them - while locked in a cage.
The show didn't
start out that way however. In the early days it was a simple affair
of presenters announcing the childrens programmes from a basic
studio. The mayhem however grew, and it wasn't long before Tiswas had
a studio full of children watching random anarchy presided over by
Chris Tarrant and Sally James. Other regulars included John Asher,
station announcer Peter Tomlinson and sports presenter Trevor East.
Aired January 1974 to April 1982.
Weekend Show (The)
The first
programme to be aired live by ATV in September 1955. The series ran
for a number of years, and was first hosted by actress turned
presenter, Noele Gordon.
The programme was
a mixture of lifestyle reports, entertainment acts, chat and music features.
These are a
small sample of previous ATV Network branded programmes,
a full list is currently being developed. |
