OLD ADVERTS AND TELEVISION PROGRAMMES
Does anyone remember the very first adverts which were seen on TV?
ITV commercial adverts began in 1955......
on September 22nd 1955 at 8-12pm exactly.
I don't remember whether I saw this first advert....probably not, as I was quite young.
The first shown advert was for GIBBS SR TOOTHPASTE.
Now a few of the old adverts which I remember.
MURRAY MINTS...you know the one?
"Murray Mints, Murray Mints, too good to hurry mints."
RICE KRISPIES...
"Snap, crackle and pop!"
ROWNTREES FRUIT GUMS...
"Don't forget the fruit gums Mum!"
(Later changed to chum instead of Mum.)
BROOKE BOND P. G. TIPS...
Chimpanzees drinking tea.
COATES CIDER...
"Coates come up from Somerset, where the cider apples grow."
HOVIS bread...
"Don't say brown, say Hovis."
PEPSODENT TOOTHPASTE...
"You'll wonder where the yellow went, when you brush your teeth with pepsodent."
FRYS TURKISH DELIGHT...
"Full of Eastern promise."
MACKESON...
"It looks good, tastes good, and by golly, it does you good!"
OXO...
The first Katie and Phillip OXO adverts were seen in 1958.
"has 9 good ingredients, and gives a meal, man appeal!"
STORK MARGARINE...
In 1959, everyone was asking.."Can you tell Stork from butter?"
BUTLINS...
"for your holiday by the sea."
ESSO...
"sign means happy motoring!"
ESSO blue...
advert for paraffin.
CADUM...
A French soap.."Cadum for Madam."
FAIRY SNOW...
"gives washday whites, without washday red hands."
TIDE...
"gets your clothes clean, really deep down clean."
SURF...
"Hold it (i.e. your washing) up to the light, not a stain, and shining bright."
DOMESTOS...
"kills all known germs in an hour."
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NOW, what about the programmes that you used to watch?
Do you remember these children's programmes?
When I was young, the children's T.V. programmes were a bit different to the ones seen today.
I seem to remember Watch with Mother which came on at 1-45pm on weekdays. Each day had a different programme.
From my research, I see that each of these programmes started on different dates, so I guess that the full set was not shown together until late in 1955.
Did we only have Watch With Mother a couple of times a week before that? Does anyone know?
MONDAY was PICTURE BOOK
(first shown on Feb. 14th 1955).
TUESDAY was ANDY PANDY with Teddy and Loopy Loo.
(first shown on 11th July 1950).
WEDNESDAY was BILL AND BEN the flowerpot men.
(first shown on 18th Dec. 1952).
THURSDAY was RAG TAG AND BOBTAIL.
(first shown on 10th Sept. 1953).
FRIDAY was THE WOODENTOPS , with spottie dog.
(first shown on 9th Sept. 1955).
* * * * *
CRACKERJACK, with Eamonn Andrews,
was shown from 14th Sept. 1955.
Remember all the games the children used to play?
Then the overall winner was the one to survive 'Double or Drop.'
Answer questions correctly, and they'd get prizes to hold.
Answer questions incorrectly, and they'd get prizes and a cabbage to hold.
After about 3 questions, they'd be well loaded with prizes, so if anything was dropped, that meant getting another cabbage.
When they got 3 cabbages, they were eliminated, so the winner was the last one remaining.
LENNY THE LION
was first shown on 19th Nov. 1956.
This was a talking lion puppet, worked by ventriloquist Terry Hall.
I wonder if dear old Lenny is still around.
BLUE PETER
first shown on 16th Oct. 1958.
Probably one of the most popular of children's programmes, and is still shown today.
SOOTY
Sooty, (a glove puppet), and Harry H Corbett were first seen in 1952, and his friend Sweep, was introduced in 1957.
Do you remember what Harry always said at the end of each programme?
'Bye bye everyone, bye bye.'
BENGO
This was shown in the 1950's, and I can only just remember watching it.
Bengo was a boxer puppy, drawn by Tim and the stories were narrated by Sylvia Peters.
BILLY BUNTER
This was seen in the 1950's, about a very fat school boy, played by Gerald Campion, at Greyfriars school.
Was the headmaster called Mr. Quelch?
CIRCUS BOY
Shown from 1956 to 1958, starring a young lad called Mickey Braddock.
At a later date, this young Mickey became
Mickey Dolenz, one of 'The Monkees'.
POPEYE
Popeye the sailor man, with Olive and Pluto.
Cartoon characters since 1958.
See all Popeye's muscles grow when he ate a can of spinach!
MR. PASTRY
Richard Hearne played the character of Mr. Pastry.
What capers he used to get up to! A funny man!
Programmes started very early in about June1949, but were being shown up to around 1962.
Now for some 'grown up' programmes.
COME DANCING
first shown on 29th Sept. 1950.
Has survived through the years, and is still occasionally seen today.........or maybe not......now that we have STRICTLY COME DANCING!
WHAT'S MY LINE
first seen on 16th July 1951.
A very popular programme introdued by Eamonn Andrews.
Panel members were Cyril Fletcher, Lady Isobell Barnett,
Barbara Kelly, and Gilbert Harding.
People signed in and did a mime of their job.
The panel tried to guess the job by asking questions..
If the panel was beaten, a certificate was given to the person.
Also a celebrity came on each week, when the blindfolded panel tried to guess who they were.
Of course the celebrities always disguised their voices to make it more difficult.
GOOD OLD DAYS
First seen on 20th July 1953.
ANIMAL, VEGETABLE or MINERAL
An early quiz programme first seen on 23rd Oct 1952.
PANORAMA
was first shown on 11th Nov. 1953.
A very long running politics programme, still seen today.
TONIGHT
first seen on 18th Feb. 1957.
Introduced by Cliff Michelmore.
SPORTSVIEW
first seen on 8th April 1954.
GRANDSTAND
first shown on11th Oct. 1958.
DIXON OF DOCK GREEN.
first shown on 9th July 1955.
Starred Jack Warner as P.C.George Dixon.
I suppose you could compare this to the present day 'Heartbeat', but Dixon was set in London.
THE BRAINS TRUST
first seen on 4th Sept. 1955.
I don't actually remember watching this, but I guess it compares to the present day 'Mastermind.'
BILLY COTTON BAND SHOW
first seen on 22nd May 1956.
Remember? "Wakey, Wakey!"
EUROVISION SONG CONTEST
first shown on 24th May 1956.
Still being shown today......and the same countries voting for each other, no matter what the song was like!!
It's about time they sorted out a fairer way of voting.
MAYBE, they should just have the voting, and not bother with the songs, as the result would be the same!!!??
HANCOCK'S HALF HOUR
first shown on 6th July 1956.
A very funny man.
Which was your favourite episode?
The Blood Donor is quite a favourite with me.
WHACKO
first shown on 4th Oct. 1956.
Starred Jimmy Edwards as a schoolmaster at Chiselbury School.
Oliver Pettigrew was his assistant.
BENNY HILL SHOW
first shown on 5th Jan. 1957.
Another very popular funny man.
6-5 SPECIAL
first shown on 16th Feb. 1957.
This was a 'Top of the Pops' programme.
JUKE BOX JURY
first shown on 1st June 1959.
The panel listened to new records, gave their opinions, then voted whether they thought it would be a HIT or MISS.
SKY AT NIGHT
first shown on 24th April 1957.
Introduced by Patrick Moore, and still pops up occasionally today.
BBC TELEVISION FOR SCHOOLS
started on 24th Sept. 1957.
QUEEN'S CHRISTMAS BROADCAST
first shown on Dec. 25th 1957.
BLACK AND WHITE MINSTREL SHOW.
first shown on 14th June 1958.
YOUR LIFE IN THEIR HANDS
first seen on 11th Feb. 1958.
A real life medical programme.
EDUCATING ARCHIE
Archie Andrews was a puppet worked by
ventriloquist Peter Brough, seen between 1958 and 1959.
GARY HALLIDAY
A drama series about an airline pilot shown from 1959 to 1962.
THE WEATHERMAN
first seen on 11th Jan. 1954.
He was George Cowling.
SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE LONDON PALLADIUM
A very long running variety show which was seen from 1955 to 1967 and then again from 1973 to 1974.
'Beat the Clock' was the fun game in this show.