| Quiz shows
were a staple diet for 50's viewers, (so what's new). One of
the most popular was 'What's My Line', the tabloid press would
report on the members of the programme as they do the soap stars
of today. Front page headlines once proclaimed "Barbara
Kelly Lost An Earring". It was also the programme that
introduced the nation to 'A saggar makers bottom knocker". |
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Ghislaine Alexander, Jerry Desmond, Barbara
Kelly, Gilbert Harding.
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| By 1955 we
had 'Take Your Pick', with the famous 'Yes-No Interlude'.
This was where the Quiz Inquisitor Michael Miles would bombard
the poor contestant, for one minute, with quick fire questions.
If the contestant said either yes or no the gongsman Alec
Dane would gong him out. If the contestant lasted a full
minute he would win £1. Box 13 was the star
prize box, usually a holiday. |
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| By 1959 there was 'Juke Box Jury', this
was not a quiz show but what they called a 'Panel Game'. Here
the wise had to choose if a popular song would be a hit or miss.
The big question about this programme was, " Where did
they find the Jury?" David Jacobs was the trendy host and
tonight's jury is, from left, Chris Denning, Penny Valentine,
Mel Torme and Janette Scott (Thora Hirds little girl). |
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| Other great panel games of the 50's were
'Animal, Vegetable or Mineral' This was
where top archaeologists like Sir Mortimer Wheeler would have
to guess what an object was (this was the Queens favourite).
'The Balloon Game', this had the idea
that three historically famous people were in a hot air balloon
plummeting towards earth, and the panel must pick one to throw
out to save the other two. 1956 brought us 'Do
You Trust Your Wife' and 1957 we saw 'Criss
Cross Quiz', the junior version had more viewers and
lasted longer. 'Tell The Truth' with
David Jacobs, this was where three people had to fool the panel
by lying. With only one who had to tell the truth. |
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