Post by markdixon on Jan 8, 2017 13:54:40 GMT
Here’s some information about Granada’s “People and Places”, the topical magazine programme which is remembered mainly for featuring the TV debut of the Beatles. Only a few film inserts survive from the show, none of which include musical performances.
“People and Places” began on 09 July 1957 as a seven-part networked programme presented by Elaine Grand and comedy actor Peter Jones. It contained interviews, satirical sketches and music from guests such as Jackie Lee (later better known for “White Horses” and “Rupert”) and modern jazz combo the Derek Hilton Quartet.
“People and Places” was revived on 23 May 1958 as a Northern regional programme presented by Bill Grundy. He was joined by a co-presenter, Chris Howland, in November 1958. Howland was already well-known in West Germany as a schlager singer and film star and on a couple of occasions he sang on “People and Places”.
The programme had its own house band, the Derek Hilton Trio (who also provided the theme tune). Hilton became a minor celebrity in the North because he would often exchange banter with Grundy during the show.
Howland left in Autumn 1960 and his successor Gay Byrne joined the show in June 1961. It seems that Bill Grundy didn’t appear on “People and Places” from September 1962 onwards. Therefore, it was Byrne who introduced the early appearances by the Beatles. “People and Places” finished on 18 January 1963 and the following week Gay Byrne became one of the presenters of its successor, “Scene at 6.30”.
Missing studio performances
Musical guests on “People and Places” over the years included variety star Tessie O’Shea, flamenco guitarist Pepe Martinez and pop singers Johnnie Ray, Alma Cogan, Adam Faith, Michael Holliday, Joe Brown, Susan Maughan, Gary Miller and Dick Francis.
In 1960, the programme also had a resident rock ‘n’ roll singer, Paul Beattie from Manchester. He appeared on the show at least 20 times performing popular songs of the day. Prior to that he’d released 4 singles on the Parlophone label, which were produced by George Martin.
Jazz was also featured regularly on the show. Guests from the jazz world included Humphrey Lyttelton, Sheila Buxton, Leslie ‘Jiver’ Hutchinson, Rose Murphy and ‘double-voiced’ vocalist Alberta Laine. Northern jazz bands such as the Saints Jazz Band, the Crescent City Jazz Band and the Jimmy Chadburn Trio also appeared. The programme featured regularly a jazz/pop vocalist called Chris Langford from 1960 to 1962. She was also well-known in the North East at the time due to her appearances on the Tyne-Tees programme “The One O’clock Show”.
I’ve managed to find specific dates for the following performances:
27 Aug 1958: Shelley Marshall (Australian pop singer)
15 Oct 1958: Muddy Waters and his pianist Otis Spann
25 Dec 1959: Ronnie Hilton, Eula Parker and calypso singer Ivan Browne
13 Apr 1960: Matt Monro
17 Oct 1962: The Beatles - “Some Other Guy” and “Love Me Do” (Apple Records have an audio recording of these performances)
02 Nov 1962: The Beatles - “Love Me Do” and “A Taste of Honey” (Apple Records have an audio recording of “A Taste of Honey” and photographs of images taken off a TV screen also exist)
21 Nov 1962: Bobby Vee
14 Dec 1962: The Statesmen (Mancunian beat group who were managed briefly by Brian Epstein)
17 Dec 1962: The Beatles - “Love Me Do” and “Twist and Shout”
25 Dec 1962: Kenny Lynch, Jimmy Savile and Chris Langford
16 Jan 1963: The Beatles - “Ask Me Why” and “Please, Please Me” (rehearsal photograph exists)
“Coast to Coast” and “Pier to Pier”
The producers of “People and Places” staged a number of outside broadcasts that featured musical performances. From 28 June - 21 July 1960 a convoy of vehicles carried Grundy, Howland and the Derek Hilton Trio on a coast to coast tour of the North of England. The tour started at Bridlington harbour and ended at Southport Pier. They were joined at various towns along the way by the jazz/pop vocalists Sheila Southern, Marion Ryan and Chris Langford. The Derek Hilton Trio were shown performing in odd locations such as a windswept field near Rochdale and on a raft at Carr Mill Dam, St Helens.
From 03 July- 20 July 1961, Grundy, Byrne, the Derek Hilton Trio and vocalist Marion Keene travelled on a double-decker bus as part of a “Pier to Pier” tour, stretching from Skegness to Llandudno. Keene was shown singing at the top of a helter-skelter in Mablethorpe and on board a schooner at Morecambe Bay.
Any additions or corrections to the above are welcome. Does anyone know if any American rock ‘n’ roll stars appeared on the programme?
“People and Places” began on 09 July 1957 as a seven-part networked programme presented by Elaine Grand and comedy actor Peter Jones. It contained interviews, satirical sketches and music from guests such as Jackie Lee (later better known for “White Horses” and “Rupert”) and modern jazz combo the Derek Hilton Quartet.
“People and Places” was revived on 23 May 1958 as a Northern regional programme presented by Bill Grundy. He was joined by a co-presenter, Chris Howland, in November 1958. Howland was already well-known in West Germany as a schlager singer and film star and on a couple of occasions he sang on “People and Places”.
The programme had its own house band, the Derek Hilton Trio (who also provided the theme tune). Hilton became a minor celebrity in the North because he would often exchange banter with Grundy during the show.
Howland left in Autumn 1960 and his successor Gay Byrne joined the show in June 1961. It seems that Bill Grundy didn’t appear on “People and Places” from September 1962 onwards. Therefore, it was Byrne who introduced the early appearances by the Beatles. “People and Places” finished on 18 January 1963 and the following week Gay Byrne became one of the presenters of its successor, “Scene at 6.30”.
Missing studio performances
Musical guests on “People and Places” over the years included variety star Tessie O’Shea, flamenco guitarist Pepe Martinez and pop singers Johnnie Ray, Alma Cogan, Adam Faith, Michael Holliday, Joe Brown, Susan Maughan, Gary Miller and Dick Francis.
In 1960, the programme also had a resident rock ‘n’ roll singer, Paul Beattie from Manchester. He appeared on the show at least 20 times performing popular songs of the day. Prior to that he’d released 4 singles on the Parlophone label, which were produced by George Martin.
Jazz was also featured regularly on the show. Guests from the jazz world included Humphrey Lyttelton, Sheila Buxton, Leslie ‘Jiver’ Hutchinson, Rose Murphy and ‘double-voiced’ vocalist Alberta Laine. Northern jazz bands such as the Saints Jazz Band, the Crescent City Jazz Band and the Jimmy Chadburn Trio also appeared. The programme featured regularly a jazz/pop vocalist called Chris Langford from 1960 to 1962. She was also well-known in the North East at the time due to her appearances on the Tyne-Tees programme “The One O’clock Show”.
I’ve managed to find specific dates for the following performances:
27 Aug 1958: Shelley Marshall (Australian pop singer)
15 Oct 1958: Muddy Waters and his pianist Otis Spann
25 Dec 1959: Ronnie Hilton, Eula Parker and calypso singer Ivan Browne
13 Apr 1960: Matt Monro
17 Oct 1962: The Beatles - “Some Other Guy” and “Love Me Do” (Apple Records have an audio recording of these performances)
02 Nov 1962: The Beatles - “Love Me Do” and “A Taste of Honey” (Apple Records have an audio recording of “A Taste of Honey” and photographs of images taken off a TV screen also exist)
21 Nov 1962: Bobby Vee
14 Dec 1962: The Statesmen (Mancunian beat group who were managed briefly by Brian Epstein)
17 Dec 1962: The Beatles - “Love Me Do” and “Twist and Shout”
25 Dec 1962: Kenny Lynch, Jimmy Savile and Chris Langford
16 Jan 1963: The Beatles - “Ask Me Why” and “Please, Please Me” (rehearsal photograph exists)
“Coast to Coast” and “Pier to Pier”
The producers of “People and Places” staged a number of outside broadcasts that featured musical performances. From 28 June - 21 July 1960 a convoy of vehicles carried Grundy, Howland and the Derek Hilton Trio on a coast to coast tour of the North of England. The tour started at Bridlington harbour and ended at Southport Pier. They were joined at various towns along the way by the jazz/pop vocalists Sheila Southern, Marion Ryan and Chris Langford. The Derek Hilton Trio were shown performing in odd locations such as a windswept field near Rochdale and on a raft at Carr Mill Dam, St Helens.
From 03 July- 20 July 1961, Grundy, Byrne, the Derek Hilton Trio and vocalist Marion Keene travelled on a double-decker bus as part of a “Pier to Pier” tour, stretching from Skegness to Llandudno. Keene was shown singing at the top of a helter-skelter in Mablethorpe and on board a schooner at Morecambe Bay.
Any additions or corrections to the above are welcome. Does anyone know if any American rock ‘n’ roll stars appeared on the programme?