Chelsea at Nine / Eight

[Elliot]

A little off-topic but does anyone remember a show called Chelsea at Nine (retitled Chelsea at Eight for its second series). The Imdb says it starred Mai Zetterling, Irene Handl and Dennis Price (a mouthwatering prospect) and ran for 60 episodes at 60 minutes length. I know absolutely nothing about this show and would really, really like to know more. What station was it on for example. Who else appeared? What was the format of the show? All help gratefully received.

[helpful hartley]

I thought the Chelsea series( circa 1958/59 Granada) was a music series in which top Broadway directors were invited to direct ? . The edition featuring Billy Holliday is one of the earliest surviving UK quad videotapes and was presumably not wiped because she died within a short time of the recording.

[Andy Henderson]

That isn't the only 'Chelsea' archived. The jumper she wears plays havoc with the 405 line structure! If I remember correctly she sings songs from 'Porgy and Bess', which had just been released as a 70mm cinema film (incidentally a film still tied up in copyright problems which prevent Television screenings).

[Andrew Doherty]

Interesting to note that actor Robert Beatty (starring in ABC television's Dial 999 series in 1959) was the presenter of the show on the evening of Wednesday March 18th, 1959. The recording shows his eloquent introduction to the guest appearance of Billy Holliday.

In May 1959 I had occasion to pass by the Fulham Palace Theatre in London where all the Granada "Chelsea" series were broadcast.

I remember photo-boards outside the theatre showed that "Take Your Pick" and "The Army Game" were also produced from this venue.

Yours,

[lfbarfe]

Andrew said:

In May 1959 I had occasion to pass by the Fulham Palace Theatre in London where all the Granada "Chelsea" series were broadcast.

Shurely you mean the Chelsea Palace? It was on the King's Road, where Heal's is now, and Granada used it as a studio from 1957 to 1964. It was numbered studio 10 in the even-numbers-only Granada system. I seem to recall that the Manchester studios were numbered 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, until very recently. May even still be.

I remember photo-boards outside the theatre showed that "Take Your Pick" and "The Army Game" were also produced from this venue.

I knew about The Army Game, but not TYP, which was A-R. Interesting. Did you also have cause to walk past the Granville, Walham Green? That was one of A-R's main studios at the start.

[lfbarfe]

Guest-Elliot said:

What was the format of the show? All help gratefully received.

It was a variety show. There's a bit about it in the 'Persona Granada' volume of Denis Forman's memoirs.

[Andy Henderson]

No one could forget the opening titles with a choral refrain 'Chelsea at Nine'.

[Andrew Doherty]

Yes, the theatre in the King's Road (Chelsea-Fulham) is the one that, for some reason, I have always referred to as the Fulham Palace Theatre, but is and was the Chelsea Palace. One thing that did strike me at the time was the Granada sign attached to the front of the building. This was a surprise to see at the time, because this was (and still is) a North of England Company, or so I thought at the time.

I was curious to look at the photo-boards and the photo displays were from "The Army Game" and "Take Your Pick".

I note what you say about "Take Your Pick" being an Associated Rediffusion programme. However, I certainly remember the photo displays with Michael Miles in front of those prize boxes standing along side a contestant with Bob Danvers-Walker holding the gong for the 'yes-no' interlude, and of a prize box being opened by the presenter while the contestant was waiting for the result.

So, something to consider for any further discussion.

Yours,

[lfbarfe]

Andrew said:

Yes, the theatre in the King's Road (Chelsea-Fulham) is the one that, for some reason, I have always referred to as the Fulham Palace Theatre, but is and was the Chelsea Palace. One thing that did strike me at the time was the Granada sign attached to the front of the building. This was a surprise to see at the time, because this was (and still is) a North of England Company, or so I thought at the time.

As a television company, Granada was Northern, but its cinema interests were mostly based in the south of England.

I note what you say about "Take Your Pick" being an Associated Rediffusion programme. However, I certainly remember the photo displays with Michael Miles in front of those prize boxes standing along side a contestant with Bob Danvers-Walker holding the gong for the 'yes-no' interlude, and of a prize box being opened by the presenter while the contestant was waiting for the result.

Oh, I wasn't casting doubt on what you said. After all, you walked past the place in 1959 and I didn't (due to unfortunate medical reasons - I wasn't born). I was just interested to hear that an A-R show was made at a Granada facility.

Maybe I shouldn't be surprised, though. Granada had that deal with A-R to supply them with programmes, didn't they? Perhaps the studio usage was part of that?