|
|
Post by BillyH on Jul 13, 2005 22:35:55 GMT
Anyone know when the first colour episode/s of The Black and White Minstrel Show were transmitted?
Being a BBC One show, I would have thought 1969, but I've also heard it was one of the first British programmes to be made in colour, which would be odd for something that switched two years after it was introduced.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ted Rogers on Jul 14, 2005 2:51:15 GMT
Anyone know when the first colour episode/s of The Black and White Minstrel Show were transmitted? Being a BBC One show, I would have thought 1969, but I've also heard it was one of the first British programmes to be made in colour, which would be odd for something that switched two years after it was introduced. Info, available on the net, of course. see below - and I quote: 'The Black and White Minstrel Show was a British television series that ran from 1958 until 1978. It was a weekly light entertainment and variety show presenting traditional American 'Deep South' and Country songs, usually performed in blackface. The show was first broadcast on the BBC on June 14, 1958. It began as a one-off special featuring the male Mitchell Minstrels (after George Mitchell, the manager) and the female Television Toppers dancers in 1957. It was popular and soon developed into a regular 45 minute show on Saturday evenings, featuring both solo and minstrel pieces (often with extended segueing) as well as "comedy interludes". It was produced by George Inns with George Mitchell was musical director. Audiences regularly exceeded 16 million. The Mitchell Minstrels also had a stage show which ran for 6,477 performances from 1960-1972. The show won a Golden Rose at Montreux in 1961 for best light entertainment programme and the first three albums of songs (1960-1962) all did extremely well, the first two being long-running number ones in the British album chart. While the show was being made in (genuine) black-and-white, the 'blackface' was actually red make-up shot through filters, so appearing solid black. The show moved to colour in 1967. The show was attacked as racist, a "cultural obscenity", from the early 1960s. Under increasing pressure the show tried a 'whiteface' variant in the 1970s with a resulting loss in viewing figures. Towards the end of the run the black British comedian Lenny Henry, just starting his career, appeared in the stand-up comedy slots. Early in his career, Don MacLean was a minstrel. The last show was on July 1, 1978. Its cancelling was part of a wider reduction in variety programming on British television.' - Wikipedia |
|
|
|
Post by BillyH on Jul 14, 2005 9:37:11 GMT
Thing is, that's the reason I'm asking. Someone (not me) posted a message on the talk page of that article, saying, and I quote:
"Query: BBC Two started colour in 1967 but BBC ONE didn't get it until 1969, and I always thought the B&WMS was only on BBC ONE. If so the above date should read 1969. Confirmation would be appreciated."
I wanted to find out for sure, so I started this thread.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ted Rogers on Jul 14, 2005 11:38:38 GMT
Thing is, that's the reason I'm asking. Someone (not me) posted a message on the talk page of that article, saying, and I quote: "Query: BBC Two started colour in 1967 but BBC ONE didn't get it until 1969, and I always thought the B&WMS was only on BBC ONE. If so the above date should read 1969. Confirmation would be appreciated."I wanted to find out for sure, so I started this thread. Sorry, Billy. I can't answer that... Maybe someone else can help...? |
|
|
|
Post by andrew martin on Jul 14, 2005 12:05:04 GMT
"The Black and White Minstrel Show" was on BBC1 until the 10th series starting 3/12/67, which was in colour on BBC2. This series ran until 21/4/68, and was then repeated on BBC1 (and therefore in b/w) from 27/7/68 - not in the same order, and missing out the Christmas show, which had been part of the BBC2 run - that was repeated on BBC1 on Christmas Day 1968. There was then a 'Special Holiday Edition' aka "Magic of the Minstrels" on 26/5/69 on BBC1, and another 'Special Edition' on 6/9/69. I assume both these were made in b/w... There was then a Christmas show on 23/12/69, on BBC1 in colour, as was the next series starting 14/3/70, and ever after...?
|
|
|
|
Post by BillyH on Jul 14, 2005 12:18:01 GMT
Ah, I see! Thanks!
|
|
|
|
Post by Laurence Piper on Jul 16, 2005 6:21:30 GMT
...and bizarrely, some of those very early colour editions from '67 / '68 still survive on VT!
|
|
|
|
Post by John g on Jul 16, 2005 9:25:29 GMT
I think you can watch the Xmas 67 one at the film and TV museum in Harrogate  I think 'Masquerade ' also survives from about 1968 . This was an attempt to update the minstrel format IE same jolly singalong but without black face, this was not a success with the viewers. and the format was returned to the B/W minstrel show |
|
