Crackerjack
Overview
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
children's comedy/variety BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television series. It started on 14 September 1955 and ran for over 400 shows, first in B&W and later in colour, until 21 December 1984.
Through its long run it featured Eamonn Andrews
Eamonn Andrews
Eamonn Andrews, CBE , was an Irish television presenter based in the United Kingdom.-Life and career:...
, Max Bygraves
Max Bygraves
Max Bygraves OBE is an English comedian, singer, actor and variety performer. He appeared on his own television shows, sometimes performing comedy sketches between songs...
, Leslie Crowther
Leslie Crowther
Leslie Crowther, CBE was an English comedian, actor and gameshow host.-Biography:Crowther was born in West Bridgford in Nottinghamshire. At the end of 1944 he moved to London with his parents, but was evacuated for a few months to Bute until just after the war ended.His father, Leslie Frederick...
, Ed "Stewpot" Stewart
Ed Stewart
Ed Stewart is a radio broadcaster from England. His real name is Edward Mainwaring but he is known by the nickname Ed Stewpot Stewart.-Early life and career:...
, Joe Baker
Joe Baker
Joseph Henry "Joe" Baker was an England international footballer. Born in Liverpool, England, he spent virtually his entire childhood growing up in Motherwell, Scotland...
, Jack Douglas
Jack Douglas
Jack Douglas may refer to:* Jack Douglas , British actor and comedian* Jack Douglas , American record producer* Jack Douglas , American comedy writer...
, The Balloon Man, Stu Francis
Stu Francis
Stu Francis is a British comedian with a camp style of delivery who achieved celebrity as lead presenter on the children's television programme Crackerjack , on which his catchphrase was "Ooh! I could crush a grape". His principal "co host" was Basil Brush...
, Peter Glaze
Peter Glaze
William George Peter Glaze was an English comedian born in London. He hosted Crackerjack with Leslie Crowther in the 1960s and with Michael Aspel, Don Maclean, and Bernie Clifton in the 1970s...
, Don Maclean
Don Maclean
Don Maclean is an English actor and comedian, who appeared on the BBC television series Crackerjack with Michael Aspel, Peter Glaze, and Jan Hunt in the 1970s....
, Michael Aspel
Michael Aspel
Michael Terence Aspel, OBE is an English television presenter, known for his reserved demeanour and rich speaking voice. He has been a high-profile TV personality in the United Kingdom since the 1960s, presenting programmes such as Crackerjack, Aspel and Company, This is Your Life, Strange But...
, Jacqueline Clarke, Rosko
Emperor Rosko
Mike Pasternak, better known by his stage name of Emperor Rosko is a well known pop radio presenter.Born Michael Joseph Pasternak, he is the son of Hollywood film producer Joe Pasternak. He was influenced in his career choice by KYA Radio Los Angeles DJs Lord Tim Hudson and Wolfman Jack...
, Little and Large
Little and Large
Little and Large were a British comedy double act comprising straight man Syd Little and comic Eddie Large . They formed their partnership in 1962, appearing as singers in local pubs around the North-West of England...
, Jan Hunt
Jan Hunt
Jan Hunt is a British comedian, actress and Music Hall performer, who appeared on BBC television series Crackerjack with Michael Aspel, Ed Stewart, Peter Glaze and Don Maclean in the 1970s...
, The Krankies
The Krankies
The Krankies are a Scottish comedy duo that enjoyed success as a cabaret act in the 1970s and on television in the 1980s, featuring in their own television shows and releasing their own music single. They entered semi-retirement in 1992, but they have regularly appeared in pantomime since.The duo...
, Basil Brush
Basil Brush
Basil Brush is a fictional anthropomorphic fox raconteur, best known for his appearances on daytime British children's television. He is primarily portrayed by a glove puppet, but has also been depicted in animated cartoon shorts and comic strips...
, Geoffrey Durham
Geoffrey Durham
Geoffrey Durham is a British comedy magician and actor who was known for many years as 'The Great Soprendo'.-Early life:...
, Bernie Clifton
Bernie Clifton
Bernie Clifton is a British comedian and entertainer, who appeared on the BBC television series Crackerjack with Michael Aspel, Peter Glaze, Don Maclean and Jan Hunt in the 1970s....
, Rod McLennan and Ronnie Corbett
Ronnie Corbett
Ronald Balfour "Ronnie" Corbett, OBE is a Scottish actor and comedian of Scottish and English parentage who had a long association with Ronnie Barker in the British television comedy series The Two Ronnies...
amongst many others. Among the women who appeared as singers/dancers, assisting the host with games, were Julie Dorne-Brown
Downtown Julie Brown
Julie Dorne Brown, also known as Downtown Julie Brown , is an English actress and former MTV VJ.Of mixed race, Brown's father, Valentine Brown, was Jamaican and her mother, Doreen, is white...
(later MTV VJ "Downtown" Julie Brown); Sally Ann Triplett
Sally Ann Triplett
Sally Ann Triplett is a British singer and actress most famous for her participation in the Eurovision Song Contest and many West End productions.-Eurovision:...
(who as a member of the duo Bardo
Bardo (band)
Bardo was a male/female pop music duo formed to represent the United Kingdom in the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "One Step Further"....
represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1982
United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1982
The United Kingdom was represented in the Eurovision Song Contest 1982 by Bardo with the song "One Step Further". It was chosen as the British entry through the A Song for Europe national selection process and placed seventh at Eurovision, receiving 76 points.-A Song for Europe 1982:The television...
); Leigh Miles (also a popular "Hills Angel" in the Benny Hill show); Jillian Comber and Sara Hollamby (now a television news and travel reporter).
The show was introduced with the phrase "It's Friday, it's five o'clock.
