Lou van Burg
Encyclopedia
Lou van Burg (25 August 1917 - 26 April 1986) was a Dutch
television personality and game show
host.
Born in The Hague
, van Burg began his career as a singer and conferencier
in Paris cabaret
s. He first appeared as a TV entertainer on the Austrian ORF
broadcaster in 1958 and shortly afterwards also on German ARD
.
When the second German television broadcaster ZDF
had launched in 1963, van Burg in the following year became the host of Der goldene Schuss, a game show that quickly reached an immense popularity. Referring to Schiller's Wilhelm Tell, in an early example of an interactive game
the contestants, supported by viewers via telephone, had to true up the bolt
of a crossbow
trying to hit the bullseye on a displayed target. The ritual, accompanied by van Burg's catchphrases ("Wunnebar"), became a TV classic. On 25 August 1966 the show was even broadcasted from the Monte Carlo Casino
starring Grace Kelly
and in 1967 it was adopted by the British ITV
network (The Golden Shot
). In the same year however, van Burg had to hand off the show after the yellow press had spread rumours about his private life.
In the following years he again worked as a conferencier until he was able to return on the TV screen in 1976, again hosting several game shows on ZDF. From 1979 he also worked with Frank Elstner
as a radio host on the German service of Radio Luxemburg
.
Lou van Burg died in Munich
, aged 68.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
television personality and game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
host.
Born in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, van Burg began his career as a singer and conferencier
Conferencier
Conférencier is the proper term for the master of ceremonies appearing in European cabaret. The term appeared in the 1920s and became synonymous with these persona who not only emceed cabarets, but were well known for their political and social commentary...
in Paris cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
s. He first appeared as a TV entertainer on the Austrian ORF
ORF (broadcaster)
Österreichischer Rundfunk, ORF, is the Austrian national public service broadcaster.Funded from a combination of a television licence fees and revenue from limited on-air advertising, ORF is the dominant player in the Austrian broadcast media...
broadcaster in 1958 and shortly afterwards also on German ARD
ARD (broadcaster)
ARD is a joint organization of Germany's regional public-service broadcasters...
.
When the second German television broadcaster ZDF
ZDF
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen , ZDF, is a public-service German television broadcaster based in Mainz . It is run as an independent non-profit institution, which was founded by the German federal states . The ZDF is financed by television licence fees called GEZ and advertising revenues...
had launched in 1963, van Burg in the following year became the host of Der goldene Schuss, a game show that quickly reached an immense popularity. Referring to Schiller's Wilhelm Tell, in an early example of an interactive game
Electronic game
An electronic game is a game that employs electronics to create an interactive system with which a player can play. The most common form of electronic game today is the video game, and for this reason the terms are often mistakenly used synonymously. Other common forms of electronic game include...
the contestants, supported by viewers via telephone, had to true up the bolt
Quarrel
A quarrel or bolt is the term for the ammunition used in a crossbow. The name "quarrel" is derived from the French carré, "square", referring to the fact that they typically have square heads. Although their length varies, they are typically shorter than traditional arrows.Bolts and arrows have...
of a crossbow
Crossbow
A crossbow is a weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles, often called bolts or quarrels. The medieval crossbow was called by many names, most of which derived from the word ballista, a torsion engine resembling a crossbow in appearance.Historically, crossbows played a...
trying to hit the bullseye on a displayed target. The ritual, accompanied by van Burg's catchphrases ("Wunnebar"), became a TV classic. On 25 August 1966 the show was even broadcasted from the Monte Carlo Casino
Monte Carlo Casino
The Monte Carlo Casino is a gambling and entertainment complex located in Monte Carlo, Monaco. It includes a casino, the Grand Théâtre de Monte Carlo, and the office of Les Ballets de Monte Carlo....
starring Grace Kelly
Grace Kelly
Grace Patricia Kelly was an American actress who, in April 1956, married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, to become Princess consort of Monaco, styled as Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, and commonly referred to as Princess Grace.After embarking on an acting career in 1950, at the age of...
and in 1967 it was adopted by the British ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
network (The Golden Shot
The Golden Shot
The Golden Shot is a British television game show produced by ATV for ITV between 1 July 1967 and 13 April 1975, based on the German TV show Der goldene Schuss. It is most commonly associated with host Bob Monkhouse, though, three other presenters also hosted the show during its lifetime...
). In the same year however, van Burg had to hand off the show after the yellow press had spread rumours about his private life.
In the following years he again worked as a conferencier until he was able to return on the TV screen in 1976, again hosting several game shows on ZDF. From 1979 he also worked with Frank Elstner
Frank Elstner
Frank Elstner, full name Timm Maria Franz Elstner is a German television presenter.Elstner went to school in Rastatt in Germany and gained his first experience in broadcasting as a child when he acted in radio plays for the station then known as Südwestfunk, now as Südwestrundfunk, which served...
as a radio host on the German service of Radio Luxemburg
Radio Luxemburg
Radio Luxemburg is the name of a commercial radio station that has broadcast in the German language from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg on 208 metres in the Medium Wave Band since the conclusion of World War II....
.
Lou van Burg died in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, aged 68.
Literature
- Lou van Weerdenburg: Lou van Burg erzählt: Aus dem Leben eines Fernsehstars. Kranich-Verlag: Berlin-Zehlendorf 1961