White Heather Club
Encyclopedia
The White Heather Club was a BBC
TV Scottish variety
show that ran on and off from 7 May 1958 to 1968.
It was an early evening BBC television programme. Until 1957 there was a silent period in BBC TV broadcasting, between 6pm and 7pm, called the Toddlers' Truce
. When this ended, the BBC was unsure of what type of programme to broadcast. A topical news magazine programme Tonight was broadcast on some days, and The White Heather Club on others. In the 1958 the so-called "VERA
" was invented. This was the BBC's first videotape recording device. "The White Heather Club" was recorded and is therefore one of the earliest TV programmes that can still be viewed today. It started at 6.20, and Jimmy Shand
composed a melody "The Six Twenty Twostep" as the theme tune. This was usually followed by Andy Stewart
singing "Come in, come in, it's nice to see you...." The show always ended with Andy Stewart
and the cast singing, "Haste ye Back":
Robert Wilson
was an early presenter of the Club and recorded with them. The show was so successful that in the early '60s there was a company touring Scottish theatres, containing many of the performers. The show was filmed in Glasgow, at that time the only large TV studio in Scotland.
During the same period (1957 - 68) a New Year's Eve
television programme, also called The White Heather Club, was used to herald in the Hogmanay
celebrations. The show contained many of the same performers plus special guests such as Jimmy Logan
and Stanley Baxter
in comedy sketches. From 1957 to 1963 there was another programme called "The Kilt is My Delight", along similar lines. The White Heather Club was produced by Iain MacFadyen. Only six episodes survive in the BBC archive.
The performers were Jimmy Shand and band, Ian Powrie and his band, Scottish country dancers: Dixie Ingram and the Dixie Ingram Dancers, the stars of the show: Heather Hall, Heather Wright, Heather Roberts, and Heather Hobbs, who is known affectionately as "Hobbit". Andy Stewart was the master of ceremonies. He also sang songs and told jokes. All the dancers, and Andy Stewart, wore kilts, and the women dancers wore long white dresses with tartan sashes. In 1965 Fontana issued an album called "The White Heather club", featuring Hall and McGregor. The duo issued dozens of folk albums, and even had a hit single "Football Crazy" (1960) during the period that show was broadcast. Andy Stewart had several hit singles, and the Corries albums continue to sell well today.
The Penguin TV companion in 2006 voted The White Heather Club one of the 20 worst TV shows ever.
Jeremy Paxman
cited The White Heather Club as evidence that there was no "Golden Age" of British television at the 2007 Edinburgh International Television Festival
's James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture.
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...
TV Scottish variety
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
show that ran on and off from 7 May 1958 to 1968.
It was an early evening BBC television programme. Until 1957 there was a silent period in BBC TV broadcasting, between 6pm and 7pm, called the Toddlers' Truce
Toddlers' Truce
The Toddlers' Truce was a piece of early British television scheduling policy that required transmissions to terminate for an hour each weekday between 6pm and 7pm. This was from the end of Children's TV to the start of the evening schedule, so that young children could be put to bed.-Background:It...
. When this ended, the BBC was unsure of what type of programme to broadcast. A topical news magazine programme Tonight was broadcast on some days, and The White Heather Club on others. In the 1958 the so-called "VERA
VERA videotape format
Vision electronic recording apparatus was an early analog recording videotape format developed from 1952 by the BBC under project manager Dr Peter Axon....
" was invented. This was the BBC's first videotape recording device. "The White Heather Club" was recorded and is therefore one of the earliest TV programmes that can still be viewed today. It started at 6.20, and Jimmy Shand
Jimmy Shand
Sir James Shand MBE was a Scottish musician who played traditional Scottish dance music on the accordion.-Early life:...
composed a melody "The Six Twenty Twostep" as the theme tune. This was usually followed by Andy Stewart
Andy Stewart (musician)
Andrew "Andy" Stewart MBE was a Scottish singer and entertainer.-Career:The use of tartan patriotism and stereotypical Scottish humour goes back to Sir Harry Lauder and music hall songs. In the 1960s this strand was continued by the entertainer Andy Stewart.He was born in Glasgow, Scotland in...
singing "Come in, come in, it's nice to see you...." The show always ended with Andy Stewart
Andy Stewart (musician)
Andrew "Andy" Stewart MBE was a Scottish singer and entertainer.-Career:The use of tartan patriotism and stereotypical Scottish humour goes back to Sir Harry Lauder and music hall songs. In the 1960s this strand was continued by the entertainer Andy Stewart.He was born in Glasgow, Scotland in...
and the cast singing, "Haste ye Back":
- "Haste ye back, we loue you dearly, call again you're welcome here.
- May your days be free from sorrow, and your friends be ever near.
- May the paths o'er which you wander, be to you a joy each day.
- Haste ye back we loue you dearly, haste ye back on friendship's way."
Robert Wilson
Robert Wilson (tenor)
Robert Wilson was a Scottish tenor. After beginning his career with the Rothesay Entertainers in Scotland, Wilson joined the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, with whom he performed from 1931 to 1937...
was an early presenter of the Club and recorded with them. The show was so successful that in the early '60s there was a company touring Scottish theatres, containing many of the performers. The show was filmed in Glasgow, at that time the only large TV studio in Scotland.
During the same period (1957 - 68) a New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
television programme, also called The White Heather Club, was used to herald in the Hogmanay
Hogmanay
Hogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner...
celebrations. The show contained many of the same performers plus special guests such as Jimmy Logan
Jimmy Logan
Jimmy Logan OBE, FRSAMD , born as James Allan Short, Dennistoun, Glasgow, was a Scottish performer, producer, impresario and director.-Family:...
and Stanley Baxter
Stanley Baxter
Stanley Baxter is a Scottish comic actor and impressionist, best known for his British television shows. He worked in radio, theatre, television and film.-Early life:...
in comedy sketches. From 1957 to 1963 there was another programme called "The Kilt is My Delight", along similar lines. The White Heather Club was produced by Iain MacFadyen. Only six episodes survive in the BBC archive.
The performers were Jimmy Shand and band, Ian Powrie and his band, Scottish country dancers: Dixie Ingram and the Dixie Ingram Dancers, the stars of the show: Heather Hall, Heather Wright, Heather Roberts, and Heather Hobbs, who is known affectionately as "Hobbit". Andy Stewart was the master of ceremonies. He also sang songs and told jokes. All the dancers, and Andy Stewart, wore kilts, and the women dancers wore long white dresses with tartan sashes. In 1965 Fontana issued an album called "The White Heather club", featuring Hall and McGregor. The duo issued dozens of folk albums, and even had a hit single "Football Crazy" (1960) during the period that show was broadcast. Andy Stewart had several hit singles, and the Corries albums continue to sell well today.
The Penguin TV companion in 2006 voted The White Heather Club one of the 20 worst TV shows ever.
Jeremy Paxman
Jeremy Paxman
Jeremy Dickson Paxman is a British journalist, author and television presenter. He has worked for the BBC since 1977. He is noted for a forthright and abrasive interviewing style, particularly when interrogating politicians...
cited The White Heather Club as evidence that there was no "Golden Age" of British television at the 2007 Edinburgh International Television Festival
Edinburgh International Television Festival
The Edinburgh International Television Festival, founded in 1976, is held annually over the British August bank holiday weekend at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre....
's James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture.
External links
- http://www.24dash.com/showbiz_slapdash/12074.htm
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/more/pdfs/1950s.pdf
- http://www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/tv/adults/other/british.htm