Part 1In the 1960s radios certainly played music but they also provided more news and entertainment and a greater range of programming than radios do now.
They were also seen as an important information source. Television was still new, not all homes had one and the information and entertainment programs on TV started much later in the afternoon. So the radio was still the main day-time news and information source. We are looking at a typical Sunday on the Light Program from the mid 1960s. The Light program was the station that in a few years would be divided to become both Radio 1 and Radio 2.
Looking at the listings, last week, we had another look at the Sunday Comedy Hour and there are more programs to cover but these will perhaps wait for their own article a little later.
Now it’s time to move on to the late afternoon. Incidentally, Sunday for most people, was a day of rest for there were no shops open (and none means none) and nothing else to do except wash the car or go to church so Sunday afternoon was often a day when you listened to the radio and waited for Mom to do afternoon tea.
2.30
After the Comedy Hour the BBC Light program broadcast a half hour music program which may have been The George Mitchell Singers. George Mitchell was a Scottish musician who put together the famous Black and White Minstrels who lasted for some 20 years on radio and TV.
The soloists in these programs were often the well known John Boulter and Dai Francis. If you would like to know more about them click on the name to go to entry on Wikipedia.
3.00
At three was Movie-Go-Round. This was a an hour of comment and trailers for things related to current and forthcoming films.
4.00
Following this at four was the hour’s program that I and so many others were waiting for: Pick Of The Pops.
Alan Freeman presented this famous radio based program on the top twenty pop music records for many years even after it was transferred from this station to radio 1. I believe that it continued to exist until the early 70s!
I can’t end this entry without reminding readers who remember Pick Of The Pops of Alan Freeman’s two catchphrases used to open the end the show of ‘Greetings, Pop Pickers’ and then ‘Alright? Stay Bright!’ and I can hear his voice ringing in my head as I write this!
5.00
Following this was an hour of popular music, often a program like ‘Melodies Around The World’. Popular music, for a program like this, meant an orchestra playing light melodies along with some singers. The BBC at that time could call on a wide variety of bands, both it’s own and others and all orchestras came with a group of singers. Because of an agreement with the record companies not to play records (for fear that the public would stop buying them if they could hear them on the radio) few recordings were played. If you want to know more about this, search in Yahoo or Bing or your favourite search engine for ‘needle time’.
6.00
After tea on Sunday we listened to ‘Sing Something Simple’. This was an easy half hour program of songs that ran, believe it or not, for 42 years! The program usually featured Cliff Adams, who designed the show, and Jack Emblow on accordion.
Again, anyone who heard radio in the 60s will instantly recognise the show which, in 1967, transferred to Radio 2 and continued running.
6.30
Programs then differed in this one hour slot. Sometimes there was a light music program and sometimes a quiz (often ‘What Do You Know’) followed by a half hour drama. Dramas on radio were an important part of the production schedule and were excellently produced and eagerly listened to.
The program ‘What Do You Know’ was a quiz show hosted by Frankin Engleman which program later morphed into ‘Brain Of Britain’ and continued, I think, on Radio 4.
7.30
This was the news slot and lasted five minutes on Sundays. During the week and on Saturday, the evening news was half an hour long but that included radio newsreel and sports newsreel. A ‘newsreel’ was a continuous tape of recorded events from correspondents and reporters. I’m not sure why but news on Sundays were limited to quick summaries.
Amazon UK
As usual, I had a look on Amazon UK to see if I can bring you any albums that relate to the radio programs mentioned. Unfortunately, and rather to my surprise, I could find no Black and White Minstrels not any George Mitchell Singers. This is unfortunate as I know many people still like them.
However, I had better luck with Cliff Adams with these two offerings which, if you like Cliff Adams, I think you will be quite pleased with.
Sing Something Simple from the Musicals
And this one
I am quite surprised that I could find no George Mitchell but I suppose that is the way it goes and, after all, we are talking about forty years ago.
So that brings us up to the early evening and it is from there we will continue next time.
