Opening Night: Thursday May 3rd 1956.
Among the disparate talents on show were Victor Peers, Quentin Reynolds, Jack Hylton, Arthur Askey, Lord Mayor and Mayoress of Manchester, Sir Kenneth Clark, Dilys Powell and Ralph Tubbs (studio architect). An estimated two million people were watching via the Winter Hill transmitter.
Sample TV schedules: Wed July 31st 1957, Thurs Sept 5th 1957, Mon Feb 10th 1958,
Wed Dec 24th 1958, Tues July 7th 1959, Thurs Oct 29th 1959,
Mon May 16th 1960, Tues Dec 6th 1960, Fri March 17th 1961, Tues Nov 21st 1961, Fri March 30th 1962, Wed Sept 30th 1962, Thurs Jan 10th 1963, Mon July 1st 1963,
Tues Feb 6th 1964, Thurs Apr 9th 1964, Wed Sept 30th 1964 , Tues May 25th 1965, Tues Nov 9th 1965, Tues Mar 29th 1966, Tues July 26th 1966, Thur Mar 16th 1967,
Thursday July 29th 1967,
Wed Aug 2nd 1967, Fri Mar 29th 1968, Sat Dec 21st 1968.
TAM Viewing Figures for Granada area
Background,
Ambitious Granada, Granada Workshop, First Manchester play, Granada's Belated Schools, A Star is Born (1957), A Granada Flop (1962),
A Granada Cancellation
Longlived Granada: What the Papers Say, Coronation Street, University Challenge
Quizzes: Sixth Form Challenge, Spot The Tune,
My Wildest Dream,
Criss Cross Quiz,
Twenty-One,
Concentration,
Take a Letter
Granada Senior Personnel 1955/1963
. . . A few other Granada Personnel
To be fair, they were perhaps the best ITV company to form any kind of archival policy; and this in the days when programmes were considered mere expendable froth. Sadly however, their superb archive, which also includes today the output of ATV, Anglia TV, Ulster and ITN, is only accessible to those in the trade or in the money, or preferably both. We must be grateful that Network dvd has issued some of this archive.
To Dinosaur TV menu
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Granada were always out to make big statements, to pioneer, to boldly go....
With Sidney Bernstein being an admirer of the BBC, it's no surprise Granada made some efforts culturally, including a link with Soviet orchestras.
In March 1958 Granada launched their Play Contest. 756 entires were received, which meant over 2,000 scripts had to be read, since each contestant had to submit three plays. The judges produced a short list of six, and then at the start of 1959 awarded the first prize of £3,000 to 33 year old Robert F Morrow, perhaps coincidentally from Manchester, whose plays were Clap Hands Daddy's Coming, Midgley, and To Keep Our Way Of Life. This last play was put into production and screened on March 27th 1959 in the Television Playhouse slot.
The Method
(Thursday June 26th 1958, 11pm-12.30am)
Though this unique ninety minute programme was a joint venture by the three main ITV contractors, Granada took the lead.
Eric Johns gave a contemporary overview: "filmed excerpts of improvisations at the Actors' Studio in New York under Lee Strasberg, and other strips of film from Moscow Art Theatre were commented upon by a panel in London which included Wendy Hiller, Robert Morley, Rex Harrison, Kim Stanley, and Eli Wallach. After listening to a great deal of excellent discussion, one came to the conclusion, admirably expressed by Orson Welles, that The Method is nothing more than a new definition of something that has been used by all great actors." The narrator was Daniel Farson and the programme directed by Silvio Narrizano, and produced by Kenneth Tynan.
This was "an ITV special investigation," shown late night to ensure actors and theatre staff could watch after their evening's work, perhaps also so that ordinary viewers needn't miss their favourite shows.
In TV Times Kenneth Tynan wrote with engaging frankness, "it is a technical documentary programme. I hope you will watch it, but, unless you are a lover of theatre and its mysteries, I shall understand if you don't"
Cinderella by Prokofiev (April 13th 1960, 7.55-9.10pm)
in association of Royal Covent Garden. TV Director: Mark Stuart. Wrote Jackie Sharman, "at its worst this is regarded as pure folly, at best as an act of unparallelled courage." Perhaps "incomparable" Margot Fonteyn in the title role of Cinderella was deemed a sufficient attraction to pull in the viewers. Or maybe putting Cliff Richard on next was clever programming!
War and Peace (Tuesday March 26th 1963, 8.00-11pm)
This ambitious production, "an amazing condensation" of Tolstoy's novel, was directed by Silvio Narizzano with a cast that included Kenneth Griffith as Napoleon, Clifford Evans as Count Bolkonski, Daniel Massey as Prince Andrei. But it was a huge cast of course, among others appearing were Valerie Sarruf as Natasha, Nicola Williamson as Pierre, Ann Bell, Tom Adams and Mary Hinton.
"The first time a play of this magnitude has been shown on British tv in one evening."
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TAM Viewing Figures for Granada.Opening in 1956= 270,000 homes.
October 1956=500,000.
November 1956 (opening of Winter Hill and Emley Moor transmitters)=784,000.
January 1957=1,000,000.
September 1957= one and a half million.
June 1958= two million.
April 1959=2,300,000 (60% of total possible).
In March 1959,
Average viewing time on weekdays in the region increased to three hours a day (from 1.8 a year previously).
Advertising: Granada showed a total of 2,243 commercials.
Granadaland TAM ratings w/e Apr 9th 1961
1 No Hiding Place 68%
2 Coronation Street (Apr 5th) 67%
3 Wagon Train 66%
4 Hawaiian Eye (ABC) 62%
5= Four Just Men 61%
5= Ward 10 (Apr 4th)
7 Arthur Haynes Show 60%
8 Take Your Pick 59%
9= The Army Game 58%
9= Party Political
(Top BBC was Juke Box Jury 40%)
Granadaland TAM ratings w/e Feb 18th 1962
1 Coronation Street (Feb 14th) 81%
2 Coronation Street (Feb 12th) 78%
3 London Palladium Show 68%
4 Bonanza 65%
5= One Step Beyond 61%
5= Spy in Black (ABC)
7 Arthur Haynes Show 60%
8 Take a Letter 59%
9 Take Your Pick 58%
10= Rawhide 57%
10= The Cheaters (screened by ABC)
(Top BBC was Dixon of Dock Green 43%)
Granadaland TV area TAM ratings w/e 29 Dec 1962
1= Take Your Pick 56%
1= Thank Your Lucky Stars
3= Coronation St (Dec 24) 55%
3= Ghost Squad
3= Arthur Haynes Show
6= It Happened Like This 54%
6= Ward 10 (Dec 28)
6= The Avengers
7= Take Your Pick
9= Cheyenne 53%
9= Hawaiian Eye
Top BBC: Wagon Train 48%
Granadaland TV area TAM ratings w/e 8 Dec 1963
1 Coronation St (Dec 2) 78%
2 Coronation St (Dec 4) 73%
3 Play Leave All Hope Behind 66%
4 No Hiding Place 62%
5 London Palladium Show 61%
6 It's The Beatles (BBC) 60%
7= The Saint 59%
7= Take Your Pick
9 Juke Box Jury (BBC) 57%
10= Stars and Garters 55%
10= Double Your Money
Granadaland TV area TAM ratings w/e 5 Jan 1964
1 No Hiding Place 67%
3 Coronation St (Jan 1) 66%
4 Take Your Pick 65%
5 It's Dark Outside 62%
6= The Saint 59%
6= Touch of the Norman Vaughans
8 Double Your Money 57%
9 All Our Yesterdays 56%
10= London Palladium Show 55%
10= The Avengers
Top BBC: Dr Who 38%
Granadaland TAM ratings w/e Feb 7th 1965
1 Coronation Street (Feb 1st) 76%
2 Coronation Street (Feb 3rd) 72%
3 No Hiding Place 66%
4= Dougle Your Money 63%
4= The Fugitive
6 Take Your Pick 62%
7= Danger Man 60%
7= The Saint
9= All Our Yesterdays 58%
9= The Villains
(Top BBC was Sportsview 41%)
Granadaland TAM ratings w/e Oct 17th 1965
1 Coronation Street (Oct 13) 67%
2 87th Precinct 61%
3= Riviera Police 60%
3= Cliff and the Shadows
5 Legend of the Lost 59%
6 Film: Indiscreet (ABC) 58%
7= Take Your Pick 57%
9= Love Story 56%
9= Double Your Money
9= The Big Valley
Top BBC were Top of the Pops,
and Val Doonican with 41%
Granadaland TAM ratings w/e Mar 20th 1966
1 Mrs Thursday 72%
2 Coronation Street (Mar 14th) 70%
3 Coronation Street (Mar 16th) 68%
4 The Card (Granada) 61%
5 Take Your Pick 59%
6 Gideon's Way 58%
7 Emergency- Ward 10 (Mar 18th) 57%
8= The Big Valley 55%
8= Dial 999
10 Double Your Money 54%
(Top BBC was Wednesday Play 46%)
Granadaland TAM ratings w/e Sept 25th 1966
1= Coronation Street (Sept 19) 61%
1= Coronation Street (Sept 21)
3 London Palladium Show 59%
4 Court Martial 53%
5 Our Man at St Marks 52%
6 The Fugitive 50%
7 Opportunity Knocks 49%
8 Batman (Sept 24) 46%
9 Criss Cross Quiz 45%
10= University Challenge 44%
10= Hell is a City (film, ABC)
(Top BBC: Steptoe/ Till Death 41%)
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Granada Workshop (1957)A series of half hour dramas, "chosen from the best of the world's short plays." Granada publicity stated, "the plays will have some unusual feature and scope for imaginative production."
The first of this fortnightly series, which was not networked, was on Friday June 28th 1957 at 10pm, with the sixth and last on Friday September 6th 1957.
TV Times did not indicate the content, so if you can add any information I'd be grateful. However I have discovered that this first play was
Sorry, Wrong Number, starring Freda Jackson.
The story by Lucille Fletcher was adapted for tv by Ernest Borneman. Director: James Ormerod.
If you are able to can add any more information, do email me!
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What the Papers Say
Granada's longest running programme commenced on Monday October 22nd 1956, 10.30 to 10.45pm. The first presenter was a member of the editorial staff of The Spectator (though not stated probably Brian Inglis), and director of this programme was William Gaskill.
"Take six daily newspapers... the idea of the programmes is not to criticise any newspaper's handling of the news; merely to compare one with the other."
The third anniversary of the programme was celebrated on Nov 5th 1959, the 136th edition, introduced by Brian Inglis. It was stated that those apeparing up to now included JPW Mallalieu, John Connell, Alastair Dunnett, Bernard Levin, Don Cook, Art Budhwald (NY Herald Tribune), Vadim Nekeasov (Pravda), and Jean Wetz (Le Monde).
The 200th edition was celebrated on Thursday February 2nd 1961. Three regular contributors appeared together on this, Brian Inglis, JPW Mallalieu and Henry Fairlie. Producer was Jeremy Isaacs. Director: Mike Wooller, who, to this point, had directed 97 of the programmes. The 'voices' reading the extracts were Alick Hayes, Bob Jones, Brian Trueman and Daphne Oxenford.
The edition on July 27th 1963, presented by Brian Inglis, had been intended as the last, producer David Boulton stating, "we think it is time for a change. What the Papers Say is still substantially the same as when it began!"
However the programme soldiered on for many more years, director Peter Mullings directing 750 of these programmes.
With the dumbing down of ITV it moved first to Channel 4, then to BBC2 until it finally expired after 52 years in 2008.
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Granada Television 1955
36 Golden Square London W1 (GERrard 8040)
Granada House, Water Street, Manchester 2
Studios: Granada TV Centre, Quay Street, Manchester 2.
Directors: Sidney L Bernstein, Cecil G Bernstein
Executive Producers: Denis Forman, Harry Watt, Guy Nottingham, Eddie Pola (Light Entertainment)
Administrative Executive: Victor Peers
Sales and Advertising Director: A Anson
Publicity Director: Anthony Hippersley-Coxe
Consultant Advisor: Robert Heller
Granada Television 1963
36 Golden Square London W1 (REGent 8080)
Studios: Granada TV Centre, Quay Street, Manchester 3 (DEAnsgate 7211), and Studio 10 Chelsea.
Leeds Office: Headrow House, The Headrow.
Chairman: Sidney L Bernstein
Directors: Sidney L Bernstein, Cecil G Bernstein, Denis Forman, Maurice King, Victor A Peers, John SE Todd, Joseph Warton, Richard J Willder.
Heads of Departments
Secretary: Joseph Warren
Sales and Advertising: Alex Anson
Press: Donald Harker
Casting: Mrs Anne Suudi
Story Department: Mrs Frances Head
Director of Engineering: Reginald Hammans
General Manager, Studios: Simon Kershaw
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Spot the Tune! (Granada)
This long running series of over 200 shows commenced in May 1956 and ran until 1961. Marion Ryan was the resident singer.
The programme was built around popular songs that contestants had to identify, or correct deliberate errors in a lyric. The idea originated in a London cinema, where the organist slipped a 'spot the tune' into the evening's entertainment.
In the tradition of the time, there was a Jackpot, whch started at £100, and increased by that amount each week until won.
First compere was Ken Platt, from May 1956, with Marion Ryan and the Bob Sharples Orchestra. First director: Philip Jones. Thursdays 7.30pm
From September 20th the show was networked. On Thursday November 22nd, the compere for three weeks was Desmond O'Connor. With Marion Ryan. Music under the direction of Peter Knight. Director Philip Jones. Ken Platt returned on Dec 12th for the following weeks, including a Boxing Day show.
From Jan to March 1957- compere Ken Platt with Marion Ryan. Hostess: Pamela Hoyland. Music: Peter Knight. Director: Philip Jones. Later in March for several weeks no compere noted in TV Times. Thursday May 16th 1957: compere Alfred Marks, with Marion Ryan. Hostess: Pamela Hoyland. Music: Peter Knight. Director: Philip Jones. Last in this series June 13th 1957. After a summer break:
the show returned in October. Wednesday Oct 23rd 1957, 8pm -with Ken Platt and Marion Ryan. Music: Peter Knight. Director: Philip Jones.
Still on Wednesdays in 1958, in charge now were Alfred Marks and Marion Ryan. Hostess: Jeanette Bishop. Music: Peter Knight. Director: Dave Warwick.
After a summer break from the end of June:
A new series commenced on Wednesday September 24th 1958, 7.30pm with Jackie Rae and Marion Ryan. Orchestra conducted by Peter Knight. Director: Francis Coleman. Subsequent weeks at 8pm, until the end of the year. Then it moved to Tuesdays at 8pm from Jan 6th 1959- with a new director: Wilfred Fielding. (Tues May 5th 1959 director this week only Eric Fawcett.)
Tues May 26th 1959: Valerie Masters replaced Marion Ryan this week. Last of series on June 9th 1959, before a summer break, with a kitty of £700 not won.
The series returned on Wednesday Oct 21st 1959 at 8pm: with Jackie Rae and Marion Ryan. Peter Knight and His Orchestra. Director: Wilfred Fielding. It continued into 1960 (Wednesday Feb 24th 1960, 8.25pm- director: Mark Stuart) until the last of this series on Wednesday June 8th 1960, 8.25pm with Jackie Rae and Marion Ryan. Peter Knight and His Orchestra. Director: Wilfred Fielding.
Monday October 10th 1960 7.30pm- Ted Ray and Marion Ryan. Hostess Frances Youles. Alyn Ainsworth's Orchestra. Director: Wilfred Fielding. Producer: Mark White. Weekly until Monday Dec 19th 1960 with Marion Ryan. Hostess Frances Youles. Alyn Ainsworth's Orchestra. Director: Philip Casson. Producer: Mark White.
The last programme I can trace was on Whit Monday May 22nd 1961 at 7pm with Marion Ryan and Billy Raymond, a latecomer to the series. Director: Philip Casson.
Note- Regular Singer Marion Ryan did also compere one show.
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My Wildest DreamTuesdays starting in May 1956, in Granada's first week of transmission at 7.30pm.
A quiz game, the format from BBC radio, in which a panel of comedians tried to guess viewers' wildest dreams. Any viewer invited to appear was paid £5 plus expenses. It seems the programme must have been recorded since it was shown at different times in some regions.
Introduced by Kenneth MacLeod, the "peacemaker." Producer: Eddie Pola, then after the initial show, Eric Fawcett.
The regular panel for the first months: Tommy Trinder, Terry-Thomas, David Nixon and Alfred Marks.The start time was 8pm, then in the summer moved to 9.30pm before settling in to a slot after the late news.
Roy Rich became Peacemaker as from Oct 23rd 1956 10.15pm: Tommy Trinder, Alfred Marks, David Nixon and Terry-Thomas. However in the London area, the show was on
on Oct 24th 1956 9.30pm with Tommy Trinder, Eric Barker, David Nixon and Eddie Gray!
Nov 20th 1956, 10.15pm: Tommy Trinder, Eric Barker, David Nixon and Eddie Gray.
Dec 4th and 11th 1956: Tommy Trinder, Terry-Thomas, David Nixon and Eddie Gray.
There was an edition on Christmas Day, but the panel was not identified.
Jan 1st 1957: Kenneth MacCleod was back as the presenter. Panel: Tommy Trinder, Alfred Marks, David Nixon and Dickie Henderson. Ditto for Jan 8th and 15th 1957
Jan 22nd 1957: Tommy Trinder, Terry-Thomas, Eddie Gray and Eric Barker. Chair: Roy Rich.
Jan 29th 1957: Tommy Trinder, Terry-Thomas, Eddie Gray and Alfred Marks. Peacemaker: Paul Carpenter. Director: Milo Lewis.
Ditto for subsequent shows.
Apr 30th 1957: Tommy Trinder, Alfred Marks, Eddie Gray and John Blythe, with David Nixon as Peacemaker.
The programme ended soon after this, after being on air for one year. The last I have traced was on Tuesday May 14th at 10.15pm with the same panel.
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Sixth Form Challenge (Granada, 1966-7)This began in June 1966 as a summer replacement for University Challenge. Billed as "The University Challenge contestants of tomorrow take over the studio bells and buzzers in this new version of ITV's test of quick wits and general knowledge." It was partially networked.
Chris Kelly asked the questions, director was Peter Mullings, producer Douglas Terry.
There were two series, in this first, each school only competed in one programme, there were no finals.
Wednesday June 15th 1966, 7pm: Manchester Grammar School v Winchester College,
June 29th: Bryanston School v Leeds Grammar School,
July 20th: The Abbey Malvern v University College School,
July 27th: Dulwich College v Wellington College,
August 3rd: Malvern Girls' College v Queen Anne's School Caversham. This edition with girl teams was marked by TV Times with a detailed article, naming two of the contestants as Ashley Moffatt (Queen Anne's captain) and Nicola Nelson.
Aug 10th: St Paul's Boys' School v Oundle School,
Aug 17th: Millfield School v Stowe School,
Aug 24th: Emanuel School v Tonbridge School, Aug 31st (final quiz of this series): St Paul's Girl's School v Gresham's School Holt.
For 1967, Chris Kelly again hosted, main backroom staff also unchanged, though for this series, it became a knockout competiton.
Friday June 16th 1967, 7pm: Eton College v Benenden School,
June 23rd: Worksop College v King Edward VI High School for Girls Birmingham,
June 30th: Mill Hill School v Loretto School Edinburgh,
July 5th (now on Wednesdays at 6.35pm): Bradford Grammar School v Roedean School,
July 12th: Harrow School v Repton School,
July 19th: Latymer Upper School v Wycombe Abbey,
July 26th: Christ's Hospital v King William's College,
Aug 2nd: Downside School Bath v Manchester High School for Girls,
Aug 9th: Quarter Finals- Eton College v Worksop College,
Aug 16th: Quarter Finals- Mill Hill School v Roedean School,
Aug 23rd: Quarter Finals- Latymer Upper School v Repton,
Aug 30th: Quarter Finals- Christ's Hospital v Downside School,
Sept 6th: Semi Finals- Eton College v Mill Hill School,
Sept 13th: Semi Finals- Christ's Hospital v Latymer Upper School,
Sept 20th: The Final - if you can give details of the winners, or if you were on any of the teams in the series, I'd be pleased to hear your recollections.
In 1968 University Challenge had no summer break, so Sixth Form Challenge never returned
To Granada start
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University Challenge (Granada)Beginning in 1962, this long running series didn't quite manage to notch up 1,000 editions before it was axed after 25 years. By this time, the series had suffered the ultimate indignity of being shunted round the schedules of the regional companies, Sunday afternoons, late nights, not surprising since Granada wanted rid of it. The one constant was genial Bamber Gascoigne, who looked like a junior professor and had the authority of a man who knew every answer anyway.
The first programme was described by producer Barrie Heads as having "the emphasis on speed." One idea that was quickly dropped was, "competitors may be asked to speak for 45 seconds on any subject." The very first programme went out at 10.45pm on Friday September 21st 1962, a contest between the "students unions" of the universities of Reading and Leeds.
In 1994 Granada revived the competition, screening it on the rival BBC2, here it blossoms to this very day, even though it is never quite the same under Jeremy Paxman, who has his own unique personality, if swollen, but lacks the calm erudite wisdom of his predecessor.
The use of the split screen was in its day innovative, and if Granada had been accused of 'dumbing down' with their quizzes, here was mighty proof against any such notions.
I suppose one could say that today this series is an institution, not possibly on a par with Granada's other survivor, Coronation Street, but a monument to the struggling survival of integrity and intelligence in this age of the lowest common denominator
Granada start
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ConcentrationFirst edition: Tuesday June 16th 1959
Host David Gell with hostess Julie Bishop. Patricia McHugh was a later hostess.
Initially shown twice weekly, later weekly, with the final edition on June 7th 1960.
Perhaps the simplest of all games, based on the card game Pelmanism, contestants faced a 30 square Trylon Rotating Board, thirty numbers, you choose two. Remember the item behind each number and pick a pair. The winner gets either a prize or a forfeit, the loser goes away with a consolation £10. One major prize on each show was about £250.
In December 1959 wnning contestsants were limited to two shows instead of the previous three. This was because "the Granada Contestants Department has received enough applications to allow the game to go on for twenty years"!
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Take a Letter"Think of a number. Take a letter. Solve a clue- and win a prize."
Viewers also had a puzzle of their own to solve.
Granada's quiz began on January 10th 1962 in its familar 7pm slot on Wednesdays.
The quizmaster was Robert (Bob) Holness.
First director: Eric Price. Christopher Sarson took over as director, before in Spring 1962 Wilfred Fielding spent over a year directing, before he became producer. New director from the end of August 1963 was Philip Casson.
From late 1963, TV Times kindly listed the contestants, who faced the champion who carried forward anything from £39 to £763 in prize money.
Final edition on Wednesday June 24th 1964 as ever in its 7pm slot. Director: Pauline Shaw, who had taken over for the last four shows. Wilfred Fielding was producer unto the end.
In March 1962, the viewer quiz resulted in Granada being showered with 980,000 postcards! You had to "Guess the phrase or saying," and this competition gave the clues, 'In a big match at Twickenham,' and 'what will a man have to keep against Wales.' "Fantastic!" exclaimed Bob Holness. Whether the Post Office thought the same, having to deliver over 100 sacks, is another matter.
The series was revived briefly in 1997.
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Twenty-One
Starting July 3rd 1958 on Thursdays at 7.30pm, From September- Tuesdays 8pm.
Host: Chris Howland. Hostesses included "The Twins" Joy Kay and Jeanne Gordon, also Jeanette Bishop and Margaret Clews. Director: Wilfred Fielding.
Granada TV's quiz was built around getting as near to the pontoon score of 21 as you could. Contestants were assigned a category and chose questions ranging from 1, which was easy, to 11, hard.
In two sound proof boxes, the champion competed with the challenger, and
the highest prize won was by
an actor, Bernard Davies, £5,580.
The American original of the show caused a national scandal when a winner admitted he knew the questions in advance. The infection spread to Britain when one Granada contestant, Stanley Armstrong, a waiter from Aston Clinton, alleged he had been given "definite leads" to the answers enabling him to win, er, £30. Other competitors began to offer corroborating stories and Granada quickly dropped the series at the end of 1958.
The result was that for many years the ITA imposed a ceiling of £1,000 as the top prize on British tv quizzes.
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A few GRANADA PERSONNEL
Elaine Grand (1925-2001)
Oddly forgotten now, she was once dubbed the World's First Television Girl. "I'm a true product of television," she declared in 1956, "an actuality girl, an interviewer, a hostess."
Her tv career began in her native Canada where for three years she hosted a daily programme called Tabloid. While on holiday in England, she met Mary Hill, head of A-R's women's programmes, leading her to work from Spring 1956 in the type of programme in which she was most adept, on the Friday 4pm Lucky Dip, and also as one hostess on some Afternoon Out programmes. In between, her exhausting schedule had her fly back to Canada to host the monthly variety series Festival.
After an appearance in autumn 1956 on My Wife's Sister, whose scriptwriter Reuben Ship she married in 1960, she began working for Granada in January 1957 as hostess of Sharp at Four, "Granada's own magazine of fashion, family, the home, and the world at large." She became the regular "chairman" of the long running Youth Wants To Know from October 1957. She also had spells hosting Junior Criss Cross Quiz and was the regular interviewer on Searchlight (throughout 1959). She also appeared as interviewer on Granada documentaries in the 1960s on such topical themes as Unmarried Mothers, and The Pill.
Her career continued on Thames Television in the 1970s, developing their live daytime tv output. In the 2003 book Granada Television, producer Tim Hewat described her as "enchanting." Sadly there is no more in this book about her important contribution to early tv. An obituary described her as the consummate professional, but sadly her first British tv stations did not produce a daytime variety series on the lines of ATV's Lunch Box, alas, otherwise she would surely have become another Noele Gordon!
June Howson
Her career began at Anglia Television as a vision mixer. Her first directing role was in their Midday Show (1960), then "probably one of the youngest women directors in television" (wrote AG Williams). She went on to direct several episodes of their 1966 soap opera Weavers Green as well as several prestigious plays for the company before moving to Granada about 1967, where, over twenty years, she produced/ directed such as Mr Rose, Nearest and Dearest, Crown Court, and yes, Coronation Street. She moved to Thames to direct episodes of The Bill in the 1990s.
Derek Hilton (1927-2005)
The photo shows Derek's Trio with Derek piano right, Bob Duffy centre, and Amos Smith drums left.
They provided live music on Granada's local magazine People and Places. Derek also featured with his trio on over 200 editions of Spot That Tune.
Derek was born in Whitefield near Bury. He began playing music in the Manchester area aged 14, before joining Granada Television in 1956.
As well as composing the theme for People and Places, he wrote the theme for The Odd Man, The Man in Room 17, and many other of Granada's 1960s series, holding the record of themes composed, well over 200! His style is instantly recognisable as a kind of slightly jazzed up brass band. His later compositions included Nearest and Dearest, and The Ghosts of Motley Hall.
Pictured right is Eddie Boyd, one of Granada's finds in the scriptwriting department, best known for his quirky Friday night dramas
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"Where is Britain's Judy Holliday?"In early May 1957 Granada posed this question, advertising for a girl to star in their play Boy Meets Girl.
"So far, Granada had been unable to find the right girl for the key role of Susie, a blonde studio waitress with an appealing blend of charm, frankness and warmth under a veneer of dumbness."
The sort of character Judy Holliday would play to perfection, said the tv company, "but we want an English girl for the part." Perhaps expense had something to do with it!
The girl must be between 18 and 25, "anyone who thinks she can make a success of the part is welcome to contact us. It may be the opening of a lifetime."
After a whirlwind week of auditions, they got their girl. More than one hundred actresses contacted Granada, and the casting department narrowed down the list to five possibles.
"All five girls could have tackled the part very well," said producer Silvio Narizzano. "But there is no doubt in my mind that Maggie is going to make a good job of it."
The successful actress was Maggie Smith, who admitted, "I didn't have much luck on television in Britain so I went to America." So though this wasn't her tv debut, TV Times billed her as The Girl in 100, "this is the first really big role she's had," and soon she had swept to stardom.
The play was shown in the Play of the Week slot (#2.41) on June 12th 1957
To Granada tv start
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Discovery (Granada, from 1959)
ITV broadcasts for schools had been on air for over two years before Granada decided to join in. Their first series was Discovery, and perhaps typical of the company, was aimed at an elitist sixth form audience. Despite loaning free tv sets to schools in the transmission area, the take up was low. Tony Crossley in a TV Times article claimed that 8,000 pupils watched the first series (maybe that meant 800 per programme?!)- the schools audience was from as far afield as Whitehaven, Scarborough, Amlwch and Alford in Lincolnshire. In summer 1960 it was claimed the audience was 10,000 sixth formers. The programme was not networked initially, and Granada showed none of their rival's tv broadcasts until 1961.
The programme had distinguished scientists giving 30 minute talks on their own areas of research, "the top scientists of today will be talking to the potential top scientists of tomorrow." The emphasis was on talk, so apart from the speaker's fee, this was tv on the cheap.
Details of many of the programmes. Shown on Thursdays at 11.40am, with a repeat the following Monday. The summer 1960 programmes were also repeated on Fridays in a different time slot, 1pm, ironically viewers down the road in the Midlands area were watching Lunch Box!
1.1 The Art of Scientific Investigation (Sept 24th 1959) by Sir Edward Appleton. Director: Peter Cuff
1.2 Radio Astronomy and the Universe (Oct 1st 1959) by Prof ACB Lovell. Director: Peter Cuff
1.3 Nucleic Acids (Oct 15th 1959) by Professor Sir Alexander Todd. Director: Eric Price
1.4 Molecules and Inheritane: DNA (Oct 22nd 1959) by Dr S Brenner. Director: Peter Cuff
1.5 Exploring Space (Oct 29th 1959) by Prof HSW Massey. Director: Peter Cuff
1.6 The Ionosphere (Nov 5th 1959) by Sir Edward Appleton. Director: Peter Cuff
1.7 The Science of Life Accident or Design (Nov 12th 1959) by Sir James Gray. Director: Peter Cuff
1.8 Science and the Nation (Nov 19th 1959) by Sir Ben Lockspeiser. Director: Peter Cuff
1.9 Evolution- The Appearance of Design in Living Things (Nov 26th 1959) by Professor CH Waddington. Director: Peter Cuff
1.10 How Nuclear Power Stations Work (Dec 3rd 1959) by Sir John Cockroft. Director: Peter Cuff
2.1 The History of the Earth (Jan 21st 1960) by Professor PC Sylvester-Bradley. Director: Derek Bennett
2.2 The Changing Face of the Earth (Jan 28th 1960) by Dr TF Gaskell. Director: Derek Bennett
2.3 The Earth's Climate (Feb 4th 1960) by Professor Gordon Manley. Director: Eric Price
2.4 The Upper Atmosphere (Feb 11th 1960) by Professor DR Bates. Director: Eric Harrison
2.5 Messengers from Space (Feb 18th 1960) by Dr J Baldwin. Director: Eric Harrison
2.6 The Oceans (Feb 25th 1960) by Dr GER Deacon. Director: Eric Harrison
2.7 Life on Earth (Mar 3rd 1960) by Dr Errol I
White. Director: Eric Harrison
2.8 Minerals and How They are Found (Mar 10th 1960) by Dr TF Gaskell. Director: Eric Harrison
2.9 Using the Land Wisely (Mar 17th 1960) by Professor Dudley Stamp. Director: Eric Harrison
2.10 Tasks for the Future (Mar 24th 1960) by Sir Edward Bullard. Director: Eric Harrison
3.1 Life on Other Planets (May 12th 1960) by Dr Peter Alexander. Director: Peter Mullings
3.2 Ageing Process- How and Why Living Creatures Grow Old (May 19th 1960) by Dr Alex Comfort. Director: Peter Mullings
3.3 Computer Memories (May 26th 1960) by Dr DBG Edwards. Director: Peter Mullings
3.4 Spermatozos (June 2nd 1960) by Lord Rothschild. Director: Peter Mullings (a large mechanical model was shown in the studio)
3.5 E=MC2 (June 9th 1960) by Dr Eric Mendoza. Director: Peter Mullings
3.6 Big Molecules (June 16th 1960) by Sir Harry Melville. Director: Peter Mullings
3.7 Measuring Human Stress (June 23rd 1960) by HS
Wolff (his tv debut?). Director: Peter Mullings. The programme was typical of Wolff's entertaining style, one of his research assistants, John McCall swallowed a radio transmitter. This in the shape of a small pill, transmitting stomach pressures.
3.8 New Techniques in Archaeology (June 30th 1960) by Dr ET Hall. Director: Peter Mullings. Final programme
Despite the lack of enthusiasm from schools, Granada made a second series in the 1960/1 academic year of 28 new programmes, again not networked, and even launched a second sixth form programme called Inquiry.
Some of the second round of programmes:
4.8 Beyond Iron Filings (Nov 24th 1960) by Professor LF Bates. Director: Peter Mullings
4.9 The Structure of Liquids (Dec 1st 1960) by Professor JD Bernal. Director: Peter Mullings
4.10 Telescopes and Astronomy (Dec 8th 1960) by Dr Richard Woolley. Director: Peter Mullings
5.8 Harvesting the Sea (March 9th 1961) by Sir Alister Hardy. Director: Peter Mullings
5.9 Chromosones (March 16th 1961) by Professor Paul E Polani. Director: Peter Mullings
5.10 High-Speeed Cinematography (March 23rd 1961) by John Hadland. Director: Peter Mullings
6.2 Hydraulic Research (May 4th 1961) by Fergus Allen. Director: Peter Mullings
6.3 Selenography (May 11th 1961) by Patrick Moore. Director: Peter Mullings
6.4 Cancer- The Nature of the Problem (May 18th 1961) by Dr RJC Harris. Director: Peter Mullings
6.5 Low Temperatures and Ultimate Order (June 1st 1961) by Dr Nicholas Kurti. Director: Peter Mullings
6.6 Servo-Mechanisms (June 8th 1961) by Dr DH Fender. Director: Peter Mullings
6.7 Ion Exchange (June 15th 1961) by Dr E Kressman. Director: Peter Mullings
6.8 The Roosting Habits of Starlings Observed by Radar (June 22nd 1961) by Dr Eric Eastwood. Director: Peter Mullings. Last of series
The following autumn 1961, Granada fell into line and produced a networked series called Design, the format was the same, eminent professors discoursing. Some of the earlier Discovery programmes were now repeated, or you could say premiered over the network.
Discovery was shown in the autumn term 1961 on Tuesdays at 2.50pm, as well as by Granada on Thursdays 11.40am and Fridays 1pm. Similarly for Spring and Summer 1962.
7.1 Rutherford and the Birth of Nuclear Physics (Sept 19th 1961) by Professor BH Flowers. Director: Peter Mullings
7.2 Spermatozoa (3.4)- Sept 26th 1961
7.9 Earth's Changing Face (2.2) - Nov 21st 1961
7.10 Telemetry (Nov 28th 1961) by ES Mallett. Director: Peter Mullings.
8.1 New Techniques in Steelmaking (Jan 16th 1962) by Dr JH Chesters. Director: Peter Mullings
8.4 Controlling Plant Diseases (Feb 6th 1962) by Professor RL Wain. Director: Peter Mullings
8.5 Astronomy on the Edge of Space (Feb 13th 1962) by Dr HE Butler. Director: Peter Mullings
8.6 Masers (Feb 20th 1962) by Dr Dr OS Heavens. Director: Peter Mullings
8.7 Embryology (Mar 6th 1962) by Dr Professor DR Newth. Director: Peter Mullings
9.4 Studies in the Solid State (May 22nd 1962) by Dr Professor Dame Kathleen Lonsdale. Director: Peter Mullings
The new academic year saw the programme shortened to 25 minutes and shown on Tuesdays at 2.55pm with a Thursday 11.40am repeat as well as a Friday repeat at 1pm. Graphics began to appear to add some variety to the lecture.
10.1 Reflexes and the Human Brain (Sept 18th 1962) by Dr EM Glaser. Director: Peter Mullings
10.4 Cables Across the Severn (Oct 9th 1962) by DA Davis. Director: Peter Mullings
10.6 Communication Satellites (Oct 23rd 1962) by Donald Wray. Director: Peter Mullings
10.8 How a Computer Works (Nov 13th 1962) by Dr Stanley Gill. Director: Peter Mullings
10.10 Science and the Conservation of Antiquities (Nov 13th 1962) by Dr AE Werner. Director: Peter Mullings
11.5 Waves and Particles (Feb 12th 1963) by Dr A Herzenberg. Director: Eric Harrison
11.6 Programming a Computer (Feb 19th 1963) by Dr Stanley Gill. Director: Eric Harrison
11.8 Why Atoms Combine (Mar 12th 1963) by Professor CA Coulson. Director: Peter Mullings
11.9 Some Recent Work on Friction (Mar 19th 1963) by Dr D Tabor. Director: Eric Harrison
11.10 Apes and Art (Mar 26th 1963) by Dr Desmond Morris. Director: Eric Harrison
12.2 Superconductivity (May 7th 1963) by Dr Eric Mendoza. Director: Peter Mullings
12.3 Insect Mimicry (May 14th 1963) byProfessor PM Sheppard. Director: Peter Mullings
12.4 The Physics of Clothing (May 21st 1963) by WH Rees. Director: Peter Mullings
12.5 Air Pollution (June 11th 1963) by CF Barrett. Director: Peter Mullings
12.6 Glaciers (June 18th 1963) by Dr John W Glen. Director: Peter Mullings
The 1963/4 academic year saw the programme at 3.25pm on Tuesdays. It was only partially networked. The pattern of previous years was also changed in that only 9 programmes were shown in the Spring Term 1964.
13.1 High Vacuum (Sept 17th 1963) by Dr OS Heavens. Director: Peter Mullings
13.7 Evolution Observed (Nov 5th 1963) by Dr D Nichols. Director: Peter Mullings
14.1 The Spawning Behaviour of the Atlantic Salmon (Jan 14th 1964) by Dr Jack W Jones. Director: Peter Mullings
14.3 Air in Motion (Jan 28th 1964) by John Allen. Director: Peter Mullings
14.6 Learning from Starlight (Feb 18th 1964) by Professor J Ring. Director: Peter Mullings
15.1 A Million Amps- Million Volts (Apr 28th 1964) by Professor JD Craggs. Director: Peter Mullings
15.3 Shock Waves (May 12th 1964) by Professor NH Joannesen. Director: Peter Mullings
15.4 The New Look in Inorganic Chemistry - II (May 26th 1964) by Dr M Tobe. Director: Peter Mullings
15.6 Insect Populations (May 26th 1964) by Professor GC Varley. Director: Peter Mullings.Last of series.
The 1964/5 academic year saw the programme being screened once again on Tuesdays, but now at 2.05pm. Granada alone repeated the programme on Thursday mornings. In any event, they all appear to be repeats from previous series.
16.1 Fluorine (Sept 22nd 1964) by Professor RN Kaszeldine. Director: Peter Mullings (repeat?)
16.2 Waves and Particles (Sept 29th 1964) by Professor A Kerzenberg. Director: Eric Harrison (repeat of 11.5)
16.3 Why Atoms Combine (Oct 6th 1964) by Professor CA Coulson. Director: Peter Mullings (repeat of 11.8)
16.5 Science and the Conservation of Antiquities (Oct 20th 1964) by Dr AE Werner. Director: Peter Mullings (repeat of 10.10)
16.6 Insect Mimicry (Oct 27th 1964) by Professor PM Sheppard. Director: Peter Mullings (repeat of 12.3)
16.7 Weeds and the Struggle for Existence (Nov 10th 1964) by Professor JL Harper. Director: Peter Mullings (repeat?)
16.8 Apes and Art (Nov 17th 1964) by Dr Desmond Morris. Director: Eric Harrison (repeat of 11.10)
16.9 Chlorella: One Cell with Many Uses (Nov 24th 1964) by Professor GE Fogg. Director: Peter Mullings (repeat?)
16.10 The Behaviour of Ants (Dec 1st1964) by Dr John Sudd. Director: Eric Harrison (repeat?)
17.1 Superconductivity (Jan 19th 1965) by Dr Eric Mendoza. Director: Peter Mullings (repeat of 12.2)
17.2 Linear Induction Motors (Jan 26th 1965) by Professor ER Laithwaite. Director: Eric Harrison (repeat?)
17.3 Some Recent Work on Friction (Feb 2nd 1965) by Dr D Tabor. Director: Eric Harrison (repeat of 11.9)
17.4 The Velocity of Light (Feb 9th 1965) by Professor OS Heavens. Director: Peter Mullings (repeat?)
17.5 Elementary Particles (Feb 16th 1965) by Professor RJ Blin-Stoyle. Director: Peter Mullings (repeat?)
17.6 Cables Across the Severn (Mar 2nd 1965) by DA Davis. Director: Peter Mullings (repeat of 10.4)
17.7 Servo-Mechanisms (Mar 9th 1965) by Dr DH Fender. Director: Peter Mullings (repeat of 6.6)
17.8 Jet Engines (Mar 16th 1965) by Professor JH Horlock. Director: Peter Mullings (repeat?)
17.9 A Project in Engineering Design (Mar 23rd 1965) by John Martin and Geoffrey Pearse. Director: Peter Mullings (repeat?)
17.10 Motorway Design (Mar 30th 1965) by JH Ward. Director: Peter Mullings (repeat?)
A new series was shown in the summer term 1965 under the sub heading Machines for a New Age. The presenter was Professor Stanley Gill.
18.1 The Speed Revolution (May 4th 1965) Producer: Jack Smith
18.2 The Anatomy of Computers (May 11th 1965)
Director: Eric Harrison
18.3 Programming (May 18th 1965)
Director: Eric Harrison
18.4 (May 25th 1965)
Director: Eric Harrison
Shown in OUT OF SCHOOL
Superconductivity (12.2 shown Apr 23rd 1963, 11.05am) by Dr Eric Mendoza. Director: Peter Mullings
Granada start
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Bulldog Breed (1962)
Granada launched this comedy series with a huge fanfare on Wednesday September 19th 1962 at 9.15pm. No wonder they were confident for scriptwriters were Jack Rosenthal and Harry Driver, and producer Derek Granger. It starred Donald Churchill as Tom Bowler, an innocent who inadvertently causes chaos. With Amanda Barrie playing his dizzy girl friend Sandra, carried along by Tom's enthusiasm, surely Granada were on to a winner? But I found it, sorry to report, awful. Director Graeme McDonald admitted (Granada Television 2003, p60), that "it bombed." He said it was a very salutory lesson when the network pulled the plug. However it did feature in the Top Ten, and Granada did repeat the series, though only in their own region, at the dubious time of 11.30pm during August 1963
Also in it were Geoffrey Whitehead as Tom's friend Billy, and Peter Butterworth and Betty Huntley-Wright as Tom's despairing parents.
Some of the programme details:
1 The New Digs (Sept 19th). Also with Clare Kelly as Mrs Norton, William Mervyn as Company Director, Claire Davenport as Landlady, Gabrielle Percival as Girlfriend, Doris Wellings as Woman at kiosk, and Graham Rigby as Man at kiosk. Director: Graeme McDonald.
Synopsis: The sudden wind of change for Tom. His boss has fired him, his landlady kicked him out, and his girl has told him to get lost. But Tom is ever the optimist.
4 The New Garage (Oct 10th).
Also with Clare Kelly, Alison Morris as Alice Norton, Alan Rolfe as Mr Flood, David Conville as Mr Tipwell, Barbara Young as Miss Wilson, Judy Evans as Woman in Crowd, and Stephen Cartwright as TV Announcer. Director: Graeme McDonald.
The Mystery of Apple Blossom Gardens. Tom buys a garage on credit and erects it at the bottom of his landlady's garden. As he has no car, his friends speculate what the garage is for
6 Winter Sports (Oct 24th).
Also with Colin Gordon as Neville Manning, Crista Bergman as Hedda, Geoffrey Palmer as Mr Meadows, David Conville as Floor Walker, and Mona Litian as Frau Glock. Director: Howard Baker. With the nights drawing in, Tom dreams of winter sports, including the new ski instructress at Seddon's Department Store
7 The Property Dealer (Oct 31st- last story).
Also with Colin Gordon, Ronald Leigh-Hunt as Mr Sutton, Reginald Marsh as Mr Hargreaves, Bartlett Mullins as Mr Hopkins, Geoffrey Reed as Removal Man, Wendy Richard as Mandy Bradshaw, and John Garrie as Second Removal Man. Director: Howard Baker.
Tom helps his friend Bill sell a very undesirable residence, but which client is going to be lumbered?
Granada repeated this flop in summer 1963, here's JD's review of #6 Winter Sports repeated on August 20th.
"A young man in a ski suit complete with pompom weaves unsteadily down an imitation snow slope in a department store, when he should be working at the office. Why? Because he has fallen for the pretty instructress. Naturally he has some explaining to do... the brilliant explanation is that the young man is getting in practice to win a Swiss ski championship, which would publicise the firm's sports clothing. The boss not only falls for this, but even sends along a deputy when the young man breaks an ankle on the slope. The deputy breaks a leg, and with the young man well and truly repulsed by the instructress who produces a blond and Teutonic fiance, that is the end of that... Perhaps it was the lateness of the time (11.30) which made the comedy seem as synthetic as that imitation slope. Or is this why the late hour was chosen? Donald Churchill did his best to create a Brian Rix-style, out of the character of Tom Bowler, the young man. The rest could only have been embarrassed by the slightness of their material"
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Granada TV Schedule for Wednesday July 31st 195712.45 Lunch Box - with Noel Gordon, guest Julie Dawn-1.30
4.00 Royal Lancashire Show- The Travelling Eye visits Blackpool
5.00 Jolly Good Time - with Nat Temple assisted by Jill Williams
5.30 Annie Oakley - Annie and the Outlaw's Son
6.00 On Stage- introduced by Ludovic Kennedy
6.30 Cool for Cats
6.45 News from ITN
6.53 Northern Newscast
7.00 Paris Precinct- Fake Paintings
7.30 Close Up- on Fess Parker, introduced by Muriel Young
8.00 Criss Cross Quiz - with Jeremy Hawk
8.30 The Army Game
9.00 Play of the Week - Summertime starring Jeannette Sterke, Michael Meacham and Olga Lindo (A-R)
10.15 Holiday Night - with Freddie Sales, Susan Denny, guests Gordon and Colville
11.00 News from ITN
11.15 Goodnight
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Granada TV Schedule for Thursday September 5th 195712.45 Lunch Box - with Noel Gordon (it seems this programme was cut short for:)
1.15 Cricket - Lancashire v West Indies commentator George Duckworh ends 1.30. Then 2.15 to 3.45, and again at 4.30.
5.00 Biggin Hill Story - fourth in a series
5.30 The Buccaneers - Dangerous Cargo
6.00 Roving Report (second series)
6.20 Youth Wants to Know (Granada)
6.45 News from ITN
6.53 Northern Newscast
7.00 Wyatt Earp- War of the Colonels
7.30 Shadow Squad - Smart Work, episode 2
8.00 Turnabout - with Roy Ward Dickson and Pamela Russell
8.30 Val Parnell's Startime
9.15 Television Playhouse - Poison Unsuspect with John Robinson
10.15 Talking Shop - Maureen Pryor invites viewers to meet her and her friend at 'No 99' (Granada admag)
10.30 Colonel March of Scotland Yard - The Deadly Gift
11.00 News from ITN
11.15 Goodnight
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Granada TV Schedule for Monday February 10th 1958
4.20 Festival of Welsh Television Drama- The Falmouth Road Drama Company London present My Hills My Home (in Welsh- Channel 9 only)
5.00 Seeing Sport - Cricket - with Peter Lloyd and star guest Brian Close
5.30 Popeye
6.00 Alan Taylor Lectures - When Europe Was The Centre of The World: International Socialism
6.30 News from ITN
6.40 Northern Newscast
6.45 The Patti Page Show- Patti Page with Jack Rael and His Orchestra
7.00 Wyatt Earp - Bat Masterson for Sheriff
7.30 Shadow Squad - Positive Proof, episode 1
8.00 Criss Cross Quiz
8.30 Gerry's Inn - with Geraldo and His Orchestra
9.00 Murder Bag - Case 22: February 10
9.30 Jack Hylton's Monday Show - starring Rosalina Neri, Dick Bentley, Jimmy Wheeler
10.00 At Your Request with Russ Conway
10.15 Alfred Hitchcock Presents The Dangerous People
10.45 News from ITN
11.00 Sailor of Fortune - Stranger in Danger
11.30 The Awakening - starring Buster Keaton and James Hayter
12.00 Goodnight
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Granada TV Schedule for
Wednesday December 24th 1958
4.20 Hynt A Helynt - Wyn Roberts with a review of the year (Channel 9 only)
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5.00 Junior Criss Cross Quiz- - with Chris Howland
5.30 The Adventures of Rin-Tin-Tin - The Foot Soldier
5.55 News from ITN and 6.05 Northern Newscast
6.10 White Hunter - The Treasure of Tippu Tib
6.40 People and Places- with Bill Grundy
7.00 Close-Up - Shooting Stars. Kenneth Macleod with sequences from famous Westerns
7.30 Murder Bag - Lockhart Coins A Phrase
8.00 Spot The Tune
8.40 Epitaph At Little Buffalo - starring William Needles
9.35 Popeye - "A Christmas treat for grown-ups"
10.00 News from ITN
10.15 The Merry Christmas - musical with Stephen Murray as Scrooge (A-R)
11.00 Sports Outlook - with Gerry Loftus
11.30 Myra and the Money Man - with Douglas Fairbanks Jr
11.55 Midnight Mass - from Brompton Oratory
1.20am Goodnight
11.40am Discovery - No.5 Exploring Space with Prof HSW Massey-12.10pm
4.20pm News in Welsh/ Troen Gyrfa (Channel 9 only)
5.00 The Animal Story - commentary by Desmond Morris
5.25 Ivanhoe - Wedding Cake
5.55 News from ITN
6.05 Northern Newscast
6.15 Close-Up - Eve Marie Saint is interviewed by Neville Barker
6.45 Talking Shop admag
6.50 People and Places- with Bill Grundy and Chris Howland
7.00 Rawhide - The Incident of the Curious Street
8.00 Dotto
8.25 This Week
8.55 Highway Patrol
9.25 News from ITN
9.35 Val Parnell's Startime - starring Alma Cogan
10.30 What The Papers Say - with Paul Johnson
10.45 Look In - with Michael Ingrams
11.00 News Headlines
11.02 The Granada Lectures - Sir Eric Ashby on Dons or Crooners? Some Problems in the Popularisation of Science
11.35 Shadow Squad - The Director's Dilemma, episode 1 rpt
Goodnight
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Granada TV Schedule for Monday May 16th 196011.40am Discovery - No.1 Life on Other Planets with Dr Peter Alexander-12.10pm
4.20pm News in Welsh
4.25 Dewch I Mewn -with Owen Edwards and Colin Jones (Granada Production for Channel 9 only)
5.00 Seeing Sport - with Alf Gover and Peter Lloyd
5.25 Ivanhoe - The Swindler
5.55 News from ITN and 6.05 Northern Newscast
6.10 Who Goes Next? - with Richard Crossman, Malcolm Muggeridge, Peter Thorneycroft
6.30 Huckleberry Hound - Mr Jinks uses a robot, Huckleberry goes on a turkey hunt and Yogi goes skiing
7.00 Sea Hunt- playboy Elliott Conway and his wife employ Mike Nelson to take them underwater
7.30 Double Your Money
8.00 Arthur's Treasured Volumes - Arthur Askey in The Command Performer
8.30 Wagon Train - The Luke Grant Story
9.25 News from ITN
9.35 Probation Officer - with Iris Russell, Nora Nicholson, Oliver Johnston and Dandy Nichols
10.30 The Outsiders - with William Clark (ATV Production via Eurovision from Paris)
11.00 News Headlines
11.02 Monday's Feature Film - What the Butler Saw with Edward Rigby
12.00 Goodnight
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Granada TV Schedule for Tuesday December 6th 19604.10pm Newyddion y Dydd / 4.15 Amser Te (Channel 9 only)
4.50 Dizzy Date - cartoon
5.00 Lucky Dip - with Howard WIlliams
5.25 The Old Pull 'n Push - episode 5: The Race
5.55 News from ITN and 6.05 Northern Newscast followed by
People and Places - with Bill Grundy
6.45 Friend of the Family - a networked admag. George Moon's cosy chat about Philips, "friend of the family"
7.00 Pencil and Paper- with Shaw Taylor and Gwynneth Tighe
7.30 Emergency- Ward 10
8.00 Wagon Train - Wagons Ho!- A Greenhorn's Odyssey
8.54 The Army Game
9.25 News from ITN
9.35 Play of the Week - The Accomplices with Angela Baddeley, Renee Asherson
11.05 News Headlines followed by
Northern Newscast
11.15 Mark Saber - Signature for Murder rpt
11.40 Goodnight
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Granada TV Schedule for Friday March 17th 1961
10am Ici la France: Le Louvre rpt-10.30. 1pm Discovery: Chromosones rpt-1.30
2.15 Racing from Sandown
4.10 Newyddion y Dydd/ Llais Y Llenor - literary quotations (Channel 9 only)
4.50 Dizzy Date - cartoon
5.00 Enquiry Unlimited- No 3 with Howard Williams and Redvers Kyle
5.25 My Friend Flicka - Rebels in Hiding
5.55 News from ITN and Granada Newsbrief, followed by
Talking Shop
6.10 People and Places- with Bill Grundy
6.30 Just Dennis - Dennis's Penny Collection
7.00 The Four Just Men - Dan Dailey in The Man in the Road
7.30 Emergency- Ward 10
8.00 This Week
8.30 Take Your Pick - with Michael Miles
8.55 Bootsie and Snudge
9.25 News from ITN
9.35 No Hiding Place - Whistle and I'll Come
10.30 Questions in the House - with Kenneth Harris
11.00 News Headlines and Northern Newscast
11.10 Interpol Calling - The Collector
11.35 White Hunter - The Valley of Death rpt
12.00 Goodnight
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Granada TV Schedule for Tuesday November 21st 1961Schools: 2.35 Summing It Up, 2.50 Discovery, 3.25 French from France-3.45
4.10 Newyddion y Dydd/ Holi'r Merched - inter-county WI quiz (Channel 9 only)
4.50 Dizzy Date - cartoon
5.00 Tuesday Rendezvous
5.55 News from ITN and Granada Newsbrief, followed by
Robin Hood - The Shell Game
6.35 People and Places- with Bill Grundy and Gay Byrne
7.00 Pencil and Paper - with Shaw Taylor and Lisa Finlayson
7.30 Rendezvous- Mama Pontani
8.00 Ballets USA - 3 ballets with Jerome Robbins: Interplay, Afternoon of a Faun, New York Export Opus Jazz
8.55 Mess Mates - Three Men on a Boat
9.25 News from ITN
9.35 Play of the Week - The Two on the Beach starring Pauline Jameson, Carl Bernard, Joan Hickson and Derek Francis
11.05 News Headlines and Northern Newscast
11.15 Close Quarters - part 2. A true adventure of the last war
11.55 Goodnight
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Granada TV Schedule for Wednesday September 12th 19622.15 Racing from Doncaster- The St Leger -4.00
4.20 Newyddion y Dydd/ Pwy Fase'n Meddwl ('Would You Believe It') (Channel 9 only)
5.00 Zoo Time - with Desmond Morris and Dr Veevers
5.25 Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicans - The Soldier
5.55 News from ITN. 6.05 Granada Newsbrief, followed by
Glencannon- Stardust and Corn rpt
6.35 People and Places- with Bill Grundy and Gay Byrne. Also the Derek Hilton Trio
7.00 Take A Letter - with Bob Holness
7.30 Coronation Street - Jerry finds his manhood and the Street woos Ena
8.00 Comedy Hour - with Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz and guest star Paul Douglas
8.55 Sports Outlook- Gerry Loftus with half time scores and reports
9.00 News from ITN
9.15 Tales of Mystery - John Laurie introduces Wolves of God
9.45 Do You Come Here Often? - the story of Dancing from the Waltz to the Twist
10.45 The Flintstones - The Baby Sitters
11.10 News Headlines and Northern Newscast
11.20 Sports Outlook Special- Gerry Loftus with results and reports on the evening's football matches
11.25 William Tell - The Avenger rpt and 11.55 Goodnight
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Granada TV Schedule for Thursday January 10th 19634.20 Newyddion y Dydd/ Amswer Te - with Myfanwy Howell (Channel 9 only)
5.00 Criss Cross Quiz - with Gordon Luck
5.25 Just Dennis - The Fortune Cookie
5.55 News from ITN and Granada Newsbrief, followed by
Popeye
6.20 Roving Report- Darjeeling with Tom St John Barry
6.45 Sports Outlook - Granada's own sports programme with Gerry Loftus
7.00 Double Your Money - with Hughie Green, hostesses Nancy Roberts and Julie de Marco
7.30 Bootsie and Snudge - Man Up a Statue
8.00 The Deputy - Meet Sergeant Tasker
8.30 Hancock - The Eye-Witness
9.00 News from ITN
9.15 This Week
9.45 Tales of Mystery - Old Clothes introduced by John Laurie, with Ann Castle, Francesca Annis
10.15 It Happened Like This - The Man with His Hand in His Pocket
11.00 News Headlines and Northern Newscast
11.10 The Beating Heart - with Barry Westwood: about a person with an imperfect heart (Southern TV)
12.00 Goodnight
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Granada TV Schedule for Monday July 1st 19634.00 Wimbledon - "part of this afternoon's play" (Granada didn't share the whole transmission time)
5.00 Seeing Sport - with Peter Lloyd: Sailing
5.25 Fireball XL5 - Whistle for Danger
5.55 News from ITN
6.05 The Hathaways- Walter Takes a Partner
6.30 Scene at 6.30 - Michael Scott, Gay Byrne, and Peter Eckersley, Bamber Gascoigne
7.00 All Our Yesterdays - with Brian Inglis
7.30 Coronation Street - Harry swallows his pride and Kenneth (Barlow) makes a date
8.00 Love Story - Julia Foster and Rodney Bewes in The Wedding of Smith Seven-Nine
9.00 News from ITN
9.15 Naked City - The Pedigree Sheet
10.10 University Challenge - Pembroke College Cambridge v Canadian Universities
10.30 A Camera Goes to War - narrator William Mervyn. Photos of the Crimean War
11.00 News Headlines and Northern Newscast
11.15 Man from Interpol - Murder Below Deck
11.45 Goodnight
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Granada schedule for
Tues Feb 6th 1964
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Granada TV Schedule for
Thursday April 9th 1964
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Granada TV Schedule for
Wednesday September 30th 1964
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Granada TV Schedule for
Tuesday May 25th 1965
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Granada TV Schedule for
Tuesday November 9th 1965
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Granada TV Schedule for
Tuesday March 29th 1966
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2.30 Schools: Summing It Up / Discovery / French from France -3.45
4.10 Newyddion y Dydd
4.15 Holi'r Merched inter county quiz, hosted by Jacob Davies
4.50 Dizzy Date - cartoon
5.00 Tuesday Rendezvous with Muriel Young and Bert Weedon
5.55 News
6.05 Granada Newsbrief, followed by Robin Hood The Salt King
6.35 People and Places Bill Grundy and Gay Byrne
7.00 I Love Lucy Lucy Meets Orson Welles
7,39 Mess Mates No Future In It
8.00 Ten Years a Queen narrated by Lord Boothby
8.30 Another Man's Poison film starrng Bette Davis
(News 9-9.15)
10.35 Pencil and Paper Shaw Taylor
11.05 News Headlines; Northern Newscast
11.15 Interpol Calling The Man's a Clown
11.45 Goodnight
3.00 Afternoon Sport- Hockey from Sale Cheshire: South African Tourists v Brooklands Select XI -4.15
5.00 Criss Cross Quiz - with Robert Holness
5.25 The Terrific Adventures of the Terrible Ten - The Great Submarine Mystery rpt
5.55 News from ITN
6.05 Car 54, Where Are You?- new series: Something Nice for Sol
6.30 Scene at 6.30 - Michael Scott, Peter Eckersley, James Murray and Denis Pitts
7.00 Double Your Money - Commonwealth Treasure Trail with Hughie Green, Barbara Roscoe and Monica Rose
7.30 It's Little Richard - "50,000 requests to repeat have poured into Granada's TV Centre" rpt
8.00 The Saint - The Wonderful War
8.55 News from ITN
9.10 This Week
9.40 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour - Run for Doom with Diana Dors
10.40 What the Papers Say - with Bill Grundy
10.55 News Headlines and Northern Newscast
11.10 Honeymoon Deferred - starring Betta St John rpt (episode from Douglas Fairbanks Presents)
11.40 Roving Report
12.00 Goodnight
11.35am Schools- The Art of Music rpt-12noon. 2.05pm The Automobile Age. 2.35 Science in Action
2.55 Racing from Newmarket (Rediffusion)
4.45 Good Evening from Granada
5.00 Zoo Time - with Desmond Morris and Gwyn Veevers
5.25 Fireball XL5 - The Forbidden Planet rpt
5.55 News from ITN
6.05 I'm Dickens, He's Fenster- Nurse Dickens
6.30 Scene at 6.30 - Michael Scott, Peter Eckersley, James Murray, Michael Parkinson and Denis Pitts
7.00 Cinema - Bamber Gascoigne interviews Honor Blackman
7.30 Coronation Street- Minnie has a birthday, Ena discovers a guilty secret, and Stan hears bad news from a tall dark man
8.00 The Fugitive - Angels Travel on Lonely Roads (part two)
8.55 News from ITN
9.10 Call In On Carroll - with Ronnie Carroll, Janie Marden, and The Seekers
9.30 Election Broadcast- Conservatives
9.50 A Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On - with Jerry Lee Lewis
10.30 Professional Wrestling - from Wembley Town Hall
11.10 Election '64 and Northern Newscast
11.35 Stryker of the Yard - The Case of the Second Shot
12.00 Goodnight
Granada menu
11.35am Schools- Art in the Making -12noon. 2.05pm Machines for a New Age. 2.35 Notre Ville -2.50
4.50 Good Evening from Granada in the North
5.00 Ollie and Fred's Five O'Clock Club- star guest Craig Douglas
5.25 Orlando - 7 Ding-Dong Bell
5.55 News
6.05 Petticoat Junction- Have Library, Will Travel
6.30 Scene at 6.30 - Michael Scott, Michael Parkinson, Peter Eckersley, George Reid, Brian Armstrong, John Hamp, Denis Pitts, Brian Trueman
7.00 Criss Cross Quiz - Barbara Kelly asks the questions
7.30 Emergency-Ward 10
8.00 Bonanza - A Man to Admire
8.55 News
9.10 Front Page Story - The Hatchet Job
10.05 Another World - The Fancy and The Free- about pigeons
10.35 News Headlines
10.40 British Song Contest - second heat from The Dome, Brighton, compere Keith Fordyce
11.05 Colonel March of Scotland Yard - The Abominable Snowman
11.30 Granada in the North
12.00 Goodnight
Granada menu
9.30am Playback- This is the End, Hallelujah, Why Pray, Life's Work religious repeats with Redvers Kyle-11.00
11.30 Schools- Drama-11.55. 2.05pm Let's Go Out. 2.25 Notre Ville -2.45
4.50 Good Evening from Granada in the North
5.00 Five O'Clock - with Marjorie Sigley
5.25 Object Z - 4 The Aliens
5.55 News
6.05 The Californians- new series- The Gentleman from Philadelphia
6.30 Scene at 6.30 - Michael Scott, Michael Parkinson, Peter Eckersley, George Reid, Brian Armstrong, Leslie Woodhead, John Hamp, Denis Pitts, Brian Trueman
7.00 Double Your Money - Hughie Green. The Sentimental Journey takes another person to the place of his choice
7.30 Emergency-Ward 10
8.00 The Wicked Lady - film starring Margaret Lockwood and James Mason
(News from 8.55-9.10)
10.05 The World Tonight - reports from Kashmir, Budapest, Berlin, Tokyo, Washington, and London
10.35 The Saint - Iris
11.30 News Headlines followed by
Granada in the North
12.00 Goodnight
Granada menu
11.30am For Schools- Ways with Words-11.50
12 noon Marathon '66- candidates for every constituency in the north, from the Manchester and Leeds studios- ends 2pm
2.05pm For Schools- Let's Go Out. Notre Ville -2.40
4.50 Good Evening from Granada in the North
5.00 Five O'Clock Club - guest compere Gerry Marsden
5.25 Object Z Returns - 6 The Eleventh Hour
5.55 News
6.05 The Rifleman- Eight Hours to Die
6.30 Scene at 6.30 - Michael Scott, George Reid, Brian Armstrong, Leslie Woodhead, Chris Kelly, John Hamp, Denis Pitts, Brian Trueman
7.00 Double Your Money - Hughie Green with the three winners of the Travel Research Scholarship
7.30 Emergency-Ward 10
8.00 Tiger in the Smoke - film starring Donald Sinden
(News at 8.55, and Election Broadcast- Labour Party at 9.10 to 9.25)
10.20 The World Tomorrow - Railways in the Red
10.50 Election '66
11.15 The Man from Interpol- The Maharajah of Den
11.45 Granada in the North
12.00 Goodnight
Granada menu
9.30am Overseas News Special- report on the World Cup semi final at Everton-9.40, repeated at 12 noon.
2.45pm Racing from Redcar (Tyne Tees Television) -4.45
4.50 Good Evening from Granada in the North
5.00 Five O'Clock Club - guest compere Billy Boyle
5.25 Orlando - The Gizzmo's Revenge 3 Lady in Waiting
5.55 News
6.05 The Invisible Woman- a film comedy starring John Barrymore
7.30 Emergency-Ward 10
8.00 The World Cup - second semi final conclusion of the first half and the whole of the second half
9.20 News
9.35 Honey West - In the Bag
10.05 This England - Mr Lowry
10.35 News Headlines followed by
Scene and Northern News - Michael Scott, John Hamp, Chris Kelly, Michael Murphy, Denis Pitts, George Reid, Vanya Kewley, Brian Trueman
11.05 The Untouchables- St Louis Story
12.00 Goodnight
NOTE: since the World Cup match at 8pm included England, can anyone confirm if ITV dared show Emergency Ward 10 at 7.30pm, the time the match kicked off?
Granada menu
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Granada TV Schedule for
Thursday March 16th 1967
11.10am For Schools- Primary Mathematics, Ways with Words-11.55
2.05pm Finding Out, The Communist World, Notre Ville -2.55
4.50 On Air- first look at the day's news, with a dash of pop and comment
5.00 Junior Criss Cross Quiz - with Peter Wheeler
5.25 How (Southern Television)
5.55 News, 6.05 Northern News
6.10 Reporting '67- with Andrew Gardner
6.35 Time for a Laugh - cartoon series introduced by Wally Whyton
6.45 The Star and the Story - The Spider's Web, film starring Glynis Johns
8.25 Mr Aitch - Harry H Corbett in ... Said the Spider to the Fly
8.55 News
9.10 This Week
9.40 Dr De Waldo's Therapy - Granada play starring Ursula Howells and Laurence Payne
10.40 Newscene - with Chris Kelly, and Brian Trueman
11.00 News Headlines followed by
What the Papers Say
11.15 Mr and Mrs - a comedy special starring Lucille Ball and Bob Hope in The Mr and Mrs Sequences
12.00 Goodnight
Granada menu
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Granada TV Schedule Thursday July 29th 1967
1.45 Wimbledon 1967
4.45 Interval
4.50 On Air and Firstimers: Lisa Jones
5.00 Junior Criss Cross Quiz with Peter Wheeler
5.25 How
5.55 News
6.05 Scene with Brian Trueman
6.25 Hancock's guest Dick Haymes
7.00 Time for a Laugh with Wally Whyton
7.05 The Big Picture: The Glass Mountain
8.55 News
9.10 This Week
9.40 The New Assistant starring Ronald Fraser
11.00 Scott Free "it's all happening" with Mike Scott
11.15 Late Night News followed by What the Papers Say with Bill Grundy
11.30 Honey West: An Eerie, Airy Thing
12.00 Goodnight
Granada menu
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Granada TV Schedule for Wednesday August 2nd 19672.45pm Racing from Redcar (TTTV) -4.45
4.50 On Air and Firstimers- a new act in its first tv date
5.00 Junior Sportsweek - with Billy Wright
5.25 Country Boy with Jack Hargeaves (Southern Television)
5.55 News, and Northern News
6.10 Scene- with Brian Trueman and Chris Kelly
6.35 Sixth Form Challenge - Chris Kelly with Downside School Bath v Manchester High School for Girls
7.00 All Our Yesterdays
7.30 Coronation Street
8.00 The Fugitive - Stroke of Genius
9.00 Half Hour Story - Angela Baddeley and Frank Windsor in Robert
9.30 Cinema - Michael Scott looks at an unlikely pair, James Coburn and Lionel Jeffries
10.00 News at Ten
10.30 Professional Wrestling - from Morecambe
11.15 Scene Extra
11.30 Man from Interpol - Soul Pedlars
11.55 Goodnight
Granada menu
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Granada TV Schedule for
Friday March 29th 1968
11.25am For Schools - Your Money Your Life. 2.05pm The Land and the People. 2.35 Today and Tomorrow -3.00
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Partly unconventional weeknight schedule, anticipating the fact that Friday night was soon to be part of weekend scheduling.
4.40pm Popeye
5.00 Tarzan - The Golden Runaway
5.55 News
6.05 Northern News
6.10 Scene- Production Team: Nick Elliott, Brian Trueman, Michael Ryan, Rod Taylor and Chris Kelly
6.30 Take Your Pick
7.00 Shane - High Road to Viator
7.55 Sergeant Cork - The Case of the Notorious Nun
8,55 Sportscene- look at the weekend sport
9.05 The Untouchables - Element of Danger
10.00 News at Ten
10.30 Sportsweek - introduced by Richard Davies
11.00 The Baron - Farewell to Yesterday
12.00 Goodnight
Granada menu
12.15 Singing for Your Supper - Ian Wallace with Full Circle (Scottish TV)
12.55 News from ITN
1.00 World of Sport - Racing from Catterick, Power Boat Racing, Boxing, Wrestling etc
5.00 Results Round-Up
5.15 Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea - The Lost Bomb
6.10 News from ITN
6.15 Saturday Stars- The Mireille Mathieu Show (ATV)
7.05 The Safecracker - starring Ray Milland
8.50 Garrison's Gorillas - The Frame-Up
9.45 News
9.55 The Saturday Special - Moonshot (Apollo 8) (LWT)
10.55 Frost on Saturday
11.40 The Felony Squad - The Streets are Paved with Quicksand
12.15 Closedown
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Granada's first studio play from Manchester wasShooting Star on Wed Oct 31st 1956 at 8pm. "Travelling north for the production" of Play of the Week were Edward Chapman as Joe Lawson, Irene Handl, and DH Clarke-Smith. Director: Silvio Narizzano.
Sidney Bernstein was very keen for Granada to be seen as a Northern powerhouse, and the company's "de-Londonisation" was complete when they sold their Studio 9 in the old Chelsea Palace in April 1965
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