Does the Team Think?

(Co-host)
(Co-hosts: The way it was displaying for me, I had one name and one set of dates per line, but "out of sync", so may as well format it to have them "in sync".)
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== Host ==
== Host ==
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[[Peter Haigh]] (1957)
+
[[Peter Haigh]] (1957 and stand-in)
[[MacDonald Hobley]] (1958-76, including TV version)
[[MacDonald Hobley]] (1958-76, including TV version)
 +
 +
[[Kenneth Horne]] (recurring stand-in)
[[Tim Brooke-Taylor]] (1982-3)
[[Tim Brooke-Taylor]] (1982-3)
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[[Vic Reeves]] (2007-9)
[[Vic Reeves]] (2007-9)
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== Co-host ==
+
== Co-hosts ==
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Jimmy Edwards (permanent panellist)
+
[[Jimmy Edwards]] (permanent panellist, radio version)
-
Other panellists included: [[Ted Ray]] (almost all episodes 1958-76), Cyril Fletcher (1960-76), Tommy Trinder (1958-73), Alfred Marks (1957-76), Arthur Askey (1958-76), Richard Murdoch (1960-9), Cardew Robinson (1969-76).
+
Other panellists included:<br>[[Ted Ray]] (almost all episodes 1958-76) <br>Cyril Fletcher (1960-76) <br>[[Tommy Trinder]] (1958-71) <br>Alfred Marks (1957-76) <br>[[Arthur Askey]] (1958-76) <br>[[Richard Murdoch]] (1960-9) <br>Cardew Robinson (1963-76)  
-
c.1961-9, the "classic" panel comprised Edwards, Fletcher, Trinder and Ray, with the others deputising.
+
(1961-9, the "classic" panel comprised Edwards, Trinder and Ray, with Fletcher in about half the episodes and the others deputising for him. Askey replaced Trinder as the third regular panellist from 1970 onward.)
== Broadcast ==
== Broadcast ==
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BBC-TV, 4 June - 23 July 1961 (8 episodes in 1 series)
BBC-TV, 4 June - 23 July 1961 (8 episodes in 1 series)
-
Thames for ITV (not all regions), 14 January 1982 - 21 June 1983 (14 episodes in 2 series)
+
Thames for ITV, 14 January 1982 to 21 June 1983 (14 episodes in 2 series)
-
as ''Does the Team Think...'' Open Mike Productions for BBC Radio 2, 28 June 2007 to 7 March 2009 (16 episodes in 2 series)
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Open Mike Productions for BBC Radio 2, 28 June 2007 to 7 March 2009 (16 episodes in 2 series)
</div>
</div>
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It's hard to imagine now, but there was a time when ''Any Questions?'' was about anything but the latest political fashions. When it began in 1948, Freddie Grisewood would ask local celebrities serious questions with a topical bent, but nothing that might be debated in Parliament within the next fortnight.
It's hard to imagine now, but there was a time when ''Any Questions?'' was about anything but the latest political fashions. When it began in 1948, Freddie Grisewood would ask local celebrities serious questions with a topical bent, but nothing that might be debated in Parliament within the next fortnight.
-
This format was deemed ripe for parody, and in 1957 comedian Jimmy Edwards convinced the Light Programme to run a short series, which ran each year for almost twenty years. Edwards was joined on the resident panel by Arthur Askey and [[Ted Ray|Ted Ray]], with a different guest panelist each week. Chairman [[MacDonald Hobley|MacDonald Hobley]] invited members of the audience to ask moderately serious questions, about which the panel had no prior knowledge. The comedians would respond with improvised jokes, one-liners, and anything to keep up the flow of laughs, but always ensuring that their responses were factual. Another guest would join the show about halfway through proceedings, and ask a question of their own. At the end, the chair would award points on a capricious basis, and declare an almost arbitrary winner. The programme remained popular until it was finally taken off air in 1976.
+
This format was deemed ripe for parody, and in 1957 comedian Jimmy Edwards convinced the Light Programme to run a short series, which ran each year for almost twenty years. Chairman [[MacDonald Hobley|MacDonald Hobley]] invited members of the audience to ask moderately serious questions, about which the panel had no prior knowledge. The comedians would respond with improvised jokes, one-liners, and anything to keep up the flow of laughs, but always ensuring that their responses were factual. Another guest would join the show about halfway through proceedings, and ask a question of their own. At the end, the chair would award points on a capricious basis, and declare an almost arbitrary winner.
 +
 
 +
<div class="image">[[File:Does the team think original cast.jpg|300px]]''The original panel: David Nixon is surrounded by Jimmy Wheeler, David Tomlinson and Jimmy Edwards''</div>
 +
 
 +
The first series featured a panel of Edwards, David Tomlinson, Jimmy Wheeler and [[David Nixon]], but the show really found its feet during the 1958 run, which saw the debuts of [[Ted Ray]] (who appeared in almost all episodes from then on), Tommy Trinder, Arthur Askey and Cyril Fletcher. The programme remained popular until it was finally taken off air in 1976.
A television version was made in summer 1961, but met with very limited success. Thames Television revived the format in 1982, in which members of the public were asked to baffle The Team with unusual facts about life and the universe. The emphasis was still on wit, humour, and moving expeditiously from one joke to the next. The celebrity guest slot remained - in the first show, Dr. Magnus Pike was the guest and asked the team if they knew that water in Britain goes down a plughole clockwise but in Australia anti-clockwise. Thames Television had high hopes for the programme, putting it out in the 7pm slot on Thursdays opposite ''Tomorrow's World'', but those ITV regions that did buy the show aired it around teatime, or in the mid-afternoon death slot.
A television version was made in summer 1961, but met with very limited success. Thames Television revived the format in 1982, in which members of the public were asked to baffle The Team with unusual facts about life and the universe. The emphasis was still on wit, humour, and moving expeditiously from one joke to the next. The celebrity guest slot remained - in the first show, Dr. Magnus Pike was the guest and asked the team if they knew that water in Britain goes down a plughole clockwise but in Australia anti-clockwise. Thames Television had high hopes for the programme, putting it out in the 7pm slot on Thursdays opposite ''Tomorrow's World'', but those ITV regions that did buy the show aired it around teatime, or in the mid-afternoon death slot.

Revision as of 09:23, 29 September 2022

Contents

Host

Peter Haigh (1957 and stand-in)

MacDonald Hobley (1958-76, including TV version)

Kenneth Horne (recurring stand-in)

Tim Brooke-Taylor (1982-3)

Vic Reeves (2007-9)

Co-hosts

Jimmy Edwards (permanent panellist, radio version)

Other panellists included:
Ted Ray (almost all episodes 1958-76)
Cyril Fletcher (1960-76)
Tommy Trinder (1958-71)
Alfred Marks (1957-76)
Arthur Askey (1958-76)
Richard Murdoch (1960-9)
Cardew Robinson (1963-76)

(1961-9, the "classic" panel comprised Edwards, Trinder and Ray, with Fletcher in about half the episodes and the others deputising for him. Askey replaced Trinder as the third regular panellist from 1970 onward.)

Broadcast

Light Programme / Radio 2, 25 September 1957 - 1973

Radio 4 1974 - 2 September 1976

BBC-TV, 4 June - 23 July 1961 (8 episodes in 1 series)

Thames for ITV, 14 January 1982 to 21 June 1983 (14 episodes in 2 series)

Open Mike Productions for BBC Radio 2, 28 June 2007 to 7 March 2009 (16 episodes in 2 series)

Synopsis

It's hard to imagine now, but there was a time when Any Questions? was about anything but the latest political fashions. When it began in 1948, Freddie Grisewood would ask local celebrities serious questions with a topical bent, but nothing that might be debated in Parliament within the next fortnight.

This format was deemed ripe for parody, and in 1957 comedian Jimmy Edwards convinced the Light Programme to run a short series, which ran each year for almost twenty years. Chairman MacDonald Hobley invited members of the audience to ask moderately serious questions, about which the panel had no prior knowledge. The comedians would respond with improvised jokes, one-liners, and anything to keep up the flow of laughs, but always ensuring that their responses were factual. Another guest would join the show about halfway through proceedings, and ask a question of their own. At the end, the chair would award points on a capricious basis, and declare an almost arbitrary winner.

The original panel: David Nixon is surrounded by Jimmy Wheeler, David Tomlinson and Jimmy Edwards

The first series featured a panel of Edwards, David Tomlinson, Jimmy Wheeler and David Nixon, but the show really found its feet during the 1958 run, which saw the debuts of Ted Ray (who appeared in almost all episodes from then on), Tommy Trinder, Arthur Askey and Cyril Fletcher. The programme remained popular until it was finally taken off air in 1976.

A television version was made in summer 1961, but met with very limited success. Thames Television revived the format in 1982, in which members of the public were asked to baffle The Team with unusual facts about life and the universe. The emphasis was still on wit, humour, and moving expeditiously from one joke to the next. The celebrity guest slot remained - in the first show, Dr. Magnus Pike was the guest and asked the team if they knew that water in Britain goes down a plughole clockwise but in Australia anti-clockwise. Thames Television had high hopes for the programme, putting it out in the 7pm slot on Thursdays opposite Tomorrow's World, but those ITV regions that did buy the show aired it around teatime, or in the mid-afternoon death slot.

Some people (well, Nicholas Parsons) have argued that Does the Team Think? is a direct antecedent of QI, as it involves people trying to be both funny and clever at the same time. It was certainly sufficiently well-remembered to be re-commissioned by Radio 2 in 2007, now under the chairmanship of Vic Reeves. This version wasn't particularly well-received by critics, who saw it as an attempt to wind the clock back to the mid-90s, when Reeves was in his heyday.

Catchphrases

Does the Team Think......?

Web links

Official site (Revived version)

Wikipedia entry

British Comedy Guide entry (Revived version)

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