Jim Bowen

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(Trivia)
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== Shows ==
== Shows ==
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== Biography ==
== Biography ==
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Arguably one of the least likely game show hosts of all time. He first came to fame through appearing first on ITV's ''The Comedians'', then on the 1970's ITV children's series "You Must Be Joking" (not to be confused with the [[Terry Wogan]]-hosted show of the same name) - and somehow landed the job of hosting ''[[Bullseye]]'' despite an expletive-laden pilot show (clips of which appeared on Victor Lewis-Smith's ''TV Offal'' and are no doubt out there in cyberspace for anyone who's interested). His catchphrase ''"Super. Smashing. Great."'' (which, like [[Barry Norman]]'s ''"And, why not?"'', he never says himself) was acquired after failing to pay attention to a contestant who said he was unemployed.
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Arguably one of the least likely game show hosts of all time, Bowen first came to fame through appearing first on ITV's ''The Comedians'', then on the 1970's ITV children's series "You Must Be Joking" (not to be confused with the [[Terry Wogan]]-hosted show of the same name). Somehow, he landed the job of hosting ''[[Bullseye]]''. His catchphrase ''"Super, smashing, great"'' (which, like [[Barry Norman]]'s ''"And, why not?"'', he never said himself) was acquired after failing to pay attention to a contestant who said he was unemployed.
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Hasn't done much else of note, but ''Bullseye'' ran for years and years and he does turn up as a guest on other shows from time to time.
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His stand-up comedy and 14 years of ''Bullseye'' filled out the bulk of his peak fame, although he turned up as a guest on other shows from time to time, as well as present radio shows.
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Jim passed away on March 14th 2018, aged 80.
== Trivia ==
== Trivia ==
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Bowen was a schoolteacher before breaking into the world of comedy.
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Bowen was a schoolteacher, rising to the rank of deputy head, before breaking into the world of comedy.
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He made at least two cameo appearances on "Last Of The Summer Wine" (one of them as a security guard) and also on ITV's popular 1970's-set comedy "The Grimleys" as a militant union rep. He also played an accountant in the 1982 comedy-drama "Muck and Brass", which also starred Mel Smith.
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He made at least two cameo appearances on "Last Of The Summer Wine" (one of them as a security guard) and also on ITV's popular 1970's-set comedy "The Grimleys" as a militant union rep. He also had a non-speaking cameo on ''Jonathan Creek'' and was an accountant in the 1982 comedy-drama "Muck and Brass", which also starred Mel Smith.  
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He appeared on the one-off [[Vernon Kay]]-hosted edition of [[The Golden Shot]], screened in 2007 as part of ITV's [[Gameshow Marathon]] as "Bowen The Bolt" (well, he couldn't really have been "Bernie The Bolt", could he?)
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He appeared on the one-off [[Vernon Kay]]-hosted edition of [[The Golden Shot]], screened in 2007 as part of ITV's [[Gameshow Marathon]] as "Bowen The Bolt".
== Books / Tapes ==
== Books / Tapes ==
[http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/189786146X/labyrinthgames Jim Bowen Live]
[http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/189786146X/labyrinthgames Jim Bowen Live]
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== Web links ==
== Web links ==
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[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/funny_old_game/4152171.stm BBC interview]
[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/funny_old_game/4152171.stm BBC interview]
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== See also ==
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[[Weaver's Week 2018-03-18|Obituary from Weaver's Week]]
[[Category:People|Bowen, Jim]]
[[Category:People|Bowen, Jim]]

Revision as of 21:33, 15 June 2018

Contents

Shows

Bullseye

The Comedy Quiz (team captain)

Home Run

The Golden Shot (2007 Gameshow Marathon special) as "Bowen The Bolt"

Biography

Arguably one of the least likely game show hosts of all time, Bowen first came to fame through appearing first on ITV's The Comedians, then on the 1970's ITV children's series "You Must Be Joking" (not to be confused with the Terry Wogan-hosted show of the same name). Somehow, he landed the job of hosting Bullseye. His catchphrase "Super, smashing, great" (which, like Barry Norman's "And, why not?", he never said himself) was acquired after failing to pay attention to a contestant who said he was unemployed.

His stand-up comedy and 14 years of Bullseye filled out the bulk of his peak fame, although he turned up as a guest on other shows from time to time, as well as present radio shows.

Jim passed away on March 14th 2018, aged 80.

Trivia

Bowen was a schoolteacher, rising to the rank of deputy head, before breaking into the world of comedy.

He made at least two cameo appearances on "Last Of The Summer Wine" (one of them as a security guard) and also on ITV's popular 1970's-set comedy "The Grimleys" as a militant union rep. He also had a non-speaking cameo on Jonathan Creek and was an accountant in the 1982 comedy-drama "Muck and Brass", which also starred Mel Smith.

He appeared on the one-off Vernon Kay-hosted edition of The Golden Shot, screened in 2007 as part of ITV's Gameshow Marathon as "Bowen The Bolt".

Books / Tapes

Jim Bowen Live

Web links

Wikipedia entry

Internet Movie Database entry

BBC interview

See also

Obituary from Weaver's Week

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