BBC2 Continuity 1970s

[matelot95]

Any of you guru's know the name of the music at the beginning?

[RobinCarmody]

Having wondered for years what the date of this clip is, I have finally worked it out - Tuesday 28th November 1978. This was one of only three weeks when Delia Morgan & Don Spencer co-presented Play School, at least during the lifetime of this BBC2 look, and a clip of the first half of this junction from the same morning - coming out of Working for Safety - has been doing the rounds for years.

Needless to say, the Play School itself is wiped - I wonder how much of it was ever recorded?

[Lytton333]

This is more entertaining than just about all contemporary television.

[brucedanton]

Thank you for the posting-I well appreciate it!

I agree with all that's been said here-so well done!

I too remember Test Card F at 11.25, after Play School had ended. Then, at 11.30, BBC2 was switched off until about 4.00pm when it returned-those were the days, eh what?!

[JHollowayNetwork]

The BBC2 Clock was in use from 1972.

[thisismikehunt2009]

Through one of the windows today, we're going to watch a family throw their television set away. Which window shall we look through? Through the .. The Square Window.

[69waveydavey]

Am I right in guessing this was recorded on a Philips VS2000? did you have one at your school? silver thing about the size of a washing machine with 2 analogue clocks on the front for start and stop recording. happy days.

[captainlucy]

Not as bad as the announcers at the end of the day: "It's just gone 12:25, and BBC is shutting down for the night. We would like to wish all our viewers a very good night, and a special message to all those who live on their own... FOR GOD'S SAKE, DON'T LOOK BEHIND YOU!!!" :D

[wolfschmidt11]

it is the late Andy Cartledge announcing.

[koksy]

I just love the way you hear the intake of breath and then the announcers voice "Well now its 11 o'clock and time on BBC for Playschool..." its just so BBC! I am suddenly 5 years old again.

[Prolia13]

Since the launch of Color Television in 1967 you had or have a color television sets at home or in black and white.

[moveitbetts]

The 11.25 Service Information bulletin - late 70's/early 80's if I'm not mistaken.

[thisismikehunt2009]

From 1978 to 1983, the Service Information was an unofficial program broadcast at 10:30am (except Wednesday mornings), followed by a testcard until 11:00, before Play School. But before 1978 (particularly around the time of the advent of colour broadcasting), it was broadcast two or three times during the weekdays.

[RobertTheDodger654]

The TV announcer's voice used to scare the shit out of me; he never was in a very good mood.

[qgloscit]

Me too; all the 70 announcers were so serious! Can remember the continuity between the kids programmes after school! Sounds daft but theyed spook me! It was the days of industrial strife; can remember them coming on behind captions of transmitters saying due to power cuts there would be service interruptions and reduced power! As a niave 6 year old; way them come across I thought they were announcing the world was ending.None of this jolly stuff of today! Very serious and doom sounding!

[GEORGIANGUSTIL]

love it so retro!!!

[Guedingen]

Seems like from another planet - many thanks

[TheMiniEvilGuy]

Its Tuesday! Good Gracious!

[bassclef38]

As a five year old, it was such a tremendous relief to see that BBC2 clock (although I saw it in b/w) knowing I hadn't missed the start of Play School. My gran had to fiddle around with and sometimes thump the set in order to get BBC2, a simple switch to 625 from 405 was too simple for our set.

[frglee]

Brian Cant narrating?

[ZardozSpeaks]

Don Spencer also sang the theme from Fireball XL5.

[wolfschmidt11]

dyllian morgan on play school on chuesday.

[troublemaker1973]

I remember sitting impatiently waiting for Play School to come... just sitting listening to the silence on the TV (Play School was always the first regular BBC2 programme of the day -- apart from Open University). Strange to think that a TV channel didn't start regular transmissions until 11am... and then went off again until the evening. How time's have changed. It was much better then. 24-hour TV was the death knell of quality TV.

[bidanton]

How right you are troublemaker1973-I agree with every word you say!

24-hour tv was indeed the death knell of quality tv, as many of the programmes are not very interesting that are on now!

[Rillington2000]

Abbolutely. Play School on BBC2 is my first TV memory and I recall seieng Test Card F with a little countdown clock. Also, at 11.25 we had the service Information before BBC2 closed down again. TV was so much more interesting in those days.

[bidanton]

Yes Rillington2000, I too remember that at 11.25 BBC2 either showed Test Card F for five minutes (with tone) until it closed down until around 5.10pm, or it showed service information instead, followed also by closedown.

Those were the days indeed.....

[fairytaleforest]

its great to discover I've an interest in broadcast/tv history! ..and that there is something of a community of people who like all this too!

I am actually thrilled to see old clock and slide junctions, after looking up 70s/80s schools programmes.. dare i admit it? oh what the hell!

tv was *definately* more interesting in those days, and rather magical.

[yz25098uk]

@troublemaker1973

agree 3 million percent, at least.

[JFredUK]

@troublemaker1973 Yup, quality rather than quantity. Even a little programme such as play school was, it was still presented by assomplished actors who, (despite pretending to be trees and bowls of jelly, etc.), did a brilliant job of conveying things to the under 5's.

[ATVmidlands5581]

just lovely thank you

[RobinCarmody]

Andy Cartledge announcing I think.

[ATVmidlands5581]

andy

do you know if this is indeed andy cartledge. this is one of the iconic voice overs that i can remember around this time. thanks

atvmidlands uk

[RobinCarmody]

Yes, it is him. I'm not called Andy though :).

[ATVmidlands5581]

sorry robin. thanks for your help in identifying this person. after all these years i now know who he was. there are a number of BBC continuity announcers which were brilliant around this time on the beeb. thanks again

atvmidlands uk

[quizmaster85]

FYI, Don Spencer was also a host on the Australian version of "Play School"

[ahd2006]

One of those classics that's been doing the rounds on the swaps circuits for years. The first pres tape I got has this on it.