#5 - "SIX-FIVE Special" (1958)

SIX-FIVE Special (1958) - part 5of6

-- Lonnie Donegan - "Grand Coolie Dam", "Jack Of Diamonds"

-- Paddy Madison and Lee Stone

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The Six-Five Special was a British television programme launched in February 1957 when both television and rock'n'roll were in their infancy in Britain.

It was the BBC's first attempt at a rock'n'roll programme, a very great innovation at the time and subsequently much imitated, even today. It was called the "Six-Five Special" because of the time it was broadcast - it went out, live of course as all programmes did then, at five past six on a Saturday evening.

Jack Good was the producer and disc jockey Pete Murray was its presenter who used the catchphrase "Time to jive on the old six five". Its resident band was Don Lang and his Frantic Five. The show opened with film of a steam train accompanied by the programme's theme song, played and sung by the Frantic Five.

The show was originally scheduled to last six weeks but, as a result of Jack Good ignoring the guidance given to him by the BBC management not to show the young audience alongside the performers, it continued indefinitely.

The BBC interfered with Good's vision of what the show should be by cluttering it with educational and information elements, as per their Public Service Broadcasting policy. The relationship between Good and the BBC became strained and they eventually fired him, resulting in a big loss of viewing audience.

Jack Good would quickly join the ITV company ABC to create "Oh Boy!", which was the show he'd wanted to make from day one. It featured non-stop music and lost the tedious "public service-inspired" elements as part of its more frenzied pace, and trounced the further-diluted "Six-Five Special" in the ratings.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• 6-5
• Special
• Jack
• Good
• Jim
• Dale
• Petula
• Clark
• Lonnie
• Donegan
• Cleo
• Lane
• Don
• Lang
• King
• Brothers

[thecubanism]

STEPASAUR ,I'm sorry but I'm not quite getting your drift here, please be a little more explicit and clarify your comment, thanks, TC.

[STEPASAUR]

@thecubanism do you mean the 'culture' that this corrupt clean polite version was taken from?

[thecubanism]

Lovely clean polite teens enjoying pure clean music, I know 'cos I was one of them before it got corrupted by, well, let's say people of a different culture.

[TheBoston96]

WENT TOO 'SIX FIVE' A FEW TIMES, RIVERSIDE STUDIOS , HAMMERSMITH.

SANG ALONG WITH MARION RYAN ONE WEEK!

[auguritutto]

I was about a year into my 2 years of national service. Seems a long time ago. Too long to wait for a bus eh?

[Owdfolkie]

This brings back memories...!!

[pinchold]

what a bunch of nice and innocent people

[gillypot1]

WOW! I was 13 in 1958 and it was a MUST to watch Six Five Special on a Saturday.

We had Dixon of Dock Green after it which was my Parents favourite but they HAD to put up with watching Six Five Special for me! It looks a bit dated now but WHAT great memories!

[kristinaeva]

Hi there,

I noticed you have uploaded a few of the Six-Five special shows. I am looking for one particular show with my dad Des O'Connor in it. Would you be able to help me find it? i'd love to see it and I know dad would too!

Thanks for your help in my quest!

Kristina O'Connor xx

[Rickenbackerglory]

@jiveman1030 Lonnie actually passed away near Peterborough. Market Deeping to br precise.