Good old Billy Cotton always listened to the Radio Program with my brother and parents 1960 ......Must never forget Jimmy Clitheroe kid..... Around the Horn

I was among a group of six girls singing backing to the television show broadcast in November 1961 when Bob Hope was the star of the evening. I was a pupil of Bush Davies School in Romford Essex. A man from the BBC had called the school searching for suitable children who took singing lessons for the parts. I still remember the song we sang as we must have rehearsed it 50 times. It was 'Hey Look me Over, Lend me an Ear'. We had to arrive quite early in the mornning and there was a lot of sitting around while the other performers rehearsed. The show went out live and didn't start until 9pm. It was a wonderful day. I got to meet Billy Cotton, Bob Hope and Kathy Kaye the singer. We were each paid one guinea.

Russ Conway, Ted Rodgers(?) & Billy Cotton. What a fabulous line-up, and this was true entertainment with talented people. I can't compare it with anything which is supposed to pass as "entertainment" today. This, and Sunday Night at the Palladium with Bruce Forsyth's "Beat the Clock" - just fabulous.

Me and my family used to listen to Billy Cotton on Sunday lunchtimes on the radio in the 1940's. Good memories!

I remember watching this show with my mum and dad when I was a kid. Loved it.

@TheStephenheath

7 жыл бұрын

same for me i remember the exact show yet i dont remember 1/2 hour ago haha

@johnbevan4684

4 жыл бұрын

Same here. The whole family sat and watched every Sunday on our old St. Michael set. It was a delight.

@martm216

3 жыл бұрын

Me too.

@-charliegunleabharannangau8dq

4 ай бұрын

@@martm216 i heard Billy Cotton is related to Fearne Cotton he was the great great niece of billy cotton

I miss those glorious days of genuine variety, entertainment at its' very very best xxx

Consummate performing skills. This was always broadcast live and they were a brilliant stage act too. I saw them on Bournemouth in 1958 and was sorry when the show ended.

Nice to see a my Great granfather Billy Cotton strutting his stuff. And the music lives on in me

@Cool2BCeltic

9 жыл бұрын

He was your grandfather? So this means that Fearne Cotton is your cousin.

@TheDawgKatcher

8 жыл бұрын

+Claire Smith Billy Cotton was the great-great-uncle of TV & Radio Presenter Fearne Cotton.

@kelseyschneider3746

6 жыл бұрын

Claire Smith is he really your grandfather sis

Nice to see my Great granfather Billy Cotton strutting his stuff, The music lives on in me

@TheDawgKatcher

8 жыл бұрын

+Alan Margetson Billy Cotton was the great-great-uncle of TV & Radio Presenter Fearne Cotton.

@I78885

4 ай бұрын

@@TheDawgKatcher oh wait his paternal grandfather's uncle

Saturday nights will never be the same and i will never be a kid again!

@grahamfielder1986

9 жыл бұрын

Mo Dolaghan Well put Mo! He couldn't sing very well or tell a good joke for that matter. But, he was a Showman and us Brits loved him!

@TheDawgKatcher

8 жыл бұрын

+Graham Fielder Talk for yourself - he was a Show-off-man. Just notice how he can't for ONE second keep staring into the camera lens, despite who he was interviewing / introducing.

@lesliegalert3823

4 ай бұрын

That's exactly what a compare... Is " supposed to do. Jeeeeeeeez ​@@TheDawgKatcher

Wonderful! I was 6 years old when this was recorded and I spent most weekends with my grandparents, so mom & dad could get some peace and have a night out. Grandad cooking breakfast as grandma scrubbed the back of my neck (because my mother never did it right, apparently), listening to the Archers on the wireless and watching Billy Cotton in black & white (no colour tv until '67, if you could afford one). I'd go back now if I could.

Old Billy and Russ Conway...he was handsome!....remember these shows with fondness when i was growing up in our happy little home!

i used to love this programme on a saturday night, i was only a kid, but dixon of dock green and this, were ace,

I have fond memories of watching these shows as a kid even though they were terrible. Kathy Kirby was aregular and I think Mrs. Mills as well. What a funny little chap Billy Cotton was. Still, I would rather watch repeats from 1964 than the bilge that is on today. God bless nostalgia!

My dad (Ray Landis) played trumpet with Bill's band - right through from the early 50s to Bill's death in the late 60s. He's in the front row in the middle ... hiding behind Bill's shoulder for much of this.

I remember it too, also his show on the radio. It may look a bit dated now, but is still far superior to much of what is dished up as entertainment today.

My dad would wake us up on monday mornings with "wakey waaakeeyyyy!!!"....it worked a treat, always made me laugh, but got me out of bed!. Thanks for this!

Performing in dark suits, white shirts, ties and hankies in the top pockets. Very cool stylish and professional. Great to listen to. Thank you for sharing.

Loved it,I was 12 years old when we got a TV and this was our Saturday night regular viewing.It's such a pity there's very few decent programmes to watch on a Saturday night now,not even with a sky subscription !

Fantastic to see again . Always enjoyed these family shows even though I was 4 at the time .

Amzing history! Can we all please protect the BBC and recognise its contribution to our culture 😐

Re the Radio show, I remember the 'Wakey wakey' at the start, and there was a closing sequence after the final sig tune when B.C. used to say "Give me my 'at and my coat.....etc" Also in the show there was a 'sketch' with a guy shouting "Hey you - you down there with the glasses...."

Ted Rogers, a man of whom the world would hear more.

Used to always watch the Billy Cotton Band Show great to see it again.

Wow! This is brilliant! Shame they don't make tv (or music) like the did back in the days of good old Billy Cotton, Glenn Miller, e.t.c.

As a British subject born 1936, my memories go back to my school dyes as a 4-year infant at Bidford on Avon, located 50 yards from the falcon Inn, where William Shakespeare smoked a clay pipe and drank his favourite Ale. Mr, Joseph Robert Neil Landrut.

It is good to remember the 'old days' I sometimes just watch these progs ( I have the complete programme on tape) and just reminisce. Thanks for your comments.

EXCELLENT 🌟FABOULOUS🌟 AWESOME 🌟📺📺📺📺📺📺

That's the first time I've seen a vid of this; we always listened to it on the radio; great, I didn't even know what Billy Cotten looked like

I, and a few of my friends would travel to Wood Lane Studios and watch this great Program being recorded.

Good jolly harmless musical fun from the early Sixties ! I would sooner watch this than the Great British Bake-Off and similar modern trash !

@AndrewWilliams-zc1hf

6 жыл бұрын

I agree, wakey wakey .

@hwren9845

5 жыл бұрын

The Great British Bake Off is about the most harmless, jolly modern show you could've chosen...

@rickshaw2779

5 жыл бұрын

@@hwren9845 and boring!

When the BBC was actually worth watching!

That's it, between Family Favourites and the Clitheroe Kid - those were the halycon days of radio. About a month before he unexpectedly passed away my Dad purchased a Ferguson radiogram - with VHF, sheer bliss. My Aunt used it until she died a few years ago I don't know what happened to it, probably still working away somewhere!

I could be wrong, but I think it was the Television Toppers that were the dance troop on the Billy Cotton Band Show. Nothing wrong with light entertainment in those days, much better than the crud on TV now

Russ Conway, my Mums favourite!

Billy Cotton shows were very popular with his wacky introduction.

My pleasure. I have fond memories of this period too. I am so please you enjoyed the VT.

Hey. I'd quite forgotten how this guy can play with just nine fingers!

I was an avid listener, as a boy!, to BC on the BBC Light Programme on Sunday dinner times. Also, I saw the BC Band Show live on stage at the Kingston Empire, must have have been the early 1950s. Oh what memories

This You Tube is a wounderfull thing for a 63 yr old English country gentleman, good to watch all the programms again. The Woodentops i forgot that they ate sawdust and straw for dinner.No Billy Cotton does not frighten me now, id be more interested in his Tiller girls.

@orchardcottage this stuff is what legends are made of...not two hits and a knighthood..im only 54...great entertainment of yesteryear...no swearing...times change i know...but think awhile...were your parents so past their sell by date that you wanted them gone...no...you want them forever

You are correct on every point! Modern day telly does not know what the word "Variety" or the concept of "Light entertainment" mean, it's a great shame. Thanks for your comments, they are appreciated.

Early memories of my childhood

Love it! thanks 4 putting it on.

Mention must be made of the bands' stalwart singer - Alan Breeze. He was taken on by Billy Cotton for a 6 week trial in the 1930's. He was still with Billy Cotton in the 1960's! Alan had a very delightful voice, but in private he had a stutter/stammer!

Good - I guess this is essentially music hall variety transplanted to television, rather than a specifically television show such as we get today. I must be getting old, because I much prefer this. I was eleven when this was on, still at primary school, but I well remember the Billy Cotton Bandshow.

I was very youngand absolutely hated this show but watched it with mother. It's till as bad!

Absoloutely. This was the staple diet for most brits on a Saturday night in, sitting in front of the telly, or indeed out watching at the local theatre!.

my late mothers father was the late Billy Cotton. Fearne is my 2nd cousin twice removed!

@gculloty87

8 жыл бұрын

+Sandra Baccolini Did you the hear the radio documentary that Fearne presented about Billy from a few years ago Sandra?

@roseflorence7200

8 жыл бұрын

How wonderful!

@TheDawgKatcher

7 жыл бұрын

Fearne is my 2nd cousin twice removed! Why? What had she done, and why did she coming back?

@MBM1117727 Yes it's true, "They don't make 'em like they used to" I don't understand why, it was simply pure entertainment. Thanks for your comment. GLF

You could be right, I'm sure someone with a better memory than ours will let us know, and my apologies for spelling troupe wrong.

This was prime time! Heaven help us.

@MarcusTomatos

3 ай бұрын

Different times, you idiot!

great, funny stuff, love it

TV was really still in it's infancy as far as technology is concerned, that makes it even more enjoyable to watch. Nowadays TV has gone in the opposite direction- it is far too 'high tech' You are certainly correct, in that sophistication was not a 'byword' for 1960's tele!.

this prommage is by Fearne Cotton the great great niece of Billy Cotton

Hi, Thanks for your comment. I could be wrong too, but I thought the name of Billy's dance troupe was 'The Silhouettes'. Anybody out there care to tell us if either of us is correct?

Heard that this influenced some of the Monty Pythons when they were in school. I can see that.

@broadband0118 You are correct in everything you say! TV bosses nowadays do not really know what the word 'Entertainment' means. There are very few exceptions, and much could be learnt from those dim, distant B&W days of old. Thank You for your comments. GLF

Bravo...

It is my pleasure. I am pleased you enjoyed it. GLF

How right you are!

There's No Business Like Show Business!

Yes. It makes one wonder where it will al end...

Bill Cotton his son became controller of BBC1.

GLFVIDEO, yes you are correct the Tiller Girls were on the Palladium show on a Sunday evening with Bruce and beat the clock.It does not take much to confuse me these days im 64 next month.Also in reply to Ann Two Shoes, it is sad to see some of the programms and hear the laungage used on TV these days.God bless you both, Ray.

@GLFVIDEO That's interesting, he never really understood it. It was never understood by anyone else.

Utterly devoid of talent, well it’s easy to look back and make judgements based on current standards. By the standards of the day it was actually good. Bill Cotton was witty and urbane and deadpan and performed yes, a typical variety radio show with a predictable pattern but very popular and even quirky. Much better than say, B. Forsyth or Des O’C. Certainly both listenable and watchable compared to other radio and TV shows which I sat through in the 50s and 60s. The one thing I remember was a simple phrase designed to poke fun in a pastiche sort of way at the yanks, I think, in a strong American accent, “hey you down there, you down there with the glasses”. It ran from 1949 until 1968 and I loved what I can remember of it. Russ Conway of course, I had forgotten but also Marion Ryan and also almost certain Ross McManus (from the one eyed city over the water). Wonderful programme and stands up in fact to many modern day forms of “entertainment” such as the so called soaps. Give me Billy Cotton with all his sometimes cheesy lines than P. Morgan or “Freddy” Flintoff who is being sold as some kind of TV “celebrity” which he is most certainly not.

The man was obsessed with the camera in his TV shows. When he was talking / introducing an arteest he never looked at them, just gazed into the camera lens. Still his son, B C Jnr, did VERY well out of all the contacts getting to the VERY top in the Ents Bus - and in turn giving HIS chums a hand up - in many cases despite their obvious lack of talent - Little and Large, Mike and Bernie Winters, Cannon and Ball, ...

@MarcusTomatos

3 ай бұрын

BC had to read cue cards after his strike in the early 60s. So there!

As a 4 year old child when he came on our B&W tv he used to frighten me, i remember i used to hide in a cupord.

@shaftsbury94 It certainly was. Thanks for your comment.

@Xand101 I am sorry I cannot tell you where you might be able to get the full version. I of course have it, but as I state in my Channel profile, I am unable to supply copies of programmes, mainly for copyright reasons, also because I would be forever duplicating DVD's! I am pleased that you were able to see your 'Ex' - Just because you have reached ther age pf 71 years, dosen't mean you have lost the art of romance. My very best wishes to you. GLF

OK. I think you might be getting a little confused though. The Tiller girls were on the London Palladium Show, Val Parnell's production for ITV.

@Cool2BCeltic Indeed. Ted never really achieved 'stardom' unlike some of his contemporaries. Let's face it - he is mostly remembered for 321, which he once admitted he never really understood! Thanks for taking the time to comment. Regards, GLF

Hello GLFVIDEO. Just to let you know I am still searching for that song about the Pinta, the Nina, and the Sancta Maria,'Day after day they travell'd along.....' I must be the last man alive to remember Billy Cotton playing this with Breezy.

@mikelheron20

10 жыл бұрын

No you're not. I also remember Kathy Kay, Rita Williams ....

@lesleyvivien2876

10 жыл бұрын

I remember the song too - but can't find it!

I think the U.S. probably had it's own programmes! However as far as I know, there are no DVD's or even VHS tapes in either UK PAL B or the U.S. NTSC system available. Apparently it is not economic to produce a few hundred discs/tapes, and the BBC don't believe there to be a larger market. A shame I agree. You will just have to watch YT! I hope you have seen Part Two, also on this Channel.

Lovely how Kathy had to change the word 'belly' into 'tummy'..! :o)

I'm sure there are quite a few in the BBC vaults, sadly I think that is where they will remain. BBC Worldwide, the sales arm of the BBC obviously does not think there would be a big enough market for them, or they would have released them before now. We do however, live in hope. GLF

Yes, plus of course he was minus half a finger on one hand!

We all seemed to be so innocent then, now we constantly hear the F word on TV - what happened?

Compared to to-day, yes!

Are there any episodes surviving in the vaults somewhere that may one day see a DVD release?

By this time, variety music hall was dying and a good thing too. Billy Cotton was the archetypal embarrasing uncle. And yet I remember with fondness, his bandshow, after Two way family favourites every Sunday. Roll on half a century and what have we got: ZZZZZ factor and The only way is Essex.

@and7barton

2 жыл бұрын

I recall, "down your Way" with Franklin Engleman, "Monday Night at Home" was also a favourite, sometimes featuring Ivor Cutler.

Amazed to see this as in the credits my old girl friend Jacqui Daryl appears. Went out with her 1960-62. Wonder if you can tell me where I might get a full version of the programme. It would be great to see her on the larger TV screen for nostalgic reasons of course. Both of us past 71 now. yes I know where she is now but we haven't met up. Oliver Reed figured in her life too. RMD

No wonder the beatles was so popular when you had music like this ..lol

@macdonald1957 and me..born in 57..nothing wrong with this...these damn kidz...lol

Can you identify him from this clip?

Have you seen the Dixon of Dock Green episode on my Chnnel?, if not take a look. You are right, they were great!

I seem to remember the Billy Cotton Bandshow was on the radio as well on Sunday lunchtimes in the mid to late 50's, am I correct?

@grahamfielder1986

8 жыл бұрын

+Peter Dawson , Yes indeed. It was broadcast Sunday lunchtime radio on the BBC Light Programme from 1949 until 1968. (Light programme became Radio 2).Hope this helps.

@peterdawson8910

8 жыл бұрын

+Graham Fielder It was a Sunday ritual for us kids at my grandparents house. Sat for roast lunch whilst listening to Billy Cotton on the radio. I was about 5 years old. My memories are a bit faded these days but I will always remember "Wakey Wakey!". My grandmother was still alive then so it does date my memory to the mid 50's. Thank you for your help Graham.

@grahamfielder1986

8 жыл бұрын

+Peter Dawson How nice to hear that Peter. It was a similar scenario at my parents house in the late 1950's and early 1960's. My dad died tragically at the young age of 44 when I was six in 1960. After a while we resumed listening, but it was never the same as it was.

@peterdawson8910

8 жыл бұрын

+Graham Fielder I fondly remember my childhood but as I mentioned my grandmother died in 1955, (actually on boxing day with me at 4 years of age). Now 60 years later I still try to rebuild any memories of those early days. It is well known that sounds and smells invoke forgotten memories and Billy Cottons "wakey wakey" clip is a sound that brought back memories of being around the lunchtime table together with the smell of furniture wax polish and lavender. I missed everything in the UK after 1960 because my parents emigrated with me to South Africa where I lived for 55 years. I have now retired to the UK so its also a case of slowly building up memories of the UK that I never personally enjoyed, (important to know in the local pub quiz, lol). Thanks Graham.

@grahamfielder1986

8 жыл бұрын

+Peter Dawson Welcome back home! I am pleased my contribution was able to bring back some fond memories of your childhood. It has been my pleasure Peter - Good luck!

i will take a peek

Russ Conway. I remember seeing him on tv and he always had this big smile. except one occasion on the Billy cotton show(playing the song side saddle 1959..its on youtube), where he seemed really sad or upset and was trying to force the smile. I was only a kid, but I remember noticing. Wásnt till years later I found he he suffered from acute depression.

@MarcusTomatos

3 ай бұрын

No... stage fright, not depression!

This is great! i found it looking for the origin of the phrase "Wakey, Wakey!" Though it was included in a few movies, this seems to be the first reference in popular culture, possibly pulled over from the military. If anyone can prove something earlier, I am all ears.

I don't know how to reply to that! I trust you managed to stay out of the cupboard to watch it this time!! GLF

Great to see this again, after so many years, I have been looking to find the Billy Cotton Band version of 3 (maybe it should be Three) ships. that they used perform on their Sunday morning show. The song was about the Pinta, Nina, and Santa Maria, the ships Columbus had in his voyage of discovery of America. Can you help?

@and7barton

2 жыл бұрын

I never saw this show on TV for some unknown reason, but always listened to the radio show, every Sunday. The band regularly played an instrumental piece which I've never heard anywhere else but on that show. I'm just searching through the KZread shows to try and find it again.

I’m not sure this is 1964. They refer to BBC2 which didn’t come in until 1968. But I still enjoyed it.

@MarcusTomatos

3 ай бұрын

...it was 1964, trust me.

Sorry Tom, I cannot assist you in your quest. Best wishes though in eventually finding what you seek.

nobody ..well closely nobody...ant and dec are keeping the old school going...this type of show long gone...BUT WHY...classic

I'm from the USA. After viewing some of this clips, I have to conclude that it was a pity this show never played in the USA. Does anyone know if videos of this show exist in a format playable on US players? Love the clips!

@MarcusTomatos

3 ай бұрын

No, all gone sadly, the BBC re-used all the tapes for future crap.

@torquesport Very funny...

er great

Is this guy supposed to be the British equivalence of Lawrence Welk?

@MarcusTomatos

3 ай бұрын

Probably.