All Our Working Lives1984
A programme about mining, shown as part of a BBC4 evening dedicated to the production of power in the UK.
Arena1975
Now the BBC's longest-running Arts strand, Arena began in 1975. The famous titles showing a floating bottle are now expanded to widescreen. The gorgeous theme, Another Green World, is by Brian Eno
BBC News 391995
Title sequence to a special programme, which reported the news as it was on the eve of the outbreak of World War 2. I thought there would be appropriate WWI type music to introduce this programme, but it sounds like the Radiophonic Workshop were drafted in to do it.
BBC News 451995
Fifty years ago, the war ended, and this is a special news bulletin, similar to the above, reflecting the news that was broadcast on that special day. Note the different COW from the above clip...
BMTV1989 BMTV - British Medical Television was an information service available by subscription aimed at GPs. BBC Enterprises launched a commercial venture offering providers the use of unused night time transmission hours. The venture was approved by the home office for a trial period of two years. Subscribers paying for the service would have a descrambler box which would automatically recognise the scrambled picture broadcast during the early hours of BBC2 and set the VHS recorder to record the programmes, so the subscriber could watch the following morning. Clip recorded by Roy Koning
Bodymatters1986
This lightweight health education magazine show ran for three series, recorded in front of a studio audience and hosted by The Three Doctors... namely Dr Graeme Garden, Dr Alan Maryon Davis and Dr Gillian Rice; they were joined on occasions by Maggie Philbin for Bodymatters Roadshow.
The show is of interest for an early TV appearance by Victoria Beckham, dressed up as a piece of sperm on rollerskates. Go figure.
The Body in Question1978
Jonathan Miller qualified as a doctor of medicine in 1959 and having dabbled in comedy and drama (the chilling 1968 Omnibus film of Whistle & I'll Come To You springs to mind, as does his 1966 celeb-fest Alice in Wonderland), he wrote and presented this thirteen-part series, which aired from 06/11/1978. It attracted controversy and devotion alike, the former the result of his dissection of a human body, the latter due to a gorgeous montage of antique clocks and paintings filmed at the Greenwich Observatory, accompanied by a memorable radiophonic vocoder score from Peter Howell, The Greenwich Chorus
Celebdaq2003
A showbiz news programme charting the rise and fall of celebrities, rating their celebrity worth in the form of a stock exchange.
Crimewatch UK1987 CWUK's original presenting duo of Nick Ross and Sue Cook update us on the evening's calls. Don't have nightmares, do sleep well
left clip - opening titles
right clip - closing theme
Crimewatch UK2003
That famous theme tune leads into an update from the Crimewatch team regarding the main shows appeals for help tracking rapists, muggers, burglars and armed robbers. Don't have nightmares....
The Culture Show2009
The Culture Show: BBC2's weekly look at arts and culture presented by Lauren Laverne.
Face to Face1961
A legendary series of half-hour interviews, conducted by John Freeman between February 1959 and April 1962. Freeman never appeared on camera throughout the 35 shows; only his questions could be heard. His guests were filmed in tight close-ups under stark lighting conditions, as if under interrogation. Guests ranged from Lord Reith, Bertrand Russell and Martin Luther King to Adam Faith and Stirling Moss. This edition dates from February 1961 and features Tony Hancock. The titles were unique for every edition, illustrated by Feliks Topolski with images of the guest.
Face to Face1995
The classic format was revived in the 90s, this time with Jeremy Isaacs as the off-camera interviewer. Here, Paul Eddington makes one of his final and most poignant TV appearances, to discuss the skin cancer which eventually claimed his life.
Film 911991
Barry Norman casts his critical eye over the latest films showing in cinemas. The theme music that has become synonymous with the "Film" tv series is called "I Wish I Knew How It Could Feel To Be Free".
Film 931993
Same music, fresh set of titles. Mr Norman still in the chair, reviewing whats coming up at the flicks.
Film 971997
Now on BBC2, another fresh set of titles, but still that famous music. Bet you've tried to recognise the films in the opening sequence...i managed 1.
Film 20072007
The famous theme tune remixed for the 21st century with Jonathan Ross being the Barry Norman of the 21st century.
Five to Eleven1988
A nasty variation on Jackanory, no doubt aimed at the bedridden, shown weekdays at 10.55am and requiring character actors to sit amid dying floral arrangements and give poetry readings via autocue. Philip Madoc is today's host... or victim?
Good Morning1993
Since the creation of ITV's This Morning in 1998, the BBC has tried on numerous occasions to create a rival show. Good Morning turned up in 1993, and lasted for two years. Nick Owen and Anne Diamond were the hosts. The first series gave ITV a run for its money, but series two dropped showbiz guests in favour of 100% human interest, and this is what caused it to lose out in the ratings war. It was axed....
Homeground2001
Series presenting documentaries and investigative programmes from around the BBC regions. This one, presumably from the South East region, remembers the story of the Lancastria. This episode aired on the 19th of July 2001.
Holiday '741974
Cliff Michelmore and John Carter wear their finest sports jackets to blend into the brown scenery as hosts of this 1974 edition of the Holiday programme, which feature Brits abroad on golden sands and in aqua-marine pools, intercut with numerous tight close-ups of female breasts bobbing about in bikini tops. This clip is taken from the 1992 edition of TV Heaven in which Frank Muir comments wrily on boob aethetics, in the light of 1974's drive for Women's Liberation.
Horizon1982
Another flagship show, comprising 50-minute documentaries on science, medicine and technology. Who would have thought it has been on air now for nearly forty years? The BBC website would have you believe it is a world leader in its field. But who cares?! Let's revel in these fantastic, evocative and memorable titles - seen in a 1982 edition on vintage Grand Prix cars - quite possibly the earliest British TV title sequence to be created entirely with computer graphics.
Horizon1998
By way of contrast, a 1998 title sequence, from the edition "The Computer That Ate Hollywood". Reflections and stark colours are the order of the day here. Peter Capaldi narrates this film, about the increased use of CGI to create people and scenery in movies, with particular emphasis on James Cameron's recent blockbuster "Titanic".
London to Brighton in 3½ Minutes1983 A train journey from London to Brighton, shot from the driver's cab using time-lapse photography, became a famous BBC 'intermission' film in 1953. This is the original transmission of the colour re-make, on 15/07/1983, marking the 50th anniversary of the electrification of the line and lasting 3½ minutes. The superb synthesized score and sound effects are by Kim McCroddan, while BBC1 announcer Tim Nichols narrates.
Man Alive1966
Desmond Wilcox began his journalism career in 1949, and after a spell with the Daily Mirror and five years with Rediffusion's This Week, he joined the BBC in 1965 to become co-editor and presenter of this remarkable documentary series, made by a team which he later formed into the Man Alive documentary unit. Wilcox had a knack for exposing raw emotion in his contributors, though as a result his films were occasionally referred to around the corporation as "Desmond's Weepies".
Modern Times1996
The observational documentary strand on BBC2 during the mid-90s, which delivered of such memorable films as Lucy Blakstad's "The Lido", covering a day in the life of Brockwell Park Lido in South London and a cross-section of its clientele.
The National Lottery Live - 1st Programme1994
On the 19th of November 1994, actor and comedian Gordon Kennedy ("Absolutely" and "Gregory's Girl") introduces the first ever National Lottery show before handing over to Noel Edmonds in a security lorry, heading for Television Center with the lottery machine and the cash! (Unlikely as the machine would have already been installed in the studio for testing and the jackpot, at that point, would have been unknown). What would Health and Safety say now to having a lorry driven into a studio with 400 audience members?
Trivia fans might like to know that the first draw jackpot, was around £7.3m, and was won by 7 ticket holders who won around £800,000 each. Not bad eh?
Noel Edmonds Late Late Breakfast Show1982
A rather James Bond-ish looking Noel Edmonds zooms his way around in a Lambo and a speed boat in the titles to this light entertainment show, resplendant in a theme tune written by Gary Kemp and performed by Spandau Ballet. The show was famous for its stunts involving members of the public, but resulted in disaster in 1986 when Michael Lush died from multiple injuries after a bungee stunt went horribly wrong. The show was scrapped soon after and Noel went into hiding, only to resurface 2 years later with Noel's Saturday Roadshow.
The One Show2007
Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley introduce Nationwide for the noughties.
Theme composed by David Lowe
One Foot In The Past1995
I always really admired this series, for making architecture and history so watchable, and for stoking up concern for heritage issues. The theme music is very touching, while the beautiful and apt title sequence shows an olde worlde model village being menaced by a bulldozer. This edition featured a report on the fight to save the last of Britain's police boxes, and followed Neil Pearson on a trip back to his old public school in Suffolk.
Out of Court1983
A BBC2 magazine show in which Watchdog collides with Rumpole of the Bailey... From the comfy scenario of a standard Beige Broadcasting Corporation set, Sue Cook and David Jessel guide us in a fun but earnest manner through the foothills and pitfalls of the legal world. Somehow I can't quite picture the target audience. Legal executives and trainee solicitors perhaps? Certainly not teenagers waiting for Monkey...
The Paul Daniels Magic Show1980
Don't watch the left clip if you suffer from "remembering annoying tunes" syndrome. Yes, Paul Daniels is here with a special Magic Show. You'll like it, not a lot...
Left Clip - Titles and THAT theme tune I warned you about Right Clip - Credits and THAT tune again
The Paul Daniels Magic Show1984
"Meet the man who excels: Paul Daniels!" The famous magic show, hosted by a man who wore a hilarious toupee for many years, until he saw sense. His wife, the lovely Debbie McGee, was also the hostess. His most regular guest act was Hans Moretti, a strange and bizarre European circus performer with a large handlebar moustache.
The Paul Daniels Magic Show1985
Yes, he's back again with new titles and (thankfully) a new theme tune and a Golden Rose of Montreaux no less....
Points of View1962 Long ago, in a lime grove far away, Robert Robinson hosts the BBC viewers' letters show. No sign of the lick-over as yet, but his trademark "sexy for the times" dour demeanour is very much in evidence.
Points of View1981
Oh no! "Triangle" has finished its current run! Never mind, here's Uncle Barry Took to sooth your furrowed brow with his dulcit tones, and introduce more of your letters regarding BBC programmes. Barry was a comic writer who wrote many classic radio comedies with his writing partner of many years, Marty Feldman. Here, Uncle Barry shows us his Alfred Hitchcock impression in the opening monologue.
Points of View1980s
From the classic era of Points of View, your friend and mine Barry Took introduces a selection of viewers' letters, sitting behind what appears to be a Bontempi organ in the corner of a nightclub. The title music is a wondrous radiophonic rendition of "When I'm Sixty-Four". Perhaps Barry, a former jazz musician, was playing it himself on the organ?
Points of View1993
Anne Robinson looking all sweet and demure before her "ability to make yogurt by staring at a pint of milk" phase kicked in, introduces letters complaining about the Cup Final and other BBC related grumbles.
Q.E.D.1982
Q.E.D, a name derived from the Latin "Quod Erat Demonstrandum" or "That which was to be demonstrated" . In other words, a posh "How do they do that?" This edition examines at the craziness of Uri Geller.
Russell Harty's Christmas Party1982
Journalist, chatshow host and travel broadcaster, Russell Harty lived on BBC2 and hosted a popular chatshow once a week. This Christmas 1982 edition features special guests Shelley Winters, Nicholas Parsons, Peter Davison, Sandra Dickinson, Shaw Taylor (as a Mexican dancer), plus the choir of St Paul's Cathedral and a bevvy of MPs at Westminster singing carols to their constituents. This clip is blighted by BITC alas...
Screenwipe2006
TV critic, Charlie Brooker's Guardian newspaper column is brought to the small screen courtesy of BBC Four.
See For Yourself1989
Sue Lawley takes a behind the scenes look at the BBC and asks the questions on behalf of licence fee payers - whether the public is getting value for money.
See For Yourself1991
Julian Pettifer presents a film which looks at the future of the BBC, whilst Esther Rantzen chaired questions from a studio audience.
Bite Back - See For Yourself1992
This year Julian Pettifer presents the BBC Annual Report as a Bite Back Special. Director General Michael Checkland takes questions and answers from a studio audience.
Songs of Praise1982
Michael Barratt, Nationwide hero, jets off to Manchester to moonlight as host of the BBC1 Sunday teatime church service. The venue for this service from October 1982 is Strangeways Prison, Manchester.
Right clip - another example of Songs of Praise from 1988
Star for a Night2001
"The Cruise" singer Jane Macdonald hosts this show that shows off the public's singing abilities in this BBC1 primetime show from the early naughties.
The Time of Your Life1983
From 15/07/1983, Noel Edmonds hosts an edition of his nostalgia series. Each week, he would invite a principal guest to recall a special time in their life - a good year, a career high, a personal triumph - and show clips to match. The particular month or year would be covered by secondary guests and clips as appropriate. In this edition, Jenny Agutter relives December 1970, along with David Frost and Jilly Johnson. Peter Bolgar is the BBC announcer in the continuity clip (right).
TV50: First 50 Years of BBC TV1986
On Saturday 1st November 1986, the entire BBC1 evening schedule was given over to a mammoth "celebrity talking heads clip show", aimed squarely at viewers over the age of 39. All sorts of people from Joan Collins to Margaret Thatcher, and from Denis Healey to Kenny Everett, described their favourite all-time BBC shows. Ronnie Hazlehurst tossed off the opening theme tune, but it got much better after that - though I can't imagine why they kicked off the show proper with Gracie Fields singing "Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye..." A brilliant set of colour tube graphics makes up the TV50 logo. (Thanks to Louis Barfe)
Tomorrow's World1976
It's Thursday night, it's 7pm... it's Tomorrow's World! This long-running science series aimed to give viewers a taste of exciting new inventions that would transform our lives, and was often broadcast live. Hosts during this classic 1970s era included Raymond Baxter and Michael Rodd, given a rousing intro by the terrific Johnny Dankworth theme tune. I love the way each letter of the logo is animated from different objects - flaming R's, frying O's, pill-popping S's and toasting T's; these titles take me right back to my daddy's knee! Click the pictures for enlargements.
Tomorrow's World1983
This edition, shown on 17/03/1983, features the "brain" title sequence and a radiophonic theme tune composed by Richard Denton and Mark Cook that was first used on the 1980 series. Kieran Prendeville hosts the first item, about magnetic chucks for lathes; he was joined in this edition by Judith Hann and Maggie Philbin. Click the pictures for enlargements.
Tomorrow's World1990
A 1990 edition hosted by Judith Hann, Howard Stableford, Peter Macann and Kate Bellingham, which features the fantastic theme tune by Paul Hart, which was first used in 1986 - albeit with an edit at the point in which a butterfly appears over the CGI model of Macann's revolving head. In all the series ran for 38 years, from 1965 to 2003, and was axed as a result of falling ratings... Click the pictures for enlargements.
Tomorrow's World1993
Here we have another clip from the long running sci-tech series with Howard Stableford and the usual co-hosts
The Tom O'Connor Roadshow1987
The Tom O'Connor Roadshow was a weekday live variety show, which was shown on BBC 1 at lunchtimes.
(Apologies for the poor recording!)
Video Active1987
Video Active was a series of 6 programmes presented by Sue Robbie. The series shows amateur videographers how to use camcorders and looked at ways of shooting visually interesting videos.
The World About Us1974
This BBC2 natural history series was initiated in 1967 by its then channel controller David Attenborough, and ran on the channel until 1986. As the first channel to embrace colour from 1967, the series was originally designed to present exciting and dramatic colour footage filmed by amateur cameramen, although the programme was eventually given a big budget and graduated to professional production values.
Who Do You Think You Are?2009
BBC's family history programme, putting the art of tracing your family tree firmly into primetime.