The Blackpool Show (ITV Variety, Tony Hancock, Dickie Henderson)

The Blackpool Show was a variety show broadcast on Sunday nights from the ABC Theatre in Blackpool. In something of a last hurrah for his career Tony Hancock compered the first series and Dickie Henderson compered the second run of episodes.

Bob Sharples and his ABC Television Showband provided the music, a troupe called The Blackpool Show Dancers provided dance routines and Peter Gordeno was a regular on the first season.

Guests included the likes of Cilla Black, Dusty Springfield, The Seekers, The Shadows, The Rockin’ Berries, The Bachelors, Frank Ifield, Frankie Vaughan, Mel Tormé, Matt Monro, Frankie Howerd, Bruce Forsyth, Dave Allen, Les Dawson, Mike and Bernie Winters, Arthur Askey, Bob Monkhouse, Freddie ‘Parrotface’ Davies and Jimmy Clitheroe.

The week before the transmission of the first episode on 19 June 1966, Tony Hancock had recorded an un-transmitted pilot edition.

Writers: John Muir and Eric Geen (season 1), Eric Merriman / Choreography: Peter Gordeno (Season 1), Irving Davies (Season 2) / Producer and Director: Mark Stuart (the last two edition were produced and directed by Keith Beckett)

UK / ITV – ATV / 16×50 minute episodes / Broadcast 19 June 1966 – 13 August 1967

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