Eamonn Andrews opens the Playbox and his young assistants join in the games including:
Inter-Regional Quiz League: Semi-Final: Birmingham v. Cardiff
Johnny Morris "The Hot Chestnut Man" drops in for a chat
What's in the Playbox?
at 5.0
'Where was Noah when the lights went out?' 'In the dark'. This well-known riddle suggests that quiz games were popular even in the Ark. On Children's Television, however, the questions are more up to date and in Playbox, now in its second year, children from all over the country have been answering posers ranging from spotting the latest popular numbers to saying what a lepidopterist is!
The first edition was in April 1955 with Eamonn Andrews in the chair. Johnny Morris was The Hot Chestnut Man, Tony Hart did the drawings, and Cliff Michelmore wrote and produced it. In all the twenty-nine programmes since then the team has never changed and no one has missed a programme. This must be something of a record. One of the reasons for the show's success is its spontaneity, for none of the boys or girls who take part is rehearsed. They arrive at the studios straight from school, meet Eamonn Andrews who chats with them and tells them what it's all about. Then there's just time for a cup of tea and it's 'Stand by, everyone'. A few moments later the red light starts winking and - they're on the air!
One of the most popular features has been the Inter-Regional Quiz in which teams from Manchester, Cardiff, Birmingham, Glasgow, London, and Bristol have competed against each other. Eamonn sets the questions and the teams answer if they can. Eamonn then gives the right answer. It is not all serious questioning. What really makes the programme an ace-high attraction is that it is fun all the way-and in the last edition of the present series, on April 24, there's going to be plenty of fun. On this occasion the two top teams will meet for a final tussle, and silver cups will be presented to both the winners and the runners-up. Perhaps one day the Playbox Cup will be as important as the Ashes!
(Vere Lorrimer)
