Sunday Night at the London Palladium - Volume One

Making its debut on ITV's opening weekend in 1955, Sunday Night at the London Palladium swiftly established itself as one of the weekly televisual highlights for the British viewing public. Gaining average viewing figures of 14 million and Top Ten placings almost every week, it is undoubtedly one of the main shows that helped establish commercial television in the UK. This was a weekly television event that appealed to all classes, denominations and age groups - an unquestionable success which still provides a high benchmark that today's variety shows can only aspire to. This DVD set released to celebrate the London Palladium's centenary - contains some of the best of what remains in the archives for the original run from the 1950s and '60s, with hosts including Tommy Trinder, Bruce Forsyth and Hughie Green. It also includes the special two-hander show from December 1961 that featured only Norman Wisdom and Bruce Forsyth, alongside some of the remaining shows from the 1970s revival. These editions include Beryl Reid, Adam Faith playing with the John Barry Seven, Bobby Darin, Pinky & Perky, Sarah Vaughan, Freddie and the Dreamers, Mario Lanza, Larry Grayson, Jim Dale, Paul Anka, Rod Hull and Emu, Ted Rogers, Sacha Distel, Cliff Richard, Bob Monkhouse, Clodagh Rodgers and many more. SPECIAL FEATURES [] 3 December 1961 - special strike edition featuring Norman Wisdom and Bruce Forsyth [] 6 January 1974 - due to a bomb scare on the evening of transmission this edition was never broadcast and is presented here for first time [] Extensive image galleries featuring pictures of performers from shows that no longer exist - these include Pete and Dud, The Beatles, Judy Garland (including her final performance in 1969), Frankie Howerd, Morecambe and Wise, Sammy Davis Jr., The Supremes and many behind-the-scenes images, including some from itsfi rst transmission rehearsals in 1955 and several variety spectaculars, such as the Royal Variety Shows [] Original production and promotional paperwork, alongside an exhaustive guide to the show (PDF)