List of early colour TV shows in the UK
Below is a list of early colour TV[1] shows produced in the UK between the late 1950s up to 1970[2] where by that point, the majority of programmes were being produced in colour.[3] The list features titles of shows, TV companies, transmission dates, formats and their archival status; noting whether they are lost, partially or mostly missing or have episodes that exist in B&W.[4] Also included are some programmes which had one off transmissions, where applicable.
Pre 1966[edit]
| Title | Company | TX | Format | Archival Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "The Adventures of Sir Lancelot" | ITC Entertainment | 1956–57 | Film | Exists |
| "Stingray" | ITC Entertainment | 1964–65 | Film | Exists |
| "Thunderbirds" | ITC Entertainment | 1965–66 | Film | Exists |
1966[edit]
| Title | Company | TX | Format | Archival Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Hippodrome Show" | ITV (ATV) | 1966 | Video tape (VT) | Some episodes [F 1] |
| "The Palladium Show" | ITV (ATV) | 1966–69
(1 test episode) |
VT | Exists |
| "The Baron" | ITC Entertainment | 1966–67 | Film | Exists |
| "The Saint" | ITC Entertainment | 1962–69
(Series 5–6) |
Film | Exists |
1967[edit]
| Title | Company | TX | Format | Archival Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons" | ITC Entertainment | 1967–68 | Film | Exists |
| "Half Hour Story" | ITV (Rediffusion) | 1967–68
(1 test episode) |
Film | Exists[5] |
| "Horizon" | BBC2 | 1964–present
(Series 4 onwards) |
Film/ VT | Most episodes exist |
| "Late Night Line Up" | BBC2 | 1964–72
(Jun 67 onwards) |
VT | Some episodes exist |
| "Man In a Suitcase" | ITC Entertainment | 1967–68 | Film | Exists |
| "Once More With Felix" | BBC2 | 1967–70 | VT | Some episodes exist [F 2] |
| "Piccadilly Palace" | ITV (ATV) | 1967 | VT | Some episodes exist [F 3] |
| "The Avengers" | ITV (ABC/Thames) | 1961–69
(Series 5–6) |
Film | All colour episodes exist |
| "The Black and White Minstrel Show" | BBC2 | 1958–78
(Series 10–20) |
VT | Some episodes exist |
| "The Flower of Gloster" | ITV (Granada) | 1967 | Film | Exists |
| "The Prisoner" | ITC Entertainment | 1967–68 | Film | Exists |
| "Theatre 625" | BBC2 | 1964–68
(Series 5) |
VT | Some episodes exist |
| "Wimbledon Tennis Championships" | BBC1/2 | 1937–present
(1967 onwards) |
VT | Most colour transmissions exist |
| "Vanity Fair" | BBC2 | 1967–68 | VT | Exists [F 4] |
1968[edit]
| Title | Company | TX | Format | Archival Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "1968 Summer Olympics" | BBC1/2 | 1968 | VT | Exists |
| "Bobbie Gentry" | BBC2 | 1968–71 | VT | Some episodes exist |
| "Broaden Your Mind" | BBC2 | 1968–69 | VT | Lost [F 5] |
| "Call My Bluff" | BBC2 | 1965–2005 | VT | Most episodes |
| "Cold Comfort Farm" | BBC2 | 1968 | VT | Exists |
| "Colour Me Pop" | BBC2 | 1968–69 | VT | Some episodes exist [F 6] |
| "Danger Man" | ITC Entertainment | 1960–68
(Series 4) |
Film | Exists |
| "Gardeners’ World" | BBC2 | 1968–present | VT | Most episodes exist |
| "Goodbye Again" | ITV (ATV) | 1968 | VT | Exists |
| "In Their Own Words" | BBC2 | 1968 | Film | Exists |
| "Marty" | BBC2 | 1968–69 | VT | Most episodes exist |
| "Jazz at the Maltings" | BBC2 | 1968–69 | VT | Some episodes exist |
| "Joe 90" | ITC Entertainment | 1968–69 | Film | Exists |
| "Late Night Horror" | BBC2 | 1968 | VT | One episode exists |
| "Man Alive" | BBC2 | 1965–82
(Series 3–16) |
Film/VT | Most episodes exist |
| "One Pair of Eyes" | BBC2 | 1967–84
(Series 2 onwards) |
Film | Exists |
| "Ooh La La" | BBC2 | 1968–73 | VT | Series 3 only |
| "Scott On..." | BBC2 | 1964–74
(Series 2–5) |
VT | Some episodes exist |
| "Sherlock Holmes" | BBC2 | 1965–68
(Series 2) |
VT | Some episodes exist |
| "The Champions" | ITC Entertainment | 1968–69 | Film | Exists |
| "The Dave Allen Show" | BBC1/2 | 1968–69 | VT | Most episodes exist |
| "The Eurovision Song Contest" | Various | 1957–present
(1968 onwards) |
VT | Most transmissions exist [F 7] |
| "The Morecambe & Wise Show" | BBC1/2 | 1968–77 | VT | Most episodes exist |
| "The World of Beachcomber" | BBC2 | 1968 | VT | Lost |
1969[edit]
| Title | Company | TX | Format | Archival Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "All Gas and Gaiters" | BBC1 | 1967–71
(Series 3–5) |
VT | Some episodes exist |
| "Cilla" | BBC1 | 1968–76
(Series 3–8) |
VT | Most episodes exist |
| "Civilisation" | BBC2 | 1969 | Film | Exists |
| "Coronation Street" | ITV (Granada) | 1960–present
(Nov 69 onwards) |
VT | Exists |
| "Crossroads" | ITV (ATV/Central) | 1964–88
(Nov 69 onwards) |
VT | Most episodes exist [F 8] |
| "Curry and Chips" | ITV (LWT) | 1969 | VT | Exists |
| "Dad's Army" | BBC1 | 1968–77
(Series 3–9) |
VT | All colour episodes exist |
| "Dee Time" | BBC1 | 1967–70
(Nov 69 onwards) |
VT | No colour episodes
exist |
| "Department S" | ITC Entertainment | 1969–70 | Film | Exists |
| "Dixon of Dock Green" | BBC1 | 1955–76
(Nov 69 onwards) |
VT | Some episodes exist |
| "Doctor in the House" | ITV (LWT) | 1969–70 | VT | Exists |
| "Frost on Sunday" | ITV (LWT) | 1968–70
(Oct 69 onwards) |
VT | Most episodes exist |
| "Girls About Town" | ITV (ATV) | 1969–71 | VT | Exists |
| "Grandstand" | BBC1 | 1958–2007
(Nov 69 onwards) |
VT | Most episodes exist |
| "Hadleigh" | ITV (Yorkshire) | 1969–76 | VT | Exists |
| "Lift Off with Ayshea" | ITV (Granada) | 1969–74 | VT | Some episodes exist |
| "Magpie" | ITV (Thames) | 1968–80
(Nov 69 onwards) |
VT | Some episodes exist |
| "Match of the Day" | BBC1/2 | 1964 – present
(Nov 69 onwards) |
VT | Most episodes exist |
| "Monty Python's Flying Circus" | BBC1 | 1969–74 | VT | Exists |
| "Mr Digby Darling" | ITV (Yorkshire) | 1969–71
(Series 2–3) |
VT | Exists |
| "Nearest and Dearest" | ITV (Granada) | 1968–73
(Series 3–7) |
VT | Exists |
| "Not in Front of the Children" | BBC1 | 1967–70
(Series 4) |
VT | Some episodes exist |
| "Out of the Unknown" | BBC2 | 1965–71
(Series 3–4) |
VT | Some episodes exist [F 9] |
| "Panorama" | BBC1 | 1953–present
(Nov 69 onwards) |
VT | Most episodes exist |
| "Parkin's Patch" | ITV (Yorkshire) | 1969–70 | VT | Exists |
| "Paul Temple" | BBC1/ ZDF | 1969–71 | VT | Some episodes exist |
| "Please Sir!" | ITV (LWT) | 1968–72
(Series 2–4) |
VT | Exists |
| "Pop Go the Sixties" | BBC1/ ZDF | TX: 31/12/1969 | VT | Exists |
| "Pot Black" | BBC2 | 1969–2007 | VT | Most episodes exist [F 10] |
| "Prince Charles Investiture" | BBC2 | TX: 1/7/1969 | VT | Exists |
| "Public Eye" | ITV (ABC/ Thames) | 1965–72
(Series 4–7) |
VT/Film | All Colour Episodes
exist [F 11] |
| "Q..." | BBC2 | 1969–82 | VT | Most episodes exist |
| "Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)" | ITC Entertainment | 1969–70 | Film | Exists |
| "Sez Les" | ITV (Yorkshire) | 1969–76
(Series 2–11) |
VT | Series 3–11 exists |
| "Softly Softly: Taskforce" | BBC1 | 1969–76 | VT | Exists |
| "Strange Report" | ITC Entertainment | 1969–70 | Film | Exists |
| "The Big Match" | ITV | 1968–92
(Nov 69 onwards) |
VT | Most episodes exist |
| "The Dick Emery Show" | BBC1 | 1963–81
(Dec 69 onwards) |
VT | Most episodes exist |
| "The Gnomes of Dulwich" | BBC2 | 1969 | VT | Lost |
| "The Golden Shot" | ITV (ATV) | 1967–75
(Nov 69 onwards) |
VT | Some episodes exist [F 12] |
| "The Good Old Days" | BBC1 | 1953–83
(Dec 69 onwards) |
VT | Most episodes exist |
| "The Secret Service" | ITC Entertainment | 1969 | VT | Exists |
| "The Sky at Night" | BBC1 | 1957–present
(Dec 69 onwards) |
VT | Most episodes |
| "The Sooty Show" | ITV (Thames) | 1968–92
(Dec 69 onwards) |
VT | Most episodes |
| "The Wednesday Play" | BBC1 | 1964–70
(Nov 69 onwards) |
VT/Film | Most episodes |
| "The Worker" | ITV (ATV/Thames) | 1965–78
(Series 3–5) |
VT | Most episodes [F 13] |
| "This Is Your Life" | ITV (Thames)/ BBC1 | 1955–64, 1969–2003, 2007
(Series 10 onwards) |
VT | Most episodes |
| "Take Three Girls" | BBC1 | 1969–71 | VT | Some episodes |
| "This Is Tom Jones" | ITV (ATV) | 1969–71 | VT | Exists |
| "Tomorrow's World" | BBC1 | 1965–2003
(1970 onwards) |
VT | Most episodes [F 14] |
| "Top of the Pops" | BBC1/2 | 1964–2006
(Nov 69 onwards) |
VT | Most episodes |
| "Up Pompeii!" | BBC1/ ITV (Thames) | 1969–91 | VT | Exists [F 15] |
| "Where Was Spring?" | BBC2 | 1969–70 | VT | Lost |
| "World of Sport" | ITV | 1965–85
(Nov 69 onwards) |
VT | Most episodes |
| "World in Ferment" | BBC2 | 1969 | VT | Audio Only |
1970[edit]
| Title | Company | TX | Format | Archival Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "A Family at War" | ITV (Granada) | 1970–72 | VT | Exists [F 16] |
| "A Question of Sport" | BBC1 | 1968–present
(Series 1 onwards) |
VT | Most episodes |
| "Albert and Victoria" | ITV (Yorkshire) | 1970–71 | VT | Exists |
| "Armchair Theatre" | ITV (ABC/ Thames) | 1956–74
(Series 10–16) |
VT | Most episodes |
| "Bachelor Father" | BBC1 | 1970–71 | VT | Exists |
| "Barry Humphries’ Scandals" | BBC2 | 1970 | VT | Lost |
| "Braden's Week" | BBC1 | 1968–72
(Series 3–4) |
VT | Some Episodes |
| "Blue Peter" | BBC1 | 1958–present
(Sept 70 onwards) |
VT | Most episodes |
| "Callan" | ITV (ABC/ Thames) | 1967–72
(Series 3–4) |
VT | All Colour Episodes |
| "Dear Mother...Love Albert" | ITV (Thames/ Yorkshire) | 1969–72 | VT | Series 2–4 |
| "Disco 2" | BBC2 | 1970–1 | VT | Some episodes [F 17] |
| "Doctor Who" | BBC1 | 1963 – present
(Season 7 onwards) |
VT | All Colour Episodes [F 18] |
| "Dr. Finlay's Casebook" | BBC1 | 1962–71
(Series 8) |
VT | Some episodes |
| "Father Dear Father" | ITV (Thames) | 1968–73
(Series 3–7) |
VT | Exists |
| "Freewheelers" | ITV (Southern) | 1968–73
Series 4–8 |
VT | Most episodes |
| "FIFA World Cup – 1970" | BBC/ ITV | 1970 | VT | Most transmissions exist |
| "For the Love of Ada" | ITV (LWT) | 1970–71 | VT | Exists |
| "Hark at Barker" | ITV (LWT) | 1969–70
Series 2 |
VT | Exists [F 19] |
| "How!" | ITV (Southern) | 1966–81
(Series 4–17) |
VT | Some episodes |
| "It's Cliff Richard" | BBC1 | 1970–76 | VT | Most episodes [F 20] |
| "Jokers Wild" | ITV (Yorkshire) | 1969–74
(Series 2–9) |
VT | Exists |
| "Manhunt" | ITV (LWT) | 1970 | VT | Exists |
| "Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width" | ITV (ABC/ Thames) | 1967–71
(Series 4–6) |
VT | Exists |
| "No – That's Me Over Here!" | ITV (Rediffusion/ LTW)
(Series 3) |
1967–70 | VT | Series 3 only |
| "Not Only, But Also" | BBC2 | 1965–70
(Series 3) |
VT | Some episodes |
| "Oh Brother!" | BBC1 | 1968–70
(Series 3) |
VT | All colour episodes exist |
| "Oh In Colour!" | BBC2 | 1970 | VT | Exists |
| "On the Buses" | ITV (LWT) | 1969–73
(Series 3–7) |
VT | Exists |
| "Play For Today" | BBC1 | 1970–84 | VT/Film | Most episodes [F 21] |
| "Queenie's Castle" | ITV (Yorkshire) | 1970–72 | VT | Exists |
| "Steptoe and Son" | BBC1 | 1962–65, 1970–74
(Series 5–8) |
VT | Exists |
| "That's Your Funeral" | BBC1 | 1970–1 | VT | Exists |
| "The Adventures of Rupert Bear" | ITC Entertainment | 1970–77 | Film | Exists |
| "The Dustbinmen" | ITV (Granada) | 1969–70
(Series 3–4) |
VT | Most episodes |
| "The Goodies" | BBC2/ ITV (Thames) | 1970–82 | VT | Most episodes |
| "The Kenny Everett Explosion" | ITV (LWT) | 1970 | VT | Fragment exists |
| "The Lovers" | ITV (Granada) | 1970–71 | VT | Exists |
| "The Misfit" | ITV (ATV) | 1970–71 | VT | Exists [F 22] |
| "Till Death Us Do Part" | BBC1 | 1965–75
(Election Special onwards) |
VT | Most episodes |
| "Timeslip" | ITV (ATV) | 1970–71 | VT | Exists [F 23] |
| "Two in Clover" | ITV (Thames) | 1969–70
(Series 2) |
VT | Exists |
| "UFO" | ITC Entertainment | 1970 | Film | Exists |
| "Z-Cars" | BBC1 | 1962–65, 1967–78
(Series 6–12) |
VT | Some episodes [F 24] |
References[edit]
- ^ Elen, Richard G. "TV Technology 8. Britain In Colour – and UHF". BFI Screenonline.
- ^ Thomas, Howard (1977). Adding colour, with an Independent air. Weidenfeld & Nicolson – via ABC at Large.
- ^ Bowden-Smith, Kif (24 May 2004). "Colour My Life". Transdiffusion.
- ^ "Kaleidoscope's TV Brain". TV Brain.
- ^ Simon Coward, David Rolison (31 July 2016). "Experiments in colour and electronic film systems: George's Room (1967)". British Television Drama.
Footnotes[edit]
- ^ The first in a series of shows ATV filmed in NTSC colour for US transmission, though shown in monochrome in the UK.
- ^ Some episodes survive as inserts recorded by Bob Pratt, one complete episode survives as a B&W tele-recording.
- ^ Filmed in NTSC for US transmission, the series was shown in B&W in the UK.
- ^ The majority of episodes survive as NTSC copies.
- ^ Some 35mm Colour film inserts exist.
- ^ Three complete episodes survive in colour, an incomplete episode also exists.
- ^ Parts of the 1970 contest exist in Monochrome.
- ^ Some 1970–1 episodes were affected by the ITV Colour Strike.
- ^ Some surviving colour episodes survive as B&W tele-recordings.
- ^ A large number of episodes are missing from Series 1–8.
- ^ The five episodes of Series 5 were shot in monochrome due to the ITV Colour Strike.
- ^ Some episodes recovered from domestic videotape copies, courtesy of presenter, Bob Monkhouse.
- ^ Series 5 consists of short sketches that featured on "Bruce Forsyth's Big Night" (1978–80). Some of the episodes have been recovered from VHS recordings.
- ^ The majority of colour episodes are lost prior to 1981.
- ^ All episodes survive as NTSC copies.
- ^ Episodes 12–19 of Series 2 were affected by ITV Colour Strike.
- ^ Some surviving episodes survive as B&W tele-recordings.
- ^ Some colour episodes survive as NTSC copies, off-air tapes and B&W tele-recordings with chroma dots. Only one colour episode, The Mind of Evil pt1, has no surviving authentic colour image data - this episode has been recolourised.
- ^ One episode 'Rustless on Law' (TX: 17/7/1970) survives a B&W tele-recording.
- ^ Some episodes exist as B&W tele-recordings.
- ^ Some episodes from Series 1–5 are missing, a few exist as B&W tele-recordings.
- ^ All episodes survive as B&W tele-recordings.
- ^ All but one episode survives as B&W tele-recordings.
- ^ Some colour episodes exist as B&W tele-recordings.
External links[edit]
- Early Color Television, Early Television Museum
- 'The First Colour Television' by Richard Cavendish, History Today, July 7, 2008.
- Early BBC Colour Tests, www.meldrum.co.uk
- Colour Television in Britain, by Iain Baird, Science + Media Museum, May 15, 2011
- How colour TV crossed an ocean before it arrived in UK homes, by Chris Smith, BT, July 16, 2018.
- 1966 On This Day: BBC Tunes into Colour, March 3, 1966