Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Playlists
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Television»TV by Decade»TV Shows - 1950s
    TV Shows - 1950s Variety 2 Mins Read

    People Are Funny

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    1 9 5 5 (UK)

    One of the earliest television game shows in Britain, People Are Funny exploited human frailty so much that when the ITA asked for it to be toned down the production company took it off the air instead.

    The show was based on the US programme of the same name, which was hosted by Art Linkletter. The contestants were ordinary folk taken unawares by practical jokes. In one case a woman was given a hammer and told to smash china wrapped in a cloth. She then found it was from her own home.

    In one of the first programmes, a pleasant couple were persuaded to go on stage in front of the cameras, lured there by the promise of lavish gifts including pressure cookers, refrigerators, washing machines and kitchen equipment.

    Derek Roy (pictured at left), who hosted the show, asked the woman whom she loved most in the world. “My husband,” she said. “We’ll soon see how much you love him,” said Mr Roy . . .

    The husband was then shut in a cupboard with a hole in the top. A man stood above with a bucket of icy water. “If I give you five shillings,” said Mr Roy, “may we pour the water over him?” – “No!” – “Seven and six? ten shillings?” (the equivalent of 50p today); “No! No! No!” – “Well, what about a dozen pairs of fully fashioned nylons?” – “Oh, that’s different!”

    The water poured, followed by a howl from inside the cupboard. The process was repeated using quick-drying cement and other mixtures which involved even more enticing bribes to the woman who by this time was almost in tears but overwhelmed by her prizes.

    When the cupboard was opened it was revealed it had a false ceiling which had caught all the muck and mess, but there was nothing false about the camera, the television’s eye which had caught the poor woman’s cupidity for all to see.

    As an invasion of privacy, it was too blatant for the public taste.

    Related Posts

    • Some You Win
      Some You Win
      1 9 8 4 (UK) This 30-minute Saturday night programme from Granada Television took a look at life's winners and losers.…
    • $1.98 Beauty Show, The
      $1.98 Beauty Show, The
      1 9 7 8 - 1 9 8 0 (USA) This spoof of beauty pageants (created by the production company of…
    • Balance Your Budget
      Balance Your Budget
      1 9 5 2 - 1 9 5 3 (USA) 30 minute episodes Bert Parks - billed as "the keeper…
    • For Love or Money (USA)
      For Love or Money (USA)
      1 9 5 8 - 1 9 5 9 (USA) Contestants chose whether to play for the offered prizes on view…
    • You Bet Your Life
      You Bet Your Life
      1 9 5 0 - 1 9 6 1 (USA) 209 x 30 minute episodes They called it a game…
    • Oz Game, The
      Oz Game, The
      1 9 8 8 (Australia) A game show about Australia by Australian broadcaster ABC. Hosted by John Derum with Alan Glover acting…
    • David Susskind Show, The/Open End
      David Susskind Show, The/Open End
      1 9 5 8 - 1 9 8 7 (USA) Television's longest running talk show, both in length of time it…
    • Double Your Money
      Double Your Money
      1 9 5 5 - 1 9 6 8 (UK) 478 x 30 minute episodes Canadian ex-pilot Hughie Green brought this…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleLate Late Breakfast Show, The
    Next Article Gardeners’ World

    Comments are closed.

    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    You May Also Like
    • Crunchie
      Crunchie was originally launched in the UK by JS Fry & Sons […]
    • Three Bad Sisters (1956)
      Marla English, Kathleen Hughes and Sara Shane play the three […]
    • Y2K Bug
      In addition to debating whether 2000 or 2001 would mark the […]
    • Tim Buckley
      Born on Valentine’s Day 1947, California-raised […]
    • Rogue’s Rock
      1 9 7 4 – 1 9 7 6 (UK) 27 x 30 minute episodes The tiny […]
    • Virgin Witch (1972)
      Pretty young Christine (Ann Michelle) and her younger sister […]
    Twitter Feed
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Popular Tags
    1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1975 1976 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games Britpop Canada Crime Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen Labels Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Power Pop Pub rock Punk Radio Scotland Ska Soul music Sport Surf music
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Copyright © 1998, 2022 Nostalgia Central
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.