Rats To You

1 9 5 6 (UK)
6 x 30 minute episodes

Premiering on Thursday 24 May 1956, the Grand Order of Water Rats presented this fortnightly variety and comedy series for BBC Television.

In the debut broadcast, King Rat Dave O’Gorman introduced a star bill including Max Bygraves, Tessie O’Shea, Peter Brough and Archie Andrews, Morris and Cowley, Davy Kaye, Cardew Robinson, Herschel Henlere, Jack Cruise and the Water Rats Choir.

Other guest performers during the show’s run included Lee Lawrence, Robb Wilton, leggy puppeteer Christine Granville, Abbe Gale, Phyllis Plydell, Vic Oliver, Chic Murray, Anne Shelton, Jacqueline Mackenzie, Clarkson Rose, George Donnan, Dorothy Squires, Jack Warner, Arthur English, Leslie Adams, Jacqueline Delman, Max Bacon, and the Larry Gordon Dancers.

O’Gorman hosted the first three shows. The duty was subsequently also performed by George Elrick.

The final show (broadcast on 2 August) was hosted by comedian Al Burnett (who was not a Water Rat) and featured very few Rats in the cast. The BBC had left the organisation of Rats To You to the Water Rats themselves but were reportedly unhappy with the result and stepped in at the last minute to try and put some pep and topicality into the show.

Guests included Hollywood’s June Havoc, Fred Ferrari, Jen Jackson (a heavyweight American comedienne) and comedians Humper and Dink (in reality, Shakespearean actors David O’Brien and Michael Oxley).

The orchestra was conducted by Harold Collins, and the producer was Richard Afton.

Host
Dave O’Gorman
George Elrick
Al Burnett