Jokers Wild

1 9 6 9 – 1 9 7 4 (UK)

Another classic from Yorkshire Television, this hilarious and unusual game show series was guaranteed to give viewers a laugh a minute . . . literally.

The teeming working men’s clubs in the North of England – and especially in Yorkshire – had long afforded a good living for legions of entertainers, some of whom rose to star status.

Quick-witted Leeds-born Barry Cryer would select a random topic, challenge a comic to tell a joke based on it, and strive to control six wisecracking comedians from the realms of clubland.

If one of the opposition thought he knew the gag, he could interrupt by pressing an alarm, then he would have to complete it.

There was also a solo spot where a comic was required to extract as many laughs as possible from the audience in minute-long patter sessions.

The guest line-up included big names of British comedy such as Ted Ray, Les Dawson, Arthur Askey, Ray Martine, David Nixon, Warren Mitchell, Bob Monkhouse, Jack Douglas, Alfred Marks, Lance Percival, Jack Smethurst, Roy Kinnear, Sid James and Clive Dunn.

The first few episodes also featured the glamorous Isabella Rye – a girl of Amazonian proportions – as hostess.

Barry Cryer (Chairman)
Les Dawson (Team Captain)
Ted Ray (Team Captain)
Clive Dunn
Arthur Askey
Ray Martine
Alfred Marks
Norman Collier
Bob Monkhouse (Team Captain)
Warren Mitchell (Team Captain)
Jack Smethurst
Tim Brooke-Taylor
David Nixon
Roy Kinnear
John Cleese
Leslie Crowther (Team Captain)
Sid James
Clement Freud
Deryck Guyler
Jack Douglas (Team Captain)
June Whitfield (Team Captain)
Freddie Starr
Arthur Askey (Team Captain)
Jon Pertwee (Team Captain)
Charlie Chester (Team Captain)
Diana Dors (Team Captain)
Eric Sykes
Michael Bentine (Team Captain)
Bernard Bresslaw
Dickie Henderson

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