"That Was the Week That Was" (1962)TV series 1962-1963

Writers:

John Albery (writer)
John Antrobus (writer)
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

24 November 1962 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Satirical sketch show. The first such show in the UK. It ran for two seasons before being pulled just before the 1964 general election.

Plot Keywords:

Variety Show | Topical Humor | Satire | Sketch Comedy

Cast

David Frost	...	Himself (37 episodes, 1962-1963)
Millicent Martin	...	Herself (37 episodes, 1962-1963)
William Rushton	...	Himself (37 episodes, 1962-1963)
Roy Kinnear	...	Himself (37 episodes, 1962-1963)
Lance Percival	...	Himself (37 episodes, 1962-1963)
Kenneth Cope	...	Himself (37 episodes, 1962-1963)
David Kernan	...	Himself (37 episodes, 1962-1963)

(more)

Series Directed by
Ned Sherrin		(37 episodes, 1962-1963)

Series Writing credits
Christopher Booker		(37 episodes, 1962-1963)
Caryl Brahms		(37 episodes, 1962-1963)
John Cleese		(37 episodes, 1962-1963)
Kenneth Cope		(37 episodes, 1962-1963)
Peter Dobereiner		(37 episodes, 1962-1963)
David Frost		(37 episodes, 1962-1963)
Willis Hall		(37 episodes, 1962-1963)
Tony Hendra		(37 episodes, 1962-1963)
Richard Ingrams		(37 episodes, 1962-1963)
Antony Jay		(37 episodes, 1962-1963)
Gerald Kaufman		(37 episodes, 1962-1963)
Bernard Levin		(37 episodes, 1962-1963)
Peter Lewis		(37 episodes, 1962-1963)
David Nathan		(37 episodes, 1962-1963)
Dennis Potter		(37 episodes, 1962-1963)
William Rushton		(37 episodes, 1962-1963)
Ned Sherrin		(37 episodes, 1962-1963)
Steven Vinaver		(37 episodes, 1962-1963)
Keith Waterhouse		(37 episodes, 1962-1963)
Timothy Birdsall		(22 episodes, 1962-1963)
John Albery		(unknown episodes)
John Antrobus		(unknown episodes)
Brad Ashton		(unknown episodes)
Michael Bentine		(unknown episodes)
John Betjeman		(unknown episodes)
John Bird		(unknown episodes)
Malcolm Bradbury		(unknown episodes)
Graham Chapman		(unknown episodes)
Peter Cook		(unknown episodes)
Quentin Crewe		(unknown episodes)
Roald Dahl		(unknown episodes)
Elaine Dundy		(unknown episodes)
Barry Fantoni		(unknown episodes)
Michael Frayn		(unknown episodes)
Clement Freud		(unknown episodes)
Brian Glanville		(unknown episodes)
Julian Holland		(unknown episodes)
Herbert Kretzmer		(unknown episodes)
Al Mancini		(unknown episodes)
Frank Muir		(unknown episodes)
David Nobbs		(unknown episodes)
Denis Norden		(unknown episodes)
Bill Oddie		(unknown episodes)
Jack Rosenthal		(unknown episodes)
Johnny Speight		(unknown episodes)
Eric Sykes		(unknown episodes)
Peter Tinniswood		(unknown episodes)
Kenneth Tynan		(unknown episodes)
John Wells		(unknown episodes)
Michael Whale		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Donald Baverstock	....	producer (37 episodes, 1962-1963)
Alasdair Milne	....	executive producer (37 episodes, 1962-1963)
Ned Sherrin	....	producer (37 episodes, 1962-1963)

Series Original Music by
John Scott		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Michael Endacott		(unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Ron Grainer	....	composer: theme music (37 episodes, 1962-1963)
David Lee	....	musical director (37 episodes, 1962-1963)

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (UK)

Also Known As:

TW3

Runtime:

50 min (37 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

John Bird was the host for the first pilot, but was unavailable for the series, so was replaced by David Frost

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Story of Light Entertainment: Chat Shows (#1.7)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Weeks Review

TWTWTW: The most innovative show of its generation.

Hard, actually IMPOSSIBLE to believe that not a solitary person in all these years has had a single acknowledgment or comment to make on this ground-breaking weekly show that made David Frost a household name in three continents back in the early 60's.

Hit British Television like a steam train and nuked the collective public consciousness on its first appearance. The first show to feature stand-up comedy satirising current affairs. Thumbed its finger at traditional news broadcasting and mocked everyone from political figures, sports people, through to Television executives themselves. The ancestor of many many shows worldwide which picked up and copied the format. None either equalled or topped it. In Australia the first cab off the rank was THE MAVIS BRAMSTON SHOW which tried to hide its Brit origins and wound up a very limp imitation despite its subsequently being remembered so fondly. FAST FORWARD follows in TWTWTW's steps but lacks the depth of talent of its English grand-parent.

An ICON of 60's entertainment, and if you are British, then all the more meaningful that statement becomes. Cutting-edge scripting by David Frost and Bernard Levin and Millicent Martin, Kenneth Cope, Lance Percival, William Rushton and Roy Kinnear all went on to develop a stage and film presence....some more successfully than others.