'Oh Boy!' Diary
MAY 1959
FRIDAY 1st
It is announced the BBC’s rival pop show “Drumbeat” series has been extended to at least August and books Adam Faith, Roy Young, Terry Dene, Vince Eager and John Barry to appear in the series.
With just five “Oh Boy!" shows to run before the end of the series, “Drumbeat” makes a concerted attempt to secure big name artists for its broadcasts over the summer of 1959 when it holds a monopoly over teenage viewers without any competition.
They immediately snatch up Cliff Richard and the Drifters to appear on the 9th May edition (his BBC debut) and book him for a further 2 appearances on 20th and 27th June 1959.
The NME announces Cliff Richard is to make his BBC TV debut on Saturday 9th May:
CLIFF RICHARD breaks entirely new ground on May 9, when he makes his first appearance on BBC-TV - starring in the peak-hour Saturday evening variety presentation next week!
The occasion, which introduces Columbia's teenage sensation to a host of new viewers, to whom his many previous ITV appearances have not been accessible, is the BBC's 35th anniversary tribute to Henry Hall, "Here's To The Next Time."
Among the stars announced earlier for this programme are Dickie Valentine, Joan Regan, Dickie Henderson, Arthur Askey and the Michael Sammes Singers. Bernard Bresslaw cannot now appear, and is replaced by Eric Sykes.
Following a cavalcade of stars with whom Henry has been associated, the show will close with Cliff and The Drifters - as representatives of the new artists with whom Henry is always coming into contact.
Cliff is also lined up for later BBC-TV appearances. After being seen in ABC-TV's "Oh Boy!" at the end of May, he moves to the rival channel for "Drumbeat" on June 20 and 27.
There is now uncertainty whether Cliff will begin filming "Expresso Bongo" in June.
Laurence Harvey is now cast for a lead role for which Peter Sellers had originally been named. Harvey has a Hollywood commitment already pencilled-in, which may precede or follow "Bongo."
Meanwhile, Cliff's first film "Serious Charge" will be one of three British pictures to be shown at the Berlin Film Festival.
EXTRA DATES
More one-nighters have been added to Cliff's May programme - a hastily arranged tour next week. He plays dates at Bristol, Liverpool and Preston on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
On May 17, he enters fresh fields, starring at the first Sunday concert ever staged in Peterborough - at the Embassy Theatre.
Last Sunday, there were incredible scenes during the first house at Lewisham Gaumont.
Manager B. Richardson told the NME: "The fans were a bit naughty. They enjoyed the show but got carried away. Girls left their seats and rushed to the front of the stalls.
"One girl clambered past attendants on to the stage. The safety curtain had to be lowered while Cliff was singing "A Whole Lotta Shaking."
After the show a large crowd gathered at the rear of the theatre under Cliff's dressing room window and would not move. This caused an obstruction to traffic until the police were called to disperse them.
On Tuesday, he recorded an EP of the four songs he sings in the film "serious Charge." Plans are under way for him to record a new single, which for the first time will include a ballad, on Monday.
His group, The Drifters, who record in their own right for Columbia, waxed new titles yesterday (Thursday).
The NME announces that Jack Good’s bid to get American singer Jackie Wilson for the 23rd May edition of “Oh Boy!" has failed:
BIDS for "Reet Petite" singing star Jackie Wilson to star in the "Oh Boy!" show on May 23 seem to have fallen through, cables Nat Hentoff.
Latest information is that he will probably be available for a visit to Britain in July.
SATURDAY 2nd
'OH BOY!' SHOW # 34 (Compered by Tony Hall)
ABC CATALOGUE SHOW NUMBER 9. (OF 13)
RESIDENT WEEKLY BAND & PERFORMERS:
Lord Rockingham's XI, The Dallas Boys,
Neville Taylor & The Cutters, Cherry Wainer, The Vernons Girls.
THIS WEEK'S SPECIAL GUESTS:
Alma Cogan
Cliff Richard & The Drifters
Marty Wilde
Mike Preston
This is the ninth show of 13 recorded for export to the United States. It is now thought that this original telerecording, once catalogued with ABC at Teddington, Middlesex until 1968, may be in the private hands of someone in the United Kingdom.
Also some of the 13 copies sent to America are known to exist and in the possession of a  private collector in Arizona or New Mexico.
Red Price is in hospital and did not appear in this edition.
This is Cliff and the Drifters first appearance since 28th March (5 weeks absence) Cliff duets with both Marty Wilde and Alma Cogan.
This is Alma Cogan’s second and final appearance in the series. She had first appeared on the 14th February edition (show no.23)
(Above) Marty Wilde, Alma Cogan and Cliff Richard
close this 2nd May edition singing "That's Love".
(Left)
Two shots of a moody
looking Cliff singing
"Choppin' n' Changin"
(Above) 3 shots of Cliff and Marty duetting on "Tell Him No"
THE MOTHER OF ALL GROUPS!
Back row, left to right: Marty's mother, Alma's mother, Alma Cogan, Mike's mother and Cliff's mother.
Front row: Marty Wilde, Mike Preston and Cliff Richard.
Cliff and Alma became good friends and they made frequent guest appearances on each others forthcoming TV spectaculars for the ATV network in 1959 to 1961.
Balladeer Mike Preston makes the fifth of seven appearances in the series.
Jack Good books Marty Wilde for all the remaining “Oh Boy!" shows until 30th May. (the final edition.)
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MEMORIES OF 2ND MAY SHOW BY STAN EDWARDS.
Former Butlins Redcoat and club entertainer Stan Edwards (pictured at left) remembers attending the Hackney Empire Theatre to see the live broadcast of the 2nd May “Oh! Boy!” show. He recalls his excitement of being seated in the front row of the gallery alongside friend and former Drifter Ian Samwell and the memorable meeting with guest star Alma Cogan backstage after the show. Stan was the man who made the earliest ‘live’ recording of Cliff Richard and The Drifters in existence during their short term residency at the Butlins Holiday Camp in Clacton–On–Sea in Essex, on the east coast of England in August 1958.
Cliff had arrived at Butlins with two school friends, drummer Terry Smart and lead guitarist Ian Samwell - the composer of Cliff’s first ever chart hit “Move It”. Redcoat Stan was to quickly become good friends with Ian, affectionately known as ‘Sammy' , and when unemployment loomed at the end of the Summer Season, Stan moved down to London in November 1958 and shared a flat with ‘Sammy’ in Kilburn, North London, fairly close to Cliff’s own flat in the Edgeware Road. Sammy wrote nearly all of Cliff’s early single hit recordings including “Move It” (Cliff’s first hit) “High Class Baby/My Feet Hit The Ground” (2nd single) “Mean Streak/ Never Mind” (4th single) as well as other frenetic rockers like “Dynamite” and “Choppin n' Changin”. In fact he wrote most of those tracks while he was resident at the flat with Stan. Ian invited Stan to several live “Oh Boy” shows between December 1958 and May 1959. This was a truly exciting time for Ian….seeing his own compositions performed live on national television by Britain’s fastest rising young rock star - Cliff Richard. The 2nd May 1959 show was a particularly exciting event for Sammy as Cliff was due to perform both sides of his envisaged new single release “Choppin’ n’ Changin’ and “Dynamite” on the show… both Ian Samwell compositions! Ian had even invited Stan to the original recording sessions of both these tracks at the Abbey Road recording studios on the Monday evening of 9th March 1959. In addition, Cliff was to perform a duet with Marty Wilde and a big finale number with both Marty and that week’s star guest- Alma Cogan. "The screaming from the girls in the audience was unbelievable” said Stan. “It was such an exciting atmosphere.” It was a welcome and long overdue return for Cliff who had been on a gruelling whistle stop tour of concerts around Britain and who had not appeared on “Oh Boy!” since 28th March. "After the show, Ian and I went backstage and we met Alma Cogan. I always remember it was quite a squeeze as Alma’s dress seemed to fill the entire dressing room” said Stan. "Choppin’ n’ Changin” never did become Cliff’s 4th single release. EMI Columbia a week later decided to release another two Ian Samwell compositions “Mean Streak” b/w “Never Mind” instead and Cliff went on to promote the single when he next appeared on “Oh Boy!” on the 23rd May. Choppin n' Changin found an eventual and much delayed release on the feted “Me and My Shadows” LP in October 1960 while the brilliant rocker “Dynamite” made the B side of Cliff’s 6th single “Travellin’ Light” in October 1959.
FRIDAY 8th 
The NME announces that BBC rival pop show "Drumbeat" is booking some big names to appear over summer:
MUSIC fans are assured of a weekly beat music show on BBC-TV this summer. "Drumbeat" has been extended at least until the end of August.
Compere Gus Goodwin makes his last appearance tomorrow, but the contracts of John Barry, Adam Faith, Roy Young, Sylvia Sands and Vince Eagar are being extended to the end of June. Bob Miller was already booked until then.
In addition to Cliff Richard, Sheila Buxton guests in tomorrow's show and Terry Dene returns for another appearance.
Although Fontana recorded a "Drumbeat" EP last week, EMI have decided to go ahead with the plan for a Parlophone LP to be recorded on Sunday.
The NME announces Cliff will make a double BBC debut tomorrow with two television 
appearances:
TOMORROW (Saturday), Cliff Richard becomes the first pop singer to star in two BBC-TV shows on the same night!
He appears in "Drumbeat," in addition to "Here's to the Next Time" later in the evening.
Originally booked as a surprise item in the Henry Hall tribute programme, manager Tito Burns arranged for Cliff to also appear in "Drumbeat," which takes the air just one hour earlier.
The concert Cliff missed, through illness, at Hull on February 11, he hopes to give there on May 27. This would be included in a proposed one-nighter tour, commencing May 26 at Hanley Victoria Hall.
Other dates include Reading Palace (28th), Chelmsford Odeon (29th) and Woolwich Granada (30th).
The NME announces that Jack Good is to fly to America to recruit some big named artistes to appear in his new series beginning in September 1959:
JERRY LEE LEWIS, Jackie Wilson and The Coasters are three of the top-line American recording attractions ABC-TV producer Jack Good aims to clinch for his autumn "Oh Boy!" series - when he makes a dramatic visit to America next week.
Good flies to New York on Monday night, hoping to finalise terms for each to play two "Oh Boy!" dates, with one-night concerts on intervening evenings.
Speaking of Jerry Lee Lewis, Good told the NME: "I am very intersted in him as an artist, despite the controversy surrounding his last visit. After all, look at his hit parade successes."
Now that Jackie Wilson cannot appear on May 23, hot gospeller Renee Martz has been booked for her second appearance on the show.
Already Good has tentatively booked Cliff Richard for the first programme of the autumn series (September 19) and Dickie Pride for several shows.
There is a possibility that Lord Rockingham's XI will not be in the show when it returns in September. In this event, it is probable that Bill Shepherd will become musical director, leading an entirely new type of combination.
The Rockingham Band recorded again for Deca this week. Title of its forthcoming releases are "Ra Ra Rockingham" and (significantly?) "Farewell Rockingham."
When in the States, Good will spend one week in New York and three days in Memphis, where he hopes to pick up ideas for use when he begins his a-and-r activities for Decca in August.
SATURDAY 9th
'OH BOY!' SHOW # 35 (Compered by Jimmy Henney)
ABC CATALOGUE SHOW NUMBER 10. (OF 13)
RESIDENT WEEKLY BAND & PERFORMERS:
Lord Rockingham's XI, Red Price, The Dallas Boys,
Neville Taylor & The Cutters, Cherry Wainer, The Vernons Girls.
THIS WEEK'S SPECIAL GUESTS:
Billy Fury
Conway Twitty
'Cuddly' Dudley
Dean Webb
Dickie Pride
Marty Wilde
Maureen Kershaw
Tony Sheridan & The Wreckers
This is the tenth show of 13 recorded for export to the United States. It is now thought that this original telerecording, once catalogued with ABC at Teddington, Middlesex until 1968, may be in the private hands of someone in the United Kingdom.
Also some of the 13 copies sent to America are known to exist and in the possession of a private collector in Arizona or New Mexico.
Conway Twitty flies in from the United States especially for the first of two consecutive performances on this show and next week's 16th May edition.
In the show he sang his number 1 smash hit “It’s Only Make Believe.” (see photo on left)
Billy Fury makes his fourth of six appearances in the series.
Cuddly Dudley makes his 18th and penultimate appearance. He would appear again in the final show on 30th May in which many of the “Oh Boy!" stars were booked to perform abridged versions of their songs in an action packed show.
Dean Webb makes his second and final showing.
Dickie Pride makes his sixth of eight appearances.
Tony Sheridan and his Wreckers make their sixth and last appearance.
Maureen Kershaw makes her only appearance in the series.
After the show many viewers switched channels to watch Cliff Richard and the Drifters make their BBC debut appearance on “Drumbeat.”
Cliff makes his BBC television debut with not one, but TWO appearances on the same night!
At 6.30pm he and the Drifters starred in BBC’s pop show “Drumbeat” along with Terry Dene.
It is probable he promoted his new single release “Mean Streak” which he did the previous week on “Oh Boy!" (2nd May 1959).
An hour later on BBC at 7.30pm Cliff and the Drifters topped the bill in “Here’s To The Next Time” a 35th anniversary tribute show to Henry Hall.
Both shows were broadcast live and probably never telerecorded. As a result these performances are presumed lost forever.
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MONDAY 11th
Jack Good flies to the United States in a bid to book some big name American acts for the envisaged new “Oh Boy!” series beginning in September 1959. He spends 10 days in America in total – with 7 days in New York and 3 days in Memphis -where he meets up with television executives to try to clinch deals selling his new TV series. He returns home to England on the 22nd May.
Frenetic Jack was looking forward to a 12 week holiday in Italy to relax after the final “Oh Boy!" show on 30th May.
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TUESDAY 12th
Jack is in New York promoting his new series and signing up American artistes for forthcoming appearances.
SATURDAY 16th
'OH BOY!' SHOW # 36 (Compered by Tony Hall)
ABC CATALOGUE SHOW NUMBER 11. (OF 13)
RESIDENT WEEKLY BAND & PERFORMERS:
Lord Rockingham's XI, Red Price, The Dallas Boys,
Neville Taylor & The Cutters, Cherry Wainer, The Vernons Girls.
THIS WEEK'S SPECIAL GUESTS:
Bill Forbes
Conway Twitty
Don Lang
Marty Wilde
Mike Jackson
Mike Preston
Pierce Rodgers
This is the eleventh show of 13 recorded for export to the United States. It is now thought that this original telerecording, once catalogued with ABC at Teddington, Middlesex until 1968, may be in the private hands of someone in the United Kingdom.
Also some of the 13 copies sent to America are known to exist and in the possession of a private collector in Arizona or New Mexico.
American star Conway Twitty makes his second
and final appearance on “Oh Boy!". He had
flown especially to Britain to make his debut appearance on last week’s show (16th May) when he sung his smash hit “It’s Only Make Believe.”  This week he promoted his new single release “Hey Susie” backed by the resident “Oh Boy!” band.
Stalwart Marty Wilde, one of Jack’s favourite artistes, makes his 15th of 17 appearances in the series. Marty went on to host and star in Jack’s forthcoming ABC pop series “Boy Meets Girl” in September 1959.
Bill Forbes makes his ninth of eleven appearances.
Don Lang makes his tenth of eleven appearances.
Newcomer Mike Jackson makes his only appearance in the series.
Pierce Rodgers makes his fourth and final showing.
2 Very small screenshots of Conway Twitty
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MONDAY 18th
Jack Good still in America on business, flies from New York to Memphis promoting his new television series (called “Boy Meets Girls”) beginning in September 1959. He would return to England on Friday 22nd to oversee the production of the last two “Oh Boy!” shows on 23rd and 30th May.
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FRIDAY 22nd
Jack Good returns from his 10 day business trip to America where he clinches deals to sell his new forthcoming series and secures several famous names for forthcoming appearances.
 SATURDAY 23rd'OH BOY!' SHOW # 37 (Compered by Jimmy Henney)
ABC CATALOGUE SHOW NUMBER 12. (OF 13)
RESIDENT WEEKLY BAND & PERFORMERS:
Lord Rockingham's XI, Red Price, The Dallas Boys,
Neville Taylor & The Cutters, Cherry Wainer, The Vernons Girls.
THIS WEEK'S SPECIAL GUESTS:
Bill Forbes
Billy Fury
Cliff Richard
Dickie Pride
Marty Wilde
Renee Martz
Terry White
This is the twelfth show of 13 recorded for export to the United States. It is now thought that this original telerecording, once catalogued with ABC at Teddington, Middlesex until 1968, may be in the private hands of someone in the United Kingdom.
Also some of the 13 copies sent to America are known to exist and in the possession of a private collector in Arizona or New  Mexico.
This show is unique at present because an extract from it survives to this day. A two minute clip of Cliff and the Drifters performing their latest single “Mean Streak” was lifted from the show for inclusion in a documentary made in April 1966 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of ABC Television.
The hour long show, called the “ABC of ABC” which is mostly a documentary on the cultural changes in Britain from 1956 to 1966 and co-presented by Eamon Andrews and actress Billie Whitelaw, survives and is retained by the British Film Institute in London.
At present this is the only “Oh Boy!" footage found other than the two surviving editions of 4th April and 30th May 1959
Jack’s attempts to secure American singer Jackie “Reet Petite” Wilson for this show did not materialize.
Jack ensured that his all-time “Oh Boy!” favourites were booked for the final two shows of the series. They included Cliff Richard, Marty Wilde, Billy Fury, Dickie Pride and Bill Forbes.
Renee Martz, an American teenage preacher with a deep soulful voice makes his second and final appearance in the series. He had previously appeared on the 18th April edition.
Newcomer Terry White makes his one and only appearance (see picture on right of him with Cliff and Jack Good).
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THE FINAL SHOW OF THE SERIES!
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SATURDAY 30th
'OH BOY!' SHOW # 38 (Compered by Tony Hall & Jimmy Henney)
ABC CATALOGUE SHOW NUMBER 13. (OF 13)
RESIDENT WEEKLY BAND & PERFORMERS:
Lord Rockingham's XI, Red Price, The Dallas Boys, 
Neville Taylor & The Cutters, Cherry Wainer, The Vernons Girls.
THIS WEEK'S SPECIAL GUESTS:
Bill Forbes
Billy Fury
Cliff Richard
'Cuddly' Dudley
Dickie Pride
Don Lang
Lorie Mann
Marty Wilde
Mike Preston
Peter Elliott
One of only two known surviving shows from the entire series. This is the show which has been played on network television in Britain during the “TV Heaven” series on Channel 4 in the early 1980’s and from which extensive clips have been taken for inclusion in numerous documentaries for more than 25 years.
Cliff Richard’s sultry take on Fabian’s 1959 hit “Turn Me Loose” has been used on television hundreds of times, one of the earliest repeat showings being on the “The Kenny Everett Video Show" (Thames TV) back in 1978.
Another clip frequently used is the novelty song “Three Cool Cats” sung by Cliff Richard, Marty Wilde and Dickie Pride with some unusual ‘seductive’ choreography provided by three of the Vernons Girls during the instrumental break.
Other more memorable moments demanded as clips by producers include Billy Fury’s performance of “Don’t Knock Upon My Door” and Cliff and Marty fronting the entire “Oh Boy!” cast on “When The Saints Go Marching In”.
In this final show there are 10 featured guest artistes (in contrast to the usual 6 or 7) in addition to the resident Lord Rockingham XI band as Jack crammed in abridged highlights of all the best songs in the series to make it go out with a bang!
At the end of the show co host Jimmy Henney announces that “Oh Boy!” will be coming off for the summer season but will be back for a brand new series commencing on 12th  September 1959.
However when the new series did return its name was changed to “Boy Meets Girl” . More noticeably and to its detriment, the genuine atmosphere of excitement was lost as the cast had to move from the live Hackney Empire to the sedate and reserved setting of Manchester’s ABC studios in Didsbury. Reviews of the new series said it had lost the excitement and edge which were so characteristic of the live “Oh Boy!" shows!
Cliff, Marty and the rest of the cast perform the final number sung on "Oh Boy!"
The very last image from the very last few seconds
of the very last show.....................
For full details of what numbers were performed and by whom, please see the Who sang what? page
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AFTERMATH!
SUNDAY 31st
Fresh after leaving “Oh Boy” both Marty Wilde and Cliff Richard are booked to appear in their first Royal Variety Show to be held at Manchester on 23rd June 1959. This event was not recorded for television - the 1960 show was the first recorded by ATV and survives to this day in the archives of Carlton International.
In early June Jack takes a long summer holiday in Italy, returning in August to begin rehearsals for his new television series commencing in September.
In early June Cliff Richard takes a two week break and travels by car with friends to Via Reggio in Italy before recommencing his heavy schedule of live concert dates in Britain on Saturday 20th June at the Hippodrome in Dudley.
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FRIDAY 12th June 1959
The NME announces that fans are already missing the “Oh Boy!” series, especially Cliff and Marty, less than a fortnight after coming off air!:
THE fanatical appeal of Cliff Richard is reflected by his sudden rebooking for further concerts at Dudley Hippodrome just a fortnight after his debut there, scheduled for Saturday, June 20. In addition, Cliff plays no fewer than four consecutive dates in London at the end of the month.
Three days after the management announced that Richard would appear at Dudley on June 20, every ticket had been sold, and still there were queues outside the theatre.
Promoter Arthur Howes, to avoid disappointing fans, was able to rebook Cliff for a second one-night stand there on Saturday, July 5.
Between these two dates, Cliff and The Drifters have a heavy schedule, including his quartet of dates in London suburbs - Wimbledon Gaumont (June 24), Elephant and Castle Trocadero (25th), Edmonton Regal (26th) and Stepney Roxy (27th).
On the last date, Cliff will also be appearing in BBC-TV's "Drumbeat." He will dash to his concerts.
Cliff follows with a one-nighter tour that includes Luton Cresta (June 30), Birmingham Town Hall (July 1), Leeds Odeon 2nd), Nottingham Odeon (3rd), Middlesbrough Town Hall (7th), Harrogate Royal Hall (8th), Blackpool Odeon (9th), Nelson Imperial (10th), Manchester Free Trade Hall (11th), and Southend Odeon (12th).
HAVING A BALL
Cliff Richard is on holiday at Via Reggio, Italy where he told NME in a long-distance phone call on Wednesday: "I'm having a ball. I'm surprised English people here know me.
"Italian groups play Presley numbers and someone got me to sing in a night club. I enjoyed it and so did the Italian girls, too!"
The above dates follow Richard's Italian holiday, from which he returns this week-end. At the same time he will be recording and learning the choreography for his new film "Expresso Bongo," on which studio work starts on July 31.
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FRIDAY 19th June 1959
Cliff returns from his fortnight holiday in Italy.
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TUESDAY 23rd June 1959
Cliff and Marty Wilde take part in their first Royal Command Performance held at Manchester. It was not until 1960 that the event was televised.
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FRIDAY 31st July 1959
The NME reveals singer Dickie Pride is in hospital:
BEAT singer Dickie Pride was rushed to hospital with suspected appendicitis, after collapsing on the stage of Blackpool's Palace Theatre on Monday afternoon.
But the diagnosis proved wrong. Dickie was released from hospital the next day and was planning to resume his appearances in the Palace matinee "2.30 Special" show on Wednesday.
Duffy Power, another young singer, made the overnight trip to Blackpool on Monday to deputise for Dickie during his indisposition.
The NME reveals that the future return of the “Oh Boy!” series has been thrown into doubt:
ABC-TV's "Oh Boy!" the series acclaimed by teenagers throughout the nation for introducing thrilling personalities, is not certain of a return for ITV as previously announced. Saturday, September 12 was the specified starting date by the television company.
Several artists, - including Marty Wilde, Cliff Richard and Cherry Wainer - received contracts from ABC to rejoin the projected autumn - winter presentations. But these agreements were not signed (nor those of other artists) for various reasons.
The NME understands reluctance to rejoin "Oh Boy!" by some performers was because producer Jack Good had not settled terms and conditions with ABC-TV to continue with these new weekly shows.
Accordingly the situation became more serious when those who failed to complete their contracts received a letter from ABC stating the documents had become null and void because of the artists non-co-operation.
Producer Jack Good is still on holiday in Italy. But unless ABC decide on a complete change of plans, the return of "Oh Boy!" (or a similar presentation with a different title), seems possible only if a satisfactory understanding is reached - between ABC, Good and his representatives, the Edward Sommerfield Organisation.
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FRIDAY 21st August 1959
The NME reveals that Marty Wilde is to host the new Jack Good series “Boy Meets Girl” beginning on Saturday 12th September 1959:
SINGER Marty Wilde will get the full star treatment when Jack Good's ABC-TV show returns to commercial channels on September 12. Featured as host and compere, as well as resident singer, Marty will have the whole show built around him.
The same week as this fantastic build-up, Marty will also have his first film shown in public at a London charity premiere on September 16.
The film, previously called "Jetstream," but now re-titled "Jetstorm," will be generally released on the ABC circuit on October 5.
The TV show is also being re-christened. "Oh Boy!" has been dropped and the most probable new title, out of many being considered, is "Boy Meets Girls."
Among other features of the new series is a new band called The Firing Squad, led by musical director Bill Shepherd.
Saxist Red Price will once more be resident, together with organist Cherry Wainer and The Vernons Girls, who will be given a much bigger part in the show.
Another regular artist, as predicted in the NME in June, will be Little Tony, Italian rock star.
The first show in the new series will be transmitted live from ABC's Manchester studio.
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SATURDAY 28th August 1959
Cliff and the Drifters perform live on the last edition of the BBC TV pop show “Drumbeat.”
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FRIDAY 11th September 1959
The NME previews Jack Good’s new television series “Boy Meets Girl” starting tomorrow.
Extract:
'Boy Meets Girls' ready to roll!
At 6.30 tomorrow (Saturday) night, ABC-TV raise the curtain on the new pop music presentation -"Boy Meets Girls." Half and hour later, programme planners will know whether or not they have a hit show on their hands capable of attaining the same phenomenal success of its memorable predecessor, " Oh Boy!"
"Boy Meets Girls" and "Oh Boy!" have much in common. Same producer - ambitious young ex-Oxford student Jack Good up to a point, the same stars - including singer Marty Wilde, organist Cherry Wainer, tenorist Red Price and the versatile Vernons Girls.
the subject is the same, too- pop music. But here we encounter the first major differences between the two shows, for whereas"Oh Boy!" concentrated on rock 'n' roll in particular, "Boy Meets Girls" is a determined attempt to encompass all the varying styles of popular music.
"To my way of thinking, "Boy Meets Girls" will be more up-to-date in approach, and my aim is that it should concisely represent the varied tastes of the pop music fans," producer Jack Good told me.
Elaborating on his theme, he added: "I feel that tastes have changed radically over the past few months. For a start, rock 'n' roll isn't the same as it used to be - lets say it's a little more subtle these days.
Additionally, I feel there's also a greater demand now for ballads and light beat numbers and we mustn't forget either that the country and western style is growing in popularity. In short" Boy Meets Girls" sets out to present something to suit everybody's tastes.
"In this way, we're hoping reach a wider and more mixed audience than "Oh Boy!" and one of my ambitions is to capture adult viewers too."
The format of the show? Basically it will be less frantic though just as colourful as "Oh Boy!", with longer breaks between numbers. Marty Wilde has a plum role as host, compere and resident singer and will be more heavily featured than at any other time during his career.
The Vernons Girls will be in the spotlight quite a lot of the time, both in singing and dancing sequences, and Cherry Wainer and Red price will have their own spots.
Because of the contrasting musical styles, two bands will be on hand - a big string orchestra and a 10 piece" big beat" unit known as The Firing Squad. Both will be under the direction of Bill Shepherd.
How about guest stars? "I aim to make "Boy Meets Girls" an international show and want to feature artists from all over the world." Jack explained to me. "As you've already reported, country and Western star Johnny Cash is our first major American booking on September 19.
"Our first continental guest is Italy's rock 'n' rolling Little Tony and his Brothers, who'll be seen in the first three shows. Marino Marini's Quartet, also from Italy, will be appearing as soon as their heavy commitments allow.
"Finally, there's two Swedish artists under discussion - Little Gerhard, who I'm told is rated very highly by Elvis Presley, and Little Babs," Jack declared.
He went on: "Of course, I also intend to sign British singers for guest spots - the first is Terry Dene on September 26. Who else? Well, naturally I'd love to have people like Cliff Richard, Frankie Vaughan , Lonnie Donegan and Alma Cogan, but there's nothing settled yet. Bands? That's a good idea, but I haven't gone into it at this stage," he emphasised.
In conclusion, how does Jack feel about the show? "I'm delighted to tackle something new. It's necessary to avoid stagnation - and that applies equally to artists and producers" he said.
Boom time for Marty Wilde
MARTY WILDE'S starring role in "Boy Meets Girls" - the most demanding and important assignment he's yet tackled - comes at a crucial point in his career. The success which everyone so confidently predicts should keep him at the top of the ladder for a long, long time.
Why a crucial point? Right now, everything seems to be happening at once for Marty. Today (Friday), his latest Philips single "Sea Of Love" is released, tomorrow marks the debut of "Boy Meets Girls", on Sunday his first film "Jet Storm" is premiered at the Regal in London's Old Kent Road, and within a week or so his first LP "Wilde About Marty" reaches the shops.
Marty has so much on his plate at the moment that he hardly knows which way to turn. Not the least of his worries is "Boy Meets Girls," and the headlining part he will play in the production.
"It's a challenge, and because of that, I'm looking forward to it.
"Nervous? Who wouldn't be?" the tall gangling star told me at a crowded press conference last week. Of course, Marty has every right to feel nervous since the show is largely built around him.
"I've never done anything quite like this before, but it's what I've wanted all along. After all, singing is one thing, but on this show, I'll also be compering and doing allmanner of different things." he went on.
"I'm hoping that the series will eventually help me to become a ...........personality, instead of just a singer," he continued. "You see, my aim is to become an all-round entertainer, and with a show like "Boy Meets Girls" I hope to reach a wider audience. I'd really like to be accepted by adults as well as teenagers." he added thoughtfully.
One of the first songs Marty will perform on the series is "Sea Of Love," already a smash hit in America for Phil Phillips.
He's hoping that it will take him to the hit parade's coveted No. 1 spot - an honour which has just eluded him on three occasions in the past.
In charts
Marty's first big disc hit "Endless Sleep" climbed as high as No. 4. "Donna" crept into third place, while more recently, "A Teenager In Love" reached No. 2. Working on the theory that progress is gradual, "Sea Of Love" seems a likely contender for top honours.
At the start of the "Oh Boy!" series last September, Marty told me: "I know it's going to be a great show because we have such a fine producer - Jack Good. He feels the same way about "Boy Meets Girls" - for similar reasons.
So let Jack , who is equally enthusiastic about Marty, have the last word here: "It's the hardest job he's ever had, but I know he's going to be good. In fact, I think a lot of people are going to be surprised just how good he really is"!
Little Tony From Italy
"Cliff Richard is very good - until you have heard Little Tony and His Brothers!" That was the opinion of Marino Marini, when he was over here earlier this year.
You'll have a chance to judge for yourself tomorrow night (Saturday) when Little Tony and His Brothers (2) make their British TV debut in "Boy Meets Girls." And when their Decca recording of "I Can't Help It" is released next Friday (Sept. 19).
Marino Marini's chance remark came while he was at rehearsals for "Oh Boy!"
Producer Jack Good, ears always open, heard and was interested.
A few weeks later in Italy, Jack found Little Tony and His Brothers. Jack signed them up on the spot.
Born in a war-torn Italy during the early 1940's, the three brothers were raised in San Marino. Their family was poor. The boys biggest ambition now is to become really good performers, go to the United States and make enough money so that their parents can retire and live in comfort.
There's Alberto (19), Tony (18) and Enrico (17), but it is singer Tony who attracts the attention when the group appears on stage or in front of the television cameras. As you'll see...
The camera goes into a close-up shot of Marty Wilde seated next to Cherry Wainer
at her keyboards, with Joe Brown standing at left of foreground.
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