University Challenge Theme Tunes - 1962-2022 (UK, NZ & Australia)
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- Опубликовано: 3 окт 2024
- Here's your starter for ten - fingers on buzzers and no conferring. Where and when did University Challenge begin?
The answer is that it began in Manchester in September 1962 when Granada TV produced the first series which was broadcast throughout Britain on the ITV network.
Over sixty years (and fifty series) later and with only three quizmasters in all that time (in the UK at least) the programme is still in rude health.
Bamber Gascoigne was the host for the first quarter of a century, then the show took a break in 1987 only for it to be revived in 1994 by the BBC with Jeremy Paxman at the helm. And yes, Paxo hosted University Challenge for longer than Bamber! Amol Rajan then took over the helm in Autumn 2023 - Amol has apparently been a huge fan of UC for many years.
Surprisingly the show's origins are not British, but American. University Challenge is based on College Quiz Bowl - a radio series on NBC first broadcast in 1953 which moved to TV on CBS as College Bowl in 1959. Cecil Bernstein saw the show in the States and recommended it to his brother Sidney Bernstein, Granada TV's founder. Granada still makes the show in Manchester for the Beeb.
But who remembers the first University Challenge theme tune? No it isn't the 'Boooiiing, Ding, Ding, Ding Dong' one that we all remember!
The 1962/3 series theme tune was Ting A Ling, but by series 2 in 1963 it was replaced by the tune we all know and love which is called College Boy. The newer string quartet version of College Boy was used from around the second series made for the BBC in 1995.
Both New Zealand (initially) and Australia used College Boy as the theme tune for their versions of University Challenge, though the Australian theme tune sounds like it was played on a primitive Bontempi keyboard!
University Challenge has been wonderfully parodied over the years, most notably by The Young Ones.
However in 1975 a group of lefty students from The University of Manchester decided to sabotage the show's elitist image by answering all of the questions with the names of famous communists - scoring zero in the process. ITV sensibly broadcast the show, making the would-be revolutionaries look like a bunch of complete numpties.
Here then is a selection of theme tune intros for University Challenge shown in the following order:
1962 - (UK) One intro of the first series with the original Ting A Ling theme tune
1963 - 1980 - (UK) Three intros with the classic College Boy theme tune
1980s (New Zealand) One intro with the classic College Boy theme tune
1980s (Australia) One intro with a derivative College Boy theme tune
1980s (New Zealand) One intro with an alternative them tune tune
1990s- 2020s (UK) String quartet version of College Boy
And to round everything off we finish with the full version of the classic College Boy theme tune.
In memory of the incomparable TV quizmaster Bamber Gascoigne CBE FRSL, the original presenter of University Challenge - born 24th January 1935, died 8th February 2022.
R.I.P Bamber Gascoigne
He`s my all-time favourite quiz master and University Challenge is my all-time favourite TV quiz show and I do miss Bamber Gascoigne and this year it will be 60 years ago, since it first broadcast on the 21/9/1962, and I do like the theme tune so much.
He was a legend. Lived near me too, and regularly used to swim in the Thames.
@@LostsTVandRadio Yes he seemed to be such a nice fellow too. I know he lived in Richmond-upon-Thames but I guess he travelled up to Manchester to Granada Television's studios of old to record the series at the time too. I remember seeing that he liked an Eccles cake in the studio before doing the show at the time too. Such a shame that he has passed away too. Thank you.
Indeed... RIP Bamber - a legend!
Also the wonderful Jim Pope
Paxman era is very iconic
thanks very much for creating this and uploading
You are very welcome Gavin :)
It's University Challenge and asking the Questions Bamber Gascoigne
who used to think that the teams really were placed above each other? well i see that in some of those nz and aussie versions they actually were! (like in the young ones spoof of course).
Your starter for 10 no conferring!
RIP Bamber
I like the version of "College Boy" at 1:05.
Yes, I agree with you.
I'm looking to see if anyone would happen to have the 1967 episode which featured Manchester. My Dad was in it but apparently didn't Aire due to one of the students having passed away after it was recorded....if anyone happens to know if there would possibly be a copy anywhere I'd love to know.
Anyone who knows please advise!
Try contacting the bbc and asking them.a lot of tv was wiped back then though.
Not the BBC. In 1967 it would be Granada so I would try ITV
What happened to havimg the audiences over time?
Huh, never thought about that!
@@LostsTVandRadio nor had I till i saw this then it jogged my memory that they did have audiences for years then suddenly stopped them wonder why, i was hoping you know, but never mind.
They've ruined the modern version of the the music
Remember if it aint broke don't fix it.........
Sometimes they just can't help themselves!! The new version of the theme tune sounds like a wet blanket has been thrown over the original.
Yes they have. This version swings like the clappers