“AND NOW FROM NORWICH, IT’S THE QUIZ OF THE WEEK!!!”
Near-namesake John Benson hollered this legendary introduction to a legendary quiz show in which lots of prizes could be snapped up for absurdly cheap prices. Here’s your beginner’s guide to Sale Of The Century!
Did Sale Of The Century Originate In The UK?
No. Like many a UK gameshow, Sale Of The Century was an imported idea. The original version dates back to Autumn 1969, when a chap called Al Howard created the idea. The American version ran on NBC and was presented initially by Jack Kelly, and then by Joe Garagiola. The US version momentarily dovetailed with the UK one, coming to an end in 1974.
Ironically though, after the original UK Sale Of The Century came to an end in 1983, the American version had been revived – albeit with a slightly different format, as per the instructions of Australian telly guru, Reg Grundy, who had bought the rights in 1980. Once again though, the second US version came to an end in the same year that the UK version was briefly revived again!
Talk about TV Tennis!
“Come on darling, save me a seat. I’ve been doing this job for 95 weeks!”
How Many Series Were There In The UK?
Lots. The first edition was broadcast on 9th October 1971, and the show would subsequently run for 11 series, finishing on 6th November 1983. In the early days of Sale Of The Century, one series alone would run for more than a year. Series One was broadcast regularly between October 1971 and March 1973. After a short holiday, Series Two kicked off on 15th September 1973, and then beat its predecessor, lasting a staggering 95 weeks until July 1975! The third series returned mere weeks later – six, in fact, although this one lasted for a shorter run of 43 weeks.
Nicholas Parsons must have been more cream crackered than a whole packet of Jacob’s.
There was also a brief celebrity version in 1981, with prizes and money going to charity. While ITV was no longer the home to Sale Of The Century after 1983, the quiz did return on other channels. Sky took it on from 1989, lasting until 1991. Later that decade, it switched to Challenge TV, this time only managing a couple of years between 1997 and 1998.
Your hosts with the most: From left to right, Messrs Parsons, Marshall & Cheggers.
Who Was The Host?
The original host was Nicholas Parsons, actor and Just A Minute main man. Parsons was one of that breed of 1970s gameshow host: cool, calm, collected, with impeccable manners and an easy-going likeability – the antithesis of today’s foghorn-voiced narcissists.
While Parsons remains the definitive host of Sale Of The Century, there were others. Steve Jones – best known for the UK’s version of The Pyramid Game – helmed the celebrity version, which included Nicholas Parsons as a contestant one week. Peter Marshall – continuity chap for ITV – landed the Sky version gig. Finally, Cheggers himself switched from playing pop to playing prizes, when he hosted the Challenge incarnation in the 1990s.
An average trio of contestants. I think the vicar’s secretly hoping that the cooking pots come with the dollybird maid.
What Were The Rules?
Deceptively simple, actually. The format of Sale Of The Century was no more than a series of general knowledge questions fired at three contestants. The riddles came thick and fast, as Parsons delivered them with clear but breakneck speed. There were five rounds, and at the end of each one, whoever had the most points could get the chance to ‘buy’ a prize for a ridiculously cheap price with the money that they had accumulated so far. With each passing round, the prize value would increase, so the contestants not only needed to ensure they had enough to spend, they also had to consider whether they wanted to save their money in order to qualify playing for the star prize.
Whichever contestant had the most money would then play for that star prize – usually a car – and all they had to do was to answer four out of five more questions correctly.
There were pitfalls for the hopefuls, though. Wrong answers meant that points were taken away – and if they had spent too much on prizes, and thus went down to zero, they would be out of the game completely, having to sit there for the rest of the rounds looking like a dopey lemon. The other problem was that in some cases, the winning contestant wouldn’t have enough points to qualify for the jackpot prize, and would have to make do with a dodgy mink coat or some bling pinched from the local market stall. Which didn’t quite pack the same punch.
Lucky contestants have the chance to win a super car, a pair of scooters and the Taj Mahal.
What Were The Prizes?
Actually, to be fair, they were more than half decent. As well as the jackpot prize of the car, contestants could win holidays, motor scooters, kitchen equipment, garden furniture, cameras, TVs, hi-fi gear… Argos must have been empty each week.
What Was With The Tacky Organ Playing?
Announcements of prizes were accompanied by wobbly-sounding Hammond organ chords. It sounded like the organ was on the verge of breaking down, such was its poor, crackly quality.
The man responsible for the organ playing was Peter Fenn, who had two notable claims to fame. One: he composed the show’s theme tune called Joyful Pete – named after original producer, Peter Joy. Two: he was the resident MD of parent channel, Anglia.
Egghead Daphne and the Ronald McDonald Of Pop.
Weren’t There A Couple Of Famous Contestants?
Two, as much as I can recall. Daphne Fowler from Eggheads appeared in the original run in 1983. Before enduring the company of the world’s most boring dullards, Daphne made it her mission to be the Queen Of Quiz Shows. As well as Sale Of The Century, she appeared on the likes of Going For Gold, Winner Takes All, Masterteam and even Bullseye. On her Sale Of The Century appearance, she managed to make it to the final round, and naturally won the star prize of the car.
The other, more surprising contestant is the Ronald McDonald Of Pop, Simon Cowell. Before sending countless singers into charity shop bargain bin obscurity, Cowell appeared during the Marshall era. Even back then, he still had that curious flat top haircut that makes him resemble Mr Black from the Kamp Krusty episode of The Simpsons, not to mention that slimy grin, which would make any self-respecting crocodile jealous. Cowell won £20 worth of kitchen utensils – result!
Is It Available To Buy Or Stream?
No to the former, yes to the latter, with a handful of complete episodes available to look at on YT. As far as I can tell, Sale Of The Century was a casualty of the usual archive TV junking purge, resulting in many episodes being wiped as they were no longer deemed to be of any marketable use.
While the surviving episodes aren’t of broadcast quality, these fuzzy-round-the-edges bits of 1970s nostalgia can still be sampled and enjoyed at the Tube Of You.
(Screengrabs credited to Anglia, Sky and Challenge TV channels)
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