On this sunny day in 1978, classic gameshow 3-2-1 began. It was something of an inauspicious beginning for what would become one of the most popular Saturday night treats of the 1980s. I get the sense that it originally began as a fun bit of Summer filler, except that its popularity grew from cult telly status to a mainstream hit that pulled in millions of viewers.
So just what was 3-2-1? Attempting to sum it up in a few short paragraphs couldn’t do this justice, so it’s easier if we revisit a classic edition to demonstrate the whos, the whats, and the whys.
And that’s just the skull-crushingly difficult clues.
So get ready to duck behind the sofa, folks. I’ve chosen the 3-2-1 Horror edition from 1978!
3-2-1 was based on a Spanish game show called Un, Dos, Tres… Responda Otra Vez. Devised by Narciso Ibanez Serrador, the three-in-one format mixed a quiz, a game and a variety show. The title also refers to the three pairs of contestants who are gradually whittled down to one, who get to compete for a crop of prizes.
To host the British equivalent (produced by Yorkshire Television), former Redcoat Ted Rogers was chosen. Rogers, at the time, was best known for appearing as a regular panellist on Joker’s Wild and as host of Sunday Night At The London Palladium. His easy-going, chirpy nature made him an ideal candidate to present 3-2-1, and Rogers proved to be one of that rare breed – a professional but hugely likeable host who always championed the contestants, and never talked down to or belittle them.
In its initial run, Ted was accompanied by a gaggle of dollybird hostesses known as The Gentle Secs – they were supposed to be secretaries, initially donning whopping great Deirdre Barlow bins that have, inexplicably, seem to have come back into fashion. The early line-up included the Posh One (Jenny), the French One (Mireille) and the Mrs Eddie Large One (Patsy-Ann).
Onto the show itself, Horror was broadcast on 2nd September 1978, the last time that it would air on a Saturday this year. It would subsequently be shunted to Friday evenings, as the new line-up of Autumn Saturday night programming waited in the wings. This of course being the 1970s, we have some state of the art split screen effects, which shows some of the contemporary fashion horrors.
Ted’s pink shirt and tie add to the fear. But on a jollier note, meet the 3-2-1 mascot, Dusty Bin!
A smiley face dustbin designed by John Sunderland, Dusty represented the booby prize that was among each week’s swag. Contestants, alas, would not win Dusty himself, but a brand new dustbin. Initially he was wheeled on by Ted’s sidekick George, chauffeur of the weekly car star prize. Before long though, he became motorised, thanks to Ian Rowley. It cost about £10,000 to turn Dusty into an autonomous robot creation, which was serious money in those days.
Dusty’s already become a cult hero to kids up and down the country. He’s been getting fan mail from school kids who have made their own Dusty Bins! Don’t forget peeps, these young ‘uns are now in their 50s.
Let’s meet this week’s contestants! Three of them – usually husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, or sometimes sister and brother, maybe even just friends. First up, it’s veterans Roger and Chris who are back for the sixth week. In the first series, the winning couple didn’t go to the next round but instead, came back for the next week in an attempt to grab as much cash as they could. Each of the pairs answers alternately on a specific question – such as “Name as many boys names or girls names starting with S” in less than a minute. If they get an incorrect answer or repeat an answer, the round instantly stops.
Next up is Malcolm and Pamela. I can’t work out whether Malcolm resembles the love child of Weird Al Yanovic and the late, great Steve Wright or the human equivalent of one of those 1970s Scooby Doo DJ characters who ended up playing the ghost. Malcolm’s is quite partial to pulling camp facial reactions, as evidenced here.
Finally, we have Linda and Brian, evoking a duet between Karen Carpenter and Sonny Bono.
Here are The Many Faces Of Linda, who manages to out-mug Malcolm actually.
But it’s Roger and Chris who win again and are probably the richest people in the entire country. To celebrate, Chris gives Ted a crafty smoocher right in front of Roger.
Onto Part Two, and check out the facial expression of pure joy on the girl on the bottom left hand side. Don’t worry, love, only 35 minutes to go.
In the early days, there are six sketches rather than five. A host of celebrities will appear in the future, but in Series One, it’s usually limited to one or two. Future episodes will feature a more even mix of song, dance and comedy, but for the most part, in this episode, the emphasis is on the jokes.
The first sketch is an Addams Family spoof. For a two-minute skit, that’s an impressive bit of design detail. To start with, the jokes largely came from what was known as The Disrepertory Company, a trio of comic actors – Chris Emmett, Debbie Arnold and Duggie Brown. The latter would subsequently be replaced by Bernie Clifton, Mike Newman and Dave Ismay. Out of these, Emmett and Newman would become two of the most recognisable stalwarts of 3-2-1, sticking around until the mid-80s.
Early editions of 3-2-1 decide who qualifies for the big prizes by playing a Fun House-style game and answering questions about the sketch. This week, our four hopefuls dress up as executioners with spikes on the tops of their hoods to burst balloons.
But it’s so long to Brian, Linda and Linda’s many facial expressions as Pamela and Malcolm attempt to win a prize at Ted’s table. Malcolm’s surname incidentally is Pinder and all I can picture is John Savident bellowing “PIIIINNNNDAAAAHHHH!!!!” in the Blake’s 7 episode, Orbit.
After each sketch or musical/dancey interlude, a celebrity will come and join the finalists at the table, armed with a Macguffin (a clue, as nicknamed by Clive Dunn) and an inexplicable rhyme that may as well be written in Chinese. The Macguffin and rhyme are supposed to be clues that help unlock the identity of the prizes on offer. What the contestants must do is avoid the clues that house Dusty Bin.
Up first is Duggie Brown with a tea caddy and a rhyme that I have to type my bleedin’ self because they didn’t have the money to show it on screen. “Suitors may pile up/I’ll give them the brush/The law must be laid down/To keep my house plush.”
Next up, we have the three witches from Macbeth who are interrupted by Chris Emmett as Jimmy Young, who I’m told brought out a cook book a long time ago. Hey, Jimmy Young was before my time, and I’m as old as the hills, for crying out loud.
Chris brings along Jimmy’s cook book with this rhyme: “It’s a goodbye wave to transport delays/Causing pleasure to often be spoiled/You’ll enjoy what you get Under speed I bet/But make sure that it hasn’t been foiled.”
Next up, it’s Dr Finlay himself, Bill Simpson, who’s playing Dr Jekyll in actually quite a funny sketch with digs at Ronnie Corbett and Val Doonican.
Bill brings along an enticing glass of magic potion – or the stuff used to clean the 3-2-1 loos. Here’s the rhyme: “I make people suffer/But keep them fit In this place where they sit and lie/But they come back for more/Because they adore to be where it’s so hot and dry.”
At this stage of the game, Pamela and Malcolm now have to get rid of one of the clues, so they reject the book. As Ted explains the clue, Pamela thinks they have turned down a microfilm (!) oven – what James Bond uses to cook his supper with. 1978 microwaves are a tad bigger than today’s though. It’s the size of a small house, and could conceivably cook a week’s worth of meals at the same time.
Hey ho. At least Pamela and Malcolm can munch on a huge roast chicken as they look at the fourth sketch in which Chris Emmett actually does a decent impersonation of Larry Grayson (only three weeks till his debut Generation Game).
Chris is leaving Vampire Vera’s teeth and a rhyme that invokes a snort-inducing double entendre ad lib. “Did you write this?” asks Chris to Ted. “You must put something in me/But if you do not/What a waste of a prize/We all use a lot.”
Any fool could work this last clue out. Waste? Of course, it’s good old Dusty Bin, as Pamela and Malcolm do some impressive parallel head lolling to celebrate their victory. This week’s Dusty contents include bats and a skull – the prizes from that week’s Sale Of The Century.
Next, with a somewhat tenuous link to horror, Barry Sheene, legendary motorbikist and Just Amazing presenter, comes on with a helmet and rhyme: “If you win this prize you’ll use both hands/You’ll certainly get to the bar/Some people connect it with evil/But it doesn’t go that far.”
Rejection time again as Pamela and Malcolm get rid of Bill’s toilet cleaner liquid. Which turns out to be a sauna. Not sure whether Gail in a towel comes with the prize, but Ted looks like he’s after a quick canoodle. Careful Ted, front row misery guts is jealous.
The final sketch is a mummy stripper. Nothing like this ever happened in Doctor Who’s Pyramids Of Mars. It probably would have done in Empire Of Death, though.
Hey Duggie! It’s your turn to bring a clue! Before he can though, Ted points out that this is Duggie’s last regular show as he’s off to make sitcom Take My Wife with Sarah Jane Smith herself, Elisabeth Sladen. As a farewell gift, he gets his very own ceramic Dusty Bin!
Anyway, Duggie blubs his way through the rhyme (complete with glove clue): “If you could see all of this prize/There’d be parts of white and red/A part for the foot/And another for the head.” So long, Duggie!
With three Macguffins left on the table, Pamela and Malcolm reject Barry’s helmet (oi, no sniggering, you lot). What else could it be but two motorbikes? Check out George’s terrified face as she attempts to not run over the audience (which might have made Ms Grumpy laugh).
Just two Duggie Macguffins left now. One of them’s the car (the first series would guarantee a car prize every week – this would be subsequently alternated from Series Two to add a bit more mystery), but it’s not the tea caddy, which turns out to be a great big rug.
So of course Malcolm and Pamela get their mitts on a brand new mustard motor. While Malcolm gives a wey-hey thumbs-up to the audience, Pamela gives the most upper middle class reaction by saying “Gosh, that’s marvellous.”
Anyway, Pamela and Malcolm are happy (I think, they’re squabbling over who gets to drive home), Ted’s happy, the audience is happy. Apart from Ms Grumpyboots at the front – actually the show’s over, so maybe she is.
That’s all from 3-2-1, folks! See you for another edition soon at this blog!
(Screencaps credited to ITV/Yorkshire TV)
