Three all-star variety specials from Associated Rediffusion to ring in the new year.
This New Year’s Day spectacular from Associated Rediffusion assembled a formidable line-up of contemporary talent. The variety bill was headed by rock and roll star Tommy Steele, film actress Diana Dors, and comedy actor Peter Sellers. They were joined by veteran stage performer Margaret Rutherford, jazz singer Cleo Laine, and Italian tenor Toni Dalli. The programme offered a mix of comedy sketches, musical numbers, and speciality acts, including a performance from trapeze artist Fabiola. Guest appearances were made by Hollywood couple Ben Lyon and Bebe Daniels, with musical backing provided by Johnny Dankworth and his Band and the Steve Race Orchestra.
A lavish, high-budget effort to launch the new year, The 1959 Show was a definitive statement of commercial television’s confidence and ambition. The production is notable for its eclectic gathering of talent: a perfect snapshot of British popular culture at the close of the 1950s. It placed the youthful energy of teen idol Tommy Steele alongside the theatrical authority of Margaret Rutherford and the subversive, rising genius of Peter Sellers. This deliberate blend of music hall tradition and modern comedy was designed for maximum family appeal. The enterprise was marshalled by Joan Kemp-Welch, one of the most significant female producers and directors of the era, whose work on the show cemented her reputation for mounting large-scale, live television events with flair and precision.
Broadcast: ITV – Associated Rediffusion, 3 Episodes, 1 January – 12 February 1959
Producer: Joan Kemp-Welch
Director: Joan Kemp-Welch
Designed by: Roy Stannard
Choreography by: Denys Palmer
Main Cast: Tommy Steele, Diana Dors, Peter Sellers, Margaret Rutherford, Cleo Laine, Toni Dalli, Fabiola, Ben Lyon, Bebe Daniels, John Hewer, Catherine Boyle
Also Featuring: Johnny Dankworth and his Band, Steve Race and his Orchestra, The Barney Gilbraith Singers, The 1959 Dancers
