Crackerjack was a British children's comedy/variety BBC television series. It started in 1955 and ran until 1984. It has featured Eamonn Andrews, Leslie Crowther, Ed "Stewpot" Stewart, Stu Francis, Peter Glaze, Don MacLean, Michael Aspel, Jan Hunt, The Krankies, Bernie Clifton and Ronnie Corbett amongst many others. Corporate logo of the British Broadcasting Corporation The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the national broadcaster of the United Kingdom. ... 1955 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1984 is a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Eamonn Andrews Eamonn Andrews (19 December 1922 – 5 November 1987) was a Irish born television presenter in the United Kingdom. ... Leslie Crowther (born Nottingham 6 February 1933 and died Bristol 28 September 1996) was a British comedian with TV experience from the 1960s, as presenter of such programmes as The Black and White Minstrel Show and long-running childrens institution, Crackerjack (with Peter Glaze) for the BBC from 1960... English d. ... Stu Francis (born 1951, Bolton, Lancashire, United Kingdom) is a slightly camp British comedian who achieved celebrity as lead presenter on childrens favourite Crackerjack (1979 to 1984) and followed this with Ultra Quiz but subsequently faded. ... Peter Glaze was a 20th Century British comedian, born 17 September 1924, who hosted Crackerjack with Leslie Crowther in the 1960s and with Michael Aspel, Don MacLean, and Bernie Clifton in the 1970s. ... Don MacLean is a British comedian, born 11th March, 1944, who hosted BBC television series Crackerjack with Michael Aspel, Peter Glaze, and Jan Hunt in the 1970s. ... Michael Aspel (b. ... Jan Hunt was a 20th Century British comedienne, who appeared on BBC television series Crackerjack with Michael Aspel, Ed Stewart,Peter Glaze, and Don MacLean in the 1970s. ... The Krankies are a Scottish comedy duo that enjoyed success as a cabaret act in the 1970s and on television in the 1980s. ... On left, with partner Ronnie Barker Ronald Balfour Corbett (born December 4, 1930 in Edinburgh), commonly accredited as Ronnie Corbett is a British comedian and actor, best known as one of The Two Ronnies. ...

The format of the programme included competitive games for teams of children, a music spot, a comedy double act, and a finale in which the cast performed a short comic play, adapting popular songs of the day and incorporating them into the action.

One of the most memorable games was a quiz called "Double or Drop", where each contestant was given a prize to hold for each question answered correctly, but given a cabbage if they answered incorrectly. They were out of the game if they dropped any of the items they were holding.

It was an accepted unwritten rule that whenever a presenter spoke the word "Crack-er-jack!", the audience would shout 'Crackerjack' loudly. This custom has passed into popular culture.

A standard consolation prize to children who appeared on the show was the Crackerjack Pencil.

The show was introduced with the phrase "It's Friday, it's five o'clock. . . It's Crackerjack!", and sometimes with "It's Friday, it's five to five. . . It's Crackerjack!".

External link

• Title sequence from BBC Cult
• Clips from whirligig tv
• British Film Institute Screen Online
• Nostalgia Central