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It's a Knockout was a popular British television gameshow. Commentators included Eddie Waring, David Vine and Stuart Hall - who was famous for collapsing into genuine hysterical laughter mid-way through commentating on any particular game on a regular basis. The single word gameshow is an evolution from game show. Just as flashlight and screwdriver became a single word through usage, gameshow has also become commonly used as a single word. ... The word commentator has many different meanings. ... Edward Marsden Waring (Eddie Waring) (February 21, 1910 - October 28, 1986) was a British sports commentator and television presenter. ... David Vine (b. ... Stuart Hall (born December 25, 1929) in Hyde, Greater Manchester is a BBC radio and television presenter. ...

Stuart Hall in the original 1970's It's a Knockout (British version)

Image File history File links Stuart-hall-IKO.jpg‎ This is a picture given to us (Off Limits Corporate Events) to use from Stuart Hall himself as we hire him to work on Its a Knockout Events I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute... Image File history File links Stuart-hall-IKO.jpg‎ This is a picture given to us (Off Limits Corporate Events) to use from Stuart Hall himself as we hire him to work on Its a Knockout Events I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute...

History

It's a Knockout, which was adapted from the French show Intervilles, ran from 1966 to 1982 and then again from 1999 to 2001. It featured teams, each representing a town or city, competing to complete bizarre tasks in absurd games, generally while dressed in outlandish costumes (often large latex suits). Games were played in the home town's park, with English weather often adding to the entertainment by turning the grassland into a mud bath. Teams would be awarded points for their performance in each round, with the team scoring most points winning the game and advancing to the next stage. Teams could double their points in one round by choosing to "play their Joker". The games were refereed by former international football referee Arthur Ellis, and the theme tune was Bean Bag by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... Events of 2008: (EMILY) Me Lesley and MIley are going to China! This article is about the year. ... This article is about the year. ... This article is about the typesetting system. ... An example of a joker playing card. ... Arthur Edward Ellis (born July 8, 1914, died May 23, 1999) was an English football referee. ... Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass debut album, The Lonely Bull. ...

The Games

See also: List of British It's a Knockout and Jeux Sans Frontieres episodes

The games were best described as school Sports Day for adults. For example, team members would attempt to carry buckets full of water over greasy poles or rolling logs to fill up a receptacle. Often, members of the other teams would be allowed to interfere; for example, members of one team may have been permitted to squirt the other teams with water cannons or throw custard pies at them. Limited budgets meant that games were often a variation on what could be done with a long piece of elastic, a lot of water, including the use of a portable swimming pool and a roundabout. It was not unusual for these Heath Robinson games to break needing the judge to invent some bizarre way of scoring them fairly. // Water cannon of the French National Police deployed in prevision of rioting following Nicolas Sarkozys election, May 6, 2007 A water cannon is a device that shoots a high-pressure stream of water. ... A custard pie is a pie crust filled with a cooked custard. ... Collection of W. Heath Robinsons Railway Ribaldry, originally published at the request of the Great Western Railway who were celebrating their centenary in 1935. ...

In its earliest form, however, the show tried to emphasise skill or organization applied in a bizarre way, for instance picking up eggs with an industrial excavator, as well as more traditional village sports such as climbing a greasy pole. The location of the contest might resemble a muddy building site more than a stadium, especially with games like piano demolition, where a piano had to be passed through a small hole with the aid of a sledge hammer. Games of strength were included, for example, carrying a Mini Moke without wheels along a course. From the beginning, a long term contest known as the "mini-marathon" ran for the length of the programme, with updates on progress between the shorter contests. The shift to spectacular displays of silliness, with or without costumes, came later, probably to improve audience appeal, and also to be in line with European traditions which feature more use of bizarre costume than in Britain. A tracked excavator by Daewoo. ... The Mini Moke is a vehicle based on the Mini and designed for the British Motor Corporation (BMC) by Sir Alec Issigonis. ...

The winner of each series was awarded the It's a Knockout Trophy (see [1] for the trophy won by Shrewsbury in 1969).

Other versions, offshoots and revivals

British revivals

In addition to special editions of the original series such as "celebrity", "championship" and "Christmas", there were at least two revivals. For other uses, see Christmas (disambiguation). ...

The Grand Knockout Tournament / It's a Royal Knockout

Main article: It's a Royal Knockout

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In 1987, It's a Knockout was revived by Prince Edward for the one-off charity event, The Grand Knockout Tournament, more commonly referred to as It's a Royal Knockout, involving four celebrity teams each captained by members of the British Royal Family. Although the show itself was reasonably successful, it proved disastrous for the royal family's image among the British media and public. Its a Royal Knockout (officially entitled, according to IMDb, The Grand Knockout Tournament) was a one-off charity event which was shown on British television on 15 June 1987. ... HRH The Earl of Wessex His Royal Highness The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (Edward Antony Richard Louis Mountbatten-Windsor), styled HRH The Earl of Wessex (born March 10, 1964), is a member of the British Royal Family, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II. He has held the title... Its a Royal Knockout (officially entitled, according to IMDb, The Grand Knockout Tournament) was a one-off charity event which was shown on British television on 15 June 1987. ... Members of the Royal Family, during the lifetime of the late Queen Mother, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Trooping the Colour ceremony. ...

International It's A Knockout

A one-off event in 1988, similar in format to It's a Royal Knockout, but without the royal involvement. The event took place at numerous locations around Walt Disney World in Florida, and featured celebrity teams representing the UK, USA, and Australia. Its a Royal Knockout (officially entitled, according to IMDb, The Grand Knockout Tournament) was a one-off charity event which was shown on British television on 15 June 1987. ... Cinderella Castle, at the center of the Magic Kingdom, is Walt Disney World Resorts most recognizable icon Introduction Owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company, the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, USA is home to four theme parks, two water parks, several resort hotels and golf courses... This article is about the U.S. State of Florida. ... The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the G8, the European Union, and NATO. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, the UK, or (inaccurately) as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized...

1999 revival

In 1999 the show was revived again, this time by Five. This series was hosted by Keith Chegwin, Lucy Alexander and Frank Bruno. It ran until 2001. Five, launched in 1997, is the fifth and final national terrestrial analogue television channel to launch in the United Kingdom. ... Keith Cheggers Chegwin (born 17 January 1957 in Newbury) is an English television presenter and former child actor and singer. ... Lucy Alexander is a British television presenter. ... Franklin Roy Bruno (born November 16, 1961) is a British former boxer whose career highlight was winning the WBC Heavyweight championship in 1995. ...

Europe ("Jeux Sans Frontieres")

Main article: Jeux Sans Frontieres

It's a Knockout was extended into other European countries in 1967 under the French name Jeux Sans Frontieres, a change of name which inspired Peter Gabriel's song "Games Without Frontiers." It was very popular in the UK, acquiring audiences of up to 19 million. Jeux Sans Frontières (English: Games Without Frontiers) is a Europe-wide television game show. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... Jeux Sans Frontières (English: Games Without Frontiers) is a Europe-wide television game show. ... Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950, in Cobham,[1] Surrey, England) is an English musician. ... Jeux Sans Frontieres was the European version of Its a Knockout. ...

In other countries

Australia

An Australian version of It's a Knockout ran on the Ten Network from 1985 to 1987. The teams were divided into the Australian states: New South Wales (NSW), Victoria (VIC), Queensland (QLD) and South Australia (SA). The show was hosted by Billy J Smith along with Fiona MacDonald for the duration that it aired in Australia. They would arrive to the show in a golf buggy. The show was filmed in a field in Dural NSW, however due to numerous complaints from local residents the show was forced to be canned by 1987 [2]. This version aired in Mexico on the TV Cable Network Multivisión and was a success during 1992. It was also adapted and shown on Argentina as Supermatch. This version was heavily edited, and the anchors were replaced by off-screen commentators. Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is the sixth-largest country in the world, the only country to occupy an entire continent, and the largest in the region of Australasia/Oceania. ... Ten Network logo Network TEN so called because it broadcasts on Channel TEN in most cities, is Australias third but possibly most profitable television network. ... This article is about the year. ... This article is about the year 1987. ... NSW redirects here. ... VIC redirects here. ... For other uses, see Queensland (disambiguation). ... For the song, see South Australia (song). ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ...

United States ("Almost Anything Goes")

An American version, called Almost Anything Goes ran on ABC in the summer of 1975, handily winning the time slot on Thursday nights against reruns of The Waltons on CBS and whatever NBC aired. The show replaced the late, un-lamented Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell in January of 1976 as a mid-season replacement. Sports announcers Charlie Jones and Lynn Shackelford were the play-by-play and color men on this version which featured small towns across America playing the games. Sam Riddle, who was one of the producers, served as field reporter in 1975 along with Dick Whittington, the latter being replaced by Regis Philbin in 1976. Boulder City, Nevada won the 1975 series, and Chambersburg, Pennsylvania won the 1976 series. In a showdown, Boulder City beat Chambersburg and a celebrity all-star team. However, it was up against The Jeffersons on CBS and Emergency! on NBC, and was shortly cancelled thereafter due to low ratings. A children's version called Junior Almost Anything Goes, hosted by Soupy Sales ran in the Saturday morning slot in the fall of that same year, and a syndicated celebrity version, named All Star Anything Goes, hosted by Bill Boggs ran in 1977. The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is an American television network. ... For other uses, see The Waltons (disambiguation). ... This article is about the broadcast network. ... The National Broadcasting Company or NBC is an American television broadcasting company based in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ... Howard William Cosell, born Howard William Cohen (March 25, 1918 – April 23, 1995) was an American sports journalist on American television. ... Charlie Jones (born November 9, 1930) in Fort Smith, Arkansas, is an Emmy Award winning former sportscaster for NBC and ABC. Jones started at ABC in 1960 broadcasting American Football League games. ... Regis Francis Xavier Philbin (born August 25, 1931) is an Emmy Award-winning American television personality and occasional actor known for his roles as a talk show host, game show host, and presenter at various events. ... Jeffersons redirects here. ... Emergency! was a popular crime drama/medical television series that was produced by Mark VII Limited (Jack Webbs company) and distributed by Universal Studios. ... Soupy Sales (born Milton Supman on January 8, 1926) is an American comedian and actor. ...

See also

• List of British It's a Knockout and Jeux Sans Frontieres episodes - a detailed list of individual episodes of It's a Knockout and Jeux Sans Frontieres.
• Telematch, the German adaptation of Intervilles.

A typical day on telematch Telematch was the name of a German television show broadcast during the 1970s and 1980s. ...

External links

• It's a Knockout - UK at the Internet Movie Database
• It's a Knockout - Australia at the Internet Movie Database
• It's a Knockout - UK 90's remake at the Internet Movie Database
• UK It's a Knockout Site with clips and forum
• The UK Gameshows page on It's a Knockout
• Curt Alliaume's web page about the American shows.
• The official site in the United Kingdom to It's a Knockout games
• The official Dave John B's Knockout Roadshow. The first company to provide It's a Knockout with cabaret entertainment.
• It's a Knockout at the National Film and Sound Archive
• It's a Knockout and JSF fan site
• Australian fan site