Ovaltiney's Concert Party was a weekly British radio show that ran on Radio Luxembourg between December 1934 and September 1939 and was sponsored by the manufacturer of Ovaltine.[1] A new version of the show aired in 1952.

Concept

Ovaltiney's Concert Party featured British music hall comedian Harry Hemsley doing a variation on his popular stage show act, where he would imitate children's voices. The radio show was a combination of comedy sketches and music.[2] Hemsley portrayed the family Fortune and played all parts himself, including the father, six-year old Johnny, five-year old Elsie, four-year old Winnie and six-months old Horace. Winnie was often portrayed as the cleverest child and an interpreter for baby Horace's gargling. This led to the familiar catchphrase: "What did Horace say, Winnie?", which became part of English popular culture.[3][4]

The show was broadcast on Sunday evenings between 17:30 and 18:00 over the powerful longwave transmitter. It became well known throughout the UK for its theme song "We Are The Ovaltineys", which was written and composed by Hemsley himself.[5] The musical director was the bandleader Debroy Somers.[6]

Fanclub

People could become members of the Ovaltineys Club and participate in competitions and other activities. It achieved five million members in 1939.[7]

Comic strip adaptation

In 1936, a special children's magazine Ovaltiney's Own Comic was founded, based on the radio show. It featured a text comic; The Adventures of Elsie, Winnie and Johnny, drawn by S.K. Perkins.[8] Harry Hemsley, who was once a cartoonist for Ally Sloper's Half Holiday, also wrote drew some picture books about the family.[9][10][11][12]

Revivals

In 1952, a new version of the Ovaltineys' radio show was aired at 18:15 on Sunday evenings over Radio Luxembourg on its new "208" medium wave transmitter. The radio theme song We Are The Ovaltineys also experienced a comeback in 1975 when it was used by Ovaltine in a TV advertisement and released as a single record.

References

  1. ↑ "Harry Hemsley on Radio – vintagebritishcomedy". Archived from the original on 2018-03-12. Retrieved 2018-03-11.
  2. ↑ "Harry Hemsley on Radio - vintagebritishcomedy". Archived from the original on 2018-03-12. Retrieved 2018-03-11.
  3. ↑ "Harry Hemsley - vintagebritishcomedy". Archived from the original on 2017-07-28. Retrieved 2018-03-11.
  4. ↑ "Harry Hemsley on Radio - vintagebritishcomedy". Archived from the original on 2018-03-12. Retrieved 2018-03-11.
  5. ↑ "Harry Hemsley on Radio - vintagebritishcomedy". Archived from the original on 2018-03-12. Retrieved 2018-03-11.
  6. ↑ Ades, David; Bickerdyke, Percy; Holmes, Eric (1999). This England's Book of British Dance Bands. Cheltenham: This England Books. ISBN 0-906324-25-4.
  7. ↑ Crisell, Andrew (1997). An Introductory History of British Broadcasting. Routledge. pp. 48. ISBN 0-415-12802-1.
  8. ↑ "S. K. Perkins".
  9. ↑ "Harry Hemsley".
  10. ↑ Street, Seán (2009-08-04). The a to Z of British Radio. ISBN 9780810870130.
  11. ↑ "The 'Child Impersonator' Who Voiced a Whole Family of Young Characters". 20 June 2017.
  12. ↑ "Harry Hemsley in Print - vintagebritishcomedy". Archived from the original on 2018-03-12. Retrieved 2018-03-11.
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