The Brains Trust

Last updated

The Brains Trust was an informational BBC radio and later television programme popular in the United Kingdom during the 1940s and 1950s, on which a panel of experts tried to answer questions sent in by the audience.

Contents

History

The series was created by BBC producers Howard Thomas and Douglas Cleverdon. [1] The programme started on the Forces radio service on 1 January 1941, the first series under the name Any Questions? (a name later reused for a different radio programme). [2] Subsequently renamed The Brains Trust, it continued for 84 weeks continuously from its initial broadcast and became one of the most popular of informational programmes. Because of its popularity, it was moved to the peak time on Sunday afternoons. It was typically heard by around 29 per cent of the UK population and generated four to five thousand letters each week from the public. During the early war years it helped raise morale, and the verbal sparring between panel members, especially Julian Huxley and Cyril Joad, made it one of the most popular programmes.(2)

Asa Briggs states that the show, along with It's That Man Again , was "the outstanding popular triumph of the war" for BBC radio. [3] The show was one of the most popular radio shows of the time with it receiving 12 million listeners at the height of its popularity. [4]

The radio programme ended in May 1949 and transferred to BBC television in the 1950s. The soundtrack was broadcast on the Home Service during the week following the television broadcast.

The series ended in 1961. [4]

Revival in the early 2000s

The programme enjoyed a brief revival in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when it was broadcast on BBC Radio 3. It was then presented by Joan Bakewell. It featured a variety of guests, including Theodore Zeldin, Ian Stewart, A.S. Byatt, Richard Dawkins and Angela Tilby.

Members

The original three members of the broadcasting team were C. E. M. Joad (philosopher and psychologist), Julian Huxley (biologist) and Commander A. B. Campbell (retired naval officer). The chairman was Donald McCullough. Later participants included: Edward Andrade, Noel Annan, A. J. Ayer, Michael Ayrton, Isaiah Berlin, Robert Boothby, Jacob Bronowski, Collin Brooks, Violet Bonham Carter, Alan Bullock, Anthony Chenevix-Trench, Kenneth Clark, Margery Fry, Commander Rupert Gould, Gilbert Harding (as chairman), Herbert Hart, Will Hay, Bishop Joost de Blank, Marghanita Laski, C. S. Lewis, John Maud, Malcolm Muggeridge (chairman), Anna Neagle, Egon Ronay, Bertrand Russell, Sir Malcolm Sargent, Hannen Swaffer, Gwyn Thomas (novelist), Geoffrey Crowther (as chairman), Lord Dunsany, Sir Ivone Kirkpatrick, [5] Walter Elliot, [6] Jennie Lee, [6] Ellen Wilkinson, Aldous Huxley, A. J. P. Taylor, [7] Harold Nicolson, [8] Barbara Ward Jackson, [9] Philip Guedalla [10] and Tom Wintringham.

Norman Fisher was a later chairman of the panel. [11]

Hugh Ross Williamson was also on the panel on occasion and was chairman in 1955.

Format

Listeners or viewers sent in questions on subjects ranging from practical conundrums to moral dilemmas for the panel members to answer. The panellists were chosen for the unique contributions each could bring to the subject matter—from the most erudite and serious to the most irreverent and comedic. One question which has become a classic example of its kind was 'How does a fly land on a ceiling? Does it loop the loop, or what?'. Although questions on religion and politics were initially included, these were banned as the programme progressed, following complaints from the Church and Government. Concern also arose with the BBC itself. One controller, A. P. Ryan, wrote to the Director-General complaining of the programme's political bias. The Controller of Programmes analysed the political attitudes of contributors and calculated a proportion of 25 left-wing and 28 right-wing along with three 'doubtfuls'. He agreed, however, that two of the three regulars, Joad and Huxley, were left-wing. They were also agnostics, a matter of irritation to Dr J. W. Welch, the Director of Religious Broadcasting. In June 1941 the Controller of Programmes instructed the panel to 'avoid all questions involving religion, political philosophy or vague generalities about life'. In June 1942 the Board of Governors reiterated that questions about religion were to be excluded. [12]

The conversation was free-wheeling, unscripted and unrehearsed, relying on the skills of the presenters to fashion cogent responses in the time available. This lent an 'edge-of-the-seat' feel which did much to add to its popularity.

American version

An American version of this programme, devised and produced by television producer/director Jeff Smith, aired on WTTW Channel 11, the PBS television outlet in Chicago in the early 1960s with an original revolving "cast" of Alec Sutherland, Director of Continuing Education at the University of Chicago; Paul Haggerty, a former vaudevillian, musician and raconteur; Robin Pearce, an artist, filmmaker, lecturer on the fine arts and a world traveller; Paul Schilpp, a professor of philosophy at Northwestern University; Dick Applegate, foreign correspondent, TV newsman and commentator; Daniel Q. Posin, DePaul University Professor and host of his own television programme on WTTW, Dr. Posin’s Universe; Nathan Schwartz, philanthropist and raconteur; Ralph Eisendrath, lawyer and civic leader; and moderator DJR Bruckner, at that time a labour writer for the Chicago Sun Times and for many years after that, a theater critic for The New York Times. Only four panellists plus the moderator appeared on each programme.

In contrast to the British programme, the questions for the American spin-off were revealed to the team beforehand so that they could have some time to think about them.

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Im Sorry I Havent a Clue</i> BBC radio comedy panel game

I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue is a BBC radio comedy panel game. Billed as "the antidote to panel games", it consists of two teams of two comedians being given "silly things to do" by a chairman. The show was launched in April 1972 as a parody of radio and TV panel games, and has been broadcast since on BBC Radio 4 and the BBC World Service, with repeats aired on BBC Radio 4 Extra and, in the 1980s and 1990s, on BBC Radio 2. The 50th series was broadcast in November and December 2007.

<i>Have I Got News for You</i> British television panel show

Have I Got News for You (HIGNFY) is a British television panel show, produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC, which premiered on 28 September 1990. The programme focuses on two teams, one always captained by Ian Hislop and one by Paul Merton, each plus a guest panelist, answering questions on various news stories on the week prior to an episode's broadcast. However, the programme's format focuses more on the topical discussions on the subject of the news stories related to questions, and the satirical humour derived from these by the teams. This style of presentation had a profound impact on panel shows in British TV comedy, making it one of the genre's key standard-bearers.

My Word! is a British radio quiz panel game broadcast by the BBC on the Home Service (1956–67) and Radio 4 (1967–88). It was created by Edward J. Mason and Tony Shryane, and featured the humorous writers Frank Muir and Denis Norden, known in Britain for the series Take It From Here. The show was piloted in June 1956 on the Midland Home Service and broadcast as a series on the national Home Service network from 1 January 1957. The series also ran on BBC Television for one series from July–September 1960.

<i>The News Quiz</i> British topical radio panel show

The News Quiz is a British topical panel game broadcast on BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in 1977. The show, created by John Lloyd from an idea by Nicholas Parsons, has seen several hosts, including Barry Norman, Barry Took, Simon Hoggart, Sandi Toksvig, and Miles Jupp. Andy Zaltzman was announced as the permanent host after series 103. The show involves four panellists, often comedians or journalists, who answer questions about events of the previous week, often leading to humorous and satirical exchanges. The show was adapted for television in 1981 and has also inspired other shows.

<i>QI</i> British comedy panel game television quiz show

QI is a British comedy panel game quiz show for television created and co-produced by John Lloyd. The series currently airs on BBC Two and is presented by Sandi Toksvig. It features permanent panellist Alan Davies and three guest panellists per episode; the panellists are mostly comedians. The series was presented by Stephen Fry from its beginning in 2003 until 2016.

<i>Gardeners Question Time</i> BBC radio programme

Gardeners' Question Time is a long-running BBC Radio 4 programme in which amateur gardeners can put questions to a panel of experts.

<i>Question Time</i> (TV programme) British topical debate TV programme

Question Time is a topical debate programme, typically broadcast on BBC One at 10:45 pm on Thursdays. It is usually repeated on BBC Two and on BBC Parliament, later in the week. If there is a Leaders special, it would be broadcast simultaneously on BBC News. Question Time is also available on BBC iPlayer. Fiona Bruce currently chairs the show having succeeded David Dimbleby as presenter in January 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">C. E. M. Joad</span> English philosopher

Cyril Edwin Mitchinson Joad was an English philosopher, author, teacher and broadcasting personality. He appeared on The Brains Trust, a BBC Radio wartime discussion programme. He popularised philosophy and became a celebrity, before his downfall in a scandal over an unpaid train fare in 1948.

Quote ... Unquote is a panel game which was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and based on quotations. Since the series began on 4 January 1976, every episode was chaired by its deviser, Nigel Rees. The programme is available online via the BBC Sounds application. Its final series, the 57th, aired in November/December 2021.

<i>Any Questions?</i> British topical discussion programme

Any Questions? is a British topical discussion programme "in which a panel of personalities from the worlds of politics, media, and elsewhere are posed questions by the audience".

Puzzle Panel was a light-hearted, though cerebral BBC Radio 4 panel game that was broadcast between 1998 and 2005. An additional series was broadcast over the winter-spring of 2011, and a further series was broadcast during the same period in 2012. It has been written and presented by puzzle columnist for The Guardian, Chris Maslanka.

<i>Mock the Week</i> British celebrity panel show

Mock the Week is a British topical satirical celebrity panel show, created by Dan Patterson and Mark Leveson. It was produced by Angst Productions for BBC Two, and was broadcast from 5 June 2005 to 4 November 2022. The programme was presented by Dara Ó Briain and featured regular appearances by comedian Hugh Dennis, as well as guest appearances by a variety of stand-up comedians, some of whom had regular appearances in several series.

<i>The Einstein Factor</i> Australian TV series or program

The Einstein Factor was an Australian television quiz show that was broadcast on ABC1. The show's host is comedian and broadcaster Peter Berner. It was first broadcast in 2004 and in 2009 the show commenced its sixth and final season, with the ABC announcing the program would not be renewed in 2010. The final episode aired on 22 November 2009. It was broadcast on Sunday nights at 6:30 pm from 2004 until 2009 & also on Tuesdays at 1:30pm on ABC. The Einstein Factor was created by Australian television producer, Barry O'Brien, and was produced by Sparkz with Ian Duncan and Shaun Levin as Executive Producers.

Howard Thomas CBE was a Welsh radio producer and television executive.

Commander Archibald Bruce Campbell was a British naval officer and radio broadcaster, born in Peckham, London.

If I Ruled the World is a television show aired in the United Kingdom in 1998 and 1999. It was a comedy panel game show, similar to Have I Got News for You but focused on parodying the behaviour of politicians. Rounds included answering questions without using the words 'Yes' or 'No', and finding reasons to disagree with policies proposed by the other team, no matter how sensible. The winning team was chosen each week by a vote of the studio audience. The show was named after the 1960s theatre song "If I Ruled the World".

<i>Just a Minute</i> British radio programme

Just a Minute is a BBC Radio 4 radio comedy panel game, hosted by Sue Perkins since 2021. For more than 50 years, with a few exceptions, it was hosted by Nicholas Parsons. Following Parsons' death in 2020, Perkins assumed the host's chair permanently, starting with the 87th series. Just a Minute was first transmitted on Radio 4 on 22 December 1967, three months after the station's launch. The programme won a Gold Sony Radio Academy Award in 2003.

<i>Folly to Be Wise</i> 1952 film by Frank Launder

Folly to Be Wise is a 1952 British comedy film directed by Frank Launder and starring Alastair Sim, Elizabeth Allan, Roland Culver, Colin Gordon, Martita Hunt and Edward Chapman. It is based on the play It Depends What You Mean by James Bridie. The film follows the efforts of a British Army chaplain attempting to recruit entertainment acts to perform for the troops and the complications that ensue when he does. The title is taken from the line by Thomas Gray "where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise".

<i>Intresseklubben</i> Swedish TV series or program

Intresseklubben was a Swedish panel show, aired in Sveriges Television between 2012 and 2015, based on the long-running BBC panel show QI.

Norman George Fisher was a British educationalist who was at various times Chief Education Officer for the English city of Manchester, head of the staff college of the National Coal Board, and chairman of the panel on the BBC Television question-and-answer show, The Brains Trust.

References

  1. ↑ Thomas, Howard With An Independent Air London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson 1977 ISBN   0-297-77278-3
  2. ↑ "The BBC Story – The Brains Trust", bbc.co.uk
  3. ↑ Wrigley, C. J. (25 August 2006). A.J.P.Taylor: Radical Historian of Europe. ISBN   9781860642869.
  4. 1 2 "Defining Moment: 'The Brains Trust' popularises the expert panel, 1941" . Financial Times. 2 January 2010. Archived from the original on 11 December 2022.
  5. ↑ "G Sir Ivone Kirkpatrick (Chairman, Independent Television Authority )".
  6. 1 2 Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : "The B.B.C. Brains Trust Answering "Any Questions?" Reel 1 (1945)". YouTube .
  7. ↑ Wrigley, C. J. (25 August 2006). A.J.P.Taylor: Radical Historian of Europe. ISBN   9781860642869.
  8. ↑ "Harold Nicolson". Discogs .
  9. ↑ "Barbara Ward Jackson". Discogs .
  10. ↑ "Philip Guedalla". Discogs .
  11. ↑ "A History of the Brain, The Brain's Trust – Dr W. Grey Walter". BBC Online . Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  12. ↑ Howard Thomas, With an Independent Air, London : Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1977, 81–82.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.