Kurt at 17:09, 20 February 2023

2023-02-20T17:09:53Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:09, 20 February 2023
Line 1:		Line 1:
	~~{{EngvarB\|date=November 2017}}~~
	~~{{Use dmy dates\|date=November 2017}}~~

	~~{{more citations needed\|date=February 2014}}~~
	{{Infobox television		{{Infobox television
	\| image = Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club.jpg		\| image = Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club.jpg
Line 153:		Line 149:

	== DVD releases ==		== DVD releases ==

	The complete first series of ''The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club'' was released on DVD in September 2009 and the second series (including the New Year's Eve Special) was released in July 2010 with the complete third and fourth series being released in February and June 2011. The complete fifth series was released on 23 April 2012. The complete sixth (and final) series is now available as well. The format for the sixth series has changed, each episode being 30 minutes with just one major performer in each.		The complete first series of ''The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club'' was released on DVD in September 2009 and the second series (including the New Year's Eve Special) was released in July 2010 with the complete third and fourth series being released in February and June 2011. The complete fifth series was released on 23 April 2012. The complete sixth (and final) series is now available as well. The format for the sixth series has changed, each episode being 30 minutes with just one major performer in each.

	~~==See also==~~
	* ''[[Musikantenstadl]]''

	==References==		==References==

Kurt: 1 revision imported

2023-02-20T16:44:43Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 11:44, 20 February 2023
(No difference)

2A01:4B00:F422:4100:212F:1C08:ACC:8ED7 at 21:37, 9 October 2022

2022-10-09T21:37:12Z

New page

{{EngvarB|date=November 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}

{{more citations needed|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club.jpg
| caption =
| genre = Variety/[[Cabaret]]
| presenter = [[Bernard Manning]]<br />[[Colin Crompton]]
| country = United Kingdom
| runtime =
| num_episodes = 48 (6 Series)
| company = [[ITV Granada|Granada Television]]
| network = [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]
| first_aired = {{Start date|df=yes|1974|4|13}}
| last_aired = {{End date|df=yes|1977|6|19}}
}}
'''''The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club''''' was a British television variety show produced by [[ITV Granada|Granada Television]] from 1974 to 1977. It was set in a fictional [[working men's club]] in the [[Northern England|North of England]] and was hosted by comedian [[Colin Crompton]] as the club's chairman. The show's compere was usually [[Bernard Manning]], who as well as telling jokes and introducing acts often finished the show with a song. Crompton was frequently the butt of his jokes, acting as Manning's [[Stooge (comedian)|stooge]].

The set was arranged like a club, so that, rather than being arranged in [[terrace (stadium)|terraced seating]] the [[studio audience]] would be seated around tables and be served beer and snacks, join in a [[singalong]] and otherwise engage in [[audience participation]].

Crompton, as chairman of the club, would sit at a small table in the corner watching proceedings with apparent lack of interest. He had a large manual fire bell which he would wind and sound purportedly to attract the audience's attention after an act, with various notices from "the Committee" (that is, the officials of the social club of which he was chairman), usually misdemeanours by the club's members or the committee itself:

{{blockquote|On behalf of the Committee, I should like to tell you we made a mistake in offering the raffle prize of a [[diving suit]]. It is in fact a [[divan (furniture)|divan suite]].}}

On New Year's Eve a special episode of ''Wheeltappers and Shunters New Year's Eve'' would be broadcast.

==Acts==
The show featured acts regularly seen on the Northern club circuits and often well-established performers who did well in theatres and clubs but did not succeed so well on British television, such as 1950s crooner [[Johnnie Ray]]. But it also gave newer acts their first television exposure, such as [[Cannon & Ball]], [[the Grumbleweeds]], [[the Dooleys]] and [[Paul Daniels]]. Some artists to appear on the show were:
{{div col}}
* [[Winifred Atwell]]
* [[Alvin Stardust]]
* [[The Bachelors]]
* [[Brotherhood of Man]]
* [[Bill Haley and His Comets]]
* [[The Dubliners]]
* [[Jim Bowen]]
* [[Frank Carson]]
* [[David Copperfield (comedian)|David Copperfield]]
* [[Design (UK band)|Design]]
* [[Stuart Damon]]
* [[The Three Degrees]]
* [[Lonnie Donegan]]
* [[Karl Denver]]
* [[Freddie Garrity]]
* [[Buddy Greco]]
* [[Kathy Kirby]]
* [[The Krankies]]
* [[Susan Maughan]]
* [[George Melly]] and [[John Chilton]]'s ''Feetwarmers''
* [[Nana Mouskouri]]
* [[Roy Orbison]]
* [[Lyn Paul]]
* [[Terri Rogers]]
* [[George Roper]]
* [[Tessie O'Shea]]
* [[Malcolm Roberts (singer)|Malcolm Roberts]]
* [[The Kaye Sisters]]
* [[The Dooleys]]
* [[Gene Pitney]]
* [[Lena Zavaroni]]
* [[Dukes and Lee]]
* [[Paul Daniels]]

{{div col end}}

The show was produced by [[Johnnie Hamp]] at [[Granada Studios]] in Manchester, although it was once filmed at the [[Layton, Blackpool|Layton Institute]], [[Blackpool]].

Actress [[Elizabeth Dawn]] appeared as a waitress before she became more famous for her role as [[Vera Duckworth]] in ''[[Coronation Street]]'' (also recorded by Granada in Manchester).

A clip from the show can be seen in the film ''[[24 Hour Party People]]'', where [[Shaun Ryder]], in his formative years, is seen watching Karl Denver perform "[[The Lion Sleeps Tonight]]" ("Wimoweh").

The music video to [[Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds]]' single "Black Star Dancing" depicts the band performing on the show.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/noel-gallagher-high-flying-birds-black-star-dancing-video-832563/|title=Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds Channel INXS, Bowie in 'Black Star Dancing'|date=7 May 2019|website=Rolling Stone}}</ref>

==Origins of the name==
{{for|more information|Wheeltapper|Working men's club}}
[[Wheeltapper]]s and [[shunter]]s are railway workers. They were commonly employed by [[steam railway]]s in Britain and elsewhere, but are still found both on British railways and in Eastern Europe.

Although often called "working men's clubs", most such clubs admitted the wives and other women family of the working man, at least some days of the week. This is echoed in the programme's audience being as much female as male.

==Episode guide==

''Series 1''

*Episode 01: Original Air Date—13 April 1974
*Episode 02: Original Air Date—20 April 1974
*Episode 03: Original Air Date—27 April 1974
*Episode 04: Original Air Date—4 May 1974
*Episode 05: Original Air Date—11 May 1974
*Episode 06: Original Air Date—18 May 1974
*Episode 07: Original Air Date—25 May 1974

''Series 2''

*Episode 08: Original Air Date—27 July 1974
*Episode 09: Original Air Date—3 August 1974
*Episode 10: Original Air Date—10 August 1974
*Episode 11: Original Air Date—17 August 1974
*Episode 12: Original Air Date—24 August 1974
*Episode 13: Original Air Date—31 August 1974
*Episode 14: Original Air Date—7 September 1974
''Special'':
*Episode 15: Original Air Date—31 December 1974

''Series 3''

*Episode 16: Original Air Date—15 February 1975
*Episode 17: Original Air Date—22 February 1975
*Episode 18: Original Air Date—1 March 1975
*Episode 19: Original Air Date—8 March 1975
*Episode 20: Original Air Date—15 March 1975
*Episode 21: Original Air Date—22 March 1975
*Episode 22: Original Air Date—29 March 1975
*Episode 23: Original Air Date—5 April 1975

''Series 4''

*Episode 24: Original Air Date—19 July 1975
*Episode 25: Original Air Date—26 July 1975
*Episode 26: Original Air Date—2 August 1975
*Episode 27: Original Air Date—9 August 1975
*Episode 28: Original Air Date—16 August 1975
*Episode 29: Original Air Date—23 August 1975
*Episode 30: Original Air Date—30 August 1975
''Special'':
*Episode 31: Original Air Date—31 December 1975

''Series 5''

*Episode 32: Original Air Date—15 May 1976
*Episode 33: Original Air Date—22 May 1976
*Episode 34: Original Air Date—29 May 1976
*Episode 35: Original Air Date—5 June 1976
*Episode 36: Original Air Date—12 June 1976
*Episode 37: Original Air Date—19 June 1976
*Episode 38: Original Air Date—26 June 1976
''Special'':
*Episode 39: Original Air Date—23 February 1977

''Series 6''

*Episode 40: Original Air Date—14 April 1977
*Episode 41: Original Air Date—21 April 1977
*Episode 42: Original Air Date—28 April 1977
*Episode 43: Original Air Date—5 May 1977
*Episode 44: Original Air Date—12 May 1977
*Episode 45: Original Air Date—19 May 1977
*Episode 46: Original Air Date—26 May 1977
*Episode 47: Original Air Date—2 June 1977
*Episode 48: Original Air Date—9 June 1977

The series was, for at least part of its run, confined to a midnight slot by [[London Weekend Television]] and [[Southern Television]], who felt it did not suit their, perceived, more upmarket demographics.

== DVD releases ==

The complete first series of ''The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club'' was released on DVD in September 2009 and the second series (including the New Year's Eve Special) was released in July 2010 with the complete third and fourth series being released in February and June 2011. The complete fifth series was released on 23 April 2012. The complete sixth (and final) series is now available as well. The format for the sixth series has changed, each episode being 30 minutes with just one major performer in each.

==See also==
* ''[[Musikantenstadl]]''

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|0204112}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wheeltappers And Shunters Social Club, The}}
[[Category:ITV comedy]]
[[Category:1974 British television series debuts]]
[[Category:1977 British television series endings]]
[[Category:1970s British comedy television series]]
[[Category:Television series by ITV Studios]]
[[Category:Television shows produced by Granada Television]]
[[Category:English-language television shows]]

The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club - Revision history

Kurt at 17:09, 20 February 2023

Kurt: 1 revision imported

2A01:4B00:F422:4100:212F:1C08:ACC:8ED7 at 21:37, 9 October 2022