CLAPPERBOARD - KIDS TV SHOW

by Mark Nobes, chief editor

I'd almost forgotten about this show, that is until I saw a thumbnail for the video on Youtube while viewing some other retro gems. The video clip above features the opening sequence from 1981.

Clapperboard ran from April 1972 until January 1982, and was shown on ITV around tea-time. Hosted by Chris Kelly, 254 episodes were made which lasted around 25 minutes each. The show often went behind the scenes of popular TV shows and films to see how they were made, and was also popular with adults as it didn't just focus on children's movies, and took a less stuffy approach than other film review shows.

Kelly went on to present the TV show Food and Drink and holiday show Wish You Were Here?.

Producer Muriel Young hosted the show when Kelly couldn't make it, and was also an occasional panellist on the ATV talent show New Faces.

Unlike todays Kids' TV shows which seem to be all presented by teenagers, many of the presenters from the 70s and 80s (such as Chris Kelly and Tony Hart) were a lot older and wiser, and I feel they had a lot more to offer a younger audience. Personally, I always preferred the older presenters.

I apologise for not adding any more photos or clips of the show, but there really isn't a lot that's available!