THAT FAMOUS theme tune was called “Approaching Menace”, but we reckon it should have been “Fanfare for the Common Man”, as this teatime slice of austerity was television’s greatest ever platform for spod-u-likes and nerd-do-wells. Never before had an obsession with Polish pottery circa the 1930s been so richly rewarded. Presiding over the interrogation was fearsome question master MAGNUS MAGNUSSON, a man of gravitas and oft-spoken Nordic roots. His famous catchphrase “in my homeland of Iceland” featured less in MASTERMIND than most programmes in which he appeared, but he still made for a memorable, if overly formal questionmaster. Ironically, given the show was broadcast from a different educational institution each week, MASTERMIND’s most iconic element was its stark “set”, catalyst for many sketch-based “started so I’ll…” chicaneries. Most remembered champs are, naturally, men of the people: cabbie FRED HOUSEGO and engine driver CHRIS HUGHES. Latterly revived by the peerless JOHN HUMPHRYS.
Mastermind
1972 to 1997 on BBC1
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The People’s Songs
Wednesday, 22.00, BBC Radio 2I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor tonight, which allows us to mention that when it got to number one, Calendar showed a clip from its Whistle Test-inspired video and captioned it “amateur video”. In fact that video was the first we’d heard of them or it, when it was shown on Popworld in fact, and we never thought the record version was quite as good because it was a bit overproduced. Anyway, it’s included here because it started bands being broken via the internet and that rather than the major labels and Top of the Pops.
And also Gavin Piper as well, who after winning had a weekly quiz the Portsmouth News. Funnily enough called ‘Gavin Piper’s Mastermind Quiz’. Good title planning boys!
To be pedantic I think the theme music is called “Approaching Menace”.
It is but one of the worst things about the revival is that they drown out the end of the music with audience applause. As a child I always found it terrifying the way that the applause would fade out leaving only the last notes of the music before seguing into the big
“Bum-bum-bum-bum-DA-DA!!!!!” and then that deathly cloud of string echo over the shot of the empty chair..
Kids today need a dose of fear like that.
Menace suitably corrected.