On Channel 4's 'The 100 Greatest Kids T.V. Shows', some twerp I've never heard of said he "couldn't understand how 'Crackerjack!' ever got a commission, seeing how it was a poor quality version of 'Seaside Special'". I couldn't understand how he had seen these shows as he looked too young to remember either. For millions of children, 'Crackerjack!' was the television highlight of the week, coming as it did on the last day of school. Many presenters, including Elaine Paige, Leslie Crowther, Ronnie Corbett, and Michael Aspel, went on to become big stars ( my favourite, however, was Don Maclean ). And who can forget dear old Peter Glaze with his owl-like glasses, podgy shape, and habit of exclaiming 'Doh!' every time he was made to look foolish? The show had quizzes, a regular pop group slot, and comedy sketches where the cast sang pop songs with the lyrics rewritten to fit the situation. 'Crackerjack!' probably wouldn't work today, but its memory should be treasured.
Review of Crackerjack!
