That Was the Decade That Was: Best of Sixties' TV [Hardcover]

'It's a fascinating study... often amusing' Mature Times, June 2006

From fashion and pop music to politics and sex, the 1960s was a revolutionary decade that was to change the way we lived forever. And television was no exception: if the Fifties were epitomised by the polite continuity announcer with his dinner jacket and impeccable RP accent, the Sixties were all about Diana Rigg in that catsuit high-kicking her way out of trouble. An extraordinary number of classic shows were born in the 1960s, some of which are still running today - from "Top of the Pops" and "Coronation Street" to "Doctor Who" and "Star Trek". Many great sitcoms, including "Steptoe & Son", "The Likely Lads", "Dad's Army" and "Till Death Us Do Part", were first shown in this decade, and it was a remarkable era for children's programmes: "Blue Peter", "Play School", "Trumpton", "Basil Brush", "The Clangers", "The Magic Roundabout" and "Thunderbirds" have been enjoyed by generations of kids. Other shows defy categorization: "The Man from UNCLE", "The Prisoner", "That Was the Week That Was" and "Candid Camera" rewrote the rules, and great TV events like 1966's World Cup Final and the Moon landing in 1969 brought the country together round the television set in a way that had never happened before. This indispensable guide provides a quirky and highly enjoyable trip down memory lane for all classic TV fans.

Richard Webber takes a nostalgic look at some of the forgotten gems and some of the most fondly remembered TV shows, from classics still running today (Top of the Pops, Coronation Street and Doctor Who) to great sitcoms like Steptoe and Son, The Likely Lads and Dad's Army, and timeless children's programmes such as Blue Peter, Play School, The Magic Roundabout and Thunderbirds. Other shows that defy categorisation are explored: the Man from UNCLE, The Prisoner, That Was The Week That Was and Candid Camera rewrote the rules, and great TV events like 1966's World Cup Final and the Moon landing in 1969 brought the country together round the television set in a way that had never happened before. In this beautifully illustrated gift book, Webber provides a quirky and highly enjoyable commentary of all these classic TV moments.

Also featured in the book are interviews with stars like Sir Roger Moore, Honor Blackman, Kenneth Cope and Peter Purves, while directors, producers and behind-the-scenes crews recall the problems and pleasures of an era where much of the programming, including drama, was broadcast live.

Richard Webber is the bestselling author of a dozen TV-related books, including "Porridge: The Inside Story", "The Complete A-Z of Only Fools and Horses" and "Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?".