From TV Times - "Jack Jackson introduces personalities, news and music from the world
of show business in his regular Saturday night rendezvous from the Embassy Club in
Bond Street, London."
Disc jockey and former trumpeter and bandleader Jackson had created a style of presentation
that would later be copied by the likes of Kenny Everett where his own patter would
be accompanied and/or interrupted by appropriate lines from comedy sketches or songs.
The transition to television came naturally and the new late-night show was an instant
success. Accompanied by regulars, who would later include Barbara Windsor, he and
his guests would lip-sync a song, sending up the dance interpretation shows of the
time like Hit Parade. Other guests would appear to plug their new release, while
a "Sing With The Stars" feature was later introduced. Jackson had been invited to
join what was then called ABC-TV, before it had to change its name to ATV.
Each show would necessitate between 14-15 set changes which were all done live, while
Jackson would try out ideas in his home recording studio in Ricksmonsworth with the
show's producer Mark White.
A new version of The Jack Jackson Show began on Sunday afternoons from 16th October
1955, with his Saturday night show now re-titled On The Town and hosted by Ron Randell,
but still based at The Embassy Club.
The show was used as ammunition by ITV against the BBC when the show was moved from
late Sundays to Saturday evenings in direct competition to the Six-Five Special achieving
an increase in its audience.
