Charlie Chester

Pot Luck

1952 - United Kingdom

Television series devised by and starring British comedian Charlie Chester. 

Debuting in 1952 Pot Luck is notable as the first ever British audience participation series. Described as a "programme of prizes and surprises", it involved members of the audience passing a pot around until the music stopped. Whoever was then holding the pot had to come up on stage and take part in a quiz. 

Supporting Chester were Harry Seltzer and Leslie Welch the Memory Man. The show was produced by Walton Anderson who mainly worked on TV musical comedies and reviews.

Published on January 21st, 2019. Written by Laurence Marcus for Television Heaven.

Read Next...

The Krypton Factor

One of the most iconic British quiz shows of the late 20th century, and for good reason. It was a unique blend of intelligence, physical skill, and mental agility, setting it apart from the typical trivia-based quiz shows of its time

Also tagged Game Show

Breaking Dad

Coming of age road trip to the USA. With viewing figures of 5 million an episode, the series became Britain's highest rating celebrity travelogue in nearly 10 years

Also tagged Reality Series

The Charlie Chester Show

Charlie Chester's most successful television series ran for 11 years on BBC television from 1949, but ended just as perhaps TV's first golden age was about to start.

Also starring Charlie Chester

Double Your Money

Hosted by the charismatic Hughie Green, Double Your Money gave away the biggest cash prize on British television in the 1950s.

Also tagged Game Show

Billy Bunter of Greyfriars School

Comedic stories of a gluttonous, lazy, deceitful, self-important and conceited schoolboy that was all the rage in the 1950s.

Also released in 1952

The Appleyards

Transmitted once a fortnight from 1952 in the Children's Television slot, The Appleyards is generally regarded as Britain's first television soap opera-even if it was made for kids.

Also released in 1952

Pilgrim Street

Experimental police series which concentrated on day-to-day cases. A forerunner to Dixon of Dock Green.

Also released in 1952

Dragnet

A truly defining early entry in the annals of the embryonic genre of US television police drama series, Dragnet became the seminal template from which all later successful cops shows drew a measure of guidance and inspiration...

Also released in 1952