"Ready, Steady, Go!" (1963) TV series 1963-1966

Directors:

Peter Croft
Rollo Gamble

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

9 August 1963 (UK)

Genre:

Music

Tagline:

The Weekend Starts Here!

Plot Keywords:

Pop Music

Cast

Mick Jagger	...	Himself (26 episodes, 1963-1966)
Dusty Springfield	...	Herself / ... (24 episodes, 1963-1966)
Eric Burdon	...	Himself / ... (23 episodes, 1964-1966)
Brian Jones	...	Himself (23 episodes, 1963-1966)
The Rolling Stones	...	Themselves (23 episodes, 1963-1966)
Bill Wyman	...	Himself (23 episodes, 1963-1966)
Mike Hugg	...	Himself (22 episodes, 1963-1966)
Manfred Mann	...	Himself (22 episodes, 1963-1966)
Tom McGuinness	...	Himself (22 episodes, 1963-1966)
Keith Richards	...	Himself (22 episodes, 1963-1966)
Charlie Watts	...	Himself (22 episodes, 1963-1966)
Paul Jones	...	Himself (21 episodes, 1963-1966)
The Animals	...	Themselves (20 episodes, 1964-1966)
Chas Chandler	...	Himself (19 episodes, 1964-1966)
Hilton Valentine	...	Himself / ... (19 episodes, 1964-1966)
The Who	...	Themselves (18 episodes, 1965-1966)
The Yardbirds	...	Themselves (17 episodes, 1964-1966)
The Dave Clark Five	...	Themselves / ... (17 episodes, 1963-1966)
Dave Davies	...	Himself (17 episodes, 1964-1966)
The Kinks	...	Themselves (17 episodes, 1964-1966)
Peter Quaife	...	Himself (17 episodes, 1964-1966)
Keith Relf	...	Himself (17 episodes, 1964-1966)
John Steele	...	Himself (17 episodes, 1964-1966)
John Entwistle	...	Himself (17 episodes, 1965-1966)
Keith Moon	...	Himself (17 episodes, 1965-1966)
Pete Townshend	...	Himself / ... (17 episodes, 1965-1966)
The Searchers	...	Themselves (16 episodes, 1963-1965)
Kenny Lynch	...	Himself (16 episodes, 1963-1966)
Dave Clark	...	Himself (16 episodes, 1963-1966)
Allan Clarke	...	Himself (16 episodes, 1963-1966)
Chris Curtis	...	Himself (16 episodes, 1963-1966)
Lenny Davidson	...	Himself (16 episodes, 1963-1966)
Bobby Elliot	...	Himself / ... (16 episodes, 1963-1966)
Tony Hicks	...	Himself (16 episodes, 1963-1966)
The Hollies	...	Themselves (16 episodes, 1963-1966)
Rick Huxley	...	Himself (16 episodes, 1963-1966)
Graham Nash	...	Himself / ... (16 episodes, 1963-1966)
Mike Smith	...	Himself (16 episodes, 1963-1966)
Denis West Payton	...	Himself (16 episodes, 1963-1966)
Michael Vickers	...	Himself (16 episodes, 1963-1965)
Mick Avory	...	Himself (16 episodes, 1964-1966)
Ray Davies	...	Himself / ... (16 episodes, 1964-1966)
Chris Dreja	...	Himself (16 episodes, 1964-1966)
Jim McCarty	...	Himself (16 episodes, 1964-1966)
Roger Daltrey	...	Himself (16 episodes, 1965-1966)
Cathy McGowan	...	Herself - Presenter / ... (15 episodes, 1964-1966)
Alan Price	...	Himself (15 episodes, 1964-1966)
John McNally	...	Himself (15 episodes, 1963-1965)
Mike Pender	...	Himself (15 episodes, 1963-1965)
Paul Samwell-Smith	...	Himself (15 episodes, 1964-1966)
Keith Fordyce	...	Himself - Presenter (14 episodes, 1963-1965)
Georgina Burgess	...	Herself - Dancer / ... (14 episodes, 1963-1966)
Eric Haydock	...	Himself (14 episodes, 1963-1966)
Georgie Fame	...	Himself (14 episodes, 1964-1966)
Jeff Beck	...	Himself (13 episodes, 1965-1966)
Donovan	...	Himself (12 episodes, 1965-1966)
Cilla Black	...	Herself / ... (12 episodes, 1963-1966)
Sandie Shaw	...	Herself (11 episodes, 1964-1966)

Runtime:

30 min (1963) | 50 min (1964-1966)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Associated-Rediffusion Television

Trivia:

Was live from 2 April 1965.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Coronation Street: (#1.421)" (1964)

Sixties showcase

The ultimate 60s pop show presented by Keith Fordyce and Cathy MacGowan was a staple part of TV in the early part of the decade. It had a simple formula – to showcase artists from both the UK and USA (usually miming), alongside an audience who danced or stood around during the performances.

MacGowan was an irritating, mini-skirted, giggler, while Fordyce would have looked more at home as an assistant in a furniture shop – still, it was a start and pre-dated Radio 1's Top of the Pops by a few years. Big names who appeared on Ready, Steady, Go, included Dusty Springfield, Del Shannon, the Animals, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, and Dave Berry. The theme tune was provided by Manfred Mann (the catchy 54321).

Perhaps it was not the most inventive of music shows – and suffered from the miming aspect which made most artists look ridiculous as they lip synched to a track which resounded around the huge space miles away from where they were standing. It was hardly definitive but was the first attempt on British TV (after 6-5 Special) to provide a weekly showcase for the movers and shakers of popular music. As Cathy MacGowan would say, 'The weekend starts here …'.