1979: How PLAY SCHOOL is Made | 25 Minutes of Peace | Making of... | BBC Archive

""Here's a house, here's a door. Windows: 1 2 3 4. Ready to knock? Turn the lock – It's Play School."

Barry Took looks at the history of Play School, the daily programme wich opened BBC2 15 years ago.

Helping Barry out are longtime presenter Brian Cant and an audience of Play School presenters past and present, including Johnny Ball, Floella Benjamin, Carole Chell, Gordon Clyde, Derek Griffiths, Fred Harris, Jane Hawley, Carol Leader, Stuart McGugan, Peter Pontzen, Gordon Rollings, Johnny Silvo, Julie Stevens and Peter Wiltshire. As always, the talented presenters are thoroughly upstaged by the real stars of the show, the toys - Little Ted, Big Ted, Humpty Dumpty, Jemima and Hamble.

Also featured is Wendy Duggan - who is responsible for the Play School pets, Nancy Quayle - Play School's eductional advisor, and composer William Blezard, who (when he isn't busy being the musical director to Noël Coward, Marlene Dietrich and Joyce Grenfell) has the demanding role of Play School's musical director.

The show is tied together with vox pops and letters from young viewers, and a discussion with educators in the audience about where Play School succeeds and where there is room for improvement.

Have a look through the... archive window.

Clip taken from 25 Minutes of Peace, originally broadcast on BBC Two, 21 April, 1979.

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