Wikipedia

Animal, Vegetable, Mineral?

For the use of the question in parlor games, see Twenty questions § Popular variants.

Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? was a British television panel show which originally ran from 23 October 1952 to 18 March 1959.[1] In the show, a panel of archaeologists, art historians, and natural history experts were asked to identify interesting objects or artefacts from museums from Britain and abroad, and other faculties, including university collections.[2]

Animal, Vegetable, Mineral?
GenrePanel show
Created byNora Wood
Presented byLionel Hale (1952)
Glyn Daniel (1952–59)
Barry Cunliffe (1971)
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series7 (BBC-tv)
1 (BBC2)
No. of episodes116 (BBC-tv)
14 (BBC2)
Production
Running time30 minutes
Original release
NetworkBBC Television Service (1952–59)
BBC2 (1971)
Release23 October 1952 (1952-10-23) –
29 August 1971 (1971-08-29)

The quiz show was presented by the BBC, continuing a long history of bringing contributors to archaeology into the media limelight. Writing in 1953, the critic C.A. Lejeune described the show as having "a sound, full-bodied, vintage flavour".[3]

History

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The UK television show was modelled on an American TV show called What in the World? that was developed by Froelich Rainey.[4] The first episode of Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? was broadcast on 23 October 1952[5] and was hosted by Lionel Hale and produced by Paul Johnstone.[2][6] Hale soon stood down as chairman, after an early episode in which he was challenged by Thomas Bodkin about the age of one of the objects shown, in favour of the archaeologist Glyn Daniel, who continued as the regular chairman and scorer for the next seven years.[7]

The most frequent member of the discussion panel was the renowned archaeologist Sir Mortimer Wheeler, who was voted TV personality of the year in 1954, providing the world of archaeology with its first media star.[8] Daniel won the award the following year.[9]

The last episode of original series was broadcast on 18 March 1959, after which the programme was cancelled, partly because of Daniel's association with Anglia Television.[7] It was briefly revived as A.V.M? in 1971, directed by Bob Toner, with Barry Cunliffe as the chairman.[10]

Programme information

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The person responsible for choosing the artefact for each episode was Sir David Attenborough,[11] who was also the camera director. However, on the Christmas special in 1956, Glyn Daniel and Sir Mortimer Wheeler selected items for Attenborough and other production staff to examine.

Inauthentic items were occasionally included: for example, a stone axe made by the forger 'Flint Jack'[11] or fake Crown Derby ware.[2] On one occasion, Sir Julian Huxley was unable to identify a modern mock-up of a stuffed great auk as a fake,[12] and on another Huxley lost a £1 bet after failing to recognise the egg of the African giant snail.[7] Occasionally the presenter would try to fool the panel with a corroded modern artefact e.g. a part of a pram or a bicycle.[citation needed]

The signature music for the series was the prelude to Partita No. 3 in E major by Johann Sebastian Bach.[13]

Transmissions

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BBC Television Service

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Series Start date End date Episodes
1 23 October 1952[14] 23 July 1953[15] 20
2 15 October 1953[16] 10 June 1954[17] 18
3 14 October 1954[18] 28 July 1955[19] 19
4 22 September 1955[20] 28 June 1956[21] 21
5 4 October 1956[22] 27 June 1957[23] 20
6 17 October 1957[24] 27 December 1957[25] 6
7 1 October 1958[26] 18 March 1959[27] 12

BBC2

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Series Start date End date Episodes
1 30 May 1971[28] 29 August 1971[29] 14

Controversies

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Wheeler often "cheated" by investigating beforehand which objects had been removed from their next location, and looking up the relevant information about the corresponding items in catalogues.[30] Nevertheless, Wheeler once stormed off set after taking offence when a junior producer offered to show him the planned items before an episode was filmed.[7]

In 1957, an episode was broadcast in which the panel were asked to identify the ethnic origins of a selection of human volunteers.[31][32] The anthropologist Margaret Mead disrupted the episode by repeatedly claiming that examples of each ethnic group could be seen at Grand Central Station in New York City. Mead was not invited to take part in the show again.[7]

On one occasion, a BBC spokesman stated that Glyn Daniel presented the show while suffering from influenza, as during a discussion about a sheaf of poisoned arrows from the Sarawak State Museum he said on air that "there are a few million people I would like to kill – mostly viewers".[33][34] Attenborough explained in his autobiography that Daniel had presented the programme while drunk.[35] On another occasion, Leigh Ashton, the Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, also appeared while drunk, and fell asleep after incorrectly stating the first three objects shown to be fakes.[7]

On one of the show's overseas visits, an episode had to be re-located to the Musée de l'Homme in Paris after the National Archaeological Museum refused permission to film.[7]

Legacy

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The show was the forerunner of other popular BBC archaeology programmes, such as Buried Treasure and Chronicle.[5] It was credited with contributing to the rise in popularity of archaeology in Britain in the 1950s, which resulted in increased museum attendance and library use. Daniel reported the Director-General of the BBC, Sir Ian Jacob, as stating that "the two most popular things on television seemed to be archaeology and show-jumping".[36] On several occasions the show caused museums' identifications of objects to be amended based on information provided by the panel or by the viewing public.[37]

Its format was often referenced in comedy shows: Not Only...But Also, At Last the 1948 Show, Do Not Adjust Your Set and The Complete and Utter History of Britain each contained sketches with experts analyzing a "mystery object", often resulting in totally wrong conclusions or, in At Last the 1948 Show, in the items getting destroyed.[38] Even in the 21st century, Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? was still referenced in the second episode of The Armstrong & Miller Show: Its simple set-up was parodied with a fictional black & white program called "How many hats?".[39]

In September 2011, University College London performed a one-off revival of Animal, Vegetable, Mineral?. The panel of experts included Claire Thomson (Scandinavian Studies), Ryan Nichol (Physics and Astronomy), Tom Stern (Philosophy) and Sam Turvey (Institute of Zoology). It was hosted by Joe Flatman (Institute of Archaeology) and consisted of a visit to the UCL museum.[40]

Episodes

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Only four episodes exist in the BBC's archives,[41] three of which are available to watch from the BBC iPlayer.[42] The fourth one is mute, because its audio track has been lost.[43]

Some (incomplete) episode information follows:

Date Host Challenger Panel Notes
23 October 1952[44] Lionel Hale Thomas Bodkin
6 November 1952[45] Glyn Daniel Pitt Rivers Museum Sir Julian Huxley, T. C. Lethbridge, Sir Mortimer Wheeler
30 April 1953[46][47] Glyn Daniel Thomas Bodkin, W.E. Swinton, Sir Mortimer Wheeler
21 January 1954[48] University College Museum, Bangor University Sir Mortimer Wheeler
4 March 1954[49] Ashmolean Museum
29 April 1954[50] British Museum
14 October 1954[51] Thomas Bodkin, Johannes Brøndsted, Sir Mortimer Wheeler
28 October 1954 Glyn Daniel, Froelich Rainey Manchester Museum Geoffrey Bushnell, Froelich Rainey, Sir Mortimer Wheeler, Glyn Daniel Available in BBC archive. Daniel and Rainey swapped roles for part of the show. Final score 14/20.
11 November 1954 Glyn Daniel Sheffield City Museum Adrian Digby, Hugh Shortt, Edward Wenham
24 December 1954[52] Glyn Daniel Thomas Bodkin, Hugh Shortt, Sir Mortimer Wheeler
27 January 1955[53] Glyn Daniel Grosvenor Museum Sir Mortimer Wheeler
21 April 1955[54] Glyn Daniel Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery Thomas Bodkin, Adrian Digby, Sir Mortimer Wheeler Fiftieth episode
3 May 1956 Glyn Daniel National Museum of Prague V. Gordon Childe, Seán P. Ó Ríordáin, Sir Mortimer Wheeler Available in BBC archive. Final score 22/20.
17 May 1956 John Betjeman Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Stephen Bone, Sir Gerald Kelly, Mary Woodall
1 October 1958 Glyn Daniel Victoria and Albert Museum Thomas Bodkin, Hugh Shortt, Sir Mortimer Wheeler Available in BBC archive. Final score 19/20.
15 October 1958 Glyn Daniel Imperial War Museum Charles Appleby, Charles Thomas, Sir Mortimer Wheeler
30 May 1971[55] Barry Cunliffe Roman occupation of Britain Tony Birley, Kate Pretty, John Wild
6 June 1971[56] Barry Cunliffe Early Celtic Britain Kate Pretty, Leo Rivet, John Wild
13 June 1971[57] Barry Cunliffe Neolithic and Bronze Age Humphrey Case, Kate Pretty, Colin Renfrew
20 June 1971[58] Barry Cunliffe Development sites Phil Barker, Peter Fowler, Kate Pretty
27 June 1971[59] Barry Cunliffe Britain 500 to 1066 Peter Fowler, Kate Pretty, Charles Thomas
4 July 1971[60] Barry Cunliffe Middle America Phil Barker, Martin Biddle, Kate Pretty
11 July 1971[61] Barry Cunliffe New and Old World civilisations Norman Hammond, Kate Pretty, Colin Renfrew
18 July 1971[54] Barry Cunliffe Britain in the Middle Ages Norman Hammond, Kate Pretty, Eric Thompson
25 July 1971[62] Barry Cunliffe Fishbourne Roman Palace Tony Birley, Kate Pretty, John Wild
1 August 1971[63] Barry Cunliffe Civilisations of the Eastern Mediterranean Warwick Bray, Norman Hammond, Colin Renfrew
8 August 1971[64] Barry Cunliffe Viking Age Martin Biddle, Kate Pretty, Anna Ritchie
15 August 1971[65] Barry Cunliffe Fishbourne Roman Palace Ken Hawley, Hugh Shortt, John Wild
22 August 1971[66] Barry Cunliffe Beamish Museum Neil Cossons, Norman Hammond, Kenneth Hudson With Frank Atkinson.
29 August 1971[67] Barry Cunliffe Viewers requests Martin Biddle, Kate Pretty, Colin Renfrew

Cast and crew

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A partial cast list is available.[68]

Name Appeared As Episodes
Charles Appleby Panellist Unknown episodes
Frank Atkinson Challenger One episode, 1971
David Attenborough Producer Unknown episodes
John Betjeman Panellist & Chairman Unknown episodes[69][70]
Martin Biddle Panellist Three episodes, 1971
Tony Birley Panellist Two episodes, 1971
Anthony Blunt Panellist One episode, 1956[69]
Thomas Bodkin Panellist Unknown episodes
Stephen Bone Panellist Unknown episodes[71]
Warwick Bray Panellist One episode, 1971
Johannes Brøndsted Panellist One episode, 1954[2]
Geoffrey Bushnell Panellist Unknown episodes
Humphrey Case Panellist One episode, 1971
V. Gordon Childe Panellist Unknown episodes
Norman 'Bill' Cook[72] Panellist Unknown episodes
Neil Cossons Panellist One episode, 1971
Barry Cunliffe Chairman Fourteen episodes, 1971[73]
Glyn Daniel Chairman & Panellist Unknown episodes
Adrian Digby Panellist One episode, 1952
Lionel Hale Panellist Episode 1, 1952
Norman Hammond Panellist Four episodes, 1971
Ken Hawley Panellist One episode, 1971
Jacquetta Hawkes Panellist Unknown episodes
Kenneth Hudson Panellist One episode, 1971
Julian Huxley Panellist Unknown episodes
Paul Johnstone Producer Unknown episodes[2]
Gerald Kelly Panellist Unknown episodes
Kathleen Kenyon Panellist One episode, November 1955[74]
James Laver Panellist One episode, 1952
T. C. Lethbridge Panellist One episode, 1952[45]
Margaret Mead Panellist One episode, 1957[32]
Seán P. Ó Ríordáin[75][76] Panellist Unknown episodes
Stuart Piggott Panellist Unknown episodes[2]
Kate Pretty Panellist Ten episodes, 1971
Froelich Rainey Panellist & Chairman Unknown episodes
Colin Renfrew Panellist Four episodes, 1971
Anna Ritchie Panellist One episode, 1971
Leo Rivet Panellist One episode, 1971
Hugh Shortt Panellist Unknown episodes
John Summerson Panellist Unknown episodes[69]
W.E. Swinton Panellist Unknown episodes
Charles Thomas Panellist Unknown episodes
Nancy Thomas Presenter Episode 1, 1952
Eric Thompson Panellist One episode, 1971
Edward Wenham Panellist Unknown episodes
Mortimer Wheeler Panellist Unknown episodes
John Wild Panellist Four episodes, 1971
Mary Woodall Panellist Unknown episodes

References

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  1. ^ Clack, Timothy; Brittain, Marcus (2007). Archaeology and the Media. Left Coast Press. p. 18.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Glyn Daniel (21 April 1955). "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral?". The Spectator. p. 11.
  3. ^ C.A. Lejeune (18 January 1953). "Television Notes". The Observer.
  4. ^ Forsythe, Pamela J. (8 October 2017). "'What in the World' brought archaeology home". BroadStreetReview.com. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  5. ^ a b Daniel, Glyn E. (1954). "Archaeology on Television". Antiquity. 28 (112): 201–205. doi:10.1017/S0003598X00021608. S2CID 162725007.
  6. ^ "Obituary: Mr Paul Johnstone". The Times. 17 March 1976.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Daniel, Glyn (1986). Some Small Harvest. London: Thames and Huston. ISBN 9780500013878.
  8. ^ Henson, Don (2005). "Television Archaeology: Education or Entertainment?" (PDF). History in British Education. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  9. ^ Dr David R. Howell (20 October 2015). "Welsh History Month: Glyn Daniel, a famous face from Carmarthen who brought archaeology to the world". Wales Online. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  10. ^ Barry Norman (31 May 1971). "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral". The Times.
  11. ^ a b Attenborough, David (27 April 2010). "Personal Histories, 12th of October 2009" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  12. ^ Catling, Chris (August 2010). "Freudian dating parties; Glamorous heritage; Archaeologist Sienna Miller?; The heritage buffs' anthem; Early Animal, Vegetable, Mineral". Current Archaeology. No. 245. pp. 48–49.
  13. ^ "Desert Island Discs: Professor Glyn Daniel". BBC Radio 4 – Desert Island Discs. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  14. ^ "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? - BBC Television - 23 October 1952". BBC Genome Project. 23 October 1952. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  15. ^ "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? - BBC Television - 23 July 1953". BBC Genome Project. 23 July 1953. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  16. ^ "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? - BBC Television - 15 October 1953". BBC Genome Project. 15 October 1953. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  17. ^ "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? - BBC Television - 10 June 1954". BBC Genome Project. 10 June 1954. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  18. ^ "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? - BBC Television - 14 October 1954". BBC Genome Project. 14 October 1954. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  19. ^ "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? - BBC Television - 28 July 1955". BBC Genome Project. 28 July 1955. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  20. ^ "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? - BBC Television - 22 September 1955". BBC Genome Project. 22 September 1955. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  21. ^ "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? - BBC Television - 28 June 1956". BBC Genome Project. 28 June 1956. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  22. ^ "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? - BBC Television - 4 October 1956". BBC Genome Project. 4 October 1956. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  23. ^ "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? - BBC Television - 27 June 1957". BBC Genome Project. 27 June 1957. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  24. ^ "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? - BBC Television - 17 October 1957". BBC Genome Project. 17 October 1957. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  25. ^ "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? - BBC Television - 27 December 1957". BBC Genome Project. 27 December 1957. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  26. ^ "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? - BBC Television - 1 October 1958". BBC Genome Project. October 1958. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  27. ^ "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? - BBC Television - 18 March 1959". BBC Genome Project. 18 March 1959. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  28. ^ "A.V.M? Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? - BBC Two England - 30 May 1971". BBC Genome Project. 30 May 1971. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  29. ^ "A.V.M? Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? - BBC Two England - 29 August 1971". BBC Genome Project. 29 August 1971. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  30. ^ Bahn, Paul (1989). The Bluffer's Guide to Archaeology. London. p. 59.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  31. ^ "BBC Genome: Animal, Vegetable, Mineral?: All Manner of Men". 7 February 1957.
  32. ^ a b "A Spectator's Notebook". The Spectator. 15 February 1957. p. 7.
  33. ^ "Panel Chairman's Influenza: Viewers' Concern". The Manchester Guardian. 13 January 1956.
  34. ^ Maurice Richardson (15 January 1956). "Fantasies of 'Flu". The Observer.
  35. ^ David Attenborough, Life on Air (2009) p20-21.
  36. ^ Daniel, Glyn; Renfrew, Colin (1988). The Idea of Prehistory. Edinburgh University Press. p. 137. ISBN 0852245327.
  37. ^ Johnstone, Paul (September 1956). "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral?" (PDF). The UNESCO Courier: 29–30.
  38. ^ "At Last The 1948 Show, episode 1". One Media iP – official youtube channel. One Media iP. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  39. ^ "Armstrong and Miller Show, How many hats?". Hat Trick – official youtube channel. Hat Trick. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  40. ^ "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? Mystery Object Panel Game" (PDF). Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  41. ^ "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral". ukgameshows.com. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  42. ^ "BBC – Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? – Episode guide". BBC. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  43. ^ "TV Brain".
  44. ^ "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral?". BBC. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  45. ^ a b Our Radio Critic (12 November 1952). "A Donnish Quiz". The Manchester Guardian.
  46. ^ "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral?". BBC. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  47. ^ "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral?". BBC. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  48. ^ Our Radio Critic (27 January 1954). "Missing the Target". The Manchester Guardian.
  49. ^ Our Radio Critic (17 February 1954). "Alexandra Palace". The Manchester Guardian.
  50. ^ Our Radio Critic (30 April 1954). "The Queen at Gibraltar: Broadcasting Plans". The Manchester Guardian.
  51. ^ Our Radio Critic (29 September 1954). "Someone on the Line". The Manchester Guardian.
  52. ^ Our Radio Critic (8 December 1954). "The TV Christmas Programmes: "Amahl" Again". The Manchester Guardian.
  53. ^ Our Radio Critic (28 January 1955). "Wider Horizons in "Teleclub": Improved Programme". The Manchester Guardian.
  54. ^ a b "BBC Genome".
  55. ^ "BBC Genome".
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  66. ^ "BBC Genome".
  67. ^ "BBC Genome".
  68. ^ "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral?". IMDB. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  69. ^ a b c Anthony Blunt: His Lives, Miranda Carter, p373
  70. ^ Betjeman, John (2010). Games, Stephen (ed.). Betjeman's England. Hachette UK. ISBN 9781848543805.
  71. ^ "Obituary: Mr Stephen Bone". The Times. 16 September 1958.
  72. ^ "Obituary". The Independent. 3 June 1994. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022.
  73. ^ Sylvia Vetter. "Castaway" (PDF).
  74. ^ Davis, Miriam C. Dame Kathleen Kenyon: Digging up the Holy Land. p. 135.
  75. ^ Daniel, Glyn (1960). "Professor Sean O Riordain: An Appreciation". University Review. 2 (1): 59–61.
  76. ^ "Seán Ó Riordáin Papers/Aircív Sheáin Uí Ríordáin". University College Dublin. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
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