Bob Holness: 1928-2012

I'm a little late on this news, but my first entry of the new year is a rather sad one.  One of my favorite international game show hosts (and one of my biggest hosting influences as I've been doing my own game show at USC), Bob Holness, passed away on January 6.

Bob Holness, on the set of Blockbusters

Bob was the host of the British version of Blockbusters for 11 years (1983-1994).  While he may be best remembered for that, it should also be noted that he was one of the first actors to portray James Bond in a radio adaptation of Moonraker.  Sounds like an urban myth, but isn't.  (Another rumor about him playing a saxophone solo, however, is.)  He began his career as a radio DJ and actor in his native South Africa, and returned to the UK in 1961.

Now, granted, I'm an American blogger posting about a British personality...therein lies the magic of YouTube.  I discovered the British version of Blockbusters thanks to a (sadly now-defunct) broadband online version of the game, in which Bob prominently featured.  He's a stark contrast to the American Blockbusters hosts, Bill Cullen and Bill Rafferty--Rafferty was definitely friendly to the contestants, and Cullen had a sense of humor that you just had to understand to know how he ticked.  But Bob--who dealt the hard questions to 16-to-18-year-old kids on the show--had an avuncular air about him.  He was authoritative without talking down to the contestants, not to mention warm and inviting as well.  Amidst all the silly mascots the contestants brought on, their antics, and the occasional request for a "P", Bob kept a straight face through it all, but still had a lot of fun himself.  He would play along with all the jokes thrown around, joined in that silly hand jive the kids did at the end of the Friday edition of Blockbusters, and even had a mascot of his own (pictured below), which apparently was a Christmas present of his from his wife.

Bob Holness with his own mascot, Harold the Hedgehog.

 

 

 

I've looked up to him as a role model of sorts, really.  Colleagues and former Blockbusters contestants remember him as one of the nicest game show hosts around, having lunch with the contestants and really getting to know them from their first step into the studio to their last one on their way out.  I admire the fact that he criticized the BBC's decision to axe his later show, Call My Bluff (a sort of Balderdash-esque panel game) in 2003, saying that he disliked the notion of a move towards quiz shows of avarice instead of education--you don't really think about learning from TV, but it's a tool, after all, so why not use it for that?  It's a shame, really, that the ratings prove that the viewers want otherwise.  And I'm not ashamed to admit that I've adopted some of his mannerisms on my show as well, short of his trademark roar of "THAT'S BLOCKBUSTERS!" when the contestant makes that connection across the board.  And unlike many game show hosts today (who I'm convinced do very impressive reads off a teleprompter, or cue cards, or some kind of script), Bob was a natural.  He never needed a script, and if he had one, went off it quite often.  Though viewers could never tell the difference.

The parting shot on the last Blockbusters

It's a real shame health issues dogged him in the last 15 years or so of his life, shortly after Blockbusters ended.  Several strokes weakened him considerably, though through all of that he had coped with it all.  If there's any consolation to this at all, it's that his family said he died peacefully in his sleep.

They don't make 'em like Bob anymore--a warm, inviting, all-around nice guy on television.  A far cry from a lot of TV--not just game shows--we see today.

IN PACE REQUIESCAT

BOB HOLNESS

1928-2012