h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have fond memories of the international episodes with the lavish sets & costumes but especially Stuart Hall's infectious laughter.

Does anyone remember the names of the two international referees? I think they were twin brothers.

Dear Neil,

My name is Henk-Jan ter Balkt and I am from the Netherlands. I do not know you yet, but I think this is a good way to get acquainted with one another.

By the way, I shall tell you how I got your name. Well, on the Internet I typed the words "It's a knockout" and "BBC", because I am a great fan of this game show, just like you probably.

In answer to your question who were the international referees in "It's a knockout" between 1965 and 1982 I can tell you that their names were Guido Pancaldi and Gennaro Olivieri. They both came from Switzerland or from Italy.

Yours sincerely,

Henk-Jan

Hello Henk-Jan,

I never thought my question would end up on a search engine. That's the wonder of the internet.

Thanks for the names of the referees. I remember Guido & Gennaro as smiling most of the time, except for when they were scolding the contestants for breaking the rules! If I remember correctly, thery were from Italy.

Thinking of 'International It's a Knockout' always brings back fond memories. Here in the UK we had two excellent presenters by the names of Stuart Hall (still working in TV I believe) and Eddie Waring (now, sadly deceased). Their enthusiasm and laughter made for wonderfully entertaining programmes. Often I would be laughing at their infectious laughter rather than the antics of the contestants.

The International competition was part of the 'golden age' of television, the likes of which, I don't think we'll see again unfortunately. It's probably something to do with the way the countries which formed the newly created EEC were getting to know each other back in the 1970's. These days, the boundaries between the nations seems to be blurring. I suppose the nearest television event that we know have is the Eurovision Song Contest, which I also enjoy.

Best wishes,

Neil

Hello again Neily,

More than three months have passed by now since you wrote me for the last time about the international referees of the television game show "It's a knockout" between the early 1970's and the middle of September 1982.

Well, I can tell you more about Guido Pancaldi and Gennaro Olivieri.
On September 25th 2002 I posted a letter to a conversation in which I asked whether above-mentioned referees were still alive and, if yes,
whether anyone could tell me where they do live at the moment.

And yet until know I have not got an answer to above-mentioned question. But I have found some websites on which you can find some nice pictures and maybe some interesting information about Gennaro, and especially about Guido. Here they come:

http://jsf1.tripod.com/com.htm
http://www.chez.com/jeuxsansfrontieres/images/presentateurs/pancaldi_olivieri.ipg
http://www.chez.com/jeuxsansfrontieres/jsf78_rochefort.htm
http://www.chez.com/jeuxsansfrontieres/jsf79_bruxelles.htm
http://www.chez.com/jeuxsansfrontieres/jsf_1988.htm
http://www.chez.com/jeuxsansfrontieres/jsf_1989.htm
http://www.chez.com/jeuxsansfrontieres/jsf_1999.htm

So in above-mentioned year 1999 Guido Pancaldi was still alive,
at least when he was one of the referees when "It's a knockout"
was held.

Hope to have informed you enough for the time being.

Best wishes and all the best for the New Year 2003,

Henk-Jan

Hello Neily,

Just two hours ago I posted a letter to you in which I mentioned a number of websites about Guido Pancaldi and Gennaro Olivieri.
The second website I noticed is not entirely correct. This one should be:
http://www.chez.com/jeuxsansfrontieres/images/presentateurs/pancaldi_olivieri.jpg

(If you click on this you get this website on your computer screen, just like other blue-coloured names of websites).

Hoping to have helped you this way.

Best wishes,

Henk-Jan

Hello Neily,

This is already my third message of today, but I hope you do not mind.
What I only wanted to say is that I have found another website with pictures of Guido Pancaldi and Gennaro Olivieri. Here it is:

http://digilander.libero.it/jsfnet

Best wishes,

Henk-Jan

Hello again Neily,

More than three months have passed by now since you wrote me for the last time about the international referees of the television game show
"It's a knockout" between the early 1970's and the middle of September 1982, Guido Pancaldi and Gennaro Olivieri.

Well, I can tell you something more about Guido and Gennaro.
On September 25th 2002 I posted a letter to a conversation in which I asked whether above-mentioned referees were still alived and, if yes,
whether anyone could tell me at what address they are living at the moment.

And yet until now I have not got any answer to above-mentioned questions. But I have found some websites on which you can find some nice pictures of and maybe some interesting information about Gennaro, and especially about Guido. Here they are:

(If you double click (click twice with the left mouse knop)on the following websites you get these on your computer screen, just like other blue-coloured names of websites).

http://digilander.libero.it/jsfnet
(on this website you should click again on the year 1982. Here you can see for example Guido Pancaldi and Gennaro Olivieri when judging "It's a knockout" with Simona Izzo, the Italian female presenter, in the Sardinian (Italian) city of La Maddalena Caprera).

http://jsf1.tripod.com/com.htm
http://www.chez.com/jeuxsansfrontieres/images/presentateurs/pancaldi_olivieri.jpg
http://www.chez.com/jeuxsansfrontieres/jsf78_rochefort.htm
http://www.chez.com/jeuxsansfrontieres/jsf79_bruxelles.htm
http://www.chez.com/jeuxsansfrontieres/jsf1988.htm
http://www.chez.com/jeuxsansfrontieres/jsf1989.htm
http://www.chez.com/jeuxsansfrontieres/jsf1999.htm

So in above-mentioned year 1999 Guido Pancaldi was still alive, at least when he was one of the (international) referees when "It's a knockout" was held.

Hope to have informed you enough for the moment being.

Best wishes and all the best for the New Year 2003.

Henk-Jan

Hello again Neily,

Just about 22 minutes ago I posted a letter to you in which I referred to a website. To be exact this is the following one:

http://digilander.libero.it/jsfnet/1982pic.htm

Hoping to have informed you right this way.

Best wishes,

Henk-Jan

Hello again Neil,

Sorry to disturb you with so many letters, but I have got to send you one more because I was mistaken with three websites I mentioned in the letter that was sent to you about an hour ago (Posting 7).

These websites should be:

http://www.chez.com/jeuxsansfrontieres/jsf_1988.htm
http://www.chez.com/jeuxsansfrontieres/jsf_1989.htm
http://www.chez.com/jeuxsansfrontieres/jsf_1999.htm

Hope to have you informed correctly and enough for now.

Best wishes,

Henk-Jan

Hello Neil,

With reference to Posting number 7, I only would like to tell you that it not should be left mouse knop (knop is Dutch for button and I am a Dutch-speaking guy), but left mouse button.

Thank you and best wishes,

Henk-Jan

Hello again Neily,

I do hope you read all my previous postings about the referees of the international version of "It's a knockout", also called "Jeux sans frontieres". On the following websites you can read some more about and find pictures of Guido Pancaldi and Gennaro Olivieri.

Here they come:

http://digilander.libero.it/jsfnet/presentat.htm
http://digilander.libero.it/jsfnet/storia.htm

Hope to have been at your service this way.

Best wishes and hope to hear from you pretty soon again,

Henk-Jan

Hello again Neily,

Nearly 10 weeks have passed by since I wrote you for the last time, but till now I did not get an answer from you. I feel a little bit sorry about that and I hope this time you will give an answer to my letter.

What I would like to let you know is that I have found a nice picture of Guido Pancaldi and Gennaro Olivieri, the international referees of the game show "It's a knockout". It is of the year 1981 and it can be found on this website: http://www.chez.com/jeuxsansfrontieres/jsf_1981.htm

If you click on above-mentioned website you will find the picture there.

Hoping to have been at your service this way.

Best wishes and hope to hear from you soon again.

Greetings from the Netherlands,

Henk-Jan