Cultural highlights of 1960

Television: UK
New shows
• Coronation Street (Granada for ITV network; twice weekly from 9 December). Soap opera. Still on air in 2008.
• No Hiding Place (Associated Rediffusion for ITV Network; Fridays at 21:35). Crime series; runs for eight seasons.
• Z Cars (BBC; runs for 667 one-hour episodes until 1978). Crime series.
A personal favourite
• The Strange World of Gurney Slade (ATV for the ITV network, six half-hour episodes from 22 October to 26 November). A surreal form of near-sitcom written by Sid Green and Dick Hills and starring Anthony Newley, shot on film without an audience, which after four episodes puzzling audiences at 20:35 was moved to 23:10. However, the theme, by Max Harris, was released on disc and was in the UK charts throughout December 1960, rising to number 10 by Christmas week, in competition with Elvis Presley (1), Cliff Richard (3) and Anthony Newley (4).
Imports
• Wagon Train (ITV). Western. In 1962 it transfers to BBC.

Television: US
New shows
• Route 66 (CBS, from 7 October). Series of 'road movie' stories. Runs for 116 episodes until 13 March 1964. Theme song by Nelson Riddle becomes a major hit.
• The Untouchables. Historical (prohibition era) crime.

Film
• Glass, a documentary by Dutch film-maker Bert Haanstra, wins an Academy Award (12 April).

Chronomedia 1960