What a Wonderful World" is a song by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss. It was first recorded by Louis Armstrong and released as a single in early fall 1967. Intended as an antidote for the increasingly racially and politically charged climate in the U.S. (and written specifically for Armstrong, who had broad crossover appeal), the song details the singer's delight in the simple enjoyment of everyday life. The song also has a hopeful, optimistic tone with regard to the future, with reference to babies being born into the world and having much to which to look forward. The song was not initially a hit in the States, where it sold less than 1,000 copies, but was a major success in the UK, reaching number one on the UK singles chart. It was also the biggest-selling single of 1968 in the UK.
The first part of the song says:
I see trees of green, red roses tooI see them bloom for me and youAnd I think to myself, what a wonderful world
I see skies of blue and clouds of whiteThe bright blessed day, the dark sacred nightAnd I think to myself, what a wonderful world...
The song gradually became something of a standard and reached a new level of popularity
Playings
What a Wonderful World" was used ironically in 1978 radio broadcast of the last episode of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (first series). The song replaced the usual end credits as the two main characters, stranded on pre-history Earth, lament its destruction witnessed in the first episode. The song was later used for the closing titles of the corresponding television episode, and in the first teaser for the Hitchhiker's film, lasting only one stanza before the Earth explodes.
In 1985 a part of the song was used in The Runner (Davandeh), a famous Iranian movie. It was included in the soundtrack for the film Good Morning, Vietnam in 1987. In the film, the song plays over a montage of bombings and other violence (similar to the use of the song "We'll Meet Again" in the film Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb). This use of the song in an ironic way has since become something of a cliché in film and television.
The song was featured as the theme for the first season of the popular 1990s sitcom Family Matters. It was also used in the film Meet Joe Black and twice in Twelve Monkeys, once emitting from a radio, and then over the ending credits (again ironically). It was sung by Willie Nelson for the 1996 movie Michael. A Willie Nelson version also was used for the "Don't Mess With Texas" anti-littering public service announcement campaign.
The Louis Armstrong version was also used during a sequence in Michael Moore's film Bowling for Columbine, where it accompanies scenes of violence in a montage about United States intervention in international affairs, as well as having the Joey Ramone cover playing over the ending credits. In the 2005 film, Madagascar it appears as a background song. On the program Pirate Radio (airing in Nashville, Tennessee, 1999-2001), an acoustic guitar version was used weekly as a music bed. It has also been used ironically as the theme music to the BBC series A Life of Grime, and as the closing theme to one series of Grumpy Old Men, in a version performed by the cast of the programme. The Louis Armstrong version was used also in the 2004 Japanese film Swing Girls during a scene where the main characters are chased by a wild boar. It also featured in the sixth episode of the BBC/Kudos 1973-set crime drama, Life on Mars. The Joey Ramone cover was also played over the ending credits of the BBC Radio 4 comedy series Chris Addison's Civilisation.
Clear Channel included "What a Wonderful World" on a list of songs that might be inappropriate for airplay in the period just after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
In recent years, the song has come to be associated with the Christmas season (although it has no holiday or seasonal content in its lyrics). In 2006, XM Satellite Radio added "What a Wonderful World" to its Holiday/Christmas rotation, as did many terrestrial radio stations in the U.S. Numerous recording artists have covered the song for inclusion on their Christmas-themed albums, including Newsong and LeAnn Rimes. Also in 2006, a rock version appeared in the Suzuki New Grand Vitara television commercial performed by David Mills and Ian Wilson.
A version can be found on the dance simulation game Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA. This version is by "Beatbox vs DJ Miko
Terry Fator performed this with his turtle, Winston, with partly a kermit version, with partly a Louis Armstrong version, on
Wonder World! medallion
In September 1994, a special 32mm bronze medallion was struck by Sydney medallists Amor Sanders to commemorate the 15th Anniversary of the start of Simon Townsend's Wonder World Funds for the production of this medallion were provided by both the TEN Network (which screened the original TV show) and the Nine Network (which screeded its successor) as a special tribute to Simon Townsend for creating one of television's most iconic TV magazine shows. The medallion was designed by Harvey Shore. The Simon Townsend's Wonder World! medallion contains on its obverse an image of Simon Townsend and Woodrow with the show's logo, surrounded by the legend, "On 3 September 1979 a TV legend began - to prove the world really is wonderful!" On its reverse, the medallion contains a quote from producer Harvey Shore: "To live in the hearts and minds of others is to never die." This 32mm bronze medallion is the first and only medallion struck to commemorate a television show in Australian history[citation needed]. Only 500 copies of the Simon Townsend's Wonder World! medallion were minted, and most were distributed to those original members of the iconic TV show's cast and crew who travelled from around the world to attend a special 15th Anniversary Reunion event staged by Simon Townsend in the clubhouse of the Moore Park Golf Course in Sydney on 7 September 1994.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Townsend%27s_Wonder_World%21_medallion"
Multi-genre
Worlds of Wonder is considered the first commercial multi-genre system, predating Steve Jackson's GURPS by 4 years. The idea, as stated in the pamphlet, was that characters could be created in any of the three settings, or even Basic Role-Playing, then physically travel to any of the three adventuring settings. The pamphlet proposed a neutral area that had magic connections to each of the worlds. Money from each setting would be valuable in the crossroads, at various conversion rates, and characters would be able to physically travel from one world to another.
Each setting booklet, however, was effectively a game in itself, with different (though mostly compatible) character generation and rules.
Magic World
The Magic World booklet is an attempt to bring the Basic Role-Playing basis of RuneQuest closer to the popular Dungeons & Dragons rules. [citation needed] Character abilities are based on individual skills and percentages, and initial characters can start as one of 4 professions or character classes. Warriors start with more fighting skills, Rogues with adventuring skills, like stealth, Sages with non-combat knowledge skills, and only Sorcerers are permitted magic spell casting. Only Characters could also be members of the standard Tolkienesque fantasy races, such as dwarfs, trolls, goblins, and elves.
Casting spells in Magic World is a skill, and Sorcerers must succeed with their skill roll in order to cast it. This system was later incorporated into RuneQuest.
Magic World is also the basis of the first version of the Swedish role-playing game, Drakar och Demoner (Dragons and Demons). [citation needed]Steve Perrin and Gordon Monson are credited as authors of this booklet.
Superworld
Superworld is a generic superhero game in a modern setting, in many ways similar to Champions. Superpowers are bought with Hero Points at character creation time. These points can also be spent to raise characteristics like strength or dexterity. Additional Hero Points can be gained by taking disabilities like blindness or vulnerability to certain attacks.
Unlike Champions, starting points are not fixed for each character, but instead are based on the total of each character's characteristics.
Steve Perrin and Steve Henderson are credited as authors of this booklet.
Superworld is the only one of the three genre settings to see later life as a standalone roleplaying game.
Future World
In the same way that the other two booklets took inspiration from other popular existing genre systems, Future World (or Future*World, as it is sometimes written in the game pages) was partly inspired by the then most popular science fiction role-playing game, Traveller. Like the Traveller background, Future World hypothesized a huge interstellar empire, and like its character generation rules, Future World characters started as members of one of six professions (Army, Civilian, Criminal, ICE, Scouts, or Science), and learned skills during terms of character generation.
Unlike Traveller, though, non-human characters were encouraged, and robots, and several alien races (ursinoids, insectoids, and saurians), were presented as character possibilities. Also unlike Traveller, travel between planets was by means of interstellar teleporter gates, maintained by ICE, the Imperial Corps of Engineers, not starships, changing play dynamics considerably. Rather than wandering the galaxy in their own spaceship, player characters would presumably be government or corporation associated explorers.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Wonder World
The multi-award winning Simon Townsend's Wonder World! was Australia's highest rating, most popular 'C' classified program, regularly drawing double-digit ratings figures and outrating even the TEN evening news. It aired every weekday of the year from 1979 until 1986.
The program was conceived by Simon Townsend in the early Seventies and designed to be a fast-moving and wonderous daily dose of informed entertainment for kids. Of course, it was also meant to be suitable for and attractive to older teens and adults. Indeed some came to call it 'The Muso's Breakfast Show'.
Each episode of Simon Townsend's Wonder World! featured an introduction by Simon Townsend as the studio host, accompanied by his bloodhound Woodrow. Simon would then present four individual magazine-style stories, each starring one of his four young and talented reporters. The stories covered any and every subject imaginable, from the most amazing pets, to the meaning of one hand clapping. Every show also contained a viewer segment, and a music segment - often produced by the program itself. For instance Simon Townsend's Wonder World! made the first ever music clip of famous Aussie band INXS.
Simon Townsend would always end every show with the same signature farewell - "And remember, the world really is wonderful!"
After more than 2,000 episodes, Simon Townsend's Wonder World! finally folded its tent in 1986.
History
Both the Nine and the Seven Networks helped Simon make pilots for his concept, but neither network bought the series. However in 1979 when the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal introduced a compulsory 'C' classification and made it a requirement for networks to broadcast only 'C' classified shows between 4 PM and 5 PM weekdays, Simon was smart enough to quickly apply for and win one of the first 'C' classifications for his show. At the same time, Network TEN was searching for a program with a coveted 'C', and when Simon offered them his, TEN jumped at the opportunity and signed the show.
The first episode of Simon Townsend's Wonder World went to air on 3 September 1979. At first the show was telecast only in the East Coast capital cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. But after Harvey Shore joined the program as producer in early 1980, his publicity expertise resulted in rapidly expanding public awareness and interest in the program throughout Australia. (In addition to being an award-winning film and TV producer, Harvey Shore had also been head of publicity for Village Roadshow movie distributors and exhibitors, and for the Maritime Services Board of New South Wales where Sydney Harbour was his office. He had met Simon Townsend when they both worked on Mike Willesee's top-rating TV show 'Willesee At Seven'.
They were an odd partnership - Harvey being a graduate of the Royal Military College Duntroon and Simon being a conscientious objector who refused to be drafted into the army. But together they formed a superb partnership that delivered a reliable flow of remarkable television supported by great amounts of regular publicity that created enormous public awareness amongst the total television audience Australia-wide.) Before long other capital city and regional stations began signing up for the show.
By the end of 1980 it was screening in every single TV broadcast region throughout Australia. Soon it became the top-rating program on the TEN Network outside prime time - and sometimes its ratings were better than programs in prime time. For many years the TEN Network ran two episodes of Simon Townsend's Wonder World! every weekday because of its ratings power - an old repeat show at 4PM followed by a new show at 4.30PM.
Under the publicity-savvy Harvey Shore, the regular featuring of Simon Townsend's Wonder World! in press and radio stories throughout Australia led to the show winning itself one of the highest media and public profiles of any afternoon show on Australian TV. One press story in 1985 said, "I read a newspaper today and there was not a single mention of Simon Townsend. Is this a record?"
Awards
Simon Townsend's Wonder World! also won an exceptional number of awards - five Logie Awards and many other trophies and prizes, including a special trophy presented by Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke on the occasion of its 1,000th show (as recorded in TV Week, issue of 9th June 1983.)
Simon Townsend was a great supporter of new Australian talent. Many people who got their first break in television via Simon Townsend's Wonder World! went on to achieve fame in the industry. For instance Jonathan Coleman became a huge star in both Australia and England. Angela Catterns became a radio star. Edith Bliss became an advertising and music star. Philip Tanner and Maurace Parker became top producers. Cinematographer Andrew Lesnie went on to win an Academy Award (an Oscar) for his film work. Fiona Baker went on to create many hit TV shows for other networks. There are many similar success stories that began with Simon Townsend and his gun producer Harvey Shore; who was not only Simon's friend and producer and publicity expert, but also a gifted organiser who (on a zero budget) arranged for the Wonder World! team to travel all over Australia and to many and varied locations in America, the UK, Europe, India, Asia and the Pacific region.
The extraordinary success of Simon Townsend's Wonder World! has never been repeated by any other show, though many sought to copy its style. Simon's pet and companion Woodrow died in 1985 and was replaced at first with a sulphur-crested cockatoo and then with another baby bloodhound. Reporters left the show and were replaced by other talented young Australians. The show became an Australian TV phenomena and remained that way for eight years. Decades later it was still fondly remembered by all who had seen it.
In September 1994, a special 32mm bronze medallion was struck by Sydney medallists Amor Sanders to commemorate the 15th Anniversary of the start of Simon Townsend's Wonder World! The Simon Townsend's Wonder World! medallion contains on its obverse an image of Simon Townsend and Woodrow with the show's logo, surrounded by the legend, "On 3 September 1979 a TV legend began - to prove the world really is wonderful!" On its reverse, the medallion contains a quote from producer Harvey Shore: "To live in the hearts and minds of others is to never die." This 32mm bronze medallion is the first and only medallion struck to commemorate a television show in Australian history. Only 500 copies of the Simon Townsend's Wonder World! medallion were minted, and most were distributed to members of the cast and crew who attended a special 15th Anniversary party in September 1994 in Sydney.
Wonder World!
In 1990, two of Simon Townsend's former reporters Phillip Tanner and Brett Clements bought the rights to Simon Townsend's Wonder World! and sold the concept to the Nine Network which re-launched the show. Its name was simplified to Wonder World! Harvey Shore was hired to train new reporters and produce the show once again. The hosts and reporters of this series included Liesl Macdonald, Jody Young, Pascall Fox, Nick Penn, Tony Johnston and Catriona Rowntree. This updated version of Simon Townsend's show began production in 1992, and rated well in its three-year run.
The program was conceived by Simon Townsend in the early Seventies and designed to be a fast-moving and wonderous daily dose of informed entertainment for kids. Of course, it was also meant to be suitable for and attractive to older teens and adults. Indeed some came to call it 'The Muso's Breakfast Show'.
Each episode of Simon Townsend's Wonder World! featured an introduction by Simon Townsend as the studio host, accompanied by his bloodhound Woodrow. Simon would then present four individual magazine-style stories, each starring one of his four young and talented reporters. The stories covered any and every subject imaginable, from the most amazing pets, to the meaning of one hand clapping. Every show also contained a viewer segment, and a music segment - often produced by the program itself. For instance Simon Townsend's Wonder World! made the first ever music clip of famous Aussie band INXS.
Simon Townsend would always end every show with the same signature farewell - "And remember, the world really is wonderful!"
After more than 2,000 episodes, Simon Townsend's Wonder World! finally folded its tent in 1986.
History
Both the Nine and the Seven Networks helped Simon make pilots for his concept, but neither network bought the series. However in 1979 when the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal introduced a compulsory 'C' classification and made it a requirement for networks to broadcast only 'C' classified shows between 4 PM and 5 PM weekdays, Simon was smart enough to quickly apply for and win one of the first 'C' classifications for his show. At the same time, Network TEN was searching for a program with a coveted 'C', and when Simon offered them his, TEN jumped at the opportunity and signed the show.
The first episode of Simon Townsend's Wonder World went to air on 3 September 1979. At first the show was telecast only in the East Coast capital cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. But after Harvey Shore joined the program as producer in early 1980, his publicity expertise resulted in rapidly expanding public awareness and interest in the program throughout Australia. (In addition to being an award-winning film and TV producer, Harvey Shore had also been head of publicity for Village Roadshow movie distributors and exhibitors, and for the Maritime Services Board of New South Wales where Sydney Harbour was his office. He had met Simon Townsend when they both worked on Mike Willesee's top-rating TV show 'Willesee At Seven'.
They were an odd partnership - Harvey being a graduate of the Royal Military College Duntroon and Simon being a conscientious objector who refused to be drafted into the army. But together they formed a superb partnership that delivered a reliable flow of remarkable television supported by great amounts of regular publicity that created enormous public awareness amongst the total television audience Australia-wide.) Before long other capital city and regional stations began signing up for the show.
By the end of 1980 it was screening in every single TV broadcast region throughout Australia. Soon it became the top-rating program on the TEN Network outside prime time - and sometimes its ratings were better than programs in prime time. For many years the TEN Network ran two episodes of Simon Townsend's Wonder World! every weekday because of its ratings power - an old repeat show at 4PM followed by a new show at 4.30PM.
Under the publicity-savvy Harvey Shore, the regular featuring of Simon Townsend's Wonder World! in press and radio stories throughout Australia led to the show winning itself one of the highest media and public profiles of any afternoon show on Australian TV. One press story in 1985 said, "I read a newspaper today and there was not a single mention of Simon Townsend. Is this a record?"
Awards
Simon Townsend's Wonder World! also won an exceptional number of awards - five Logie Awards and many other trophies and prizes, including a special trophy presented by Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke on the occasion of its 1,000th show (as recorded in TV Week, issue of 9th June 1983.)
Simon Townsend was a great supporter of new Australian talent. Many people who got their first break in television via Simon Townsend's Wonder World! went on to achieve fame in the industry. For instance Jonathan Coleman became a huge star in both Australia and England. Angela Catterns became a radio star. Edith Bliss became an advertising and music star. Philip Tanner and Maurace Parker became top producers. Cinematographer Andrew Lesnie went on to win an Academy Award (an Oscar) for his film work. Fiona Baker went on to create many hit TV shows for other networks. There are many similar success stories that began with Simon Townsend and his gun producer Harvey Shore; who was not only Simon's friend and producer and publicity expert, but also a gifted organiser who (on a zero budget) arranged for the Wonder World! team to travel all over Australia and to many and varied locations in America, the UK, Europe, India, Asia and the Pacific region.
The extraordinary success of Simon Townsend's Wonder World! has never been repeated by any other show, though many sought to copy its style. Simon's pet and companion Woodrow died in 1985 and was replaced at first with a sulphur-crested cockatoo and then with another baby bloodhound. Reporters left the show and were replaced by other talented young Australians. The show became an Australian TV phenomena and remained that way for eight years. Decades later it was still fondly remembered by all who had seen it.
In September 1994, a special 32mm bronze medallion was struck by Sydney medallists Amor Sanders to commemorate the 15th Anniversary of the start of Simon Townsend's Wonder World! The Simon Townsend's Wonder World! medallion contains on its obverse an image of Simon Townsend and Woodrow with the show's logo, surrounded by the legend, "On 3 September 1979 a TV legend began - to prove the world really is wonderful!" On its reverse, the medallion contains a quote from producer Harvey Shore: "To live in the hearts and minds of others is to never die." This 32mm bronze medallion is the first and only medallion struck to commemorate a television show in Australian history. Only 500 copies of the Simon Townsend's Wonder World! medallion were minted, and most were distributed to members of the cast and crew who attended a special 15th Anniversary party in September 1994 in Sydney.
Wonder World!
In 1990, two of Simon Townsend's former reporters Phillip Tanner and Brett Clements bought the rights to Simon Townsend's Wonder World! and sold the concept to the Nine Network which re-launched the show. Its name was simplified to Wonder World! Harvey Shore was hired to train new reporters and produce the show once again. The hosts and reporters of this series included Liesl Macdonald, Jody Young, Pascall Fox, Nick Penn, Tony Johnston and Catriona Rowntree. This updated version of Simon Townsend's show began production in 1992, and rated well in its three-year run.
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