NZ On Screen's Nicky Harrop opens the vaults and dusts off some classic Kiwi shows that launched in the 1970s.
The decade of fondue and flares was a big one for New Zealand, especially when it came to television. Not only did we become a nation with (count 'em) two channels, our living rooms began exploding into glorious colour, as black and white slowly became a thing of the past. We also (slowly) began to get used to hearing our own accent on screen, heralded by the arrival of some great local programmes.
Originally hosted by Selwyn Toogood, It's in the Bag began life as a radio series, before making the leap to television in 1973. The show travelled throughout New Zealand, plucking competitors from a live audience, who had to answer three questions before selecting a bag, and bargaining for an unknown prize detailed within. This 1974 episode from Dunedin has a Frigidaire "Jet-o-matic" Home Laundry up for grabs, but sees one not-so-lucky winner take home a vegetable peeler instead. During his 13-year run with the show, Toogood was accompanied by a series of glamorous "bag lady" sidekicks, and his signature catchphrases "by hokey!" and, "what'll it be customers, the money or the bag?" became the stuff of legend. After his retirement, John Hawkesby took over hosting duties, followed later by Nick Tansley. In 2009, the show was given a reboot by Maori Television, with Pio Terei as host and Stacey Daniels Morrison as "bag lady".
Watch a 1974 episode of It's in the Bag here:
