I bumped into Arnold Schwartzman a few weeks back - coincidentally there was a new six-part series on Channel 4, ‘How TV Changed Britain’ which explores the impact television has had on the culture of Britain. This week it centered on programming for ‘young people’ (stay with me, it’ll make sense by the end) and how television had to adapt to social change, as teenagers became increasingly demanding and relevant – No more boring grown ups sitting behind desks deliberating about the latest hits and misses,e.g.‘Juke Box Jury’. Enter the super cool’ Ready, Steady, Go!’ – Cut back to Arnold. At the time he was working at the then TV station, Associated Redifussion, and was responsible for all the graphics, including the title sequence. Below is his logo for the programme - still very nice too after 44 years. As is the photo of Arnold with ‘Ready, Steady, Go! Presenter, Cathy (Queen of the Mods) McGowan, taken around 1964. Arnold went on to work for Saul Bass in the US. Then set up on his own and promptly won an Oscar. He lives in LA producing books on architectural design details and is very involved with the documentary side of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and BAFTA/LA. In between all that he sits around the pool drinking Martini’s. Nice to see the logo, looking so good after all these years.
Cathy McGowan and Arnold Schwartzman (note the Harry Palmer specs) on the set of Ready, Steady Go!' 1964.
To here a recorded interview that I made with Arnold click here.
The logo, looking good after all these years.