Ovaltineys
Encyclopedia
Ovaltineys or League of Ovaltineys was a children's club developed in the 1930s to promote the sale of Ovaltine
brand drink in the United Kingdom
.
, sponsored by the manufacturer. It achieved 5 million members in 1939. This was a time when few people had televisions, and radio was all-important as a medium, and had huge audiences. The show was broadcast on Sunday evenings between 5.30pm and 6pm over the powerful Long Wave transmitter and the show became well known throughout the UK for its theme song We Are The Ovaltineys. Members of the club received a membership badge and book and the chance to take part in competitions and other activities. There was a weekly comic too.
In the late 1960s the Ovaltineys' Club was relaunched and aimed at modern children and, in addition to their badge, members received a record with instrumental songs performed in a "pop" style. The presidents of the new club were the British comedy team of Morecambe and Wise
.
In 1975 the song We Are The Ovaltineys came back to a new audience when it was used by Ovaltine in a TV advertisement and released as a single record.
We are the Ovaltineys,
Little girls and boys;
Make your requests, we'll not refuse you,
We are here just to amuse you.
Would you like a song or story,
Will you share our joys?
At games and sports we're more than keen;
No merrier children could be seen,
Because we all drink Ovaltine,
We're happy girls and boys!
Ovaltine
Ovaltine is a brand of milk flavoring product made with malt extract , sugar , cocoa, and whey...
brand drink in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Original Ovaltineys
The club, founded in 1935, had its own radio show on Radio LuxembourgRadio Luxembourg (English)
Radio Luxembourg is a commercial broadcaster in many languages from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is nowadays known in most non-English languages as RTL ....
, sponsored by the manufacturer. It achieved 5 million members in 1939. This was a time when few people had televisions, and radio was all-important as a medium, and had huge audiences. The show was broadcast on Sunday evenings between 5.30pm and 6pm over the powerful Long Wave transmitter and the show became well known throughout the UK for its theme song We Are The Ovaltineys. Members of the club received a membership badge and book and the chance to take part in competitions and other activities. There was a weekly comic too.
Revivals
In 1952 a new version of the Ovaltineys' show was aired once more at 6:15 PM on Sunday evenings over Radio Luxembourg on its new 208 Medium Wave transmitter.In the late 1960s the Ovaltineys' Club was relaunched and aimed at modern children and, in addition to their badge, members received a record with instrumental songs performed in a "pop" style. The presidents of the new club were the British comedy team of Morecambe and Wise
Morecambe and Wise
Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise, usually referred to as Morecambe and Wise, or Eric and Ernie, were a British comic double act, working in variety, radio, film and most successfully in television. Their partnership lasted from 1941 until Morecambe's death in 1984...
.
In 1975 the song We Are The Ovaltineys came back to a new audience when it was used by Ovaltine in a TV advertisement and released as a single record.
Theme Song
We Are The OvaltineysWe are the Ovaltineys,
Little girls and boys;
Make your requests, we'll not refuse you,
We are here just to amuse you.
Would you like a song or story,
Will you share our joys?
At games and sports we're more than keen;
No merrier children could be seen,
Because we all drink Ovaltine,
We're happy girls and boys!