About this season
Omnibus was an arts-based BBC television documentary series, broadcast mainly on BBC1 in the United Kingdom. The programme was the successor to the long-running arts-based series 'Monitor'. It ran from 1967 until 2003, usually being transmitted on Sunday evenings. During its 35-year history, the programme won 12 Bafta awards. Among the series' best remembered documentaries are Cracked Actor, a profile of David Bowie, and Rene Magritte, a graduate film by David Wheatley, 'Madonna: Behind the American dream', a film produced by Nadia Hagger, and a profile of the British film director Ridley Scott. For a season in 1982, the series was in a magazine format presented by Barry Norman. The series was replaced by 'Imagine' hosted by Alan Yentob.
Episodes (38)
1. All the Superlatives - Anthony Dowell
Aired 21 October 1976
2. Omnibus USA: Dave Brubeck
Aired 28 October 1976
3. My Homeland
Aired 3 November 1976
4. Art - To a Degree
Aired 11 November 1976
5. Culture - Who Needs It?
Aired 11 November 1976
6. Omnibus USA: Have a Nice Day
Aired 25 November 1976
7. Signs of Vigorous Life: The New German Cinema
Aired 2 December 1976
8. Benjamin Britten
Aired 5 December 1976
9. The First 70 Years Are the Worst-Two Lives in Music
Aired 9 December 1976
10. New York, New York
Aired 16 December 1976 • 49 min
Various artists and musicians at work, and performing, throughout a day in the SoHo district of New York City.
11. The Story of Pantomime
Aired 23 December 1976
12. Pleasure at Her Majesty's
Aired 29 December 1976
13. The Song of Mandelay
Aired 3 January 1977
14. A White Wall in Alentejo
Aired 13 January 1977
15. Omnibus USA: Doc, Charlie and the Painters
Aired 20 January 1977
16. Colour Positive - The Poster Man
Aired 27 January 1977
17. Paintings by El Greco
Aired 3 February 1977
18. Paintings by Titian
Aired 10 February 1977
19. Paintings by Velazquez
Aired 17 February 1977
20. Omnibus USA: LA - My Home Town
Aired 24 February 1977
21. Toccata at the Plaza
Aired 3 March 1977
A fun documentary in which Organist Robin Richmond demonstrates the power, and tells the history, of Cinema Organs. The film was shown as part of an Omnibus programme on Nostalgia
22. Omnibus USA: New York Real, New York Abstract
Aired 10 March 1977
23. Orpheus and His Flute
Aired 17 March 1977
24. Walton No.1
Aired 24 March 1977
25. Stan Tracey: The Original
Aired 31 March 1977
26. Omnibus USA: Documentary America
Aired 7 April 1977
27. Seeds of a New Life
Aired 14 April 1977
28. The Lindsays/Half a Mile from Stoke
Aired 21 April 1977
29. The Human Face
Aired 28 April 1977
30. Walk to the Moon
Aired 5 May 1977
31. The National Youth Jazz Orchestra -Stan's Band
Aired 12 May 1977
Introduced by Humphrey Burton the Stan Kenton Band perform Jazz classics. Stan Kenton, Shelly Manne and Bud Shank are interviewed.
32. Italia: Florence After the Flood
Aired 26 May 1977
33. Italia: The Madonna & the Volcano
Aired 2 June 1977
34. Italia: A Line Through the Labrynth
Aired 9 June 1977
35. Victims and Survivors: Whose Colour Is White?
Aired 23 June 1977
36. Conductor's Eye View: Little Train
Aired 30 June 1977
37. Unita- Bach at Tilford
Aired 7 July 1977
38. The Santa Fe Opera
Aired 14 July 1977