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 (7)
1. Huw Wheldon by His Friends
Aired 11 April 1986
2. Lawrence and Arabia
Aired 18 April 1986
3. Comic Relief
Aired 25 April 1986
4. Made in Ealing
Aired 2 May 1986
A look at the films produced at Ealing Film Studios in London.
5. Video Jukebox
Aired 9 May 1986 • 395 min
The story of rock video in this Omnibus history presented by John Peel and John Walters. The roots of rock video are traced through the musicals and promotional shorts of the 30s, the jazz soundies of the 40s, the rock 'n' roll films and scorpitones of the 50s and the television pop programmes of the 60s to the first true videos in the 70s and the cable TV channels of rock videos in the 80s. A modified version was rebroadcast on 11th Jun 1987 with some edits for licensing reasons.
6. Alice Walker & the Color Purple
Aired 16 May 1986
7. The Last Moguls
Aired 23 May 1986
Israeli Go-Go Boys Golan and Globus at the height of their careers - everybody is working for Cannon!