The «Rose d’Or» has been considered one of the renowned awards worldwide for television entertainment for 50 years. The list of the prizewinners is impressive: Mr. Bean, Monty Python, Anke Engelke, Emil and Hape Kerkeling, just to name a few. The Swiss television station SF is producing a special show to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Rose d’Or Festival. 

From Monty Python to Little Britain

In «50 Years Rose d’Or», moderator and Comedian Claudio Zuccolini will present the top ten among the most popular comedy shows among the prizewinners on SF1 at 22:05 pm on 19 September 2010; in addition, he will show excerpts from Swiss shows and talk with prominent guests about the milestones of TV entertainment. The audience can help decide the order in which the presented 10 comedy formats will be shown on the show. The order will be determined per online voting at www.comedy.sf.tv and www.blick.ch until 31 August 2010. 

The following 10 award-winning international formats for the vote: Monty Python Flying Circus (prizewinner in 1971), The Muppet Show (1977), The Benny Hill Show (1984), Hale & Pace (1989), Mr. Bean (1990), Total Normal (1991), Da Ali G Show (2000), Smack the Pony (2003), Ladykracher (2004) and Little Britain (2005). 

Win Awards Ceremony Tickets

Taking part in the voting is worth it. Tickets for the Rose d’Or Awards Ceremony – the highlight of the Rose d’Or Festival – will be raffled among the participating voters. On the anniversary award night on 22 September, the secret of the 11 Rose d’Or Award winners will be revealed in the Culture and Convention Center Lucerne (KKL). Known stars and important personalities will present the prizes. For example, the former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder will present the first Rose d’Or «Social Award». 

Awarding of the prizes is embedded in a show celebrating 50 years of television entertainment, reflected in the history of Rose d’Or. A fast journey through five decades of entertainment with videos and stage guests from TV programs, which have changed the world of television from the 60s until today.  

Information about the 10 Comedy Formats

Monty Python Flying Circus (1971)

The legendary sextet could practically do anything they wanted at the BBC in the 60s and 70s. As a result, they could develop their anarchistic mixture of cartoons, songs and sketches, which became the embodiment of British humor.  

The Muppet Show (1977) 

The world had never seen such a menagerie: a melancholic frog as master of ceremonies, a hot-tempered lady pig, innumerable other animals and creatures and in the middle a star guest, who hoped to survive «The Muppet Show» alive. 

The Benny Hill Show (1984) 

Slapstick, pantomime and parody were featured in the show of the former milkman Benny Hill. He became the most popular British comedian worldwide starting from the 70s. 

Hale & Pace (1989) 

Black humor was a trademark of two former teachers from London. However, «Hale & Pace» also liked to make fun of British rowdies and their fondness for excessive drinking. 

Mr. Bean (1990) 

The scatter-brained Mr. Bean alias Rowan Atkinson is following in the tradition of the great silent movie comedians Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. When Bean commits one faux pas after another, the whole family is glued to the television screen. 

Total Normal (1991) 

With his puppyish charm, Hape Kerkeling loosened up even the most humorless politicians and prominent persons in «Total Normal». But the average Joe was not safe from Kerkeling either. He even got Indian businesspeople to dance for a coffee machine. 

Da Ali G Show (2000) 

The speciality of Ali G alias Sacha Baron Cohe were his interviews with the celebrities and power brokers of this world. The wannabe gangsta had a knack for grilling his guests with cheeky and naive questions. However, Ali G also had a gentle, musical side. 

Smack the Pony (2003) 

Women can’t be funny? That’s really a stupid cliché, as the trio «Smack the Pony», who do not shy away from anything, proved. Their topic was ordinary, everyday life, for example, an escalating catfight in an office. 

Ladykracher (2004) 

She has also been called «the woman of 250 faces». German comedy suddenly became sexy, sassy and simply «indescribably feminine» with Anke Engelke. Anke received a Golden Rose in recognition of this. 

Little Britain (2005) 

This sketch comedy is currently considered the most successful British humor export. This is not something that is a matter of course, because the look that the «Little Britain» creators Matt Lucas and David Walliams provide of their homeland is anything but flattering. 

Note to Editors

Rose d’Or – Festival and Awards

The Rose d’Or is one of the most important annual events in the international television industry. It was founded in Montreux in 1961 and has been held in Lucerne since 2004. With over 40 countries taking part, the Rose d’Or attracts leading television makers, producers and production companies, and executives from independent and public service broadcasters. Since its creation, it has been a networking platform for the onscreen entertainment community, and a meeting place to discuss ideas and formats. The festival culminates in a Gala Awards Ceremony, at which prestigious Golden Roses for the best television entertainment programmes of the year are awarded. Throughout its 50 year history, the festival’s goal has been to reward originality, quality and creativity in entertainment programming, and to encourage excellence in television and new media. 

Advance Ticket Sales for Rose d’Or Festival 

Several of this year’s Festival events are open to the public: the live charity quiz show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, the 21st Century Symphony Orchestra performing the soundtrack to the second part of Lord of the Rings (The Two Towers), Comedy Night, hosted by German comedy star Thomas Hermanns (Quatsch Comedy Club), and the gala Awards Ceremony in KKL Lucerne. More information about events and tickets is available at www.rosedor.com. Reserve tickets today and come to Lucerne in September. You can travel to the festival with a 20% discount using the SBB RailAway combination. Additional information is available at www.sbb/rosedor