Ovaltineys or League of Ovaltineys was a children's club developed in the 1930s to promote the sale of

Ovaltine Ovaltine (also known by its original name Ovomaltine) is a brand of milk flavoring product made with malt extract (except in the blue packaging in the United States), sugar (except in Switzerland), and whey. Some flavors also have cocoa. Ovalt ...

brand drink in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

Original Ovaltineys

The club, founded in 1935, had its own radio show, '' Ovaltiney's Concert Party'', on

Radio Luxembourg Radio Luxembourg was a multilingual commercial broadcaster in Luxembourg. It is known in most non-English languages as RTL (for Radio Television Luxembourg). The English-language service of Radio Luxembourg began in 1933 as one of the earlies ...

, sponsored by the manufacturer. It achieved five 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 Eric Morecambe (John Eric Bartholomew, 14 May 1926 – 28 May 1984) and Ernie Wise (Ernest Wiseman, 27 November 1925 – 21 March 1999), known as Morecambe and Wise (and sometimes as Eric and Ernie), were an English comic double act, working ...

. 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 Tune introduction We are the Ovaltineys Little girls and boys, Make your request 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. Theme song - signing off lyrics And now the happy Ovaltineys Wish you all adieu, But don't forget your Ovaltine It's very good for you. But we'll be here again next Sunday With songs and stories new, And so until we meet again The Ovaltineys bid you all adieu.

References

External links

Review of Ovaltineys club

The Birth of Ovaltineys : Official Site
{{Authority control 1935 establishments in the United Kingdom Clubs and societies in the United Kingdom Youth organizations established in 1935