Derrick, Catweazle, Kojak: TV year 1974

The first VW Golf rolled off the assembly line, Germany won the World Cup, Helmut Schmidt became Chancellor and the… Pop group Abba triumphed with their song ‘Waterloo’ at the Eurovision Song Contest: 1974 was a year full of milestones – also on television. Many programs that are now considered classics or even enjoy cult status first flickered across the screens of the Federal Republic 50 years ago: Back then, brand new formats such as “Am churning”, “Derrick” or “Vickie” should become formative television experiences for an entire generation and enter the collective memory.

Just like Rudi Carrell’s “On the Churning Line”: His nonchalant moderation style finally blew the dust out of the Saturday evening program, which had been shaped for years by the generation around Hans-Joachim Kulenkampff and Peter Frankenfeld. For many families, Saturday evening was not complete without the entertainment show that started in the spring of 1974. ‘Catweazle’ came on German television at almost the same time: in the British series, a wayward wizard from the year 1066 ends up in the 1970s, where modern technology makes him panic. An essentially timeless parable, because Catweazle’s anxious amazement reflected the discomfort of many people when confronted with technical innovations.

“Derrick” became one of the greatest German TV classics

Finally, in October 1974, a crime series premiered that became one of the greatest German TV classics of all time: “Derrick” with Horst Tappert as Chief Inspector Stephan Derrick, who, dressed in a trench coat, toupee and bags under his eyes, investigated the residential areas of Munich together with Fritz Wepper as Harry Klein. No German series has been sold as often abroad as the long-running hit, which ran until 1998, and no other series has been parodied as often. Incidentally, the series was not as sedate as people think today, at least initially some episodes even ended up in the poison cabinet because of their brutality. In 2013, Horst Tappert’s membership of the Waffen-SS came to light, and in 2016 the ZDF announced that it would therefore refrain from repeating the cult crime dramas.

What makes the television year 1974 so special? In the Federal Republic of Germany, the 1970s, ostensibly the era of early bloomers and bell-bottoms, were a time of unrest: the signs pointed to a new beginning. The generation of 1968 had begun its march through the institutions; the sedate Kohl era was still a long way off. The aftermath of the oil crisis, the new eastern policy under Willy Brandt, the lowering of the age of majority from 21 to 18, the anti-authoritarian reform pedagogy – all this is reflected on television. From 1974 onwards, the negotiations were reenacted in the ZDF court show ‘How would you decide?’ long before Barbara Salesch, in the animated series ‘Wickie’ a Viking boy explained to the adults where it was going, and in ‘A Heart and a Soul’ (renamed in 1974 by WDR to Erste) the reactionary bourgeoisie was presented satirically.

The old magic wouldn’t come back

Another icon from the almost mythical year 1974 was Telly Savallas as a New York police officer in the American crime series “Kojak – Mission in Manhattan” (from October 1974). His trademarks: bald head, constant sucking and the cult word “Adorable, baby”. Wim Thoelke, who hosted the popular ZDF quiz show “Der Große Preis” from September 1974, cannot be called so cool. But to this day his advice show with the cartoon characters Wum and Wendelin, created by Loriot, is one of the greatest TV classics.

Most of these programs eventually came to an end, and many were later re-released because of their household names. But as with Film “Catweazle” (2021) by Otto Waalkes As a rule, the old magic did not want to reappear. One of the veterans has remained in the program uninterruptedly to this day: the talk show “3 nach 9” (started on November 19, 1974) was conceived as an “anti-magazine” with a desire for provocation and experienced its most legendary moment as that of the self-proclaimed fun revolutionary. In 1982, Fritz Teufel splashed magic ink on the then Finance Minister Hans Matthöfer. Today the lecture will take place by Giovanni di Lorenzo and Judith Rakers moderate – and usually proceeds very harmoniously.