Magnus Magnusson RIP

[Smee_1972]

Dear Magnus passed away today. I am sure many of you will remember him as a part of your childhood.

Magnus, you started, and now you've finished. May you rest in peace.



~Smee_1972

[sixtyten]

Shame..R.I.P

[Oggy]

God bless him, a legend, Mastermind made him an iconic figure, and the black chair a firghtening image.

[Oggy]

But couldn't quite get the Mastermind board game always confused and dumbfounded me to be honest, and why wasn't Magnus on the box cover?

[Aidan]

Nobody could do that job like him. God rest.

[Oggy]

Well said like Bamber Gascoinge on University Challenge others come but don't compare to Magnus and Bamber.

[Smee_1972]

Mastermind

Only slightly off-topic, started by Oggy...

I've been doing my research and I have no idea why our Magnus wasn't on the cover of the most confusing game I have ever known, Mastermind. But - here's the tale of how the suave and slightly dodgy-looking geezer and Chinese lady got onto the front of the box:

A businessman and a University of Leicester student who were brought together 30 years ago as the mysterious figures for the box on the revolutionary new game Mastermind, have been reunited for the first time since that historic day.

Distinguished-looking Bill Woodward was then the owner of a chain of hairdressing salons and young Hong Kong born Cecilia Fung was studying for a computer science degree at the University of Leicester.

Little did they know that the photo session at Leicester studio would produce a result which was destined to cut across all international barriers and become one of the world’s most famous and enduring images.

Bill Woodward was catapulted into global recognition as he went on many promotional tours for the game – in fact even his passport was under the name Mr Mastermind!

He discloses some of his secrets behind the photo-shoot including the fact that he was called upon to sit in only after a male model, originally booked, failed to turn up.

Bill, who despite now being in his late seventies, looks remarkably unchanged from 1972, says that in addition to the photograph that was selected some were also taken with a cat sitting on his lap. The idea was scrapped, but not before the moggy had wet itself on his trousers.

Cecilia said that while strolling in Leicester with friends she was approached by people from an agency who wanted her for the shoot. “I was the usual impoverished student and jumped at the chance,” she says.





Here's them then - and NOW!






~Smee_1972

[Oggy]

Well done Smee, just that i was always curious as to why Magnus wasn't on the box, now I and DYR know the reason.

[Aidan]

Have any of ye ever played the Mastermind board game ? Brilliant !

[Oggy]

See above Aidan, it was ok, but it dumbfounded me at times too though.

[sixtyten]

lol..isn't getting old a bugger? (refering to the way the Mastermind couple now look,BTW)

[Aidan]

Og - player1 made a secret combination of colours & it was player2's job to work it out. Player1 gave clues with putting in pegs - black meant right colour, wrong place while white meant 100% right.

[Oggy]

OKies, cheers Aidan.

[cowhorn]

Re: Magnus Magnusson RIP

On the subject of magnus, does anyone else remember a kids program he presented in the early to mid 70's where he looked at different mysteries such as the lock ness monster etc ?

[Heather74]

Re: Magnus Magnusson RIP

It was called Unsolved Mysteries