The Raes

Filmed: Wednesday 14 - Sunday 18 February 1979

Broadcast: Monday 8 October 1979, 20:30-21:00, Montreal, CBC, Canada

Release status: This programme has not been included on any officially released video or DVD

Duration: 30 seconds

Shown in: Canada

Additional information

ABBA appeared on this show in an extremely brief interview with hosts The Raes (married couple Robbie & Cherrill Rae). The interview was recorded in February 1979 during the filming of ABBA in Switzerland, but broadcast in Canada later in the year around the time they were in the country as part of their 1979 concert tour of North America.

Other guest on this episode of The Raes were Jackson Davies, Lally Cadeau, Jeff Hyslop and James Hibbard Dancers.

After ABBA's interview was shown, Does Your Mother Know was shown (the performance from ABBA in Switzerland) The interview basically just had them answering whether they had played in Canada before and they confirmed they had been on The Wolfman Jack Show and Midnight Special (although that was filmed in Los Angeles).

ABBA on TV visitor Paul remembered this clip a few years ago. He said at the time, "I remember the moment very clearly. They performed and completely out-shadowed the hosts who were a married duo. I remember them saying in an interview that appearing with ABBA was a big mistake for them, they far out-shadowed them in Canadian super-stardom!" Well now the clip has surfaced and the performance that Paul remembers must have been the Does Your Mother Know clip.

ABBA fan Jennifer Lyon remembers that a slightly longer version of the interview was broadcast on The Raes' TV special ABBA in Switzerland but there is no fruther information at this time.  The Raes refer to the TV special at the end of the video clip around 10.00.

The Raes were featured on ABBA Snowtime earlier in the year although it's not clear that their paths actually crossed although they probably did briefly.

The ABBA clip begins on the VIDEO tab around 4:30.

In late 2018, Cherrill Rae released a video on YouTube detailing her experiences and memories of working and meeting with ABBA.

Cherrill Rae: We were invited by the BBC to tape some television specials in Switzerland last February.
Robbie Rae: Yeah, we worked with such people as Boney M, The Jacksons, Leo Sayer and Leif Garrett.
CR: But the highlight of that trip was meeting and working with Sweden's No.1 export and the world's number one record-selling group - ABBA.
RR: We were having a little argument before, you have played in Canada before, right?
Agnetha: Yes.
Frida: Yes.
CR: I was right!
Björn: We were on The Wolfman Jack Show in Vancouver.
CR: And also Wolfman Jack does the Midnight Special and you did some stuff on there, didn't you?
Björn: Yeah!
CR: So we were both right!

Archive data from CBC’s public site:
THE RAES, SHOW #1
A musical variety series taped before a live audience in the CBC Vancouver studios, starring vocal duo The Raes (Cherrill and Robbie) who showcase popular hits and performers.
Tommy Banks and his 17-piece orchestra and the James Hibbard Dancers, featuring Jeff Hyslop, back The Raes and their guests. Regulars Jackson Davies and Lally Cadeau appear in comedy spots as the show's studio director and wardrobe person.
Guests are the Swedish rock group ABBA.
Highlights include 'Get Up and Dance' (The Raes); 'Last Dance' (Cherrill with the dancers); 'Miss You' (Robbie doing a parody of Mick Jagger); 'In The Navy' (Robbie and the dancers); a tribute to the Animals with two hits 'The House of the Rising Sun' and 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood' (The Raes).
Also on the show is concert footage of ABBA singing their hit 'Does Your Mother Know' and footage of a conversation between The Raes and the group that was taped during the duo's recent trip to Switzerland to tape a special for the BBC.
PROGRAM TITLE: THE RAES
EPISODE TITLE: SHOW #1
BROADCAST DATE: 1979-10-08 - 20:30:00
FORMAT: ENT Entertainment
DATELINE: NTW
LENGTH: 00:30:00
PEOPLE: GIBSON KEN, WATT MICHAEL, HYSLOP JEFF, RAE TOMMY, BANKS TOMMY, RAE CHERRILL
SUBJECT HEADING: ABBA (MUSICAL GROUP), JAMES HIBBARD DANCERS
HOLDING: D-010454

Thanks to Paul Donald, Neil Barber, Jozsef and ABBA4ever Forum (no longer online). Thanks to Jennifer Lyon and Gordon Dumesich c/o ABBAtalk.
YouTube link c/o ST40TV

Got any information to add?
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Contact me at abbaontv@yahoo.co.uk