Turned Out Nice Again
Page 47
For generosity above and beyond the call of duty when it came to archive material and research pointers, as well as general advice, laughter and encouragement during the writing and research, my deepest thanks go out to Steve Arnold, Graham Barnard, Michael Bee, Mike Brown, Robin Carmody, Rory Clark, Martin and Janine Fenton, Ian Greaves, Simon Harries, Jack Kibble-White, Justin Lewis, Red O’Sullivan, Gareth Randall, Keith Skues, Gavin Sutherland and Richard Wyn Jones. For other valuable archive material and guidance, I am profoundly grateful to Ian Beard, Kif Bowden-Smith, Richard Elen, Lowestoft’s Betamax guru Kevin Lambert, Greg McCaffrey, Kevin Mulrennan, Jim Nugent, Ant Purvis, Cameron Yarde and the much-missed public version of the BBC’s INFAX programme catalogue.
In the BBC’s Written Archive Centre at Caversham, Jacqueline Kavanagh introduced me to the system, while Erin O’Neill (and, when she was away, Trish Hayes) dealt patiently with my enquiries over many months, digging out files and documents. Their contribution is immeasurable. I also spent a lot of very worthwhile hours in the London Library, the British Library – both at St Pancras and Colindale – and the BFI Library, so thanks go to their excellent staff.
Friends and relatives also served, sometimes without even realising it, among them: Richard Abram, Jane Anderson, Ralph Baxter, Claudia Bean, Ruby Cowling, Adam Cumiskey, Alastair Doughty, Professor Barry Fantoni, Ruth Ferris-Price, Bob Flag, Alex George, Stephen Gilchrist, Katy Guest, Geoff Hiscott, Patrick Humphries and Sue Parr, Ali Jackson, Terry James, Tanya Jones and John Hoare, Bill and Beth Kibby-Johnson, Charles Kennedy, Richard Lewis (whose family connections with the Delevines were an early inspiration), Hilary Lowinger, Sarah Lutyens, Maria McHale, Adam Macqueen, Andrew Malcolm, James Masterton, Hugh Mendl, Phil Norman, Allen Painter, Nick Parker, Nick Phillips, Paul Putner, Felicity Rubinstein, Kerry Swash, Kirsteen Thorne, Roger Tagholm (who said I should do a book on LE – happy now, Rog?), Ben Tisdall, Alan Wood and Francis Wheen. My mother and grandparents deserve recognition for letting me watch so much light entertainment in my formative years. My wife Susannah deserves similar credit for letting me watch just as much in adulthood.
Meanwhile, at Atlantic Books, thanks be to Clara Farmer for commissioning this book, Sarah Norman for taking on the editing when Clara fled, Daniel Scott for other services rendered and Toby Mundy for his usual support and ready supply of perspective.
Any errors are the fault of my dog, Lyttelton.
Lowestoft
August 2008
Plates
Charles Morton’s Canterbury Hall, Lambeth, 1856
Dan Leno, 1903
The Co-Optimists concert party makes a broadcast at the BBC’s Savoy Hill studios in August 1930. On the far left, standing, is Davy Burnaby; immediately below him is the young Stanley Holloway. The focus of their attention is the Round-Sykes ‘meat safe’ microphone
It’s those men again: Horace Percival tries to get through to wartime favourite Tommy Handley during a broadcast of ITMA in January 1944
The Windmill Girls performing in clothed mode for the BBC cameras at Alexandra Palace
Penny drops ’em: a provincial nude revue bill, 1959
Early Goons: Harry Secombe, Michael Bentine, Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers in riotous assembly around an AXBT ribbon microphone, May 1951
Jimmy Edwards, Wallas Eaton and June Whitfield rehearsing for Take It From Here at the Paris Cinema, London, 1954
Danny Kaye returns to the London Palladium for a further triumphant season in 1955, aided by a full supporting bill
The Crazy Gang’s swansong: a poster for Young in Heart, 1960
Suburban London’s own Cotton Club: Billy Cotton’s band show reaches Finsbury Park in 1954
Meanwhile, in Blackpool in 1968, the brothers Weinstein top the bill
All-round entertainer Dickie Henderson visits Great Yarmouth for the summer season in 1966
The Albanian Eurovision delegation, 1968: BBC LE producers Brian Whitehouse, Terry Henebery and Roger Ordish in heavy disguise on the roof of Television Centre. The folder reads ‘Tom Sloan – Congratulations’ in Russian
Ernest Maxin, Kathy Kirby, Bill Cotton Junior and Tom Sloan prepare for the 1965 Eurovision Song Contest
Seriously, they’re doing a grand job: That Was the Week That Was, 1963
The George Mitchell Minstrels on record, 1964
The weekend starts here with Dusty Springfield on Ready Steady Go!, 1964
BBC2 starts here with Duke Ellington on Jazz 625, 1964
Shirley Bassey and Tommy Trinder share a joke, circa 1957
Bruce Forsyth and Sammy Davis Junior share an LWT variety spectacular, 1980
Rolf Harris, British television’s original Mr Saturday Night
Michael Parkinson, inheritor of the Saturday night crown, raising a glass on a motor boat with bandleader Harry Stoneham
Peter Cook and Dudley Moore stage a cricket match between good and evil in Not Only . . . But Also . . ., 1970
Christmas sunshine bringers Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise, as seen by Barry Fantoni in 1978
The Comedians: (from the top) Mike Reid, Bryn Phillips, Jim Bowen, Ken Goodwin, Colin Crompton, George Roper, Bernard Manning, Duggie Brown and producer Johnnie Hamp
There is nothing like a dame: Les Dawson in his dressing room at the Richmond Theatre, February 1982
Lord Grade, Fozzie Bear and Muppeteer Frank Oz celebrate the success of The Muppet Show, February 1978
Sir James Savile OBE KCSG and fixees outside the BBC Television Theatre, home of Jim’ll Fix It and the base of BBC TV variety, 1953–1991
Come on down, in the comfort of your own home: variety meets merchandising for The Price is Right board game, 1984
Mr Blobby and friend invite you to inspect Crinkley Bottom, 1994
Strictly Come Dancing champions Darren Bennett and Jill Halfpenny tripping the light entertainment fandango, 2004