by David Jason
The women in my life: my sister, June.
My wife, Gill, and our wonderful daughter, Sophie.
INDEX
The page references in this index correspond to the printed edition from which this ebook was created. To find a specific word or phrase from the index, please use the search feature of your ebook reader.
David Jason is referred to as DJ throughout.
Abertysswg, Wales, 27
Acton, London: BBC rehearsal rooms, 242, 294–5
air-raids on London, 7–8, 11, 14–15, 20–1, 26–7
Albert’s Follies (film), 214–19
Alexander, Bruce, 352
All Gas and Gaiters (TV series), 270
Allen, Dave, 188
‘Allo ‘Allo (TV series), 108, 188
Another Fine Mess (TV comedy play), 233
Antrobus, John, The Bedsitting Room, 60
Apethorpe Hall, Northamptonshire, 329
Are You Being Served? (TV series), 108, 153, 188
Ark (restaurant), Notting Hill, 181
Armitage, Peter, 248
Armstrong, Alun, 257–8
Around the Town (school play), 34–5
Askey, Arthur, 109, 250
Associated Television (ATV), 123–4
Associated-Rediffusion (first ITV channel, later Rediffusion), launch of, 24
Athenaeum Ballroom, Muswell Hill, 80
ATV (Associated Television), 123–4
Australia, DJ on tour with Derek Nimmo’s company, 273–7
Ayckbourn, Alan, The Norman Conquests, 225
B. W. Installations & Co, 73–5, 81, 294
Bacon, Paul, 115–16, 118–20
BAFTA: Only Fools and Horses nominated for Best Comedy Series, 314; DJ wins Best Actor for Porterhouse Blue (1987), 76, 330–1; DJ wins award for Best Comedy Performance (1990), 335
Bamford, Roger, 355–6
Barclay, Humphrey: Do Not Adjust Your Set, 154–9, 161–2, 165; We Have Ways of Making You Laugh, 167; takes DJ skiing, 181–2; Week Ending, 183–4; Hark at Barker, 185–7; The Odd Job, 230–1; The Top Secret life of Edgar Briggs, 234–5; Lucky Feller, 248; celebrates DJ’s knighthood, 379
Barker, Ronnie, 1, 154, 304; filming technique, 164; Hark at Barker (TV series), 185–8, 228–30; The Two Ronnies, 227–8; The Odd Job, 224, 230–4; ‘Six Dates With Barker,’ 230–3; leaves ITV for BBC, 233; Prisoner and Escort, 233–4; Open All Hours, 228, 234, 241–7, 287–8, 290–2; Porridge, 238–9;, 292–3; home in Oxfordshire, 244–7; attends DJ’s 50th birthday party, 335–6; writes poem to celebrate DJ’s knighthood, 380
Barlow, Frances, 117–18, 144
Barnet and Finchley Press, 46
Barneycoat, Brian (schoolfriend), 32, 63
Baron, Lynda, 242, 287
Barrett, Tim, 216
Barrie, J. M., Peter Pan, 134–40
Bates, H. E., The Darling Buds of May, 338–9
Bates, Richard, 348–50
BBC, industrial action, 309
BBC pantomime (1965), 108–13, 190
BBC Television Centre, 168, 239, 243, 296, 304; tribute show to mark closing, 296
Beckinsale, Richard, 240–1
Bedsitting Room, The (Milligan/Antrobus), 60
Bellingham, Lynda, 312
Bennett, Hywel, 210
Bethersden, Kent, 343
Beverley, Joy, 62
Beverley Sisters, 62
Bevil, Bob, 61, 66, 73–4, 79, 81–2, 98, 182, 189, 294
Bickers, Jimmy (childhood friend), 23
Billingham, County Durham, 254
Billingsgate Fish Market, 10
Biltmore Hotel, Florida, 347
Birmingham, England, 123
Bit of a Do, A (TV series), 337–8
Black Watch (cruise ship), 261
Blackwall Tunnel, London, 72
Blake, Josephine, 152
Blitz, London, 7–8, 11, 14–15, 20–1, 26–7
Bond, Sue, 220
Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, 165–6
Border Film Productions, 214
Borrowers, The (film), 314
Bournemouth, DJ does summer season with Dick Emery, 151–7
Bournemouth Pier Theatre, 151, 158
Bradbury, Malcolm, Porterhouse Blue, 326
Branagh, Kenneth, 330–1
Branson, Richard, 347–8
Brighton, Tony (schoolfriend), 31
British Airways, 271–2
Broadbent, Jim, 314
Bromley Press, 92, 107
Bromley Repertory Theatre, 89–92, 106, 114–19, 130, 190
Brooke-Taylor, Tim, 158
Brothers, The (TV series), 236
Browning, David, 153
Buckingham Palace, 379
Burley, Philip, 348–9
Burton, Richard, 220, 221, 224
Butt, Ray, 238, 295–7, 299, 304, 306, 307, 309, 315–18, 321–2, 326
Butterflies (TV series), 298
Byrne, Liam, 370–1
Caine, Michael, 241
Caldicot, Richard, 206
Callender, Ann, 98, 99–100, 104, 108, 168–9, 172–3
Cambridge Circus (revue), 158–9
Cambridge Footlights, 158, 160
Camden Town Theatre, 59
Campion, Gerry, 210
‘Captain Fantastic’, 163–5, 166, 175
Carmichael, Ian, 265
Carroll, Brenda, 206
Carry On Columbus (film), 225
Cayman Islands, 2
Challis, John, 306, 326
Chapman, Graham, 158, 174, 224
Chapman, John: Diplomatic Baggage, 106–8; Not Now Darling, 273
Chapman, Paul, 338
Chappel, Rita, 44
Charles, Prince of Wales, 58
Chase Me, Comrade (Cooney), 151, 153, 155
Chichester Festival Theatre, 184
Christie, Agatha, Murder at the Vicarage, 114–15
Christmas Carol, A (film), 185
Citizen Smith (TV series), 248, 295
Clarke, Jacqueline, 257
Clarke, Roy, 233, 237, 241, 287
Clary, Julian, 225
Cleese, John, 158, 174, 273, 296
Clement, Dick, 233, 239
Cobb & Co (restaurant chain), 212
Coffey, Denise, 159–60, 162, 164, 167–8, 173–5, 177–80
Cole, George, 321
Cole, Johnny, 56–7
Collins, Carol, 142–4, 209
Collins, Phil, 143
Connery, Sean, 87
Connor, Kenneth, 110
Cooney, Ray, 208; Not Now Darling, 273
Cooper, Tommy, 292
Cope, Kenneth, 170
Corbett, Ronnie, 207, 227, 241, 287, 296, 309, 325
Coronation Street (TV series), 123
Cosgrove, Angela, 266–7, 269, 379
Cosgrove, Brian, 164, 260, 263, 264–8, 269, 370, 379
Cosgrove Hall Films, 264
Cotton, Bill, 169
Count Duckula (TV series), 264
Coward, Noël: Hay Fever, 117; South Sea Bubble, 90–2, 106
Craig, Wendy, 298
Crawford, Michael, 197, 199
Crewe station, 144
Croft, David, 108, 113, 168–9, 172
Crossroads (TV series), 122–31
Crowborough, East Sussex, 1, 268–9, 310–11
Cruise, Tom, 87, 125
Cunningham, Sylvia, 68–71, 144
Dad’s Army (TV series), 108, 169, 175–6, 297
Dahl, Roald, The Big Friendly Giant, 264
Daily Mirror, 236
Daily Telegraph, The, 236
Danger Mouse (TV series), 260, 263–4
Darby, Anton, 340, 342
Dark of the Moon (Richardson/Berney), 44
Darling Buds of May, The (TV series), 337, 338–46
Darling Mr London (Marriott/Grant), 250–5
Davies, Windsor, 96
Davis, Geoffrey, 272
Dexter, Sally, 353
Dick Barton, Special Agent (radio series)
, 58
Dick Emery Show, The (TV series), 150–2, 190
Dickens, Charles, David Copperfield, 222
Diplomatic Baggage (Chapman), 106–8, 113
Dixon, Reg, 257
Do Not Adjust Your Set (TV series), 157, 162–8, 173–4, 177, 190
Doctor at Sea (TV series), 260
Doctor in the House (TV series), 190
Dodd, Joyce, 81
Dodd, Ken, 325
Doncaster, location shooting for Open All Hours, 242–3, 289
Doonican, Val, 259
Dorchester Hotel, London, 378
Dorman, Johnny (Johnny Dingle), 81, 98–9, 379
Douglas, Michael, 344–5
Dow, Tony, 304
Dr No (film), 87
Dubai, DJ on tour with Derek Nimmo’s company, 272, 282–4
Duke of York’s Theatre, 60
Dulux sheepdog, 178–81, 190
Dunn, Clive, 175
Dunstable Downs, Bedfordshire, 208–9, 322
Ealing, London, 239
East Finchley Drama Festival, 36, 39
Easter (Strindberg), 44
Eden, Mark, 235
Edinburgh Festival, 159
Edmonds, Noel, 296
Egypt, DJ on tour with Derek Nimmo’s company, 283
Electricity Board, 53–4, 73
Elizabeth, Queen Mother, 325
Elizabeth II, Queen, 23–4, 108, 379
Emery, Dick, 150–5, 256, 260
Enfield Technical College, 54
English, Arthur, 109
Epitaph for George Dillon (Osborne), 45
Equity (actors’ union), 84, 93; Australian Equity, 276
Equus (Shaffer), 47
Eric Von Tuthri Players, 165
Escapade (MacDougall), 46
Excelsior Productions, 348, 350–1
Fawlty Towers (TV series), 273
Ferris, Pam, 339–40
Fiddler on the Roof (musical), 131–2
Finchley, London, 8–9, 45, 68
Finney, Albert, 95
Florence Nightingale Hospice, Aylesbury, 365
Florida, USA, 347, 349–50, 375
Foot, Alistair, 188–9, 196
Foot, Moira, 188
Forsyth, Bruce, 109
Fortune, John, 272, 281–2
Fortunes of War (TV series), 330
Francis, Jan, 222–3
Franks, Philip, 341
Fraser, Liz, 250
Fraser, Ronnie, 210
Freeda, Raymond, 53
Freeman, Dave, 250
Friern Barnet, London, 39, 44, 76
Frisby, Terence: Lucky Feller, 248; There’s a Girl in My Soup, 248
Frost Report, The (TV show), 186
Funny Peculiar (Stott), 240
Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, A (musical), 110
Fyfe, Robert, 114
Gabriel, Peter, 144
Gale, John, 196–8, 205
Garrick Theatre, London, 240
Gelder, W. H., 46
Genesis (band), 143–4
Gerry’s (actors’ club), 210–11, 213, 312
Gibb, Barry, 347–8
Giles, Christina, 341
Giles, Katherine, 341
Gilliam, Terry, 161, 167, 174
Glass Menagerie, The (Williams), 45
Goddard, Liza, 206
Golden Shot, The (TV series), 109
Golders Green Hippodrome, 109
Goodies, The (TV series), 250
Goon Show, The (radio series), 58–60, 162
Gordon, Noele (Nolly), 124–5, 129
Gordon, Richard, 260
Grade, Micheal, 296
Grahame, Kenneth, Wind in the Willows, 264
Grant, Bob, 250–3
Gray, Charles, 328–9
Grimaldi, Joseph, 196
Grosvenor Hotel, London, 76, 331
Gulf War (1990-1991), 369–70
Gwenlan, Gareth, 306, 316, 332, 372
Gyngell, Bruce, 375
Gyseghem, André van, 76
Hackett, Mr (headmaster), 34
Hall, Cheryl, 248, 252
Hall, Mark, 260, 264
Hallas, Sue, 378–9
Hamill, John, 128–9
Hancock, Tony, 250
Hancock’s Half Hour (TV series), 250
Hark at Barker (TV series), 185–8, 190, 208, 228–9
Harold Hill, London (formerly in Essex), 65, 71
Harris, Rolf, 312
Hart, Miranda, 296
Hassall, Imogen, 215–16, 218–19
Hatch, David, 182–4
Hay Fever (Coward), 117
Hector’s House (children’s TV series), 120
Hi-de-Hi! (TV series), 95–6, 108
Hill, Benny, 250, 260
Hill, Bert, 236
Hilton hotels, 272, 281, 284
Hinchcliffe, Gill (DJ’s wife), 1, 5, 164, 207, 301, 344, 367–8, 372–4, 375, 377–9
Hinchcliffe, Shirley, 378, 379
Hockley, Derek, 79, 294–5, 297, 300
Holliday, David, 61
Hollywood, California, 212–14
Honeymoon Bedlam (play), 151
Hong Kong, DJ on tour with Derek Nimmo’s company, 272, 284–5
Hordern, Michael, 265–6
Hornsey Drama Festival, 75–6
Howard, Frankie, 110
Howes, Sally Ann, 272
Hugh and I (TV series), 113, 216, 231
Idle, Eric, 154, 159–64, 167–8, 173–5, 176
I’ll Fly You for a Quid (TV comedy play), 233
I’m All Right Jack (film), 250
I’m Sorry, I’ll Read That Again (radio comedy), 159
Incognito Theatre Group, 39–40, 42–5, 75, 111; DJ becomes patron of, 47
Ind Coope breweries, 79, 295
Innes, Neil, 165
Iran–Iraq war, 286
It Ain’t Half Hot Mum (TV series), 96, 108
It’s Only Me, Whoever I Am (pilot TV series), 237–8, 296
ITV (Independent Television): first broadcast, 24; industrial action, 232
Izzard, Brian, 104
Jackson, Peter, 343
Jakarta, DJ on tour with Derek Nimmo’s company, 280, 283–4
James, Sid, 260
Jaques, Hattie, 261
Jason, David (born David White)
Life: birth, 7, 11–13; stillborn twin brother, 12–13; childhood home, 8–9; childhood, 13–24, 259; height, 16, 32, 34, 81, 86–7, 147; talent for mimicry, 32, 34, 238; attitude to religion, 19–20; visits to mother’s family in Wales, 25–30; education, 30–8; performs in primary school play Around the Town, 34–5; performs in school play Wayside War, 33–7; court summons for theft of lead piping, 37–8; joins Incognito Theatre Group, 39–47; theatre reviews, 46, 92, 106, 107; work experience as grocery boy, 49, 243; first job in a garage, 50–2; attitude to money, 51–2; apprenticeship with the Electricity Board, 53–8, 65–8, 73; attends live recording of The Goon Show, 59–60; gets Spike Milligan’s autograph, 61; given free tickets to West Side Story, 61; court summons for riding motorbike without learner plates, 62–3; acquires first motorbike, 63–5; first steady girlfriend, 68; decides to pursue acting as a career, 72; goes into business as an electrician, 73–5, 79; wins Best Supporting Actor at Hornsey Drama Festival (1962), 75–6; dissuaded by parents from applying for a grant for drama school, 77–8; cars owned, 79–80, 97, 151, 345; twenty-first birthday, 81; leaves electrical business for acting, 82; applies for auditions, 83–7; offered part as pirate in Southend, 88–9; first professional acting job, 89–92; fees for early acting jobs, 92, 97, 113, 153, 198, 281; origin of stage name, 12, 93; acquires an agent, 98; combines early stage career with electrical work, 98–9; and drugs, 100–3; and alcohol, 104–6; role in 1965 BBC pantomime, 108–13; given contract by Bromley Repertory Theatre, 114–19; moves into flat in Thornton Heath, 117; relationships with women, 118, 144; attempted seduction by Paul Bacon, 119–20; first television drama, 121–2; role in Crossroads, 122–31; audi
tions for a musical, 131–4; in West End production and on tour with Peter Pan, 134–40; attitude to clothes, 137, 300; interviewed by RSC casting director, 140–1; visits psychic, 141–2, 203; experience of being on tour, 144–6; diving experience, 1–5, 147–8; television commercials, 147–50; ventriloquism, 149–50; summer season at Bournemouth Pier Theatre, 151; joins cast of Do Not Adjust Your Set, 158–68; is almost cast in Dad’s Army, 168–9; not invited to join Monty Python’s Flying Circus, 174–6; invited to make radio show Week Ending, 182–4; first works with Ronnie Barker, 185–8, 227–34; works with Bob Monkhouse, 191–6; dislocates toes during riding lesson, 193–4; plays Brian Runnicles in No Sex Please – We’re British, 196–207; dislocates toe again, 205; takes up gliding, 209, 322–3; visits Los Angeles, 212–14; cinema roles, 214–25; sex scenes, 222; meets Myfanwy Talog, 225–6; blows raspberries for The Two Ronnies, 232–3; with Ronnie Barker on Open All Hours, 234, 241–4; featured in TV Times, 235–6; friendship with Ronnie Barker, 244–7; works with Ronnie Taylor on A Sharp Intake of Breath, 256–9; voice-over for animations, 256–9; buys house in Crowborough, East Sussex, 268–70; on tour in Australia, the Far and Middle East with Derek Nimmo’s company, 272–86; threatened with a bread knife while filming Open All Hours, 289; considered for part of Derek Trotter in Only Fools and Horses, 294–299; becomes ‘Del Boy’ in Only Fools and Horses, 300–9; buys house in Wendover and moves in with Myfanwy, 310–13; adjusts to fame after Only Fools and Horses, 322–3; appears in Royal Variety Performance, 325; wins BAFTA for Best Actor in Porterhouse Blue, 330–1; 50th birthday party, 335–6; A Bit of a Do and The Darling Buds of May, 337–45; death of mother, 345–6; lands part of Jack Frost, 348–51; makes launchable rocket models during shooting of Frost, 357–8; loses partner Myfanwy Talog to breast cancer, 362–6; falls in love with Gill Hinchcliffe, 367–8; sends a ‘Trotters van’ to British troops in Afghanistan, 370; end of Only Fools and Horses, 371–2; birth of daughter Sophie, 372–4; builds steam engines in his garden, 374–5; buys helicopter, 376–7; marries Gill Hinchcliffe, 378–9; receives knighthood, 377, 379–80
Cartoon voice-overs: Danger Mouse, 260, 263–4; Count Duckula, 264; The BFG, 264; Wind in the Willows, 264–6
Film roles: Albert’s Follies/White Cargo, 214–19; Under Milk Wood, 220–4; The Odd Job, 224
Radio performances: Week Ending, 182–4; The Jason Explanation, 184; Mostly Monkhouse, 195
Stage performances: South Sea Bubble, 90–2; Under Milk Wood, 93–6, 97–8; Diplomatic Baggage, 106–8, 113; Hugh and I, 113–14; Mother Goose (BBC pantomime, 1965), 108–13; Aladdin, 114, 117; Murder at the Vicarage, 114–15; Treasure Island, 115–16; The Rivals, 118–19; Peter Pan, 134–40; No Sex Please – We’re British, 143, 196–207, 272, ; Chase Me, Comrade, 151; Honeymoon Bedlam, 151; She’s Done It Again! 191–3; A Bedful of Foreigners, 250; Darling Mr London, 250–5; Look No Hans! 312