This Is Your Life

Originally posted by Black Knight
No it’s been canned.

Oh well would have liked to see Ray on there but as a show it was not that great really.

No it’s been canned.

Originally posted by Black Knight
I’ve alway’s wondered why Ray Hanna was never surprised by the big red book.
Speed king Donald Campbell was the 7th to be done when the show was originally done by the BBC. I was at a gathering in the Lake District a couple of years ago and his daughter Gina brought the red book along for us to see, along with other personal items. She told us that the 1st 15 shows went out live and were never recorded so she has never been able to see the show.

Would love to see Ray on there maybe it could happen,Do they still do This is your life?

Before 1957, most TV was not recorded in any way – BBC did not receive their first video tape recording machine until that year. Once a programme was broadcast, that was it.

Even with VTR, copies were often not maintained for long as tape was expensive and tended to be used over and over again. If a televised event was REALLY important, then a film recording was made by pointing a cine-camera at a TV monitor. The resulting picture quality was pretty poor but that is where the BBC black and white footage of the Queen’s coronation came from.

I’ve actually seen some TV recordings of mid 1950s Farnborough Air Shows which were from the BBC TV broadcasts – Charles Gardener commentaries and all.

Not the windmill-armed guitarist with The Who, then…
Peter Townsend was the pilot who was asked to identify himself after bailing out and being rescued by a fisherman with the immortal words “I’m not a f***** Hun – I’m a f****** Englishman!” – Nermal

I’ve alway’s wondered why Ray Hanna was never surprised by the big red book.
Speed king Donald Campbell was the 7th to be done when the show was originally done by the BBC. I was at a gathering in the Lake District a couple of years ago and his daughter Gina brought the red book along for us to see, along with other personal items. She told us that the 1st 15 shows went out live and were never recorded so she has never been able to see the show.

I see from the list that Bob Todd appeared in 1984.

This was the person on the Benny Hill show who could never stop trying to giggle all the time.

I seem to remember that he was in “bombers” during WW2 but I am not sure if he was pilot or crew.

A very private person.

Hughie Greene too, I believe.

Re: This Is Your Life

Originally posted by Dave Homewood
have any well known warbird pilots that are known in the public eye ever featured?

I see from the list, mentioned above, that Johnnie Johnson was a guest on 8 May 1985.

Thank’s for the correction on the “Battle of Britain” film incident. I last read the book of the film back in 1969/70 so that’s my excuse for getting a bit mixed up.

“This is Your Life” moved about between BBC and ITV in the UK over almost five decades. I think it started life on the BBC in the 50s and then became an ITV/Thames TV programme, hosted by Eamon Andrews, in the 60s and 70s. ITV then dropped it in the 80s and Thames TV lost their London ITV franchise. The programme was then revived by the BBC in the 90s hosted by Michael Aspel, but was still, produced by Thames TV.

Originally posted by Eric Mc
Sadly, both Princess Margaret and Peter Townsend are now no longer with us.

Ironically, Rosemary (Rosie)Pawle, Peter Townsend’s wife died two weeks ago, which brought the Royal story back into the news. Group Captain Peter Townsend had been awarded the DSO and the DFC and Bar.

As for TIYL, I feel sure there was a very senior member of the RAF on in about 1994, but I could never remeber who it was. I just remember that he showed no emotion throughout the whole program.

There is a complete listing of the Thames TV This Is Your Life productions on this site http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/5144/thislife.html but Peter Townsend is not mentioned as far as I can see. He may well have been on a BBC version before Thames got the contract of course.

Some of the names I don’t recognise but most seem to be entertainers.

As far as Jimmy Edwards goes, yes indeed he and many other entertainers were in the RAF (as were Kenneth Horne, Peter Sallis, Eric Sykes and many other great comics of that time). I was really meaning as pilots in their own right as such. Thanks for reminding me of Jimmy’s RAF involvement though.

Dave

Battle of Britain fighter pilot who achieved some fame after the war when he almost married Princess Maragaret. However, the marriage did not go ahead . “The establishment” put pressure on the Princess to drop him as he was divorced from a previous wife. She ended up marring Lord Snowdon instead.

During the making of the movie “Battle of Britain”, it appears that both Princess Maragret and Peter Townsend were invited to visit the set on the same day – inadvertantly. The film crew spent most of the day keeping them at opposite ends of the set in order to avoid any embarrassments.

Townsend wrote a few books on his flying experiences and featured regularly on TV documentaries about World War 2.

Sadly, both Princess Margaret and Peter Townsend are now no longer with us.

Originally posted by Manonthefence
I seem to recall an early episode with Peter Townsend but I could be wrong.

Who?😉 – Nermal

The show has now been cancelled over here. Before it went they did the leader of the Red Arrows a few years ago (John Rands?).

The thing I remember most about the Bader episode was that he escorted everyone to their seat. A true gent.

I seem to recall an early episode with Peter Townsend but I could be wrong.

Think Jimmy ‘Whacko’ Edwards was on one… Dunno if that counts.

Flood.