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Celebrating television's This Is Your Life

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THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Charlie Drake, comedian, actor, writer and singer, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews during a meeting in a rehearsal room at the London Palladium, where he was discussing plans for the theatre's forthcoming pantomime with producer Robin Nesbitt.

Charlie, who was born in London, began performing as a teenager, entertaining the crowds outside West End theatres. After working as a messenger boy with the Civil Defence, he was evacuated to Somerset when the Second World War broke out. He later volunteered for the Royal Air Force and served in India as a driver.

After the war, he honed his comedy routine in pubs and clubs before joining his wartime comrade Jack Edwardes to form a double act named 'Mick and Montmorency'. Appealing more to a younger audience, they appeared regularly on various children's television shows during the mid-1950s before Charlie found fame as a solo comedy star with his own BBC television series, Drake's Progress, and a film contract with Associated British Picture Corporation.

Charlie Drake was a subject of This Is Your Life on two occasions - surprised again by Michael Aspel in October 1995 at London's Playhouse Theatre.

"Oh! It was very nicely...!"

programme details...

• Edition No: 174
• Subject No: 175
• Broadcast live: Mon 11 Dec 1961
• Broadcast time: 7.55-8.30pm
• Venue: BBC Television Theatre
• Series: 7
• Edition: 11

on the guest list...

• Russ Conway
• Violet Springall - mother
• Jean Geoghegan - sister
• Ted Springall - brother
• Joe Clayton
• Fred Blainey
• Reginald Hawkins
• Fred Chant
• Edith Braddick
• Sidney Cant
• Alice Seaton
• Cliff Richard
• Dick Emery
• Heather Barnes - wife
• Jack Edwardes
• Janette Scott
• Jackie Rae
• Gary Miller
• Christopher - son
• Stephen - son
• Paul - son
Filmed tribute:
• Bob Monkhouse

related appearances...

• Nosher Powell - Apr 1972
• Arthur Askey - Dec 1974
• June Whitfield - Apr 1976
• Cannon and Ball - Nov 1981
• Bob Monkhouse - Feb 1982
• Tessie O'Shea - Dec 1984
• Bill Ward - Dec 1986
• Harry Corbett - Dec 1988

production team...

• Researcher: Alfred Draper
• Writer: Alfred Draper
• Director: Yvonne Littlewood
• Producer: T Leslie Jackson

• names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

• With thanks to Charlie Drake's son, Chris Drake for his contribution to this page.

Charlie Drake

second tribute

It's a Funny Old Life

it's all about the comedy

Life Second Time Around

surprised again!

Russ Conway

Bob Monkhouse

Interviews

Chris Drake, son of Charlie Drake, recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in an exclusive interview recorded in January 2020

Photographs of Charlie Drake This Is Your Life