Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
Musicians and singers associated with jazz were regularly featured as subjects on This Is Your Life, but only occasionally surprised in their natural habitat of atmospherically dark and smoky underground hangouts. And these shows would invariably involve a musical finale.
So, from trad to swing through big band and blues, here is a look at the jazz legends who received the Big Red Book* treatment...
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Humphrey LYTTELTON 21 April 1958 'Humph' - as he was affectionately known - was surprised by Eamonn on the stage of the BBC Television Theatre, having been led to believe he was taking part in a variety programme which had been hastily prepared as a replacement for an edition of This Is Your Life which was cancelled after the press had exposed the intended subject. |
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Nat GONELLA 22 February 1960 The trumpeter and bandleader - credited with pioneering the development of jazz in the UK - was surprised by Eamonn at the BBC Television Theatre. |
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Acker BILK 16 April 1962 Acker - who, along with his band, had recently had a massive hit with his composition Stranger on the Shore - was surprised by Eamonn at the site of a proposed new centre for disabled youngsters in Slough. |
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Cleo LAINE 23 October 1962 Eamonn surprised the actress and jazz singer at the BBC Television Theatre, during a recording of a song she was singing with her husband, John Dankworth and his band. |
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Kenny BALL 3 March 1971 The jazz musician - best known as the bandleader, lead trumpet player and vocalist in Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen - was surprised by Eamonn during the programme's second series produced by Thames Television. |
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John DANKWORTH 27 February 1974 Eamonn surprised the musician and composer at Ronnie Scott's jazz club in London's Soho following the investiture of his CBE at Buckingham Palace. |
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Stephane GRAPPELLI 21 February 1979 Eamonn enlisted the help of singer Petula Clark in order to surprise the French jazz violinist outside his London home - on the King's Road in Chelsea. |
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George SHEARING 12 February 1992 The legendary pianist - who was born blind - was surprised by Michael at Ronnie Scott's famous jazz club in London's Soho. Michael handed George the big red book and asked him to read the cover, which was written in Braille. |
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George MELLY 21 April 1993 Michael travelled to Liverpool to surprise the jazz and blues singer at the city's Playhouse theatre - announcing that 'there's a story as colourful as one of your suits to be told'. George's guests include musicians Humphrey Lyttelton and Wally Fawkes and singer Elisabeth Welch. |
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Helen SHAPIRO 17 May 1995 The singer - who soared to international fame at the age of 14 - was surprised by Michael outside Thames Television's Teddington Studios. Originally a singer of pop songs, Helen has admitted her first love is jazz. Musicians Humphrey Lyttelton and George Melly, and pop singer Cliff Richard pay tribute, and the show ends with Helen singing out over the credits. |
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Benny GREEN 21 February 1996 The saxophonist, perhaps best known to the public for his radio shows and books, was surprised by Michael at Pizza on the Park in London's Hyde Park. |
* the pre-1970 subjects were surprised by a different coloured book - see the Big Red Book feature for full details