Big Red Book

Celebrating television's This Is Your Life

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THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Don Black, lyricist, was surprised by Michael Aspel while being presented with the lifetime achievement award from the BMI Awards at the Dorchester Hotel in London.

Don was born the son of Russian immigrants in Whitechapel, London, but grew up in Hackney. He began his music industry career as an office boy with the New Musical Express while also trying his hand at stand-up comedy. While working as a song plugger, he met the singer Matt Monro, who encouraged him to write songs.

He collaborated with composer John Barry to write the theme songs for the James Bond films Thunderball, Diamonds Are Forever and The Man with the Golden Gun, and the title song for the 1966 film Born Free, which became the first British song to win an Oscar. His work for the theatre includes Billy and Bar Mitzvah Boy, and his collaboration with Andrew Lloyd Webber includes the musicals Tell Me On A Sunday, Aspects of Love and Sunset Boulevard.

"I can't believe it! Unbelievable! Thank you so much. How did she keep it such a secret?"

programme details...

• Edition No: 956
• Subject No: 931
• Broadcast date: Fri 15 Nov 1996
• Broadcast time: 8.00-8.30pm
• Recorded: Thu 31 Oct 1996
• Venue: unknown
• Series: 37
• Edition: 9
• Code name: White

on the guest list...

• Mitch Murray
• Geoff Stephens
• Guy Fletcher
• Richard Kerr
• Shirley - wife
• Petula Clark
• Adele - sister
• Anita - sister
• Michael - brother
• Julie Rogers - sister-in-law
• Cyril - brother
• Sylvia - sister-in-law
• Alan Calfin
• Al Saxon
• Grant - son
• Clive - son
• Marti Webb
• Michael Ball
• Herbert Kretzmer
• Elmer Bernstein
Filmed tributes:
• John Barry
• George - grandson
• Martha - granddaughter
• Tom Jones
• Lulu
• Andrew Lloyd Webber
• Elaine Paige

related appearances...

• Matt Monro - Mar 1977
• Andrew Lloyd Webber - Nov 1980
• Andrew Lloyd Webber - Nov 1994
• The Night of 1000 Lives - Jan 2000
• Richard Stilgoe - Jun 2001
• Michael Winner - Oct 2001
• Elmer Bernstein - Feb 2003

production team...

• Researcher: Avril Norton
• Writer: Joe Steeples
• Directors: Terry Kinnane, Steve Docherty
• Associate Producer: Sue Green
• Executive Producer: John Longley
• Producer: John Graham

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

Life is a Cabaret

a musical theatre chorus line

The Night of 1000 Lives

a celebration of a thousand editions

Elmer Bernstein

Petula Clark

Andrew Lloyd Webber

Lulu

Screenshots of Don Black This Is Your Life