This Is Your Life: Frankie Howerd

Frankie HOWERD (1917-1992)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Frankie Howerd, comedian and actor, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while signing copies of his autobiography at the Selfridges department store in London.

Frankie, who was born in York but grew up in Eltham, London, first performed with local amateur dramatic groups while working as an insurance clerk. Having performed in concert parties while serving with the Royal Artillery during the Second World War, he later became a household name with regular work on BBC Radio's Variety Bandbox.

During the 1950s, he made his screen debut in The Runaway Bus and appeared on stage in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Following a lean period at the end of the decade, his popularity was boosted in the 1960s with the boom in satire with cabaret spots at London's Establishment Club and appearances on television's That Was The Week That Was.

"Oh no, don't! Don't do this! Oh don't ask me to face it, I can't!"

programme details...

Edition No: 441
Subject No: 438
Broadcast date: Wed 27 Oct 1976
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Wed 20 Oct 1976
Venue: Euston Road Studios
Series: 17
Edition: 1
Code name: Roman

on the guest list...

Dennis Heymer
Tessa Le Bars
Cilla Black
Ivy Clark
Dick Harris
Blanche Moore
Vera Roper
Sunny Rogers
Eric Sykes
Sheila Hancock
Peter Cook
Rev Martin Morgan
Dora Bryan
Barbara Kelly
Derek Roy
Julie Ege
Ronnie Fraser
Linda Gray
Richard Waring
Johnny Speight
Shirley Abicair
Barry Took
Ray Milland
Richard Burton
children of St Mary’s Primary School, Kettering
Lord Delfont

production team...

Researchers: Tony Lee, John Viner
Writers: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley
Directors: Royston Mayoh, Terry Yarwood
Executive Producer: Jack Andrews
Producer: Jack Crawshaw

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

It's a Funny Old Life

it's all about the comedy

ITV This is Your Life

A special edition celebrating ITV's 21st anniversary

Screenshots of Frankie Howerd This Is Your Life

Scriptwriter Roy Bottomley recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, This Is Your Life: The Story of Television's Famous Big Red Book...

Among the great ad-libbers falling about at Tommy that night (Eric Sykes) was Frankie Howerd, like the magician himself a great clown.

We had surprised Frankie three years before with Eric Sykes appearing, along with Cilla Black, Dora Bryan, Barbara Kelly and many more, including Peter Cook.

Peter it was who came to Frankie's professional rescue in 1962. Frankie had hit such a low he was actually thinking of quitting the business. Then Peter Cook booked him for The Establishment Club, where he was 'rediscovered'. And how – he was booked for a spot on television's first satire programme, That Was The Week That Was, fronted by a youthful David Frost, and that led to Frankie playing the lead in the West End in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

Not bad for the young man who, just out of the army, had failed his audition for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. An actor of no mean standing told viewers that he had been so impressed with Frankie's performance in Forum he had gone backstage to congratulate him. The actor was Richard Burton.

Robert Ross recalls this particular edition of This Is Your Life in his book, The Complete Frankie Howerd...

Despite still combining regular headlining sitcom roles and stand-up showcases, Frankie was more than happy to inject a few guest titters into almost any assignment that came his way.

During the run of The Howerd Confessions he returned from a brief holiday in Malta to feature in the 21st anniversary celebrations of ITV, hamming it up opposite Eamonn Andrews on a special edition of This Is Your Life. A two-hour salute to the best in the ITV archive and the best of ITV stars, it was broadcast live from the New London Theatre Drury Lane from 8.00 pm on Wednesday 22 September 1976. Andy Allan produced and Philip Casson directed.

A month or so later - in the middle of celebrating his 40 years in show business - Frankie himself was honoured with the easy grin of Eamonn Andrews and the most famous red book in the history of broadcasting. It was a Thames production broadcast on 27 October 1976 on ITV.

Series 17 subjects