Big Red Book

Celebrating television's This Is Your Life

• HOME
• |
• SERIES
• |
• SUBJECTS
• |
• FEATURES
• |
• ARTICLES
• |
• INTERVIEWS
• |
• ABOUT

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Gerald Durrell, naturalist and author, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews outside the Royalty Theatre, while on his way for a celebratory dinner following his investiture at Buckingham Palace.

Gerald was born in India, and spent his youth in Britain, except for a few years when his family lived on the island of Corfu, where Gerald began to collect and keep the local animal life as pets. Back in Britain Gerald joined London's Whipsnade Zoo as a student keeper, before beginning a series of wildlife collecting expeditions, which led to his conservation work.

A collection of humorous accounts of his childhood, My Family and Other Animals, was published in 1956 and brought Gerald public recognition as a notable author and a naturalist - the proceeds of the book's sales helped fund his future expeditions. He founded the Jersey Zoological Park in 1959 to house his growing collection of animals, and he was instrumental in founding the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust in 1963 with a mission to save species from extinction.

"I've been avoiding you for years!"

programme details...

• Edition No: 618
• Subject No: 613
• Broadcast date: Wed 23 Feb 1983
• Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
• Recorded: Tue 15 Feb 1983
• Venue: Royalty Theatre
• Series: 23
• Edition: 19
• Code name: Jersey

on the guest list...

• Lord Craighton
• Lady Craighton
• John Hartley
• Christopher McElhoes
• Jonathan Harris
• Phillippa Webb
• Susan Davies
• Mike Hyde
• Lee - wife
• Jeremy Mallinson
• Betty Boizard
• Shep Mallett
• Catha Weller
• Joan Porter
• Simon Hicks
• Mai Zetterling
• Margo - sister
• Gerry - nephew
• Ethel Squire
• Theodore Stephanides
• Brian Bell
• Wahab Owadally
• Yousoof Mungroo
• Dinah Sheridan
• Peter Scott
Filmed tribute:
• Lawrence Durrell - brother

production team...

• Researcher: Laura Hayden
• Writers: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley
• Directors: Paul Stewart Laing, Terry Yarwood
• Producer: Malcolm Morris

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

Life on Earth

an uncharted adventure

Peter Scott

Dinah Sheridan

Screenshots of Gerald Durrell This Is Your Life

Douglas Botting recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, Gerald Durrell, The Authorised Biography...

On 15 February 1983 Gerald received his OBE at Buckingham Palace. He was enormously proud to be given the honour, though always insisting that the real meaning of the initials was 'Other Buggers' Efforts'. 'The OBE is quite a handsome little cross thing, made out of gold,' he reported to his Memphis in-laws, 'so when Lee and I get hard up, we can always sell it... I was the only OBE to get press coverage.'

It was Gerald's understanding that the next item on the agenda was lunch with Lord Craighton, an influential Trustee of the Jersey Trust, and his wife. He was therefore surprised to find so many other guests waiting on the pavement outside the restaurant, among them Eamonn Andrews, the compere of the popular television programme This Is Your Life – on which, as Gerald described it to Lee's parents, 'a steady stream of people that you have not seen for ninety years' pounce on you from behind a screen. Instead of the slap-up meal he had been expecting, he was whisked away to a secret room (in the BBC studios), where he was kept in purdah from the other guests and fed on sandwiches and champagne.

Then the show started, before a large audience. The first people to appear from behind the screen were Gerald's secretary Joan Porter, Catha Weller, Jeremy Mallinson, Simon Hicks, Shep Mallett and Betty Boizard. Brian Bell had been flown over from New Zealand, and Wahab Owadally and Yousoof Mungroo from Mauritius. An interview had been shot with Larry, who could not come as he had a commitment to make another film. Also present were Gerald's kindergarten teacher, Miss Squire ('at the age of eighty-seven looking as though she would outlive us all'), Mai Zetterling, Dinah Sheridan, Sir Peter Scott, Margaret and her son. There was even a film clip of Theodore Stephanides, who was apparently too unwell to attend the show.

Or so it seemed. Gerald was thunderstruck when suddenly the real Theo stepped gingerly on to the set – frail and elderly, but as impeccably turned-out and as sharp-witted as ever, and beaming hugely. This was the reunion to end all reunions. Master and pupil embraced as only two old friends whose friendship went back nearly half a century could, knowing that it might be for the last time – as indeed it was. Then Gerald seized Theo's hand and led him forward towards the camera, raised the old man's hand and lifted it high above his head in a gesture of salutation, triumph and love.

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...

My Family and Other Animals was just one of the entertaining books by Gerald Durrell, who received his Life surprise on 15 February 1983, after his OBE investiture at Buckingham Palace.

Gerald, through his Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust, had saved scores of species of wildlife and led expeditions to the jungles and forests of the world in order to do so.

Of course, the programme included another best-selling writer – brother Lawrence Durrell, author of, among many others, the Alexandria Quartet.

Gerald's day had started on a high note with the investiture by the Prince of Wales, and the Life finished with a glowing compliment on his work from the vice-chairman of the World Wildlife Fund, Sir Peter Scott, who came in person to say, 'We have a richer planet thanks to the work of Gerald Durrell.'