This Is Your Life: Jon Pertwee

Jon PERTWEE (1919-1996)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Jon Pertwee, actor, comedian and entertainer, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while rehearsing a scene for the BBC science fiction programme Doctor Who in an unknown location.

Jon, who was born into a theatrical family in London, trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He worked in repertory theatre and with the BBC before serving with the Royal Navy and the Naval Intelligence Division during the Second World War. After the war, he worked as a comedy actor on radio, specialising in comedy voices and accents.

From 1959 he played Chief Petty Officer Pertwee and later other roles in the BBC radio comedy series The Navy Lark. He appeared on stage in musicals and cabaret and played comedy roles in films, including several Carry On films. From 1970 he starred as the third incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running BBC television science fiction series Doctor Who.

"Oh my god! Oh my gawd!"

programme details...

Edition No: 304
Subject No: 306
Broadcast date: Wed 14 Apr 1971
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Wed 3 Mar 1971
Venue: Euston Road Studios
Series: 11
Edition: 22

on the guest list...

Katy Manning
Ingeborg - wife
Michael - brother
Dr Michael Colbourne - step-brother
Bob Tilburn
Ted Briggs
Eric Barker
Bill Maynard
Elymir De Hory
Ted Falcon-Barker
McDonald Hobley
David Jacobs
Dariel - daughter
Sean - son

production team...

Researcher: unknown
Writer: unknown
Director: Margery Baker
Producer: Robert Tyrrell

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

An Actor's Life For Me

spotlight on the stars

David Jacobs

Bill Maynard

Photographs of Jon Pertwee This Is Your Life

Bernard Bale recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, Jon Pertwee - The Biography...

Another famous face appeared on the set of this story but did not actually take part in the televised end product. Jon was growing a little concerned about his wife, Ingeborg. For a week or so she had seemed distracted and suddenly had a succession of mysterious appointments. The explanations she gave seemed a little flimsy but Jon kept his patience and waited, knowing that if there was some problem it would reveal itself soon enough.

The problem did indeed reveal itself. It happened as Jon and Katy were reshooting their exit from the Tardis. A man in a hooded coat suddenly appeared in front of Jon and thrust something at him. The object was that famous red book and the man was none other than Eamonn Andrews. The mystery was solved - Jon Pertwee had been well and truly caught for the programme This Is Your Life.

For once Jon was almost lost for words - almost! There were one or two unprintable expressions of course. Jon remembered it as a great night. There was the expected mix of emotions - especially when two of Jon's shipmates from HMS Hood appeared. Ted Briggs and Bob Tilburn were two of the three men who had survived the sinking of that mighty ship during the war and as they walked through the doorway Jon was unable to hold back the tears.

Many old friends and family members came on to pay tribute, and Jon's two children, Sean and Dariel, surprised everyone by insisting on wearing miners' helmets. They were no ordinary helmets, of course. They had been salvaged from 'Doctor Who and The Silurians'.

It was a tribute to Jon's colourful life that there were so many diverse characters in the studio. Perhaps the most unexpected was a well-known forger. Elymir De Hory was famed as a forger of paintings, in particular Impressionists, and had long been an acquaintance of Jon's - for totally proper and legal reasons of course.

Jon remembered it as a marvellous evening which he had enjoyed immensely, once he had recovered from the initial shock. There were some regrets, however. Jon was unable to obtain a recording of the show other than a soundtrack and an album of photographs. The soundtrack record was later stolen but the album remained a treasured memento for ever.

This episode of This Is Your Life was broadcast in April 1971 during 'Colony in Space'. The irony of appearing on both channels was not lost on Jon. This Is Your Life was broadcast on ITV, providing a more than useful plug for the BBC's Doctor Who series.

Series 11 subjects