This Is Your Life: Kenneth Horne

Kenneth HORNE (1907-1969)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Kenneth Horne, comedian and businessman, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews outside his flat in Kensington, London, having driven up from his cottage in Sussex.

Kenneth, who was born the son of a clergyman in London, was educated at St George's School, Harpenden and Magdalene College, Cambridge, although he left without graduating. In 1927, he found a job with a Birmingham glass manufacturer and, working his way up to senior management, stayed with the company until 1958.

His double career began while serving with the RAF during the Second World War, when, having been asked to compere the BBC Radio series Ack-Ack, Beer-Beer, he then wrote and starred in the radio comedy series Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh. A stroke in 1958 forced Kenneth to choose between his two careers, and having given up commerce and made a full recovery, he went on to make the popular radio series Beyond Our Ken.

programme details...

Edition No: 184
Subject No: 185
Broadcast live: Mon 19 Feb 1962
Broadcast time: 7.30-8.00pm
Venue: BBC Television Theatre
Series: 7
Edition: 21

on the guest list...

Doreen Wherrett
Anne Graham
Bunny Austin
Reginald Anscombe
Norman 'Bo' Aylward
Richard Murdoch
Sam Costa - live link
Kenneth Horne
Sir Miles Thomas
Carole Carr
Marjorie - wife
Yvonne Buckingham
Susan - stepdaughter
Happy Horne - budgie
Ted Heath
Kenneth Williams

production team...

Researchers: Arthur Sellwood, Suzanne Twiston Davies
Writer: John Sandilands
Director: David Croft
Producer: T Leslie Jackson

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

with thanks to Sue Montague for her contribution to this page

related pages...

It's a Funny Old Life

it's all about the comedy

the programme's icon

Sue Montague, stepdaughter of Kenneth Horne, recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in an exclusive interview recorded in April 2013

Kenneth Horne This Is Your Life Big Red Book

Photographs of Kenneth Horne This Is Your Life - and a photograph of Kenneth Horne's big red book

Barry Johnston recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, Round Mr Horne...

The following day Kenneth was caught by Eamonn Andrews with his famous red book when he was the subject of This Is Your Life.

Among the guests on the BBC TV show were Richard Murdoch and Sam Costa, Kenneth Williams, Bunny Austin, 'Bo' Aylward, Sir Miles Thomas of BOAC, the bandleader Ted Heath with his sax section, and Susan, who had to walk on carrying Happy the Budgerigar in his cage.

Series 7 subjects