This Is Your Life: Larry Grayson

Larry GRAYSON (1923-1995)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Larry Grayson, comedian, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while recording his Christmas television special at the ATV Studios at Borehamwood, from where the programme was then recorded.

Larry, the adopted son of a Midlands coal miner, grew up in Nuneaton, where he made his first professional appearance at a local Labour Club as Billy Green, the boy comedian. After the Second World War, he joined a touring company, Tomorrow's Stars, and appeared in pubs and clubs across Devon and Cornwall.

He further developed his act in venues across the Midlands before appearing in pantomime with Dora Bryan, where he was spotted by Danny La Rue, who offered him a spot at his cabaret club. His appearances at the club led to ITV offering him his own television series in 1972, and, in the same year, he was voted Showbusiness Personality of the Year by the Water Rats.

"I thought the roof had fell in!"

programme details...

Edition No: 341
Subject No: 342
Broadcast date: Wed 27 Dec 1972
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Sat 9 Dec 1972
Repeated: Wed 30 May 1973 7.00pm
Venue: ATV Studios, Borehamwood
Series: 13
Edition: 7

on the guest list...

Mike Winters
Bernie Winters
Noele Gordon
Lionel Blair
Heathmore
Rod Hull
Florence Hammonds - foster sister
May Roberts - foster sister
Charlie Roberts
Alf Freeman
Nellie Freeman
Leslie Crowther
Joyce Malyon
Reg Malyon
Ellen Turner
Carol Cox
Dora Bryan
John Hanson
Danny La Rue
Harry Leslie

production team...

Researchers: Martin Robertson, Sarah Manwaring-White
Writer: Martin Robertson
Director: Margery Baker
Producer: Malcolm Morris

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

the programme's icon

Mike and Bernie Winters

Larry Grayson recalls his experience of This Is Your Life in an interview with Glyn Worsnip on BBC One (Midlands) On The Box programme, broadcast in June 1985

Screenshots of Larry Grayson This Is Your Life

Mike Malyon recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, Seems Like a Nice Boy...

Meanwhile, a magical year swung to a close with a record-breaking week at Caesar's Palace in Luton and Larry took out a two-page ad in The Stage, wishing everyone 'A Very Merry Xmas and 365 Gay Days for 1973'.

But there was still one more spectacular event to round off an amazing, whirlwind twelve months when, on 17 December, Eamonn Andrews uttered those immortal words: "Larry Grayson – tonight, this is your life."

The announcement – regarded as a televisual rubber-stamp for personal achievement – came as a complete surprise to Larry, who admitted: "I thought the roof had fallen in." He had just finished recording a Christmas Special and was thanking the Thames Studio audience when Eamonn crept up behind him, clutching the famous red book, and tapped him on the shoulder.

The This Is Your Life programme makers had decided, almost three months previously, to make Larry a 'victim' and had then launched into one of their usual top-secret missions. My mum, Joyce, was contacted and enrolled into helping the researchers put together the Larry Grayson story. She was sworn not to tell a soul and was told: "If Larry gets wind of what we're doing, even at the last minute, the show will be scrapped."

The instructions and the secrecy caused Mum more than a few problems. Phone calls from the production crew to her home had to be quickly curtailed if anyone else walked into the room. "I'm sure my husband Reg thought I was having an affair," she said later. "He kept saying, 'who was that you were talking to?' and I just had to reply 'oh, just someone about work.' I also had to have meetings, without anyone knowing, with some of the researchers and this also led to some odd looks from people who knew me and were obviously wondering why I was sitting in a café in my midwife's uniform whispering to a couple of strangers."

Gradually, as D-Day approached, various family members and friends, who were going to be asked to take part in the show, were let in on the secret but still things had to be kept strictly hush-hush. Even code words were used in what became like something from a James Bond movie.

Flo was kept completely in the dark – until the day that Larry had left to go to the studios to rehearse his Christmas Special. She was then told by my mum what was happening and was helped to hurriedly pack her clothes for the exciting trip to London and to appear on television.

This Is Your Life was scheduled to be recorded the following day. The friends and family cast included my mum and dad, Flo, her sister, May, and husband, Charlie, Alf and Nell Freeman and Harry Leslie. Along with other family members, including myself, we all travelled first class, at Thames Television's expense, on the train from Trent Valley Station to Euston. From there we were picked up in chauffeur-driven cars to be taken to a four-star hotel in Hampstead Heath, to stay and prepare for the show.

Scripts were produced, read-throughs took place, food and drink was laid on and then everyone departed for the studios, where, in a cloak-and-dagger operation, we were smuggled into locked rooms behind the scenes.

Before setting off, I had confided to my Tribune editor, Eric Myatt, about what was being planned. I then wrote a story, revealing the town's best-kept secret – ready to be published as soon as the TV embargo was lifted.

After Larry had been 'captured' by Eamonn he was taken, in a daze, back to his dressing room, while preparations were made to record This Is Your Life. The Christmas Special set was changed and the audience stayed in their seats, waiting with bated anticipation for the proceedings to begin.

As a breathless Larry settled into his chair for the telling of his life story, Eamonn opened the programme by saying, "Less than twelve months ago few knew your name, but now millions know it and your famous catchphrase 'Shut That Door'."

The Christmas Show guests, who had all been in on the secret, were introduced. Mike and Bernie Winters, John Hanson, Lionel Blair and Heathmore were followed onto the set by Rod Hull – whose Emu then proceeded to attack Larry, leaving him to gasp: "I'll kill that bird."

In any interviews, charting his rise to fame, whenever Larry had spoken about Flo, he gave her the affectionate nickname 'Fan'. And it was "Florence, known as Fan," who Eamonn next called to come from behind the curtain. Clearly emotional, Larry greeted 'the person closest to him' as she limped across the stage, carrying her handbag.

"You all right, love?" Larry whispered, as he clasped her hand.

Pointing towards Larry, Eamonn asked: "Is he very fussy to look after?"

Flo quietly replied: "He's not too bad."

Larry chipped in: "She wouldn't tell you anyway. She would never give away a secret."

Flo's sister, May and her husband, Charlie, missed their cue before making their bow, to be followed by Alf and Nell Freeman, dressed to the nines in evening wear. My mum and dad, Joyce and Reg Malyon, told how they had taken Larry to a club in Warwick and had mistaken a private house for the stage door. "We walked in and realised our mistake when we saw this old lady getting ready for bed," recalled Joyce. "Larry said: 'It looks like we're in the wrong place.' And the woman replied 'I should think you are.' We quickly turned round and made our way out, suitcase first."

Dora Bryan talked about her friendship with Larry, before 'Student Prince' John Hanson demonstrated the proper way to swirl a cape. This came about because, as part of his act, Larry used to pretend he had performed in musicals: "I've been very busy. I've done The Maid of the Mountains, The Quaker Girl and Rose Marie – but I refused The Chocolate Soldier."

The show ended with an eighty-year-old Harry Leslie recalling the bitterly cold 1947 tour to Devon. As the closing credits rolled, to the sound of the 'Your Life' signature tune, Larry walked towards the camera, with Flo by his side and tears in his eyes, and said "I love you all."

With the programme in the can – and due to be screened ten days later – everyone involved, including the production crew, enjoyed a backstage party, along with other relatives and friends of Larry who had been in the audience. The celebrations continued when we returned to the Hampstead hotel, with Larry getting tipsy and looking forward to 'the best Christmas ever'

Tony Nicholson recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, Shut That Door...

Larry's astonishing year had one last crowning glory. He was given his own Christmas Special on ITV, which was exciting enough, but, just as he was taking his emotional final bows during the recording of that Christmas show, an unexpected guest walked on to the studio floor. It was Eamonn Andrews with his famous red book. He approached a disbelieving and suddenly even more emotional Larry with the immortal words: "Larry Grayson - This Is Your Life!"

Larry had been told to expect an after-show party, but this was beyond his wildest dreams. He was taken backstage to recover his composure and relax for a few minutes while they transformed the ATV studio in Elstree for this special festive edition of This Is Your Life, which was transmitted on December 27th 1972 as a major part of ITV's Christmas schedule.

Larry was like a kid in a sweet shop as all his friends and family came on to pay tribute to this dear sweet man who made everybody laugh so much. The seat of honour, next to Larry, was given to Fan of course. Poor Fan was not used to being in the spotlight herself, and looked somewhat bewildered, though delighted for her foster brother. Of course Larry had no idea who was waiting behind the scenes to spring the next surprise. Famous friends like Dora Bryan, John Hanson, Leslie Crowther, Danny La Rue, Mike and Bernie Winters, and Lionel Blair were all there. Equally heartwarming and thrilling for Larry though were the non-celebrities who had been invited to come along. His older foster sister May and her husband Charlie took their place next to Fan. May's daughter Joyce and her husband Reg were there as well. Larry was then delighted to be reunited with 'Uncle' Alf and 'Aunty' Nell Freeman who had given him his first break with The Vary Lites when he was just fourteen years old. The production team had even managed to track down Ellen Turner and Carol Cox, two of the nurses who had primarily been responsible for nursing him back to health, just before his big break came. The final surprise came when Eamonn introduced a remarkably spry eighty-year-old Harry Leslie who talked about his memories of Billy Breen and Tomorrow's Stars. But the last word quite rightly went to Fan. Eamonn Andrews turned to her and asked: "Fan - you are the most important person in Larry's life, and you've seen him up, and you've seen him down. Did you really believe he was going to make it?" She simply answered, with all sincerity: "Yes I did". With that Eamonn presented a teary-eyed Larry Grayson with his much-treasured big red book and said: "Happy New Year Larry - This Is Your Life".

When it was all over, and she'd had the last word, Fan broke down in tears. She explained afterwards: "My Larry, that frail little child I'd devoted my life to, was a star! I just couldn't stop the tears from rolling down my cheeks. But as the audience clapped and shouted I knew all those years of struggle had not been in vain."

They all then went into the Green Room for a joyous party, ending what Larry said was one of the greatest days of his life, at the end of the greatest year of his life. What a pity Ethel, Jim and Alice weren't there to share it with him...

The Daily Mail article: Larry Grayson This Is Your Life

Daily Mail 22 December 1972

THE FIRST NOELE...

THE Noele Gordon in Larry's Christmas Party (ITV, 7.30) has a different image from her familiar portrayal of Meg Richardson in Crossroads (ITV, times vary).

For a start, Noele is a trim 8st, 6lb. "I've shed two stone in the last few months," she said. And in the show hosted by comedian Larry Grayson there's a touch of glamour for her too. Instead of the homely image of her Mum role in Crossroads Noele wears a £250 gown.

Tonight for the first time in years you'll be seeing Noele, who swept to stardom in the lead in such stage musicals as Brigadoon and Call Me Madam, in a theatrical mood.

Call Me Madam in fact provides the peg for a song routine with Larry. "We sing 'Hostess with the Mostess'." said Noele.

Noele, whose birthday is on Christmas Day, has just sold her Georgian house at Ross on Wye. She will now live permanently in Birmingham to be nearer the Crossroads studios. Look for a surprise ending to the show involving Larry. It's something that has never been done before. [Larry was surprised by Eamonn Andrews for a This Is Your Life tribute].

Series 13 subjects