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Celebrating television's This Is Your Life

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THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Leslie Crowther, comedian, actor and television presenter, was surprised by Michael Aspel while signing copies of his newly published autobiography at Selfridges department store in London.

Leslie became a familiar face to television viewers from the 1950s, presenting light entertainment shows such as The Black and White Minstrel Show and the BBC children's programme Crackerjack. In the 1970s he appeared in various sketch shows and the ITV sitcom My Good Woman.

By the mid-1980s he was hosting the ITV game show The Price Is Right, and was chosen to be the host of ITV's talent show Stars in Their Eyes in 1990. Just two years later, Leslie sustained serious head injuries in a near-fatal car crash, and he retired from show business in November 1994.

Leslie Crowther was a subject of This Is Your Life on two occasions – previously surprised by Eamonn Andrews in March 1973 at London's Earl's Court Exhibition Centre.

"Wow wow wow! It's good to see you - well, I hope it's good to see you!"

programme details...

• Edition No: 894
• Subject No: second timer
• Broadcast date: Wed 9 Nov 1994
• Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
• Recorded: Thu 6 Oct 1994
• Venue: Teddington Studios
• Series: 35
• Edition: 2
• Code name: Encore

on the guest list...

• Jean - wife
• Nick - son
• Caroline - daughter
• Charlotte - daughter
• Lindsay - daughter
• Patrick Shervington
• Jack Tripp
• Kathleen West
• David Liddiment
• John Boulter
• Anna Dawson
• June Whitfield
• Ronnie Barker
• Brian Rix
• Sheila Bernette
• Peter Hughes
• Sylvia Sims
• Richard Wilson
• William G Stewart
• Peter Pugh
• Tim Rice
• Denis Compton
• Matthew Kelly
• David Sandeman
• 12 grandchildren
Filmed tributes:
• Liz - daughter
• Chris Dyer
• nurses from Bristol's Frenchay Hospital

related appearances...

• Larry Grayson - Dec 1972
• David Nixon - Dec 1973
• Eamonn Andrews - May 1974
• John Hanson - Feb 1975
• June Whitfield - Apr 1976
• Brian Rix - Apr 1977
• Nicholas Parsons - Mar 1978
• Fred Trueman - Dec 1979
• Bill Owen - Jan 1981
• Anita Harris - Jan 1982
• Stan Stennett - Jan 1983
• Viv Richards - Nov 1984
• Gary Wilmot - Dec 1986
• Billy Marsh - Mar 1990
• Frazer Hines - Oct 1992
• June Whitfield - Mar 1995

production team...

• Researcher: Mandy Nixon
• Writer: Simon Booker
• Director: Brian Klein
• Associate Producer: John Graham
• Executive Producer: Peter Estall
• Producer: Malcolm Morris

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

Leslie Crowther

first tribute

It's a Funny Old Life

it's all about the comedy

Life Second Time Around

surprised again!

New Lease of Life

the programme's relaunch

Andrews's death casts doubt on his show

The Guardian reports the death of Eamonn Andrews

How they asked Aspel

TV Times interviews new presenter Michael Aspel

Denis Compton

Matthew Kelly

Brian Rix

June Whitfield

Screenshots of Leslie Crowther This Is Your Life