Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
The 13th series of This Is Your Life - and the fourth to be produced by Thames Television - opened with the first Coronation Street name to become a subject of the programme, as the team travelled to Granada Studios in Manchester to take a stroll down those famous northern cobbles, which provide a source of many subjects over future years.
A footballer became the first sibling of a previous subject to be honoured - his younger brother, also a footballer, had been surprised in November 1969.
Also notable in this series was the decision to broadcast four consecutive programmes featuring female subjects... for the first, though not the only, time, possibly due to a viewer's letter printed in TV Times, complaining about the imbalance of male and female subjects.
The production team were always keen to stress how everyone involved in the preparation of a programme is sworn to secrecy, and that the surprise had to be a genuine one - should a subject discover what's about to happen, the tribute would be cancelled - a TV Times article looked at the white lies and deception employed by the spouses and partners of various recent subjects.
In a rare move, several editions from this series were repeated over the summer of 1973 during the break from the programme's usual run.
related pages...
from Elsie Tanner to Eddie Yates
keeping it in the family
the show's fifty year history
Eamonn Andrews is back with another 'Life'
TV Times previews the new series
TV Times takes a light-hearted look at keeping a secret
The secret life of Eamonn Andrews
Weekend Magazine feature on the show's popularity
| Pat PHOENIX | Actress | 15 November 1972 |
| Bill GRIFFITHS | Second World War veteran | 22 November 1972 |
| Shirley BASSEY | Singer | 29 November 1972 |
| Warren MITCHELL | Actor | 6 December 1972 |
| Dudley MOORE | Actor, comedian, composer and musician | 13 December 1972 |
| Phyllis CALVERT | Actress | 20 December 1972 |
| Larry GRAYSON | Comedian | 27 December 1972 |
| Clive SULLIVAN | Rugby league player | 3 January 1973 |
| Bill SHANKLY | Football manager | 10 January 1973 |
| Willie CARSON | Jockey | 17 January 1973 |
| Jack SMETHURST | Actor | 24 January 1973 |
| Mary PETERS | Athlete | 31 January 1973 |
| Noele GORDON | Actress | 7 February 1973 |
| James CORRIGAN | Businessman | 14 February 1973 |
| Pat REID | British Army Officer and author | 21 February 1973 |
| Diana COUPLAND | Actress and singer | 28 February 1973 |
| Dulcie GRAY | Actress and writer | 7 March 1973 |
| Janet ADAMS | Red Cross nurse | 14 March 1973 |
| Rita HUNTER | Opera singer | 21 March 1973 |
| Leslie CROWTHER | Comedian, actor and television presenter | 28 March 1973 |
| Jimmy LOGAN | Entertainer and impresario | 4 April 1973 |
| Spike MILLIGAN | Comedian, writer and actor | 11 April 1973 |
| Jackie PALLO | Wrestler | 18 April 1973 |
| John GREGSON | Actor | 25 April 1973 |
| Jackie CHARLTON | Footballer | 2 May 1973 |
| Francis O'LEARY | Roman Catholic priest and missionary | 9 May 1973 |
Broadcast details
Thames Television production for ITV26 editions | 26 x 30 minutes
Wednesday | 7.00pm
Production team
Created by: Ralph EdwardsProducer: Malcolm Morris | Directors: Margery Baker, Peter Webb
Writers: John Sandilands, Jack Crawshaw, Martin Robertson
Researchers: Sarah Dickinson, David McFarlane, Martin Robertson, Sarah Manwaring-White, Olga Kersner
Programme Consultants: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley | Production Assistants: Maggi Ricketts, Eve Patey
Designers: Sylva Nadolny, Nevil Dickin, Gordon Toms | Location Director: Peter Webb
Production Team: Jack Crawshaw, Sarah Dickinson, David McFarlane, Martin Robertson, Sarah Manwaring-White, Olga Kersner