This Is Your Life: Series 39

Series 39: 1998-99

Series 39 of This Is Your Life launched with a new variation of its theme tune, originally composed by Laurie Johnson as Gala Performance and first used when the programme launched on ITV in 1969. Portuguese percussionist Luis Jardim arranged this third and final version of the original.

This series is bookended by two significant milestones in the programme's history: the 1000th edition of This Is Your Life honoured a York-based village road sweeper, twice named Yorkshire and Humberside Street Cleaner of the Year, and an award-winning Scottish actor who became the 1000th subject wore, perhaps unintentionally, an appropriately coloured jacket for the occasion!

Vere Lorrimer, who directed many of the early editions of This Is Your Life, then took over from Leslie Jackson as the programme's producer for the final series of the early BBC phase in 1963, died in October 1998.

related pages...

Titles and Music

the iconic titles and theme tunes

Producing Life

the producers who steered the programme's success

Timeline

the show's fifty year history

Vere Lorrimer

The Stage obituary for the former producer of This Is Your Life

Series 39 subjects...

Charles STEWART	Road sweeper	7 September 1998
Carol SMILLIE	Television presenter	14 September 1998
Roy WALKER	Comedian and television presenter	21 September 1998
Sharron DAVIES	Television presenter and former swimmer	28 September 1998
Christopher CHITTELL	Actor	5 October 1998
Barbara DICKSON	Singer and actress	12 October 1998
Frank THORNTON	Actor	19 October 1998
Phillip SCHOFIELD	Television presenter	26 October 1998
Alastair STEWART	Journalist and newsreader	2 November 1998
Bob WILSON	Broadcaster and former football goalkeeper	9 November 1998
Frankie DETTORI	Jockey	16 November 1998
Elizabeth SPRIGGS	Actress	23 November 1998
Rick WAKEMAN	Keyboardist, composer and songwriter	30 November 1998
Sue JOHNSTON	Actress	7 December 1998
Lord DEEDES	Journalist and former politician	14 December 1998
Sylvia YOUNG	Theatre school founder and principal	21 December 1998
Anne KIRKBRIDE	Actress	27 December 1998
Christopher BIGGINS	Actor and television presenter	4 January 1999
Damon HILL	Racing driver	11 January 1999
George LAYTON	Actor and writer	18 January 1999
Floella BENJAMIN	Actress, television presenter and campaigner	25 January 1999
Bill PERTWEE	Actor	1 February 1999
Mark COOK	Charity founder	8 February 1999
Gary MABBUTT	Former footballer	15 February 1999
Suzi QUATRO	Singer-songwriter, musician and actress	22 February 1999
Ian BANNEN	Actor	1 March 1999

Broadcast details

Thames Television production for BBC
26 editions | 25 x 30 minutes | 1 x 40 minutes
Monday | 7.00pm x 25
Sunday | 8.00pm x 1

Production team

In association with Ralph Edwards Productions And TIYL Productions
Producer: Sue Green | Series Producer: Jack Crawshaw
Executive Producer: John Longley | Associate Producer: Helen Gordon-Smith
Directors: John Gorman, Paul Kirrage, Peter Wisdom, Steve Docherty, Chris Fox, David Jackson, Wendy J Dyer
Writers: Ian Brown, Joe Steeples
Researchers: Ruth Malone, Kate Greer, Jo Grant, Steve Lappin, Emma Dooley, Ben Farrell, Sue Venables
Programme Associates: Ian Brown, Joe Steeples | Production Assistants: Irene Maxwell-Clark, Liz Fleming
Production Manager: Dawn Gray | Programme Co-ordinator: Fiona Hurd
Music Composed by: Laurie Johnson | Music Arranged by: Luis Jardim
Production Designer: Martin Collins | Film Research: Helen Bennitt
Facilities Managers: Tony Smith, Brian Abrams, Cherry Allen, Paul Thackray
Lighting Directors: John Watt, Stan Robinson, John Pomphrey
Sound Supervisors: Jack Krawczyk, Peter Willcocks, John Downes, Paul Gartrell, Richard Churchill, Richard Bradford
Senior Cameraman: Chas Watts, Peter Johnson
Vision Mixers: Ian Blease, Carole Chessun, Alison Jones
Videotape Editors: Steve Murray, Paul Richmond, Graham Hutchings, Dewi Evans, Mark Sangster, Peter Elphick
Production Team: Sara-Jane Hindin, Alexandra Harris, Roger Read, Doug Ingram