Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
As This Is Your Life returned for its fourth series, the weekly Monday evening live broadcasts often created heart-stopping moments for host Eamonn Andrews, as intricately planned arrangements to ensure unsuspecting subjects were surprised on time - in what became known as the 'pick-up' - sometimes went unexpectedly wrong.
With the programme's increasing popularity, some viewers wrote and suggested potential subjects, giving the producers an even more diverse range of stories for this series, from a retired Llanelli tin plate worker to a compassionate prison governor. These 'unknown' subjects sit well alongside an increasing number of celebrity names, such as Britain's first teen idol and rock and roll star.
Several editions were produced as outside broadcasts, including perhaps the most ambitious location to date - and the first to be genuinely 'outside' - in an edition recorded on board the legendary clipper, the Cutty Sark, from its docked home in Greenwich, London.
And for the only time in the programme's history, the subject's name was announced ahead of the actual broadcast, as the BBC's listings magazine, Radio Times, revealed the guest of honour - surprised live on television several weeks earlier - in an editorial. The edition is billed in the Radio Times as the 100th programme, but the magazine has clearly included the two end-of-series specials in their calculations!
related pages...
the show's fifty year history
Radio Times previews the new series
Tommy Steele's Second Year climaxed by This Is Your Life
The entertainer's rise to fame
Tommy Steele: This Is Your Life
A profile of the entertainer
Viewers Watch Spirit Form On Their TV Screens
A report from Two Worlds Magazine
The Stage reviews a recent edition
Will a 'Life' man ever stalk out?
News Chronicle editorial
Radio Times editorial
| Jo CAPKA | Retired Czech pilot | 29 September 1958 |
| Jimmy EDWARDS | Comedian and actor | 6 October 1958 |
| Andrew MILBOURNE | Former paratrooper | 13 October 1958 |
| Bella BURGE | Retired boxing promoter | 20 October 1958 |
| Tommy STEELE | Singer, musician and actor | 27 October 1958 |
| Ronald SHINER | Comedian and actor | 3 November 1958 |
| James Edward WOOD | Former Army sergeant |
10 November 1958 |
| Margaret Rowena JONES | Housewife | 17 November 1958 |
| John GRIFFITHS | Retired tinplate worker and councillor | 24 November 1958 |
| Freddy BLOOM | Journalist, author and campaigner | 1 December 1958 |
| Bransby WILLIAMS | Actor | 8 December 1958 |
| Miriam MOSES | Retired politician and social reformer | 15 December 1958 |
| Elsie MULLOCK | Matron with The Children's Society | 22 December 1958 |
| John VIDLER | Retired prison governor | 29 December 1958 |
| Florence DESMOND | Actress and impersonator | 5 January 1959 |
| Noel DUCKWORTH | Anglican priest | 12 January 1959 |
| Alfred Daniel WINTLE | Retired military officer | 19 January 1959 |
| Ted HEATH | Musician and big band leader | 26 January 1959 |
| Andrew MACDONALD | Retired doctor and missionary | 2 February 1959 |
| Harriet COHEN | Concert pianist | 9 February 1959 |
| Willie HALL | Former footballer | 16 February 1959 |
| Reginald BLANCHFORD | St John Ambulance Area Commissioner | 23 February 1959 |
| Kenneth MORE | Actor | 2 March 1959 |
| Hugh Llewellyn GLYN HUGHES | Retired military officer | 9 March 1959 |
| Miriam JOWETT | British Red Cross officer | 16 March 1959 |
| Ted WILLIS | Screenwriter and playwright | 23 March 1959 |
| Alfred SOUTHON | Former soldier | 30 March 1959 |
| Tiger SARLL | Adventurer, journalist and former soldier | 6 April 1959 |
| Mary WARD | Nurse | 13 April 1959 |
| Roy GILL | Retired Royal Navy Reserve officer | 20 April 1959 |
| Stirling MOSS | Motor racing driver | 27 April 1959 |
| Ethel GOLDSACK | Teacher | 4 May 1959 |
| Tommy TRINDER | Comedian | 11 May 1959 |
Broadcast details
BBC Television Service33 editions | 20 x 30 minutes | 13 x 35 minutes
Monday | 7.30pm x 32 | 8.15pm x 1
30 March 1959 edition was broadcast at a later time due to Easter Bank Holiday schedule
Production team
Devised by: Ralph EdwardsProducer: T Leslie Jackson | Director: Vere Lorrimer
Writers and Researchers: Ken Smith, Bill Nolan, Nigel Ward, Peter Moore, Ronald Vivian, Liam Nolan, Nickola Sterne, Michael Williams
Research Assistants: Leslie Noy, Margaret Hotine, Patricia Boxall
Music written by: James Turner | Orchestra conducted by: George Clouston | Harmonica Music: Tommy Reilly
Animated captions: Alfred Wurmser | Cartoons: Tony Hart
Special Effects: Douglas Mair | Interpreter: Hugo van de Perre | OB Director: Mary Evans