This Is Your Life: Wilfred Hyde-White

Wilfred HYDE-WHITE (1903-1991)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Wilfred Hyde-White, actor, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while presenting a trophy to the owner of a winning horse at Newmarket Racecourse.

Wilfred, who was born the son of a clergyman in Bourton-on-the-Water in Gloucestershire and trained at RADA, made his London stage debut in 1925 in the play Beggar on Horseback. He appeared regularly on stage in London and on Broadway, earning a Tony Award nomination in 1956 for the comedy The Reluctant Debutante.

Having made his film debut in 1934, he became a fixture in British films during the 1940s and 1950s, including roles in the comedies Two-Way Stretch and Carry On Nurse. He would later achieve international recognition for his best-known screen role as Colonel Pickering in the 1964 film adaptation of the musical My Fair Lady.

"I've seen people in this unhappy position before!... I thought you'd got the wine list with you!"

programme details...

Edition No: 442
Subject No: 439
Broadcast date: Wed 3 Nov 1976
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Wed 29 Sep 1976
Venue: Euston Road Studios
Series: 17
Edition: 2
Code name: Races

on the guest list...

Ethel - wife
Juliet - daughter
Robert Morley
Ballard Berkeley
Faith Brook
Sidney Tafler
Ian Walker
Frankie Vaughan
Stella Vaughan
Coral Browne
Hilary - daughter-in-law
Walter - grandson
Simon - grandson
Alex - son
Marcus Marsh
Peter Sellers
Trevor Howard

production team...

Researcher: Tony Lee
Writers: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley
Directors: Royston Mayoh, Terry Yarwood
Executive Producer: Jack Andrews
Producer: Jack Crawshaw

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

An Actor's Life For Me

spotlight on the stars

Surprise flies supersonic

TV Times photo feature

Robert Morley

Frankie Vaughan

Screenshots of Wilfred Hyde-White This Is Your Life

Scriptwriter Roy Bottomley recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, This Is Your Life: The Story of Television's Famous Big Red Book...

Wilfred Hyde-White, son of a Gloucestershire clergyman, had his lucky break in films in 1936 with Charles Laughton in Rembrandt. He attained international stardom with Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn in the film of My Fair Lady – and he was no stranger to the famous Ascot racecourse scene.

He loved to go racing and was very superstitious. At Ascot he always went through the same ritual, doffing his topper and bowing solemnly three times to the weather vanes, for luck.

Our pick-up was, naturally, at Newmarket, and in the studio he was joined by Ballard Berkeley, Faith Brook, Peter Sellers, Sidney Tafler, Frankie Vaughan, Coral Browne, Trevor Howard and best friend (and racegoer) Robert Morley. Asked the secret of Wilfred's success, Morley replied, 'He's never made the mistake of taking acting seriously, dear boy.'

Series 17 subjects