Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
Bob MONKHOUSE (1928-2003)
THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Bob Monkhouse, comedian and entertainer, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews - along with various celebrities seated on a replica of the set from his ITV game show Celebrity Squares - opposite the St Martin's Theatre on West Street in London.
Bob, who was born in Beckenham, first began writing comedy and selling jokes at the age of 15. Following his National Service with the RAF, he auditioned for the BBC and, having formed a partnership with an old school friend, Denis Goodwin, began writing scripts for comedians such as Arthur Askey, Jimmy Edwards and Ted Ray.
After the partnership broke up in 1962, Bob - who had appeared in comedy films such as Carry On Sergeant in 1958 and Dentist in the Chair in 1961 - established a successful solo career as a stand-up comedian and later became familiar to television viewers as the host of shows such as Candid Camera, Sunday Night at the London Palladium and the popular ITV quiz shows The Golden Shot and Celebrity Squares.
Bob Monkhouse was a subject of This Is Your Life on two occasions - surprised again by Michael Aspel in March 2003 at the BBC Television Centre.
"It's about bloody time!"
programme details...
- Edition No: 592
- Subject No: 589
- Broadcast date: Wed 10 Feb 1982
- Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
- Recorded: Wed 3 Feb 1982 7.00pm
- Venue: Royalty Theatre
- Series: 22
- Edition: 19
- Code name: Abbott
on the guest list...
- Liza Goddard
- George Sewell
- Pat Coombs
- Tony Blackburn
- Eva Reuber-Staier
- Paul Melba
- Nina Baden-Semper
- Jack Smethurst
- Sandra Dickinson
- Katie Boyle
- Ray Alan
- Tony Selby
- Barbara Kelly
- Dickie Davies
- Jenny Lee-Wright
- Arthur Mullard
- Diana Dors
- Jackie - wife
- Simon - son
- Abigail - daughter
- Michele Dotrice
- Dickie Henderson
- Edith Ashby
- Denis Gifford
- Paul Pennington
- Sylvia Cross
- Dennis Main Wilson
- Mick Anglo
- Dabber Davis
- June Whitfield
- Charlie Drake
- Terry Wogan
- Max Wall Filmed tributes:
- Liberace
- Colin Hedley
- Gary - son
- Bob Hope
related appearances...
- Charlie Drake - Dec 1961
- Moira Lister - Feb 1971
- Jackie Pallo - Apr 1973
- Ronnie Dukes - Nov 1975
- June Whitfield - Apr 1976
- Ivy Benson - Dec 1976
- Pat Coombs - Feb 1978
- Richard Murdoch - May 1978
- Nyree Dawn Porter - Feb 1980
- Lord Brabourne - Oct 1990
- Jeremy Beadle - Jan 1994
- June Whitfield - Mar 1995
- Bob and Dolores Hope - Dec 1995
- Steve Redgrave - Sep 1996
- Russ Abbot - Sep 1997
- The Night of 1000 Lives - Jan 2000
production team...
- Researchers: Brian Klein, Tom Wettengel
- Writers: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley
- Directors: Paul Stewart Laing, Terry Yarwood
- Producer: Jack Crawshaw
- names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life
second tribute
it's all about the comedy
surprised again!
a celebration of a thousand editions
TV Mirror reports on the presenter's popularity
Screenshots of Bob Monkhouse This Is Your Life
Series 22 subjects
Bob Champion | Bill Fraser | Wayne Sleep | Ian Botham | Cannon and Ball | Rob Buckman | Angela RipponJulia McKenzie | Jackie Milburn | Paul Shane | Peter Adamson | Kiri Te Kanawa | Mickie Most | Anita Harris
Mike Brace | Faith Brown | Robin Bailey | Rod Hull | Bob Monkhouse | John Toshack | Wally Herbert
Joe Gormley | Roger Whittaker | Alan Whicker | Peter Davison | Douglas Bader