Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
Jack 'Kid' BERG (1909-1991)
THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Jack Berg, former boxer, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while attending an art exhibition of his daughter Stephenie's work at Kettner's Restaurant in Soho, London.
Born Judah Bergman of immigrant Russian-Jewish parents in the East End of London, Jack began his boxing career at the age of 14, boxing his way to success at Premierland and the Royal Albert Hall. Following his 1930 victory over Mushy Callaghan, which won him the World Light-Welterweight Championship, he went to America where his classic fights with Tony Canzoneri and Kid Chocolate gained him world-wide fame.
Jack won the British Lightweight title at his first attempt in 1934 and went on to accumulate a career total of well over 200 fights. After retiring from boxing, he worked as a film stunt man and later owned a restaurant in London. Known as the Whitechapel Windmill, Jack was the only living British boxer in the American Hall of Fame.
"Oh Eamonn... no!"
programme details...
- Edition No: 718
- Subject No: 715
- Broadcast date: Wed 14 Jan 1987
- Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
- Recorded: Thu 30 Oct 1986
- Venue: Teddington Studios
- Series: 27
- Edition: 14
- Code name: Ice
on the guest list...
- Morya - wife
- Stephenie - daughter
- Sadie - sister
- Becky - sister
- Marie - sister
- Jonathan - nephew
- Madeline - Jonathan's wife
- Meima - Jonathan's daughter
- Tony - nephew
- Penny - Tony's wife
- James - Tony's son
- Laura - Tony's daughter
- 30 members of family - in audience
- Terry Allen
- Walter McGowan
- Charlie Magri
- Johnny Caldwell
- Howard Winstone
- Kenny Buchanan
- John H Stracey
- Maurice Hope
- Terry Downes
- Alan Minter
- Dennis Andries
- Nat Fishman
- David Alderman
- Sam Greenberg
- Joe Greenberg
- Lou Sugarman
- Benji Huss
- Gussie Huss
- Harry Mizler
- Harry Davis
- Jack Lewis
- George Odwell
- Pat Butler
- Johnny Cuthbert
- Nosher Powell
- Lloyd Honeyghan
- Frank Bruno
- Ray Arcel Filmed tributes:
- Henry Cooper
- John Huston
production team...
- Researcher: Caroline Blackadder
- Writer: Norman Giller
- Directors: Terry Yarwood, Michael D Kent
- Associate Producer: Brian Klein
- Producer: Malcolm Morris
- names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life
from flyweight to heavyweight
Screenshots of Jack Berg This Is Your Life
Series 27 subjects
Bill Waddington | Robert Foote | Carl Davis | Gorden Kaye | Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson | Monty Fresco | Joe JohnsonSusan George | Bill Ward | Rachel Kempson | Gary Wilmot | Cliff Michelmore and Jean Metcalfe | Liz Hobbs | Jack Berg
Derek Scott | Patricia Hodge | Harry Friend | Norman Wisdom | Denis Compton | Christopher Cazenove | Dudley Moore
Terry Marsh | David Jacobs | Willie Rushton | Gabrielle Drake