Dame Marie RAMBERT DBE (1888-1982)

Marie Rambert This Is Your Life

programme details...

  • Edition No: 185
  • Subject No: 186
  • Broadcast live: Mon 26 Feb 1962
  • Broadcast time: 7.30-8.00pm
  • Venue: BBC Television Theatre
  • Series: 7
  • Edition: 22

on the guest list...

  • Tamara Karsavina
  • Harold Turner
  • Denise Vermeuil – Madame Du Chartre
  • Madame Lea Hardy Verneuil
  • Lydia Sokolova
  • Frederick Ashton
  • Sister Suzette Morfield
  • Sally Gilmour
  • Belinda Wright
  • Angela Ellis - daughter
  • Lulu Dukes - daughter
  • Filmed tributes:
  • Peter Scott
  • John Gilpin
  • Recorded tributes:
  • Anthony Tudor
  • Joyce Graham
  • Celia Franca

production team...

  • names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life
related pages...

A Dancer's Life

from ballet to ballroom


The Big Red Book

the programme's icon


Peter Scott

Marie Rambert This Is Your Life Marie Rambert This Is Your Life Marie Rambert This Is Your Life Marie Rambert This Is Your Life Marie Rambert This Is Your Life Marie Rambert This Is Your Life Marie Rambert This Is Your Life Marie Rambert This Is Your Life Marie Rambert This Is Your Life Marie Rambert This Is Your Life Marie Rambert This Is Your Life Marie Rambert This Is Your Life Marie Rambert This Is Your Life Marie Rambert This Is Your Life Marie Rambert This Is Your Life Big Red Book

Photographs and screenshots of Marie Rambert This Is Your Life - and a photograph of Marie Rambert's big red book

Marie Rambert autobiography

Marie Rambert recalls her experience of This Is Your Life in her autobiography, Quicksilver...


In 1962 I was made a Dame, much to my surprise. In that same year, I was the subject of the television programme This Is Your Life. I knew absolutely nothing about it in advance. My secretary told me only that I had been asked to do ‘an interview’ on television.


They wished to do the first few minutes in the print room at the Mercury, which is five minutes from my house. As the weather was appalling – melting snow, and dirty underfoot – a friend came to fetch me with a car. I did not know what I was to wear for the interview, so I took a case with me containing an evening dress, a day dress and some practice clothes. To be ready to change quickly, I did not trouble to do up the zip of the dress I was wearing. What was my surprise when the door of the print room was opened for me and I saw Eamonn Andrews, the producer, and a team of technicians under blazing lights, all ready to shoot.


I got very angry and would have been very rude to them for giving me this abominable surprise, as I was not fit to be seen, in my huge snow-boots, with a thick mohair scarf wrapped round my head. But then Eamonn Andrews put a big card in front of my eyes on which was printed ‘This is Your Life!’ Until that moment the secret had been kept from me most scrupulously, the whole point of the programme being that the ‘victim’ had no idea of what was going to happen. I began to unwind my hideous mohair scarf, then feverishly tried to zip up my dress – all of which was later seen on screen. It turned out to be one of the happiest events of my life.


The programme was shown that evening, and after the incident at the Mercury I had to promise not to divulge the secret. My secretary was allowed to ring a few of my friends and advise them to watch television that night, but under no circumstances reveal my name.


For the programme proper I was called on the stage and took a seat. Presently Karsavina appeared, said a few sweet things about me, kissed me and disappeared. Then came Ashton – same procedure. Then my adored Sally Gilmour, who had flown from Melbourne the previous night specially for the programme. Then the old lady, over ninety years of age, who had been my first accompanist in 1906. John Gilpin and Belinda Wright appeared.


Then there was a shot of the Metropolitan Theatre in New York, and I heard Antony Tudor’s voice – also one of my artists – from Montreal. Then the voice of my younger daughter. She was living in Trinidad at the time – and I was thrilled to hear her. But Eamonn Andrews told me to look round – and there she was, large as life and smiling. She also had been flown in specially for that programme.


Then there was a shot of the jungle in South Africa and Peter Scott with a little bird in his hand, talking to me and reminding me how I had taught him to do cartwheels when he was my pupil during the first war. He added: ‘I believe I could still do them, shall I try?’ and promptly executed a couple of perfect ones. It was all incredibly exciting and at moments very moving.


After the performance they gave me a supper party with all the people who had been brought together for the occasion. As I was walking in on Eamonn Andrews' arm, I whispered to him: ‘is it not marvellous that you, who had never met me before, should have had it in your power to make me so happy?’ He tapped me on the shoulder and said laughing: ‘And earn my living at the same time.’

Series 7 subjects

Max Bygraves | Mario Borrelli | Alastair Pearson | Brian Rix | Derek Dooley | Elizabeth Twistington Higgins | Sandy MacPherson
Ronald Menday | Harry Day | Peter Finch | Charlie Drake | Timothy Cain | Isabella Woodford | David Park | Sefton Delmer
Coco the Clown | Jenny Gleed | Arthur E Davies | Tom Evans | David Pelham James | Kenneth Horne | Marie Rambert | David Butler
Glen Moody | Kenneth Cooke | Tom Breaks | Dora Bryan | Bob Oatway | Acker Bilk | Hester Meakin | Joe Filliston | Ellaline Terriss