This Is Your Life: Ted Ray 2

Ted RAY (1905-1977)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Ted Ray, comedian, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews on the doorstep of his home in Southgate, North London.

Ted, who was born in Wigan and raised in Liverpool, began his show business career in music hall but became well known through his long-running weekly BBC radio show Ray's A Laugh, which ran from 1949 until 1961.

Having played roles in several British comedy films, notably Carry On Teacher in 1959, he later appeared in various television programmes throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, including the popular ITV comedy panel show Joker's Wild.

Ted Ray was a subject of This Is Your Life on two occasions – previously surprised by Eamonn Andrews in October 1955 at the BBC Television Theatre.

"Eamonn - you rotten so-and-so! Are we going now? Right now?"

programme details...

Edition No: 404
Subject No: second timer
Broadcast date: Wed 26 Feb 1975
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Wed 19 Feb 1975
Venue: Euston Road Studios
Series: 15
Edition: 17
Code name: Beam

on the guest list...

Sybil - wife
Arthur Askey - live link
Dickie Henderson - live link
Robin Ray - son
Susan Stranks - daughter-in-law
Andrew Ray - son
Lena Johnston - sister
George Johnston - brother-in-law
Ben Warriss
Noele Gordon
Diana Dors
Patricia Hayes
Ben Lyon
Susan - daughter-in-law
Madeleine - granddaughter
Mark - grandson
Joe Church
David Nixon
David Lodge
Reg Varney
Freddie Davies
Cardew Robinson
Ed Stewart
The Bachelors
Jean Kent
Mcdonald Hobley
Jean Arthur - sister
Jimmy Edwards
Eric Sykes
Bob Hope

production team...

Researcher: unknown
Writer: unknown
Director: Royston Mayoh
Producer: Jack Crawshaw

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

with thanks to Mark Olden for his contribution to this page

related pages...

Ted Ray

first tribute

It's a Funny Old Life

it's all about the comedy

Life Second Time Around

surprised again!

A Life Remembered

tributes to the original presenter

Life Lines

TV Times feature on recent subjects

Surprise flies supersonic

TV Times photo feature

Mark Olden, grandson of Ted Ray, recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in an exclusive interview recorded in April 2013

Photographs of Ted Ray This Is Your Life - and a photograph of Ted Ray's big red book

Gus Smith recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, Eamonn Andrews His Life...

Eamonn was to say that he got an even bigger kick surprising subjects for a second time. It was true in the case of Ted Ray.

He had first presented him with the red book in the fifties, but only just, for the comedian had been delayed for six minutes getting to the theatre, which meant that Eamonn had to keep the audience in chat.

'I was never more happy in my life to see anybody than when Ted finally walked into the theatre.' On the second occasion there was no such agonising wait.

Ted was appearing in a television programme in Birmingham when his wife called him to come to London the next day to 'meet someone important'. The VIP turned out to be Eamonn. Ted's reaction was swift: 'Not again, Eamonn!'

Anthony Slide recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, Just a Regular Bloke, The Ted Ray Story...

Just as an invitation to appear on Desert Island Discs was de riguer for the top stars of radio, so was the surprise of This Is Your Life, hosted by Eamonn Andrews, for those considered to be sufficiently famous and to entertain viewers at the BBC. Ted Ray has the distinction of appearing twice on the show.

On October 23rd, 1955, he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the BBC Television Theatre. On hand were Kitty Bluett, G H Elliott, sister Jean from California, sons Andrew and Robin, and from the Liverpool days, Harry Wardle. The second surprise visit took place on Ted Ray's doorstep. He was taken to Euston Road Studios and the show was recorded on February 19th, 1975, for airing, a week later, on February 26th. Present at that recording were Ben Warriss, Ben Lyon, Noele Gordon, Diana Dors, Patricia Hayes, Robin Ray and his wife, Susan Stranks, and, via a live link, Arthur Askey and Dickie Henderson. The special surprise guests, flown in by the BBC from Rhodesia, were Andrew Ray, his wife and son, Mark. Initially, the BBC had planned to fly in sister Jean from California, but Sybil Ray persuaded them to substitute Andrew Ray and his family.

Aside from twice being the subject of This Is Your Life, Ted Ray was also a guest of the show honouring comedian Reg Varney, broadcast live on May 20th, 1970.

Series 15 subjects