This Is Your Life: Ada Reeve

Ada REEVE (1874-1966)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE – Ada Reeve, actress, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews in the audience at the King's Theatre, Hammersmith, having been led to believe she was there to see a play.

Ada, who was born into a theatrical family in London, first began performing as a child, making her theatrical debut in pantomime at the age of four. After several years of working in pantomime and music hall, she found fame in several musical comedies during the 1890s.

She had considerable success with extensive and lucrative tours of Australia, South Africa, America and Canada, playing in pantomime, variety and vaudeville. During the First World War, she travelled to Egypt, India and the Far East to entertain the troops. In addition, she made several film appearances in the 1940s and 1950s and continued appearing on stage until retiring at the age of 80.

"Everyone concerned showed wonderful tact and discrimination... I am deeply grateful"

programme details...

Edition No: 17
Subject No: 17
Broadcast live: Mon 15 Oct 1956
Broadcast time: 8.15-8.45pm
Venue: King's Theatre, Hammersmith
Series: 2
Edition: 2

on the guest list...

Marie Kendall
Rose Pizar
Albert Whelan
Sidney Turner
Albert Jones
Wilfred Jarman
Frank Brent
Nora O'Malley
Barbara Mullen
Nellie Dowler
Goody - daughter
Yuki and family - granddaughter

production team...

Researchers: Peter Moore, Nigel Ward
Writer: Gale Pedrick
Director: unknown
Producer: T Leslie Jackson

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

An Actor's Life For Me

spotlight on the stars

Stories behind This Is Your Life

a review of the second series

Poignant Moment

Radio Times editorial

These Are My Lines...

Radio Times previews the third series

Barbara Mullen

Albert Whelan

Ada Reeve recalls her experience of This Is Your Life in the end of series review programme, Stories behind This Is Your Life, broadcast in June 1957

Daily Express article: Ada Reeve This Is Your Life

Daily Express 16 October 1956

LAST NIGHT'S TV - by Cyril Aynsley

THE BBC had that grand old actress Ada Reeve in tears on TV last night for millions to see. And I will bet that not a few of the millions watching were wiping away the odd tear too.

Miss Reeve, 83, was the principal figure in the programme This is Your Life.

Master of ceremonies Eamonn Andrews stopped beside her, chatted with her, and then led her on to the stage, a little hobbling figure assisted up the steps by another old-timer, Leslie Henson.

Saying "Ada, this is your life," Eamonn Andrews sketched her early days born in the East End, eldest of 16 children; making her bow in pantomime at the age of four; playing in "East Lynne" at six in Dewsbury; top of the bill at Huddersfield at 30s. a week.

Then out of her distant past came Mrs Rose Pizar.

"This is by way of being something of a moment," said Eamonn Andrews. "They write to each other, but they last met in the year 1888."

And memories, and people - Marie Kendall, Barbara Mullen, 81-year-old Albert Whelan, came tumbling out of Ada Reeve's life.

Everybody paid tribute to her sincerity in different ways. None so direct as an Australian soldier of the First World War who, presenting her with a bouquet, said: "Ada always was and will be a fair dinkum trouper."

Lichfield Mercury article: Ada Reeve This Is Your Life

Lichfield Mercury 10 May 1957

Ada Reeve in Dam Street

A VISIT TO A FRIEND

I SPENT a fascinating hour on Wednesday evening talking to Ada Reeve, the actress, who has been spending a few days in Lichfield, staying with her friend, Mrs N Blackburn, at 25, Dam Street.

Although she is 83, Miss Reeve, who was recently the subject of a BBC This Is Your Life show, suffers almost none of the customary failings of old age, but remains a vivid, sparkling woman, with a fund of entertaining stories.

She and Mrs Blackburn are friends of many years standing, though they met quite accidentally at Bournemouth, when Miss Reeve was appearing there in "The Dubarry".

They were staying at the same hotel and one day at tea time, Mrs Blackburn, with her friend Mrs Matthews from Wilnecote (they were at a Butchers' Conference) saw the famous star walk into the lounge.

They asked her if she would join them for tea; she said she would be delighted - and a friendship grew which has suffered no set-backs.

with "Clock Tower"

Incidentally that same night at a party held in one of the bedrooms Ada smoked one of Mr Blackburn's cigars - finishing it off right to the very end, with the aid of a pin.

The name of Ada Reeve has been a household one for several generations, for she made her first appearance in East Lynne in 1882 - when she was six, playing Little Willie. Since then she has taken almost every conceivable role, toured in most parts of the world, appeared in variety, and still makes occasionally sallies into the realms of film and television.

She told me all about her This Is Your Life appearance and the amazing lengths to which the BBC went to make sure she had no idea that she was the chosen "Subject". Actually she had never seen one of the programmes before, never met Eamonn Andrews and was under the impression she was going to see a play.

The two men who took her to the theatre (they were old friends who had often taken her out on previous occasions) nearly had heart failure when two nights before the chosen evening she rang them up and said as she had a cold, could they postpone the outing!

Fortunately they insisted she went with them - and the ruse worked.

But she thoroughly enjoyed the episode and was quite delighted when subsequently she was permitted to see a tele-recording of the whole performance. Later this year the BBC will do a composite programme with highlights of the many T.I.Y.L. recordings, and the one in which Ada appeared, will be included.

Series 2 subjects