Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
Charlie CHESTER (1914-1997)
THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Charlie Chester, comedian, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews outside the BBC Television Centre as he left the building following a rehearsal.
Charlie, who was born Cecil Victor Manser in Eastbourne, entered talent contests and sang in local clubs while working as a gas fitter's mate in Clapham, London. During the Second World War, having enlisted with the Royal Irish Fusiliers, he joined Stars in Battledress, an organisation of entertainers who travelled the country entertaining the troops.
Known as 'Cheerful' Charlie Chester, he made his name on the BBC radio show Stand Easy, which, as The Charlie Chester Show, was adapted as a stand-up and sketch show for television in 1949 and ran for 11 years. His other radio shows included A Proper Charlie, Come to Charlie and Keep Smiling.
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Series 6 subjects
Leonard Cheshire | George Bennett | David Sheppard | Sybil Thorndike | Clarence Wolfe | Charles Coward | T E B Clarke