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Celebrating television's This Is Your Life

  

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THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Charlie Drake, comedian, actor, writer and singer, was surprised by Michael Aspel during the curtain call of Ray Cooney's farce Funny Money at London's Playhouse Theatre.

Charlie, who was born in London, became a household name during the 1950s through his BBC television comedy shows Drake's Progress and The Charlie Drake Show, from which a compilation of sketches won an award for Best Comedy at the 1968 Montreux Television Festival.

He released several comedy records, including My Boomerang Won't Come Back in 1961, and starred in the ITV sitcom, The Worker, which ran for five years between 1965 and 1970. Turning to straight acting in the 1980s, he won an award for his role in the 1983 theatrical production of Pinter’s The Caretaker.

Charlie Drake was a subject of This Is Your Life on two occasions - previously surprised by Eamonn Andrews in December 1961 at the London Palladium.

"You're just in time Michael - I don't feel very well!"

programme details...

• Edition No: 929
• Subject No: second timer
• Broadcast date: Wed 1 Nov 1995
• Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
• Recorded: Mon 9 Oct 1995
• Repeated: Thu 2 Nov 1995 2.35pm
• Repeated: Sun 15 June 2025 8.00pm
• Venue: unknown
• Series: 36
• Edition: 9
• Code name: Duck

on the guest list...

• Ray Cooney
• Lynda Baron
• Trevor Bannister
• Peter Ellis
• Ron Aldridge
• Christopher - son
• Stephen - son
• Paul - son
• Henry McGee
• Jean Geoghegan - sister
• Russ Conway
• Phyllis Rounce
• Nyree Dawn Porter
• Nicholas Smith
• Laurie Mansfield
• Josephine Tewson
• Ernest Maxin
• Tommy Cannon
• Bobby Ball
• Chris Quinten
• Tony Scannell
• Bill Kenwright
• Jess Conrad
• Dianne Lee
• Dave Kristian
• Roger Kitter
• Mia Carla
• Jim Davidson

related appearances...

• Nosher Powell - Apr 1972
• Arthur Askey - Dec 1974
• June Whitfield - Apr 1976
• Cannon and Ball - Nov 1981
• Bob Monkhouse - Feb 1982
• Tessie O'Shea - Dec 1984
• Bill Ward - Dec 1986
• Harry Corbett - Dec 1988

production team...

• Researchers: Sue Green, Elizabeth Ross
• Writer: Roy Bottomley
• Director: Brian Klein
• Associate Producer: John Graham
• Executive Producer: Peter Estall
• Producer: Malcolm Morris

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

related pages...

Charlie Drake

first tribute

It's a Funny Old Life

it's all about the comedy

Life Second Time Around

surprised again!

Trevor Bannister

Cannon and Ball

Russ Conway

Ray Cooney

Jim Davidson

Nyree Dawn Porter

Interviews

Chris Drake, son of Charlie Drake, recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in an exclusive interview recorded in January 2020

Screenshots of Charlie Drake This Is Your Life