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Celebrating television's This Is Your Life

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THIS IS YOUR LIFE – Cyril Fletcher, comedian and actor, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while being interviewed for a television programme about his latest collection of funny verses at Foyles bookshop in central London.

Cyril, who was born in Watford, trained at the Guildhall School of Drama and began reciting his odes as an after-dinner speaker while working for an insurance company in the City of London. In 1936, he joined the Fol-de-Rols as a full-time entertainer and later, during the Second World War, toured the UK entertaining the troops.

After the war, he produced and wrote pantomimes and summer seasons with his wife, Betty, before appearing on radio in variety shows and his own sitcom series. On television, he became a regular panellist on What's My Line?, presented his Odd Odes on That's Life from 1973, and hosted various gardening programmes.

"I thought you were my friend, Eamonn! Thank goodness I've got my fete opening suit on!"

programme details...

• Edition No: 461
• Subject No: 458
• Broadcast date: Wed 16 Mar 1977
• Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
• Recorded: Wed 9 Mar 1977
• Venue: Euston Road Studios
• Series: 17
• Edition: 21
• Code name: Odd

on the guest list...

• Annie Mizen
• Glyn Worsnip
• Kieran Prendiville
• Esther Rantzen
• Betty Astell - wife
• Jill - daughter
• Ida - sister
• Jack - brother-in-law
• Maude - mother - recorded message
• Geoff Hazelwood
• Bob Poole
• Joan Rush
• Norman Limmer
• Leslie Wood
• Arthur Askey
• Henry Hall - recorded message
• Michael Wynn-Wilson
• Nat Jackley
• Isobel Barnett
• Barbara Kelly
• Anna Neagle
Filmed tributes:
• Jimmy Edwards
• Ted Davis

related appearances...

• Arthur Askey - Dec 1974
• Katie Boyle - Nov 1982
• Esther Rantzen - Nov 1988

production team...

• Researcher: Marilyn Gaunt
• Writers: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley
• Directors: Anthony Parker, Terry Yarwood
• Producer: Jack Crawshaw

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

It's a Funny Old Life

it's all about the comedy

Arthur Askey

Jimmy Edwards

Barbara Kelly

Anna Neagle

Esther Rantzen

Screenshots of Cyril Fletcher This Is Your Life

Cyril Fletcher recalls his experience of This Is Your Life in his autobiography, Nice One Cyril...

When Eamonn Andrews surprised me to appear in This is Your Life, my mother (aged ninety-two) was too elderly and immobile to come to the studio.

So the cameras went to her and a recording was made.

'Are you there, Cyril?' her image on the set in the studio inquired of me.

At the end of her little piece the audience kindly applauded.

It was about a fortnight before the show was actually seen on the air.

My mother saw the recording. She rang me up. 'I got the most applause,' she said.