Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
Gerald HARPER (1929-)
THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Gerald Harper, actor, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the curtain call of a matinee performance of the play Crucifer of Blood at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London.
Gerald, who was born in London, studied at Haileybury and served two years with the Royal Artillery in the British Army before training to be an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. His theatrical career began with a series of one-act plays by Bernard Shaw at the Arts Theatre before starring opposite Frankie Howerd in Charley's Aunt. He later spent two years with the Old Vic Company, touring America and appearing on Broadway.
His film credits include A Night to Remember, Tunes of Glory and Wonderful Life. On television, he starred in the adventure series Adam Adamant Lives!, which ran for two series from 1966 and later as the village squire in the drama series Hadleigh, which began in 1969. He began presenting his own radio show, Gerald Harper's Sunday Affair, on Capital Radio in the mid-1970s.
"I thought it was quite a good matinee!"
programme details...
- Edition No: 528
- Subject No: 525
- Broadcast date: Wed 9 Jan 1980
- Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
- Recorded: Wed 5 Dec 1979
- Venue: New London Theatre
- Series: 20
- Edition: 7
- Code name: Bazaar
on the guest list...
- Frank Barrie
- Nicholas Day
- Paul Cooper
- Geoffrey Snell
- Richard Lindfield
- Reis Etan
- Derek Royle
- Gary Raymond
- David Horovitch
- Kate O'Mara
- Peter Dennis
- Jenny Twigge
- Ambrosine Phillpotts
- Kenny Everett
- Carla - wife
- Ernest - father
- Ann Moore
- Bill - brother
- Michael Porter
- Rupert Merrill
- Gabriel Woolf
- Peter Whitbread
- Roger Austin
- Tenniel Evans
- Manning Wilson
- Jo Manning Wilson
- Melvyn Hayes
- Richard O'Sullivan
- Juliet Harmer
- Jack May
- Cathleen Nesbitt
- Vincent Ball
- Dinah Sheridan
- Sarah - daughter
- Jamie - son Filmed tribute:
- Cliff Richard
related appearances...
- Nosher Powell - Apr 1972
- Barbara Kelly - Nov 1978
- Peter Barkworth - Mar 1979
- Kathy Staff - Mar 1984
- Bernard Braden - Jan 1991
- Susan Hampshire - Apr 1992
- The Night of 1000 Lives - Jan 2000
production team...
- Researchers: Cathy Parnall, Vivien Lind, Katie Lander
- Writers: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley
- Directors: Terry Yarwood, Anthony Parker
- Producer: Jack Crawshaw
- names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life
spotlight on the stars
a celebration of a thousand editions
Gerald Harper recalls his experience of This Is Your Life in an exclusive interview recorded in September 2023
Screenshots of Gerald Harper This Is Your Life
Series 20 subjects
Pat Seed | Fred Trueman | Noel Barber | Charles Aznavour | Eric Sykes | Andrew Sachs | Gerald Harper | Terry GriffithsPaddie O'Neil | George Martin | Geoff Capes | Roy Kinnear | Nyree Dawn Porter | Emlyn Hughes | Stewart Granger
Clare Francis | Jilly Cooper | Robin Cousins | Brian Bevan | Bill Beaumont | Mike Tetley
Alan Minter | Nat Jackley | Cathleen Nesbitt | Michael Aspel | Clive Lloyd