Big Red Book

Celebrating television's This Is Your Life

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THIS IS YOUR LIFE - James Corrigan, businessman, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while riding a Dodgem car at a fun fair in Battersea, London, having been led to believe he was being interviewed for a documentary.

James, who was born in Leeds, started his working life as a child in his family's travelling fairs. After leaving school at 14, he worked as a mess boy on the tug boats in Hull before joining the Merchant Navy in 1943. After some time in Canada, he returned to the UK, settling in Scarborough, where he established several entertainment businesses, including a bingo hall and amusement arcades.

In 1964, he rented a bingo hall in Batley, West Yorkshire, where, two years later, with his wife Betty, he founded the Batley Variety Club. Modelled on the Las Vegas-style clubs, it soon became a known venue on the entertainment circuit, attracting the biggest stars of the time, including Louis Armstrong, Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey.

programme details...

• Edition No: 348
• Subject No: 349
• Broadcast date: Wed 14 Feb 1973
• Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
• Recorded: Wed 7 Feb 1973
• Venue: Euston Road Studios
• Series: 13
• Edition: 14

on the guest list...

• Betty - wife
• Jamie - son
• Charlie Williams
• Albert - uncle
• Edwin - uncle
• Joe - uncle
• John - brother
• Joey - brother
• Stan Lindberg
• Freda Chambers
• Mary Foster
• Bill Harrington
• Derek Smith
• Allan Clegg
• Vince Hill
• Randolph Rhodes
• Jason - son
Filmed tributes:
• Gene Pitney
• members of staff at Batley Variety Club
• Frankie Vaughan
• Shirley Bassey

production team...

• Researcher: unknown
• Writer: unknown
• Director: Margery Baker
• Producer: Malcolm Morris

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

That's Entertainment

there's no business like it

Shirley Bassey

Vince Hill

Frankie Vaughan

Charlie Williams

Eamonn Andrews surprises James Corrigan for This Is Your Life

Maureen Prest recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in her book, King of Clubs...

I had travelled to London by train, and sat with an agent called Sidney Rose, who was a great friend of the producer of the TV show This Is Your Life. James had given me a book by his Uncle Edwin called Ups and Downs and Roundabouts, his recollections of the fairground lives of the Corrigans. We got chatting and I told him about the book and how I worked for the great James Corrigan, sowing the seeds of how James would make a wonderful subject for This Is Your Life. We arrived in London, me going my way, he going his. I was smiling to myself as I knew he'd make the suggestion to his producer friend. It worked. Within weeks the researchers were on the doorsteps of the club, secretly researching the subject of James Corrigan.

James was sat in the park when he got a message from the club. Thames Television was making a documentary about the early days of the fairgrounds and wanted to know if he was interested in contributing? He was most flattered and agreed. A date was decided upon when he could go to London for the recording. He was to be interviewed in Battersea funfair and asked to talk about the history of the funfairs. They said that as he was an expert on the subject, his contribution to the programme would be invaluable. When he got there, the producer wanted an opening shot of James driving a dodgem car. Being familiar with this fun ride, he lost no time in bumping his fellow riders when, out of nowhere, came a car with Eamonn Andrews in. He stood up with the famous red book and declared, 'James Corrigan, this is you life?' James was whisked to the Thames TV studios where his staff and family were brought on set to tell their anecdotes of the life and times of James Lord Corrigan.

James was totally surprised and hugely flattered by the accolade. They told the story of the opening of the club and his rise to fame. His was a rags to riches story like no other. What James was not to know was that when the programme researchers were gathering information for the show, Betty insisted Con Clusky of The Bachelors should be included as they had performed the opening ceremony of the club. When the researchers mentioned Betty's desire to include the tall Irish man to Allan Clegg, he tactfully explained that if Con Clusky walked on stage to share the moment, James would walk off, television or not. James had long ago realised the importance of Con to his wife. On the 14th February 1973, Gene Pitney, Vince Hill, Frankie Vaughan, Shirley Bassey and Charlie Williams, together with his family and staff, all paid tribute to this remarkable man. Con Clusky was not invited.