This Is Your Life: John Dodd

John DODD (1916-1987)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - John Dodd, charity founder, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews outside HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs, London, having been led to believe he was there for a special visit.

John, who was born in Manchester, held various jobs before joining the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. While serving in the Far East, he was captured by the Japanese and spent three years as a prisoner-of-war in Singapore's Changi prison.

John became involved with Christian Teamwork in 1958, and together they founded the Langley House Trust, a venture in the after-care of homeless ex-prisoners. The first home opened in Otterbourne, Winchester, in 1959 and other homes followed at regular intervals.

programme details...

Edition No: 233
Subject No: 234
Broadcast date: Thu 14 Nov 1963
Broadcast time: 9.10-9.40pm
Recorded: Mon 21 Oct 1963 8.00pm
Venue: BBC Television Centre
Series: 9
Edition: 7

on the guest list...

Tom Reynolds
Norman Harrold
Terry - brother
Noel Duckworth
Oliver Stott
Alyson - wife
Mrs Stutely Dodd - mother
Rosalyn - daughter
Diana - daughter
Lorraine - daughter
Josephine Raket
Marquita Bischoff

production team...

Researcher: unknown
Writer: unknown
Directors: Vere Lorrimer, Michael Goodwin
Producer: Vere Lorrimer
Executive Producer: T Leslie Jackson

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

A Charitable Life

the unsung heroes

Noel Duckworth

Photographs of John Dodd This Is Your Life

John D Searle recalls This Is Your Life in his book, The Prisoner Free - The Story of John Dodd and Langley House...

...John was taken to Wormwood Scrubs Prison by Geoffrey Howard, a BBC producer.

On their arrival, there was a sudden, surprising glare of powerful lights.

A broad-shouldered man stepped forward holding a microphone and said, 'Tonight, John Dodd, This Is Your Life.'

Eamonn Andrews, the compere of this popular television programme, described his guest as, 'John Dodd, man of courage and compassion'.

The programme, seen by an estimated ten million viewers, proved to be another very useful piece of publicity for his work.

Series 9 subjects