Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
Lupino LANE (1892-1959)
THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Lupino Lane, actor and theatre manager, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews - with the help of the actor Ronald Shiner - in the audience at the BBC Television Theatre.
Born Henry Lupino, part of the famous Lupino family of performers, he began his stage career as a child, billed as 'Little Nipper'. He later adopted the stage name Lupino Lane, and after making his London debut in 1903, he worked steadily as a performer, playing comic roles in theatre, music halls and pantomimes. He appeared in a series of silent film shorts from 1915 and later displayed his acrobatic agility in a series of short comedies he made in Hollywood during the 1920s, some of which he directed himself.
Lupino is best known for playing the character of Bill Snibson in the musical Me and My Girl, which popularised the song and dance routine, The Lambeth Walk. Lupino directed, produced and starred in the show for 1,550 performances in London's West End between 1937 and 1940. It became the first British musical comedy to be shown on television and was made into a film in 1939.
programme details...
- Edition No: 12
- Subject No: 12
- Broadcast live: Sun 25 Mar 1956
- Broadcast time: 7.45-8.15pm
- Venue: BBC Television Theatre
- Series: 1
- Edition: 12
on the guest list...
- Barry Lupino - cousin
- Maidie Andrews
- Arthur Budd
- Violet - wife
- Harry Welchman
- Lauri Lupino Lane - son
- Charles Brewer
- Dorothy Ward
- Bill Morris
- George Morris
- Teddie St Denis
- The Peter Knight Singers
- Recorded tribute:
- Mirabel Topham
related appearance...
- Bransby Williams - Dec 1958
production team...
- Researchers: Peter Moore, Nigel Ward
- Writer: Gale Pedrick
- Director: unknown
- Producer: T Leslie Jackson
- names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life
Photographs of Lupino Lane This Is Your Life - and a photograph of Lupino Lane's big red book
On March 25th, 1956, the BBC televised a fitting tribute to Lupino Lane as one of the great comedians of our time.
From the Shepherd's Bush Empire, now a television theatre, they brought back some of the people who had played a part in his memorable career: Harry Welchman, Maidie Scott, Dorothy Ward, Charles Brewer, cousin Barry Lupino. Vi was there and Lauri and from the very stage where he had performed for Sir Oswald Stoll as Nipper Lupino Lane he sat before the eyes of millions and listened with emotion to the tributes and memories.
Towards the end of the programme, Eamonn Andrews said, as we might say, "We want you, Nip, to accept this book as a memento and as a token to our respect and esteem. For truly we can say - This Is Your Life."
The Liverpool Echo 26 March 1956
WHEN This Is Your Life crossed the Atlantic for our entertainment, I expressed the hope that it would not be too much taken up with show business personalities. But the fact remains that they seem to make the best subjects, as Lupino Lane proved last night.
It was interesting to hear that he started his career at Liverpool's Shakespeare Theatre and that Mrs Mirabel Topham, at that time appearing light-heartedly in pantomime and a long way from organising Grand Nationals, was nearly married by mistake when she was one of the witnesses at the Lupino wedding.
NORMAN COOK
Evening Telegraph 26 March 1956
Lupino Lane's capacity for providing comedy and for making friends was warmly praised by a succession of stage personalities in This Is Your Life.
Manchester Evening News 26 March 1956
There were moments when Lupino Lane appeared bowed down with embarrassment at This Is Your Life, but he rallied for a final chorus.
Series 1 subjects
Eamonn Andrews | Yvonne Bailey | Ted Ray | James Butterworth | C B Fry | Johanna Harris | Donald Campbell | Joe BrannellyStanley Matthews | Henry Starling | Ida Cook | Lupino Lane | Hugh Oloff de Wet | Elizabeth Wilde | Robert Stanford Tuck