Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
Stanley MATTHEWS (1915-2000)
- The first pre-recorded edition of This Is Your Life
THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Stanley Matthews, footballer, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the BBC Television Theatre, having been led to believe he was there to take part in a new sports programme.
Stanley, who was born in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, joined Stoke City FC as an office boy at the age of 15 in 1930. He played 22 games as a reserve before joining the first team in March 1932 and made his international debut with England two years later. During the Second World War, he enlisted with the Royal Air Force and worked as a Physical Training Instructor based in Blackpool.
Having returned to Stoke City FC at the war's end, he signed for Blackpool FC in 1947. After being on the losing side in the 1948 and 1951 FA Cup finals, he helped the club win the cup in 1953 with a memorable personal performance, which became known as the 'Matthews Final'. Stanley earned a reputation as one of the most skilful players in football and was nicknamed 'The Wizard of the Dribble'.
Stanley was the original choice for the first edition of This Is Your Life on British television, but the show had to be cancelled less than a week before transmission after a journalist leaked the story in the Daily Sketch.
"Well Eamonn, I've been led right up the garden path!"
programme details...
- Edition No: 9
- Subject No: 9
- Broadcast date: Sun 12 Feb 1956
- Broadcast time: 7.45-8.15pm
- Recorded: Mon 23 Jan 1956 3.30pm
- Venue: BBC Television Theatre
- Series: 1
- Edition: 9
on the guest list...
- Bill Latto
- Titch Connorn
- Jack - brother
- Arthur - brother
- Ronnie - brother
- Ada - mother
- Harry Bishop
- Tommy Wainwright
- Tom Mather
- Jimmy Vallance - father-in-law
- Roy John
- Betty - wife
- Jean - daughter
- Stanley Jr - son
- Stanley Mortensen
- Walley Barnes
- Eddie Hapgood
- Harry Johnston
- Tommy Lawton
- Stan Cullis
related appearances...
- Willie Hall - Feb 1959
- Joe Mercer - Mar 1970
- Tom Finney - Nov 1988
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
tackling football's top names
the genesis of the programme
a brief biography
first-hand recollections
the show's fifty year history
A seven-part article on Eamonn Andrews from John Bull Magazine
This Is Your Life: The Show that can never be fully rehearsed
TV Mirror goes behind-the-scenes of the first series
Interview with the first producer of This Is Your Life
This Is Your Life by Eamonn Andrews
Weekend Magazine reports from behind-the-scenes
Stanley Matthews should have been on the first This Is Your Life
Look and Learn magazine feature
Somewhere, Someone - This Is Your Life
Talk of Thames feature on the programme's 1969 relaunch
Secrets Of 'Life': The ones who got away
Producer Malcolm Morris exposes some production secrets to TV Times
BBC harks back to a previous life
The Guardian reports on the return to the BBC
Press coverage on the uncertain future of This Is Your Life
Press coverage of the BBC's announcement
Jean Gough, daughter of Stanley Matthews, recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in an exclusive interview recorded in April 2013
Photographs of Stanley Matthews This Is Your Life
It was during this winter that television was making its presence felt all over the country. The advent of commercial television had made us all very television minded, and new television sets were making their way into homes all over the country by their thousands each week. Television had come to stay, and indeed it was going to prove itself to be the number-one entertainer in most homes in the country. The BBC and the commercial companies were vying with each other to sign up big names in the entertainment world to attract the biggest viewing audience. I received several offers from both parties, but I did not take advantage of any of them. During the previous summer it had been arranged, unknown to me, for me to appear on the popular BBC television feature This Is Your Life. However, some newspaper managed to get someone in Stoke to talk, and they published it in the newspaper. I, of course, read this, so the programme was off because the element of surprise on my part was lost.
It was in the early part of 1956 that I was approached by the BBC television to take part in a new series dealing with ball control and dribbling. I was told that I would be assisted by Wally Barnes, the ex-Arsenal full-back, who is now a BBC sports commentator. I asked to see the script. I liked the idea and I liked the script so I accepted. It was arranged that I should go to London by sleeper from Preston one week-night, rehearse early the following morning with Wally Barnes, and a telerecording would be made of the quarter-hour script at the Shepherd's Bush Empire, which is a BBC studio, at 3.30 p.m. Any suspicions I had in my mind that this was a cover for another attempt to make me appear in This Is Your Life were dispelled because I knew that this programme was broadcast — or rather televised — direct from London on a Sunday evening and that it was a live show.
I said goodbye to Betty and the children, got in the car and motored to Preston. I left the car in a garage, caught the train to London, and enjoyed a good night's sleep. After breakfast next morning I reported to the rehearsal studio, which I remember was well out in North London. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. I rehearsed with Wally Barnes. The producer took great pains to get everything just so. I went through routines time and time again so that he could get the cameras just right for the close-ups and the long shots. I worked really hard for three hours, and just as I thought we had finished the producer decided to go right through the whole thing again for timing. Although somewhat tired, I was pleased to see that great pains had been taken to ensure the success of the first spot in the new series, and I thanked the producer for the trouble he had taken to get it perfect.
Wally Barnes, the scriptwriter, myself, and the rest of the party piled into a couple of cars and made for the centre of London's West End. In a well-known restaurant we all sat down and enjoyed a well-earned lunch. I shall never forget that meal. Everybody was so relaxed, and the conversation was light and covered all kinds of subjects. At last the producer remarked that it was time we got going. I glanced at the wall clock and saw that it was just five minutes past three. Laughing and chatting, we left the restaurant and entered the cars. We were back in Shepherd's Bush at 3.25 p.m., and when I passed through the stage door I noticed the corridors were empty. Then the producer, who had slipped in before us, came tearing down some steps. He said, "Quick, change as soon as you can. I have left it a bit late; we are due on the set in a few minutes!" I was hurried off to a dressing-room, and quickly changed into my track suit. A knock came on the door and I called out, "Come in." A man in charge of make-up entered and he quickly but deftly made me up. Just as he had finished the door opened and a call-boy came in. He said, "You are on in half a minute." I dashed down on to the stage. The curtain was down. I took a football from someone and placed it at my feet, then the announcer walked to the mike and made the opening announcement. Suddenly the lights blazed on and with my head in a whirl I started to chase round the chalked circle on the stage with the ball in front of me. I heard applause, but I hadn't any idea what was happening. I had been rushed about so much since I entered the theatre that my brain just wouldn't function. I broke out in a sweat. I thought, What do I do after this? Then the music stopped, the applause stopped, and the lights all over the theatre went on. I stopped dead in my tracks and gazed around me. I saw the audience in a gallery and a lot of television cameras in front of me. I thought, Somebody has messed this up, then someone walked up to me. It was Eamonn Andrews. He smiled at me, patted me on the shoulder, and said. "Stanley Matthews, this is your life."
I don't know up to this day why I didn't drop down on the stage in a dead faint. I just couldn't believe my own eyes and ears. By the time I'd gathered my wits together I found myself on a couch, with Eamonn Andrews by my side talking to me. As I listened to Eamonn Andrews I began to get a grip of myself, but no sooner had I done so, than someone would appear, as if by magic, from behind the backcloth, and I would start up from my seat in surprise. One of the biggest shocks was when Betty appeared with Jean and Stanley. I could only think of how they had got there. They had, of course, caught the eight-o'clock from Blackpool that morning, and had been met at Euston Station by car and whisked down here and hidden from sight. They hadn't been in the theatre long before I arrived. Then my mother appeared. I had only been in Stoke to visit her a few days before, but she never gave me the slightest inkling that she knew about this programme. So they came on one after another as my life was laid before me, surprise followed surprise, and by the time the programme finished I didn't know whether I was standing on my head or my feet. In all my life I had never experienced so great a shock. The thing that had put me off, of course, was the painstaking rehearsal in the morning for a show the producer knew wasn't going on, and also the fact that this was the first This Is Your Life show to be tele-recorded.
The following week I was able to relax in an armchair at home and see it all on my television set. I really appreciated seeing it, because when it was tele-recorded I missed a number of things. And I got another surprise when I saw the televised programme. On the screen I looked rather calm, but I can assure you I didn't feel calm at all. Anyway, it was a wonderful experience. I know a lot of people say that these programmes are faked. I am asking you now not to believe that talk, because from my own experience I am convinced that the BBC would never stoop so low as to fake anything; they are too proud of the tradition they have to live up to to even think of attempting to fake the smallest programme.
WITH Stanley's long career apparently drawing to its end, honours were heaped upon him.
There was an honour from France; a poll among twenty European authorities by a French football journal voted him 'European Footballer of the Year'.
There was an honour from the BBC, which took him by surprise. Stanley was asked to contribute to a television series on ball control and dribbling with Walley Barnes, the ex-Arsenal and Wales full-back.
They rehearsed all morning, broke for lunch, then returned to the studio. The producer urged Stanley, 'Get changed quickly, you're due on the set for filming in a minute.' Stanley changed into his tracksuit and was made up. He dashed onto the stage, the front curtain of which was down. A football was placed at his feet and, in obedience to his instructions, he began to dribble it round the stage.
Suddenly, he heard applause. He looked up in astonishment. The curtains had parted and an audience was applauding him wildly. Then Eamonn Andrews walked up to him with a book beneath his arm, grinned broadly and said, 'Stanley Matthews - This is Your Life!'
For half an hour, famous football figures paid their tributes to Stanley. His wife, his mother and his children also appeared. The BBC had planned this programme originally a year before, but someone in Stoke had talked and, with the element of surprise gone, the Corporation had cancelled it. But this time Stanley had been caught completely without suspicion.
A rather better, little-told story than the one that wasn't even true was an unfortunate first attempt to feature Matthews on This Is Your Life, the TV programme that had just been imported from the United States.
Matthews was to be the first to appear on the British version in July 1955, most of the arrangements having been done while he was away in South Africa.
At the last moment the programme was postponed after a national newspaper leaked the story. This broke the code of secrecy that was considered sacrosanct. Elaborate plans that included flying the 1953 FA Cup-winning team to London had to be scrapped.
The programme's producers waited only a few months before successfully snaring the nation's favourite footballer at the second attempt. This time Matthews himself nearly rumbled what was going on.
He said he noticed knowing winks between members of his family and then was surprised to see his mother with her hair permed: '"What's all that about," I asked her and quick as a flash she replied, "I won it in a raffle"'.
Guests on the programme, screened in February 1956, included his immediate family, his father-in-law Jimmy Vallance, footballers Stan Cullis, Tommy Lawton and Eddie Hapgood and a schoolteacher and newspaper vendor from Stoke.
Staffordshire Evening Sentinel 13 February 1956
Stanley Matthews on TV
LURED by a stratagem to the BBC television studios a week or two ago, Stanley Matthews found himself the hero of the Sunday This Is Your Life programme, and the result, with the famous footballer sharing the feature with his wife and family and many old sporting friends, was seen last night in a telerecording.
Eamonn Andrews, who presents the show and interviews the "subject," explained first that plans for last night's intended "live" show had been upset by the unsuspecting "subject's" departure for America.
It was decided, therefore, to put on the telerecorded Stanley Matthews "Life" sooner than was meant. Mr. Andrews added that this should in fact, have been seen months ago. It was put off because of a 'leakage.' Obviously the other people in each of these television biographies have to be notified in advance, but the BBC is most insistent - rightly, I think - that to the "subject" himself (or herself), the whole thing must come as a big surprise.
Authentic Start
So there was Stanley Matthews, brought to the studio to "rehearse" for a series of Soccer instruction programmes, and then precipitated gently by Eamonn Andrews into a This Is Your Life show.
His bewilderment and pleasure as one voice "off" from the past succeeded another were as clearly authentic as his own modesty of demeanour throughout a programme in which so many handsome things were said about him. A Sentinel contents-bill of 1934 "Matthews to Play for England," with appropriate cries by "Tich" Connane, gave the programme an authentic start. It was from "Tich" in person that Matthews bought his sentinel that night-paying a shilling for it and forgetting, in his excitement, to ask for the change!
Then was built up, bit by bit, the not unfamiliar Matthews story, with its beginnings in the house, the school and the barber's shop in Hanley; the office, the dressing-rooms and eventually the playing-pitch at Stoke; and finally to the great arenas wherever in the world football is played, and to crowning glory of a Cup winner's medal.
Contributors to the picture were Matthews's mother; his three brothers, Jack, Arthur and Ronnie; his wife, their daughter Jean and son the younger Stanley; Harry Bishop, an old schoolmate; Tommy Wainwright, his school games master; Tom Mather, who signed him up for Stoke; Jimmy Vallance, who trained him there and whose daughter he married; Roy John, with whom he changed jerseys at his first International; and Stanley Mortensen, who described vividly his share in Blackpool's sensational Cup final victory over Bolton.
He Did Not See It
A film of the exciting last minutes of the Wembley game was shown. It was Matthews's centre which led to the winning goal, but Stanley did not see it - he confessed to Eamonn Andrews that having "placed" his centre he fell flat on his face over a piece of turf.
Finally, a procession of famous footballers came and joined the party, each greeted warmly, but by this time not without embarrassment, by "the subject." They were Wally Barnes, Eddie Hapgood, Harry Johnson, Tommy Lawton and Stan Cullis.
All in all, it was a worthy tribute to one whose life, as the persuasive and always resourceful Eamonn Andrews put it, has been one of "true sportsmanship and an inspiration to every youngster who likes to kick a football about."
Lancashire Evening Post 13 February 1956
SECRET plans to get Stanley Matthews, the Blackpool and English International right-winger, to the BBC Lime Grove studios just before Christmas, as the first personality in a new television series This Is Your Life, broke down because somebody talked.
The idea behind the series is for a well known person to be televised, but to be "kept in the dark" as to why he or she is appearing before the cameras. The leakage when the Matthews programme was being devised caused it to be scrapped. Last night at the second attempt, the feature was shown.
Today Matthews said he was surprised when what he thought was to be a football lesson for a TV film turned out to be a This is your life instalment.
"I was astonished to see Eamonn Andrews stop our demonstration then turn to the microphone and disclose to viewers the real purpose of my visit to Lime Grove. Suddenly the curtains went back and I found I was appearing before an audience."
The "audience," in fact, consisted of members of Matthews' family and close associates, who had gathered at Lime Grove unknown to him [Bigredbook editor: the programme was broadcast from the BBC Television Theatre in Shepherd's Bush, not Lime Grove].
Belfast Telegraph 13 February 1956
By Malcolm Brodie
MILLIONS LAST NIGHT WATCHED the world's greatest footballer Stanley Matthews, the Blackpool and England outside right, have his honour-packed life traced for him in the BBC television programme This Is Your Life.
For half-an-hour viewers were given an insight into the rise to soccer fame of this shy, unassuming son of a small grey-haired barber from Hanley in the Potteries.
Even the newsboy who sold him an evening newspaper with the announcement that he had been first capped by England in 1936 was brought before the cameras. How that contents bill: "Matthews Chosen by England" and the newspaper of that date must have recalled for Stanley that wonderful moment.
As Eamonn Andrews unfolded the story Matthews sat obviously embarrassed by it all for, like so many giants of sport, he has always avoided publicity.
His white-haired mother, his three brothers, Jimmy Vallance, the Stoke City trainer, and his father-in-law, his wife, daughter and son, young Stanley, and his schoolteacher, all played their part in this enchanting trip down Memory Lane.
Many of his former club and international colleagues were introduced - Wally Barnes, Eddie Hapgood, Tommy Lawton, Harry Johnston and Stanley Mortensen... "Have no fear. Morty's here!".
And to climax it all the greatest moment of his life and perhaps in football was brought vividly to memory again by an extract from the film of that amazing Coronation Cup Final of 1953 when Bolton led Blackpool 3-1 with only 22 minutes to go.
It was then that the greatest ball-juggler of all time came into the scene - the man who had got all the honours in the game except an FA Cup medal and whose club had failed at Wembley in 1948 and 1951.
For 20 minutes he bewildered, bewitched and baffled that defence. It was Matthews who inspired those two equalising goals and who was setting the scene for the greatest individual performance of all time.
The clock hands were inexorably turning. Only a minute to go (that's where the film last night took up the story). The ball was whipped out to that slightly stoop-shouldered figure on the right wing. He beat Banks with a shimmy, moved on the outside of Barrass, and, almost on the byline, crossed the ball into the goal-mouth.
Mortensen could have shot but let it go through to Bill Perry, the left-winger. He cracked it home and Blackpool had won the Cup. Stanley got his medal.
Never will I forget that dramatic moment. "Where were you when the ball went into the net," Andrews asked. "Lying on my face for I'd tripped on a piece of turf," replied Stanley.
To many youngsters - and adults, too - last night's programme must have been an inspiration. Here was a great sportsman, a master of his craft, and one who has never even been cautioned by a referee. What an object lesson for all who play or follow sport.
There has never been any player quite like Stanley. I doubt if there ever will.
Evening Telegraph 13 February 1956
Stanley Matthews' wife, son and daughter scored heavily in This Is Your Life. As the "victim" he had no chance to do anything but stand up, shake hands, and sit down again.
I am still wondering what difference there is between a in This Is Your Life. As and last night's filmed version, so made because an earlier plan leaked out, and so shown because this week's planned "victim" had gone to America.
Leicester Evening Mail 15 February 1956
BETWEEN THE LINES
BRITAIN'S BREEZIEST COMMENTATOR writes every Wednesday in The Evening Mail, taking you behind the scenes of radio and TV
THE week's edition of This Is Your Life gave us the opportunity of saluting that gentle and most modest of sporting stars, the living legend that is Stanley Matthews.
The programme was a telerecording made on a Monday afternoon when Stanley thought he was about to do a new soccer series.
His family, his friends and I were hidden backstage, fearful to do more than whisper in case he might discover our presence too soon.
For those who feel uneasy at the deception we practise on this programme and that the subsequent tributes and meeting with old friends are not sufficient compensation for the well-intentioned deceit, I can tell them that Stanley's rehearsal for the decoy sports programme was not wasted.
I understand he will be invited to appear before the cameras again and show us his skill without fear of interruption.
Mary Malcolm was in the control room at Lime Grove while we were watching the Matthews film.
She heard me ask him in front of his young daughter Jean if she would ever be a champion tennis player.
"I don't think so," said Daddy Matthews, "although she's a very good club player."
Mary, looking as much a schoolgirl as Jean did, tossed her head and pouted: "A typical father's remark."
Typical, for all that, of the whole Matthews' family, who call a spade a spade, but who temper their slightest comment with a gentleness and a kindness and a modesty that is refreshing to see.
The Yorkshire Observer 15 February 1956
THE rest of Sunday's programmes were hardly conducive to restoring my faith in the inherent rightness of BBC Television. This Is Your Life presented Mr Stanley Matthews in the usual banal setting, with the salient facts recited by a rather embarrassed Mr Eamonn Andrews as an epilogue to the main story. For the life of me, I cannot understand what useful purpose this programme serves.
Lancashire Evening Post 15 February 1956
WASN'T it a pleasant surprise to see Stan Matthews pop up on television's This Is Your Life on Sunday.
If there is one star who shines brighter than them all in Blackpool it is Stanley.
The BBC whipped him down to London on the pretext of starring in a football programme and then turned the spotlight on his life. He came out of it very well I thought.
His should have been the first of the series until some one innocently let out the secret and a newspaper burst out in print and ruined the whole thing.
Between you, me and the gatepost, it was colleague Stanley Whittaker (Pilot) who gave the BBC quite a bit of help in piecing together Stan Matthews soccer career.
Bristol Evening News 17 February 1956
IT was a privilege on Sunday to hear and see the life story of that great sportsman, Stanley Matthews, displayed on TV.
Here is an outstanding individual who has done as much as any diplomat to bring nations together in a spirit of sportsmanship and friendship. His behaviour on and off the field is something to be admired. Surely some time soon we shall be calling him "Sir Stanley"?
Nottingham Evening News 17 February 1956
HOW fortunate it was that the BBC had a This is Your Life telerecording up its sleeve to use when the intended victim had inconsiderately flown off to America. This kind of thing is inevitable when secrecy is the programme's main concern.
Stanley Matthews deserved a better telerecording than he got.
The Illustrated Chronicle 18 February 1956
Poor old BBC. They do suffer. With a strike looming up the next day and ITA waiting to pounce, what happens? Whoever was to be in This is Your Life hopped off to America and left them flat. But with their genius for organisation they had a spare all ready canned for opening when required and when they waved the wand, it was pleasant to see Stanley Matthews appear.
Mr Matthews took the whole thing in exactly the same spirit as he plays football - quietly, sportingly and without fuss.
I still don't like the idea behind this programme. Admittedly some of them are interesting and entertaining, but the thought of unknown and unseen investigators snooping into people's private lives without their knowledge appals me.
We in this country reject with loathing the idea of a secret police, but apparently, if it's for television it's quite all right.
If people wish to make exhibitions of themselves for Mr Wilfred Pickles, Miss Edana Romney or even "What's My Line?" that's their affair. Nobody makes them do it. This Is Your Life is quite another matter. The victim could quite easily be confronted by some episode from their past which they would prefer to have forgotten.
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