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 Friday听听听16:00-16:30
Sunday听20:30-21:00听(rpt)
Radio 4's weekly obituaries programme |
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This week |
Friday听06th July 2007
(Rpt) Sunday听08th July |
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George Melly
Jazz Singer, critic and author who has died aged 80.
George Melly modelled his jazz singing style on Bessie Smith 鈥 he was a leading collector of 鈥 and authority on 鈥 surrealist art 鈥 he was TV and film critic of the Observer 鈥 and a keen fly fisherman. But perhaps George Melly鈥檚 greatest performance was his own extraordinary life 鈥 which he chronicled in three rollicking volumes of autobiography. Born into an affluent Liverpool family, Melly described his mother as a 鈥渇ag hag鈥 who enjoyed the company of gay men and wanted her son to emulate Noel Coward. He was sent to Stowe public school where he fell in love with jazz music after hearing a Louis Armstrong record playing through a study window. It was in 1950 that Melly met the trumpeter Mick Mulligan and began a musical partnership that lasted for over a decade. George joined Mick鈥檚 band and the pair drank and slept their way round the clubs and pubs of the United Kingdom. In the 60s George retired from the road to become a critic, broadcaster and writer. But in the 1970s, the lure of the applause and the love of the music took him back to the jazz clubs 鈥 this time backed by John Chilton and his band the Feetwarmers.
Matthew Bannister talks to John Chilton who toured with George Melly for thirty years.
Whilst touring with his various bands, George Melly was also building up a respected private collection of surrealist art. He was highly knowledgeable on the subject and made a number of TV and radio programmes about it. His passion led to a meeting with the art critic Louisa Buck.
Mattthew Bannister talks to art critic Louisa Buck.
For forty six years he was married to Diana. They shared a house, although not a bedroom, until his death. The couple famously had an open marriage with George encouraging Diana to have other relationships, whilst he pursued his libido in different directions. Both of them wrote books about their life together. He described his own sexuality as a transition from convinced homosexuality at school and in the navy, to bisexuality in his twenties and 鈥渓argely鈥 heterosexual relationships thereafter.
Matthew Bannister talks to Diana Melly.
George Melly was born August 17th 1926. He died July 5th 2007.
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Alex Thomson
Cinematographer who has died aged 78.
Alex Thomson had been in the movie industry for more than thirty years when he was nominated for an Oscar for his cinematography on the 1981 John Boorman film Excalibur. He started at the age of fourteen as a clapper boy at Denham studios in 1946, worked his way up to become a camera operator by 1960 and a director of photography seven years later. He worked alongside some of the greatest directors including David Lean, John Huston, Ridley Scott and Michael Cimino. His peers awarded him their best cinematography award twice 鈥 for Tony Scott鈥檚 fairy tale 鈥淟egend鈥 and for Kenneth Branagh鈥檚 1996 film of Hamlet.
Matthew Bannister talks to Kenneth Branagh.
Alexander Thomson was born January 12th 1929. He died June 14th 2007.
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Jack Ormston
Speedway star of the 1930s who has died aged 97.
In the 1930s, the sport of Speedway took Britain by storm. Fans would flock to successful clubs in London and Manchester to watch the star riders like Jack Ormston. Jack would ride five or six nights a week and competition between the clubs for his services drove up his wages. Jack was born in County Durham into a farming family which also ran a butchery business. After retiring from Speedway he became a successful racehorse trainer with many winners to his name including Le Garcon d鈥橭r who still holds the record for the most flat races won - 34.
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Matthew Bannister talks to Jack鈥檚 son, John Ormston.
Jack Ormston was born October 30th 1909. He died on June 22nd 2007.
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