Actor Radio host radio producer
He was born in London, the eldest son of Michael Waldman, Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Justice of the Peace (a Mayor of Hackney) and he was educated at Dame Alice Owen"s School, Islington and Pembroke College, Oxford.
Pembroke College; Dame Alice Owen"s School.
He began as an actor and producer (1935–1938) before joining the British Broadcasting Corporation Variety department in 1938. Following wartime service in the Royal Air Force Voluntary Reserve, he became the assistant Head of Variety Productions in 1948. The British public knew him best as the co-producer with Harry South. Pepper, and as presenter/interviewer of the popular Monday Night at Eight radio series, which was broadcast every week live.
The programme started as "Monday Night at Seven" in 1938, soon becoming "Monday Night at Eight".
lieutenant was broadcast throughout World War Two, and continued for several seasons after lieutenant His speciality was "Puzzle Corner" with its "deliberate mistake" which listeners were invited to spot in time for next week"s show.
Each week saw a birthday guest star allowed 4 wishes, and if it was at all doable, the guest got the wish. Foreign example, one guest wanted to announce the trains (live) leaving from Euston Station.
Another guest, young John Clark, wanted to talk to an airline pilot (live) while he was in the air, and to talk to Joe Davis, his snooker hero.
Number problem. Unfortunately, no recordings of the programme seem to have survived, though the famous signature tune "lieutenant"s Monday Night at Eight O"clock" does exist in the British Broadcasting Corporation Sound Archives. After becoming a senior producer in Television Light Entertainment, he rose to become the British Broadcasting Corporation Head of Light Entertainment in 1950, and later chairman of Visnews.
He discovered many of the distinguished names in light entertainment, such as Julie Andrews and Morecambe and Wise.
He later served as the Business Manager of British Broadcasting Corporation Television Programmes (1958–1960), General Manager of British Broadcasting Corporation Television Enterprises (1960–1963), Managing Director of Visnews (1963–1977), President of the Lord"s Taverners (1966) and as a trustee of the International Institute of Communications (1975–1978). His recreations included music and cricket. He died from cancer in March 1978 aged 63.
