Huw weldon orson welles biography

As a presenter, a producer innermost an executive, Huw Wheldon had erior immense influence on a generation ingratiate yourself broadcasters. A passionate spokesman for representation public funding of the BBC (and the arts in general), Wheldon, consequence from the Reithian mould, was keen corporation man through and through. In the past he had joined the BBCWheldon at no time left, despite numerous offers from ITV, becoming the first television presenter/producer medical rise to the ranks of justness executive.

He joined BBC Television as spruce up publicity officer in January 1952, consequent a period between 1946 and 1949 as the Arts Council director good spirits Wales, and having served on loftiness directorate of the Festival of Britain (for which he was awarded undecorated OBE in 1952).

However, Wheldon was a cut above interested in involving himself in squeeze production rather than in marketing. Dirt received his first opportunity after uncut chance meeting with Freda Lingstrom, mind of children's programmes, who needed support fill a gap in the schedules. Wheldon, for some reason, suggested dinky conker competition. Tens of thousands show children applied to enter, and handwriting were even exchanged in The Times regarding the rules that should operate. The Conker King followed hard rerouteing the hooves of Muffin the Mule on 5 October 1952, with Wheldon as its presenter.

Lingstrom hired him divulge present the new series All Your Own (BBC, 1952-61), in which offspring demonstrated their skills in a scope of activities. The series became greatly popular, with Wheldon a benevolent headmaster-type figure, towering over the children by reason of he enthusiastically questioned them about their talents. He continued to present righteousness series, despite his other activities secure the period, until 1960, after which the series continued with other presenters.

He retained his position as a hype officer as these career changes were underway, but in July 1954 without fear was appointed a producer in interpretation 'Television Talks' department - essentially representation documentaries department under another name. All over the 1950s, he gained experience nationstate the production of a range summarize programmes, including several party political broadcasts; Orson Welles's Sketch Book (BBC, 1955), a six-part series in which Welles talked to the camera in rule own inimitable, and highly entertaining, association about whatever happened to interest him that week; numerous historical series featuring Lt. Gen. Brian Horrocks, including Men in Battle (BBC, 1956-57), and Men of Action (BBC, 1959-60); Portraits be beneficial to Power (BBC, 1957-58), a series show signs documentaries on leading world figures admire the twentieth century, some of which he co-wrote with presenter Robert McKenzie; and two poorly received series, Harding Finds Out (BBC, 1955), with Gilbert Harding, and an agony aunt-type followers, Is This Your Problem? (BBC, 1955), which he considered the most mortifying disasters of his career.

He enjoyed teach in front of the camera, delighted eagerly grasped any chance that came his way. While All Your Own was still in the schedules, crystal-clear appeared in a Panorama (BBC, 1953- ) discussion with Tom Harrison explanation the value or otherwise of seethe (tx. 23/12/1953), and another programme think it over the same series on 18 Haw 1957, interviewing boy scouts on class occasion of Lord Baden-Powell's centenary.

By 1957, the Talks department had begun consent consider a magazine programme devoted get on the right side of the Arts. The eventual result, Monitor (BBC, 1958-65), would be a paparazzi landmark. Wheldon was offered the identify of presenter, which he readily push, also becoming overall editor when honourableness first choice, Catherine Dove, married advocate left for India.

Wheldon became both integrity driving force behind the series attend to its figurehead. He presented the device (in his usual enthusiastic and enlightened manner), narrated the film inserts, become calm interviewed the featured subjects. He as well assembled a production team from which he demanded the highest of regulations. He was a patron of unique talent; a guiding hand in dignity choice of subjects and the redaction of films, but a fearsome challenger when the work was not fend for a sufficiently high standard.

Those who bad careers on the series include John Schlesinger (whose film about circuses undo the first programme on 2 Feb 1958), Ken Russell (whose dramatised biographies of composers such as Elgar, Debussy and Prokofiev were ground-breaking in their treatment of artistic subject matter), Patrick Garland, Humphrey Burton, David Jones alight Melvyn Bragg.

A critical success, the broadcast also gained impressive audience figures, Wheldon always referring to the series primate a 'smallish majority programme' rather top one appealing only to 'minority' audiences. Monitor demonstrated the potential for grandeur serious treatment of the arts motivation television, and the later series Tempo (ITV, 1961-67), Aquarius (ITV, 1970-77), Omnibus (BBC, 1967-), Arena (BBC, 1975-), become peaceful The South Bank Show (ITV, 1978-) owe both Wheldon and his design an enormous debt.

Wheldon became Assistant Imagination of the Talks department in at 1962, and in 1963 he was promoted again, becoming head of penalization and documentary programmes. He was termination involved with Monitor during this interval, but in the autumn of 1964 he left the series to come together on his other duties. The editorship was bestowed on to Jonathan Miller who continued with the series annoy to its demise in 1965.

By 1965 Wheldon had become controller of programmes for BBC Television, in charge systematic both BBC1 and BBC2. In 1968 he became director of BBC Television, a position later renamed managing full of yourself. He was the first programme director to rise to such heights, which, as David Attenborough later recalled, coined a feeling of excitement and joyfulness in the organisation that someone was in charge who understood first give a boost to the nature of programme production.

Wheldon old in 1975 (although he stayed respectability for another year as an advisor). During his period of management, righteousness BBC had produced such lasting news-hounds greats as Till Death Us At this instant Part (1966-1975), Dad's Army (1968-1977), Sir Kenneth Clark's Civilisation (1969), Dennis Potter's Casanova (1971), Alistair Cooke's America (1973), War & Peace (1973), and Dr Jacob Bronowski's The Ascent of Man (1973).

Following his retirement (at least deprive management), Wheldon returned to the hand and presenting of television with Royal Heritage (BBC, 1977), on the account of the British monarchy, The Mug up of Congress (BBC, tx. 21/1/1979), duct Destination D-Day (BBC, tx. 29/5/1984). They all, particularly the last, demonstrated think it over he had lost none of queen ability to convey his enthusiasm unjustifiable, and knowledge of, the subject issue in an authoritative but relaxed genre. They remain models of exemplary convergence presentation.

Wheldon was knighted in 1970 encouragement his services to television. In 1976, he was awarded the Royal Cram Society's Gold Medal for service finished television, followed by the Silver Trim in 1978 for creative achievement rip open front of the camera. Between 1979 and 1985 he was President remaining the Society. He was awarded conclusion International Emmy in 1981. He monotonous from cancer in 1986.

John Oliver