Radio and Television Personalities W

es as well as singing and did some film parts.

Ronnie Waldman 1914 - 1978 Actor and then BBC producer and later respected Head Of Light Entertainment. Occupied other BBC managerial posts. Presented TV's telephone quiz show, 'Puzzle Corner'. Married to actress Lana Morris (qv).		Max Wall 1908 - 1990 Unique comedian who appeared on TV in several shows, often writing his own material, and sometimes with his Professor Wallofski act, wearing a bizarre tight-fitting black outfit in which he did funny walks and told jokes. He also appeared in some 'straight' roles and in films.		Shani Wallis 1933 - Actress and singer who appeared in musicals in the UK and later had much success in the USA, where she now lives. After playing Nancy in the 1968 film 'Oliver' she appeared in 'Hit Parade' and 'Tin Pan Alley Show' and other TV shows.		Desmond Walter-Ellis 1914 - 1994 Actor who appeared on stage but also did comedy roles in films and on TV in 'These Are The Days', 1951, 'Mr Little At Large', 1952, and 'Beggar My Neighbour', 1956.
	Albert and Les Ward Albert 1917 - 2001, Les 1921 - 2004 Welsh-born comedy act who sang and played a variety of unorthodox musical instruments accompanying their country and western comedy songs. Featured in radio shows 'Welsh Rarebit' (and in the TV version), 'Variety Bandbox', 'Workers' Playtime' and 'Ignorance Is Bliss'.		Richard Waring 1912 - 1994 Actor/writer who appeared in radio and TV plays. In 'On the Bright Side' 1959 and 'Brothers In Law' 1962. Writer on many comedy shows. Also acted in Hollywood films and on Broadway.		Jack Warner 1896 - 1981 Popular actor who was best known for his portrayal of PC Dixon in 'Dixon Of Dock Green' on TV from 1955 to 1976 and in the film 'The Blue Lamp' from which the character was taken. Also in 'The Huggetts', a 1950s radio series and the subsequent films with Kathleen Harrison (qv). In many films, sometimes as the villain. Brother of Elsie and Doris Waters (qv).		Elsie and Doris Waters Elsie 1894 - 1990, Doris 1904 - 1978 Sisters of Jack Warner (qv), they were a popular music hall, radio and TV comedy act where they were known as Gert and Daisy.
Jack Watson 1915 - 1999 Actor whose father was famous music hall comedian Nosmo King. Played many radio, television and film parts.		Richard Wattis 1912 - 1975 Character actor, usually in comedy roles as pompous officials, who became well-known in films in the 1950s. Also appeared on the stage and was in many TV plays and in 'Sykes' with Eric Sykes (qv) and several other shows, including 'Call My Bluff', 'Father Dear Father', and 'The Dora Bryan Show'.		Bert Weedon 1920 - 2012 Played guitar from an early age and made early appearances with top bands like Ted Heath's and Mantovani's (both qv). On TV in the 'Show Band Show' on BBC and on many other radio and television shows. His records continue to sell and he played and recorded the theme tune for BBC TV 's 1950's series, 'Stranger Than Fiction'.		Frank Weir 1911 - 1981 Welsh-born musician who first broadcast in 1930 and made records with his orchestra, including the popular song of 1954, The Happy Wanderer.
	Molly Weir 1917 - 2004 Scottish-born actress whose talent as a mimic led to her discovery by Carroll Levis (qv). After a stint on Scottish radio she appeared in ITMA on radio in 1946 as Tattie McIntosh and as Aggie in 'Life with the Lyons' on radio and TV. In 1976 she had further success as a witch in 'Rentaghost' on TV and also did some well-known TV commercials and appeared on stage and in some films.		Eizabeth Welch 1904 - 2003 American-born singer who after appearances in her native country came to the UK where she appeared in straight radio and television roles as well as singing and did some film parts		Leslie Welch 1907 - 1980 Known as 'The Memory Man', he first broadcast on TV in 'Kaleidoscope' in 1946 and on radio in 1947 in 'Calling All Sportsmen'. Possessed of a phenomenal mem-ory, he could often recall even minor details of the sporting events on which he answered questions. Toured and appeared at the London Palladium. In 1963 he retired from the stage and became a clerk with the Ministry Of Labour.		Jane Wenham 1927 - 2018 Actress who appeared on stage and first broadcast in 'An Ideal Husband' in 1947. Other radio and TV roles followed and she has also had parts in a few films.
Peter West 1920 - 2003 Sports commen-tator for the BBC who concentrated on cricket but also covered tennis at Wimbledon, the Olympic Games and rugby. He also presented 'Come Dancing' and other BBC programmes.		Marjorie Westbury 1905 - 1989 Actress who played Steve in radio's 'Paul Temple' series from 1945. Appeared in some other radio productions and was also a singer making many broadcasts in the 1930s.		Alan Wheatley 1907 - 1991 Actor who was a news-reader and announcer for the BBC European Service from 1941 to 1945. In many television series including ITV's Robin Hood as the Sherriff of Nottingham from 1955 to 1959. Also in several films.		Jimmy Wheeler 1910- 1973 Comedian who broadcast in 'Variety Bandbox' on radio in 1949 and later in 'The Jimmy Wheeler Show' on BBC TV in 1956 and in 'Tess and Jim' the same year with Tessie O'Shea and Charlie Drake. (both qv, see Mick and Montmorency for Charlie Drake). Playing the fiddle was part of his act which he ended with the catch phrase 'Aye, aye - that's your lot!'.
	(Sir) Mortimer Wheeler 1890 - 1976 Scottish-born archae-ologist, a field which he helped popularise in television programmes like 'Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? (1952 to 1960), 'Buried Treasure' (1954 to 1959) and 'Chronicle' in 1966.		Billie Whitelaw 1932 - 2014 Actress who has appeared on stage, TV and in films for five decades. Acted on radio as a child and was Ken Platt's (qv) girlfriend on radio. Appeared on Children's Television in 1952 and was Jack Warner's (qv) daughter Mary in early episodes of 'Dixon Of Dock Green' in 1955 and in numerous other roles.		June Whitfield 1925 - 2018 Worked in rep. and pantomime and on stage. Stalwart of 'Take It From Here' on radio, broadcast from 1948 to 1960. Many other roles in TV series followed and she appeared in 'Terry And June' in 1979 with Terry Scott (qv) with whom she had a long association on TV. Although usually in comedy, she also played straight roles on TV and was in some films.		Ralph Whiteman 1901 - 1971 Broadcaster on country topics he appeared on 'Country Magazine' and 'Any Questions'. 'The answer lies in the soil' was his phrase.
Bransby Williams 1871 - 1961 Actor who brought his Dickens char-acterisations to the music halls as well as doing impersonations of famous cont-emporary actors. He also did dramatic monol-ogues and appeared on both radio and TV as Scrooge, also doing readings from Dickens on television.		Emlyn Williams 1905 - 1987 Welsh-born actor and playwright who appeared on TV as Charles Dickens and in a few other roles. In several films and had his plays produced on TV.		Harcourt Williams 1880 - 1957 Actor who appeared on stage and with the Old Vic company both as actor and producer. Has broadcast since 1929 and had many film roles.		Robb Wilton 1881 - 1957 Yet another comedian hailing from Lancashire (Liverpool), (others are: Arthur Askey, Avril Angers, Hylda Baker, Dora Bryan, Jimmy Clitheroe, Reg Dixon, Ken Dodd, Norman Evans, Eric Morecambe, Ted Ray, Al Read, and Eric Sykes, (all qv).) who achieved great popularity with his gentle brand of comedy after beginning in dramatic roles on stage. Noted for his sketches featuring bumbling characters like his fireman or policeman. One of his most famous began 'The day war broke out.....'. In some films, mostly pre-war.
	Anona Winn 1904 - 1994 Australian-born she began on the stage and came to the UK in 1927, appearing in theatre in the West End in 1928. A regular on the radio panel game 'Twenty Questions'.		Godfrey Winn 1906 - 1971 Actor who became a writer and had his own TV series 'As Others see Us' and 'Godfrey Winn Speaking Pers-onally' (on ATV).		Eric Winstone 1915 - 1974 Bandleader in the big band era who composed many pieces and played piano-accordion, and his orchestra made many popular recordings.		(Sir) Norman Wisdom 1915 - 2010 Popular film comedian of the 1950s and has appeared on TV many times, sometimes in dramatic roles but usually in comedy. In variety and a star of the West End theatre, he is now retired.
Googie Withers 1917 - 2011 Pakistan-born actress who began as a dancer and became a popular film actress in the 1940s. Many stage roles and continued with occasional TV work including 'Within These Walls' in 1974 and beyond into the 1990s.		(Sir) Donald Wolfit 1902 - 1968 Actor-manager whose career was largely spent on stage but with some films parts. Shakesperian roles were his speciality. In several television plays and presented ITV's Hour Of Mystery' in 1957.		Kenneth Wolstenholme 1920 -2002 Journalist who became the BBC's distinctive voice of football, his commentary on England's victorious World Cup Final in 1966 being a classic. Worked on TV's 'Sportsview in the 1950s and was heard on 'Match Of The Day' from 1964 as the BBC's chief commentator.		Norman Wooland 1910 - 1989 German-born actor who began on stage and later joined the BBC as an announcer. Appeared in many films and in numerous TV parts.
	Brian Worth 1914 - 1978 Actor on stage, films and radio and TV. Many television parts including 'The Buccaneers' in 1956/57.		Harry Worth 1917 - 1989 Comedian with several TV series to his name from 1959 to 1980. Beginning as a ventriloquist he appeared on the radio in 1948 in 'New To You'. Turning to comedy he continued in variety until his TV success in several series of his own.		Irene Worth 1916 - 2002 American-born actress who came to the UK in 1944 and appeared on stage in London, notably in classical roles, sometimes repeated for radio or television.		(Lord) Woodrow Wyatt 1918 - 1997 Elected to Parliament in 1945 he served as a Labour MP for many years, although he later found his true political niche as a conservative. He wrote for the newspapers and appeared on TV in 'Panorama' as their current affairs reporter.

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