Harry CORBETT OBE (1918-1989)

Harry Corbett This Is Your Life

programme details...

  • Edition No: 747
  • Subject No: 740
  • Broadcast date: Wed 21 Dec 1988
  • Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
  • Recorded: Wed 14 Dec 1988
  • Venue: Teddington Studios
  • Series: 29
  • Edition: 10
  • Code name: Hand

on the guest list...

  • Vincent Shaw
  • Marjorie - wife
  • Matthew - son
  • Sallie - daughter-in-law
  • Ben - grandson
  • Tamsin - granddaughter
  • Joe - grandson
  • David - son
  • Sue - daughter-in-law
  • Thomas - grandson
  • Alex - grandson
  • Reg Dale
  • Les - brother
  • Muriel - sister-in-law
  • Barney Colehan
  • Janet Brown
  • Steve Race
  • Ray Newnes
  • Sooty
  • Filmed tributes:
  • Charlie Drake
  • Gerry Marsden
  • Lisa - former pupil of Fountaindale School, Mansfield
  • Debbie - former pupil of Fountaindale School, Mansfield
  • Sweep
  • Sue

production team...

  • Researchers: Tom Wettengel, David N Mason
  • Writer: Roy Bottomley
  • Directors: Brian Klein, David Clark
  • Producer: Malcolm Morris
  • names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life
related pages...

That's Entertainment

there's no business like it


The Big Red Book

the programme's icon


My Life in Their Hands

The Mirror interviews Michael Aspel


Janet Brown


Charlie Drake


Gerry Marsden

Harry Corbett This Is Your Life Harry Corbett This Is Your Life Harry Corbett This Is Your Life Harry Corbett This Is Your Life Harry Corbett This Is Your Life Harry Corbett This Is Your Life Harry Corbett This Is Your Life Harry Corbett This Is Your Life Harry Corbett This Is Your Life Harry Corbett This Is Your Life Harry Corbett This Is Your Life Harry Corbett This Is Your Life

Screenshots of Harry Corbett This Is Your Life

Malcolm Morris biography

Producer Malcolm Morris recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, This Is My Life...


It's not generally known but Michael is claustrophobic so was not happy when he was asked to surprise Harry Corbett on stage during a performance with Sooty. The difficulty came about because we needed Michael to walk onto the stage without Harry knowing it was him until the very last minute. A full size Sooty outfit was made and Michael was not keen to get into it. It fitted very well but Michael's hands were inside two Sooty paws and he felt that he was trapped inside with no way of getting out.


'Why would you want to get out?' I asked him innocently, but Michael was getting so panicky we had to do something.


In the end we cut off the ends of Sooty's paws and Michael stopped feeling quite so trapped. He did not now want to get out but knew that he could if he really wanted to. Please don't ask me to explain the logic of all that, suffice to say that it worked. Michael walked on as Sooty and Harry was well and truly 'teddied'.

Series 29 subjects

Mickey Rooney | Phil Collins | Paul Daniels | Tom Finney | Esther Rantzen | Richard Todd | Engelbert Humperdinck
Barry McGuigan | Robert Maxwell | Harry Corbett | Cliff Morgan | Roy Hudd | Claire Rayner | Cyril Bertram Mills
Dora Bryan | Margaret Hayles | Denis Healey | Gillian Lynne | Nigel Mansell | Su Pollard