Barry Alldis
Encyclopedia
Barry Alldis was an Australian-born presenter on British radio, most notably on the English service of Radio Luxembourg
, otherwise known as "208, Your Station of the Stars". Alldis' contribution to UK radio is commemorated in The Radio Academy
's Hall of Fame.
, Australia
, gained a music scholarship at Sydney University, becoming an accomplished pianist and trumpeter. He soon became involved in local radio, first as an announcer on Radio 2TM Tamworth and then as a disc-jockey on station 4BH
in Brisbane. Alldis moved to London in 1955, first taking a series of odd jobs including that of nightclub pianist.
In 1956 he became one of the small team of "resident announcers" at Radio Luxembourg
's studios in Luxembourg City, broadcasting primarily to Britain and Ireland, although the station, boasting one of the most powerful transmitters in the world, was also heard across Western Europe.
Radio Luxembourg's resident English team had to cover all the continuity announcing -- of which there was a lot, since many of the sponsored programmes (pre-recorded in London, though this was never explained to the listeners) lasted only 15 minutes -- as well as presenting several hours of live programmes per day themselves, largely based on playing records of popular music to fill up all the time not sold as sponsored programming, in practice usually the early evening plus the late evening through to the small hours of the morning. Alldis acquired the knack of somehow always sounding enthusiastic both about all the products he was required to "plug" in the spot commercials and about the record requests from listeners flooding into the station every day.
Quickly promoted to Chief Announcer, he stayed in Luxembourg (where he married a local girl) for 10 years, and built up a considerable following throughout Europe: for many listeners in that era, Barry Alldis was Radio Luxembourg.
But in 1966 he moved to London to work as a freelance disc-jockey and newsreader/continuity announcer, initially mostly for the BBC Light Programme
and, after their launch in September 1967, for both the pop music station BBC Radio 1
and the "middle-of-the-road" station BBC Radio 2
. (In fact the distinction between the two outputs was blurred for the first several years because they were merged together for substantial periods of each day including for Alldis' Thursday edition of Late Night Extra.)
In 1975 Alldis went back to Luxembourg and returned to the radio station where he had made his name, until his death in 1982 at the early age of 52.
At the BBC he hosted numerous disc-based shows at different periods, including Monday, Monday, Newly Pressed, Swingalong, Late Night Extra, Album Time and The Early Show.
On a couple of occasions in 1961/2 he was the "Guest DJ" on ABC TV's Thank Your Lucky Stars.
He acted a role as "The compere" of a music concert -- more or less playing himself -- in Pinewood Studios
' film thriller, Blind Corner
(1963).
Radio Luxembourg (English)
Radio Luxembourg is a commercial broadcaster in many languages from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is nowadays known in most non-English languages as RTL ....
, otherwise known as "208, Your Station of the Stars". Alldis' contribution to UK radio is commemorated in The Radio Academy
Radio Academy
The Radio Academy is a registered charity that is dedicated to 'the encouragement, recognition and promotion of excellence in UK broadcasting and audio production'....
's Hall of Fame.
Broadcasting career
Barry Alldis, born in Newcastle, New South WalesNewcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, gained a music scholarship at Sydney University, becoming an accomplished pianist and trumpeter. He soon became involved in local radio, first as an announcer on Radio 2TM Tamworth and then as a disc-jockey on station 4BH
4BH
4BH is a radio station in Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. Its analogue broadcast frequency is 882 KHz AM and markets itself for the baby boomer market. 4BH also broadcasts in digital using the dab+ format on the Brisbane 2 DAB ensemble channel 9B 204.640 MHz...
in Brisbane. Alldis moved to London in 1955, first taking a series of odd jobs including that of nightclub pianist.
In 1956 he became one of the small team of "resident announcers" at Radio Luxembourg
Radio Luxembourg (English)
Radio Luxembourg is a commercial broadcaster in many languages from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is nowadays known in most non-English languages as RTL ....
's studios in Luxembourg City, broadcasting primarily to Britain and Ireland, although the station, boasting one of the most powerful transmitters in the world, was also heard across Western Europe.
Radio Luxembourg's resident English team had to cover all the continuity announcing -- of which there was a lot, since many of the sponsored programmes (pre-recorded in London, though this was never explained to the listeners) lasted only 15 minutes -- as well as presenting several hours of live programmes per day themselves, largely based on playing records of popular music to fill up all the time not sold as sponsored programming, in practice usually the early evening plus the late evening through to the small hours of the morning. Alldis acquired the knack of somehow always sounding enthusiastic both about all the products he was required to "plug" in the spot commercials and about the record requests from listeners flooding into the station every day.
Quickly promoted to Chief Announcer, he stayed in Luxembourg (where he married a local girl) for 10 years, and built up a considerable following throughout Europe: for many listeners in that era, Barry Alldis was Radio Luxembourg.
But in 1966 he moved to London to work as a freelance disc-jockey and newsreader/continuity announcer, initially mostly for the BBC Light Programme
BBC Light Programme
The Light Programme was a BBC radio station which broadcast mainstream light entertainment and music from 1945 until 1967, when it was rebranded as BBC Radio 2...
and, after their launch in September 1967, for both the pop music station BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
and the "middle-of-the-road" station BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
. (In fact the distinction between the two outputs was blurred for the first several years because they were merged together for substantial periods of each day including for Alldis' Thursday edition of Late Night Extra.)
In 1975 Alldis went back to Luxembourg and returned to the radio station where he had made his name, until his death in 1982 at the early age of 52.
Programmes
Barry Alldis presented many popular music programmes. He was best known for the weekly Top Twenty Show on Radio Luxembourg, which he anchored from 1958 until 1966.At the BBC he hosted numerous disc-based shows at different periods, including Monday, Monday, Newly Pressed, Swingalong, Late Night Extra, Album Time and The Early Show.
Other achievements
Barry Alldis was an occasional contributor to the weekly London paper New Musical Express. He also wrote popular songs, some of which were performed on the BBC.On a couple of occasions in 1961/2 he was the "Guest DJ" on ABC TV's Thank Your Lucky Stars.
He acted a role as "The compere" of a music concert -- more or less playing himself -- in Pinewood Studios
Pinewood Studios
Pinewood Studios is a major British film studio situated in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, approximately west of central London. The studios have played host to many productions over the years from huge blockbuster films to television shows to commercials to pop promos.The purchase of Shepperton...
' film thriller, Blind Corner
Blind Corner
Blind Corner is a 1963 British thriller film, directed by Lance Comfort and starring William Sylvester and Barbara Shelley. It also features popular singer of the time Ronnie Carroll playing himself...
(1963).
External links
- Barry Alldis page on the Radio Rewind website (includes two audio clips and a photograph)
- "Your Station of the Stars" article on the Transdiffusion website (includes another picture of Barry Alldis)
- Bertil Jøreng's Barry Alldis page (more pictures)
- Extracts from Under the Bedclothes, 1993 biography by Janet Alldis, his daughter
- Aircheck Legends: Barry Alldis page
- Dick Offringa's Radio Luxembourg page (includes a very rare 21-second video clip of Barry Alldis at work in the Luxembourg studio in 1964)
- The Radio Academy's Hall of Fame