Cecil McGivern
Encyclopedia
Cecil McGivern CBE
(22 May 1907, Newcastle
, England
– 30 January 1963, Buckinghamshire
, England) was a British broadcasting
executive, who initially worked for BBC Radio
before transferring to BBC Television
in the late 1940s.
The son of Irish
immigrants, McGivern was educated at St Cuthbert's Grammar School and later attended Durham University
. His initial ambition was to be an actor, but he quickly realised that he lacked the necessary talent and so pursued a career as a teacher instead. He did, however, continue working in the theatre as a producer of amateur productions.
He joined the BBC
in 1936, working as a producer of drama
and documentary
programmes in his native Newcastle and also in Manchester
. In 1939, he was promoted to occupy the newly-created position of programmes director for the North-East of England. However, he only held this post for a short time before being seconded to the BBC in London after the outbreak of war, to become part of a group of producers working on war-related programming. During World War II
, he wrote and directed several acclaimed radio documentary features, such as Bombers Over Berlin, The Harbour Called Mulberry, Fighter Pilot
, and Junction X.
Following the end of the war in 1945, McGivern left the staff of the BBC to join the Rank Organisation
film company, where he worked as a screenwriter
. Probably the best-known film on which he worked for the company was Great Expectations
(1946), starring John Mills
. The script was nominated for the Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay
.
Despite this success in the film industry, however, in 1947, McGivern returned to the BBC, this time working for the BBC Television Service based at Alexandra Palace
. As programme director, he worked under the station's controller, Norman Collins
, to establish the popularity of the fledgling channel, with one of the major events covered during this time being the 1948 Summer Olympics
, broadcast live by the BBC from Wembley Stadium in London
. After Collins left the BBC in 1950 in protest at George Barnes
being appointed as his superior, McGivern was elevated to succeed him as controller of programmes.
McGivern's period in Control of the channel's output saw a rapid increase of the television service's popularity, helped greatly by the 20 million audience for the 1953 coronation
of Queen Elizabeth II
. However, his tenure also saw the arrival of a commercial competitor, ITV
, in 1955, breaking the BBC's broadcasting monopoly. In 1957 he was promoted to become the Deputy Director of BBC Television, but when this post was abolished in a reorganisation of the television service's management structure in 1961, he elected to once more leave the BBC rather than take the scriptwriting post he had been offered.
He joined ITV's northern weekday franchise holder Granada Television
as an executive producer
. However, in January 1963 he was involved in an accident late at night at his home in Buckinghamshire, setting fire to his clothes while attempting to light a cigarette. He was badly burned and died in hospital on 30 January 1963, with the coroner
later recording an official verdict of death by misadventure.
In 1954, he was awarded the CBE for his services to broadcasting, and in 1962 received the Desmond Davis Award for Services to Television
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(22 May 1907, Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
– 30 January 1963, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, England) was a British broadcasting
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
executive, who initially worked for BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
before transferring to BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
in the late 1940s.
The son of Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
immigrants, McGivern was educated at St Cuthbert's Grammar School and later attended Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
. His initial ambition was to be an actor, but he quickly realised that he lacked the necessary talent and so pursued a career as a teacher instead. He did, however, continue working in the theatre as a producer of amateur productions.
He joined the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in 1936, working as a producer of drama
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
and documentary
Radio documentary
A radio documentary or feature is a purely acoustic performance devoted to covering a particular topic in some depth, usually with a mixture of commentary and sound pictures. It is broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD...
programmes in his native Newcastle and also in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. In 1939, he was promoted to occupy the newly-created position of programmes director for the North-East of England. However, he only held this post for a short time before being seconded to the BBC in London after the outbreak of war, to become part of a group of producers working on war-related programming. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he wrote and directed several acclaimed radio documentary features, such as Bombers Over Berlin, The Harbour Called Mulberry, Fighter Pilot
Fighter pilot
A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained in air-to-air combat while piloting a fighter aircraft . Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting...
, and Junction X.
Following the end of the war in 1945, McGivern left the staff of the BBC to join the Rank Organisation
Rank Organisation
The Rank Organisation was a British entertainment company formed during 1937 and absorbed in 1996 by The Rank Group Plc. It was the largest and most vertically-integrated film company in Britain, owning production, distribution and exhibition facilities....
film company, where he worked as a screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
. Probably the best-known film on which he worked for the company was Great Expectations
Great Expectations (1946 film)
Great Expectations is a 1946 British film which won two Academy Awards and was nominated for three others...
(1946), starring John Mills
John Mills
Sir John Mills CBE , born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills, was an English actor who made more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades.-Life and career:...
. The script was nominated for the Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay
Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay
The Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay is one of the Academy Awards, the most prominent film awards in the United States. It is awarded each year to the writer of a screenplay adapted from another source...
.
Despite this success in the film industry, however, in 1947, McGivern returned to the BBC, this time working for the BBC Television Service based at Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace is a building in North London, England. It stands in Alexandra Park, in an area between Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green...
. As programme director, he worked under the station's controller, Norman Collins
Norman Collins
Norman Collins was a British writer, and later a radio and television executive, who became one of the major figures behind the establishment of the Independent Television network in the UK...
, to establish the popularity of the fledgling channel, with one of the major events covered during this time being the 1948 Summer Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
, broadcast live by the BBC from Wembley Stadium in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. After Collins left the BBC in 1950 in protest at George Barnes
George Barnes (BBC)
Sir George Reginald Barnes was a British broadcasting executive, who was a station Controller of both BBC Radio and later BBC Television in the 1940s and 1950s...
being appointed as his superior, McGivern was elevated to succeed him as controller of programmes.
McGivern's period in Control of the channel's output saw a rapid increase of the television service's popularity, helped greatly by the 20 million audience for the 1953 coronation
Coronation of the British monarch
The coronation of the British monarch is a ceremony in which the monarch of the United Kingdom is formally crowned and invested with regalia...
of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
. However, his tenure also saw the arrival of a commercial competitor, ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, in 1955, breaking the BBC's broadcasting monopoly. In 1957 he was promoted to become the Deputy Director of BBC Television, but when this post was abolished in a reorganisation of the television service's management structure in 1961, he elected to once more leave the BBC rather than take the scriptwriting post he had been offered.
He joined ITV's northern weekday franchise holder Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
as an executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
. However, in January 1963 he was involved in an accident late at night at his home in Buckinghamshire, setting fire to his clothes while attempting to light a cigarette. He was badly burned and died in hospital on 30 January 1963, with the coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
later recording an official verdict of death by misadventure.
In 1954, he was awarded the CBE for his services to broadcasting, and in 1962 received the Desmond Davis Award for Services to Television
Society of Film and Television Arts Television Awards 1962
The 1962 Society of Film and Television Arts Television Awards, the United Kingdom's premier television awards ceremony. The awards later became known as the British Academy Television Awards, under which name they are still given.-Winners:*Drama...
.