Freddie Grisewood
Encyclopedia
Frederick Henry Grisewood, known as Freddy Grisewood (11 April 1888–15 November 1972) was a British
broadcaster
, who had a long and varied career with the BBC
. He was perhaps best known for being the host of Any Questions?
from its inception in 1948 until 1967.
, and later at Magdalen College
, University of Oxford
.
He first worked for the BBC as an announcer in 1929. In 1932, the Daily Express
published his name, along with those of several of his fellow announcers; before that date the BBC had required them to maintain on-air anonymity.
In 1937, he was the commentator for the first-ever BBC live outside television broadcast
. The BBC had only taken delivery of its first Outside Broadcast unit which consisted of several vans two days before the Coronation. Despite no-one having any experience of operating it was placed at the top of Constitution Hill to catch the Royal Carriage as it went past. A message was sent to the King asking him to give a special wave for the camera. Freddy was the commentator though as the number of television sets in homes was still very small, probably less than 1,000, his audience would be minute. He would recount how just as the Royal carriage appeared in the distance, all the equipment failed. The engineer in charge swore, gave it a hefty kick and it all came to life again so the day was saved. He also commentated on the first televised broadcast of a tennis
match at Wimbledon
, on 21 June 1937.
In 1938, he hosted the first UK game show
, the 15-minute Spelling Bee
.
Grisewood was a good cricketer
, and played one first-class
match: for Worcestershire
against Oxford University
at The University Parks in June 1908. Although Worcestershire won the game by the wide margin of 332 runs, Grisewood made no significant personal contribution to his side's victory: he scored 1 and 6 not out
, and neither bowled nor held a catch.
Despite having played against his university at first-class level, he never appeared for it.
He continued to work as a free-lance broadcaster well into the 1960s.
Grisewood was born in Daylesford
, Worcestershire
; he died aged 84 in Grayshott
, Hampshire
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
, who had a long and varied career with 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...
. He was perhaps best known for being the host of Any Questions?
Any Questions?
Any Questions? is a topical debate radio programme in the United Kingdom.-Format:It is broadcast by BBC Radio 4 on Friday evenings and repeated on Saturday afternoons, when it is followed by a phone-in response programme, Any Answers?, previously a postal response slot...
from its inception in 1948 until 1967.
Biography
Grisewood was educated at Radley CollegeRadley College
Radley College , founded in 1847, is a British independent school for boys on the edge of the English village of Radley, near to the market town of Abingdon in Oxfordshire, and has become a well-established boarding school...
, and later at Magdalen College
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
, University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
.
He first worked for the BBC as an announcer in 1929. In 1932, the Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
published his name, along with those of several of his fellow announcers; before that date the BBC had required them to maintain on-air anonymity.
In 1937, he was the commentator for the first-ever BBC live outside television broadcast
Live television
Live television refers to a television production broadcast in real-time, as events happen, in the present. From the early days of television until about 1958, live television was used heavily, except for filmed shows such as I Love Lucy and Gunsmoke. Video tape did not exist until 1957...
. The BBC had only taken delivery of its first Outside Broadcast unit which consisted of several vans two days before the Coronation. Despite no-one having any experience of operating it was placed at the top of Constitution Hill to catch the Royal Carriage as it went past. A message was sent to the King asking him to give a special wave for the camera. Freddy was the commentator though as the number of television sets in homes was still very small, probably less than 1,000, his audience would be minute. He would recount how just as the Royal carriage appeared in the distance, all the equipment failed. The engineer in charge swore, gave it a hefty kick and it all came to life again so the day was saved. He also commentated on the first televised broadcast of a tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
match at Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
, on 21 June 1937.
In 1938, he hosted the first UK game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
, the 15-minute Spelling Bee
Spelling Bee (game show)
Spelling Bee was a 15-minute UK radio and live television show that was the first ever television game show, hosted by Freddie Grisewood, and transmitted live from Alexandra Palace at 10pm on 31 May 1938....
.
Grisewood was a good cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
, and played one first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
match: for Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Worcestershire...
against Oxford University
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
at The University Parks in June 1908. Although Worcestershire won the game by the wide margin of 332 runs, Grisewood made no significant personal contribution to his side's victory: he scored 1 and 6 not out
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
, and neither bowled nor held a catch.
Despite having played against his university at first-class level, he never appeared for it.
He continued to work as a free-lance broadcaster well into the 1960s.
Grisewood was born in Daylesford
Daylesford
The name Daylesford is borne by a number of settlements:*Daylesford, Victoria, Australia*Daylesford, Gloucestershire, England*Daylesford, Pennsylvania, United States**Daylesford , a commuter rail station...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
; he died aged 84 in Grayshott
Grayshott
Grayshott is a village and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is located on the Hampshire / Surrey border 2.4 miles northwest of Haslemere, approximately one hour by road from central London....
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
.
External links
- Statistical summary from CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...