Owen Money
Encyclopedia
Owen Money MBE
(born Lynn Mittell, May 1947), is a Welsh
musician
, actor
, comedian
, and radio presenter. He was born in Merthyr Tydfil
.
In the 2007 New Years Honours List, Money was made an MBE
for services to entertainment in Wales.
The band signed to Welsh label Pylot records in 1963, with initial release "That's The End", with "This Time" as the 'B' side. They were then signed to Pye Records
, where they released the double-sided cover single "98.6" (backed with Marvin Gaye
's "Stubborn Kind Of Fellow"), which went to number 45 in the national Top 50 chart on 9 February 1967
Gerry Braden left The Bystanders in 1967, to be replaced by Vic Oakley from The Meteorites, who was, in turn, replaced by Deke Leonard
, when The Bystanders became Man
.
Owen Money reformed the Bystanders in 1998 for a one-off performance at Maesteg
Town Hall for his TV programme
. The band toured extensively in the UK and Europe, winning many comedy awards on the way. In 1980 Owen Money left Tomfoolery for the comedy circuit, starting a tradition for the band where members come and go, including ex-lead singer Brian Conley
.
"Comedian of the Year" award, performing alongside Shirley Bassey
and Tom Jones
In 1987, Money joined BBC Radio Wales
with weekly programme "Money for Nothing", which increased in popularity through 1997 to win two gold Sony Radio Academy Awards
: one for "Regional Broadcaster of the Year", and the other for "Best Music Sequence Programme of Year". "Money for Nothing" is presently broadcast every Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon. Money also presents "The Afternoon Show" on Monday and Friday, plus he co-presents "Extra Time" when his schedule allows, a sports phone-in show on Saturday evenings with Jason Mohammad
Money regularly appears with his band the Soul Sharks, and takes the "Owen Money Laughter Show" to venues around Wales and the South West England
.
. It was originally named the Hafod Inn; Money used to say that LA stood for "Lower 'Afod". The pub is now the Hafod Inn once again.
Money is a Director and current Chairman of Merthyr Tydfil FC
, and was instrumental in trying to bring Paul Gascoigne
to the club.
, he set up his own pantomime company, The Owen Money Theatre Company, with the aim of taking family friendly pantomimes around the theatres of Wales from November to February. The first production was Aladdin
, followed by Cinderella
(2001/02), Jack And The Beanstalk
(2002/03), Dick Whittington (2003/04), Aladdin
(2004/05), Robinson Crusoe
(2005/06), Peter Pan
(2006/07), Cinderella
(2007/08), Jack And The Beanstalk
(2007) and Adult pantomime Buttons Undone - The Cinderella Story continues... (2008).
, and has a daughter Katie and a son Mathew.
In March 2006, he suffered a minor stroke
while at his holiday home in Thailand
. He flew back home, and was admitted to hospital in Swansea
's Morriston Hospital
Under his given name of Lynn Mittell, Owen Money was awarded an MBE
in the Queen's New Year Honours List 2007. The citation reads: "Radio Presenter and Comedy Music Performer. For services to entertainment in Wales".
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
(born Lynn Mittell, May 1947), is a Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, and radio presenter. He was born in Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
.
In the 2007 New Years Honours List, Money was made an MBE
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...
for services to entertainment in Wales.
The Bystanders
Mittell was bassist of Merthyr Tydfil based band The Crescendos, who amalgamated with another Merthyr band The Rebels to form The Bystanders in 1962. Mittell changed his name to Gerry Braden, and became lead singer in a line-up with:- Micky Jones – guitar and vocals
- Clive John - guitar, keyboards and vocals
- Ray Williams - bass
- Jeff Jones - drums
The band signed to Welsh label Pylot records in 1963, with initial release "That's The End", with "This Time" as the 'B' side. They were then signed to Pye Records
Pye Records
Pye Records was a British record label. In its first incarnation, perhaps Pye's best known artists were Lonnie Donegan , Petula Clark , The Searchers , The Kinks , Sandie Shaw and Brotherhood of Man...
, where they released the double-sided cover single "98.6" (backed with Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
's "Stubborn Kind Of Fellow"), which went to number 45 in the national Top 50 chart on 9 February 1967
Gerry Braden left The Bystanders in 1967, to be replaced by Vic Oakley from The Meteorites, who was, in turn, replaced by Deke Leonard
Deke Leonard
Roger "Deke" Leonard is a rock musician, "serving a life sentence in the music business." Best known as a member of the progressive rock band Man, which he joined and left several times, and for fronting his own rock and roll band Iceberg, which he formed and disbanded several times, he is also...
, when The Bystanders became Man
Man (band)
Man are a rock band from South Wales whose style is a mixture of West Coast psychedelia, progressive rock, blues and country-rock. Formed in 1968 as a reincarnation of Welsh rock harmony group ‘’The Bystanders’’, Man are renowned for the extended jams in their live performances, and having had...
.
Owen Money reformed the Bystanders in 1998 for a one-off performance at Maesteg
Maesteg
Maesteg is a town and community in Bridgend County Borough, Wales. Maesteg lies at the northernmost end of the Llynfi Valley, close to the border with Neath Port Talbot. In 2001, Maesteg had a population of 17,859, but it is now at an estimate of 20,000....
Town Hall for his TV programme
Tomfoolery
Mittell formed comedy entertainment Tomfoolery in 1974, which rapidly became a successful comedy show band, topping the bill at South Pier, BlackpoolSouth Pier, Blackpool
South Pier is one of three piers in Blackpool, England. Located on South Promenade in the South Shore area of the town, the pier contains a number of amusement and adrenalin rides. It opens each year from March to November and is owned by Six Piers Limited.-Construction and opening:The Blackpool...
. The band toured extensively in the UK and Europe, winning many comedy awards on the way. In 1980 Owen Money left Tomfoolery for the comedy circuit, starting a tradition for the band where members come and go, including ex-lead singer Brian Conley
Brian Conley
Brian Conley is an English comedian, television presenter, singer and actor. At the peak of his television career, he was the highest-paid male television personality in the UK. Outside of television, he is best known for his frequent portrayals of Buttons in pantomime versions of...
.
1980 and onwards
Owen Money toured the club circuit as a comedian, winning the Club LandWorking men's club
Working men's clubs are a type of private social club founded in the 19th century in industrial areas of the United Kingdom, particularly the North of England, the Midlands and many parts of the South Wales Valleys, to provide recreation and education for working class men and their families.-...
"Comedian of the Year" award, performing alongside Shirley Bassey
Shirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Bassey, DBE , is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the late 1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century"...
and Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
In 1987, Money joined BBC Radio Wales
BBC Radio Wales
BBC Radio Wales is the BBC's national radio station broadcasting to Wales in the English language. Operated by BBC Wales, it began broadcasting on 12 November 1978 following the demise of the old "Radio 4 Wales" when BBC Radio 4 became a national network and moved from medium wave to long wave...
with weekly programme "Money for Nothing", which increased in popularity through 1997 to win two gold Sony Radio Academy Awards
Sony Radio Academy Awards
The Sony Radio Academy Awards , started in 1983, are some of the most prestigious awards in the British radio industry. They are run by ZAFER Associates in association with the Radio Academy...
: one for "Regional Broadcaster of the Year", and the other for "Best Music Sequence Programme of Year". "Money for Nothing" is presently broadcast every Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon. Money also presents "The Afternoon Show" on Monday and Friday, plus he co-presents "Extra Time" when his schedule allows, a sports phone-in show on Saturday evenings with Jason Mohammad
Jason Mohammad
Jason Mohammad , is a British radio and television presenter.-Biography:Mohammad was born and raised in Cardiff, going to school at Glyn Derw High School...
Money regularly appears with his band the Soul Sharks, and takes the "Owen Money Laughter Show" to venues around Wales and the South West England
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
.
Business interests
Money used to be the landlord of a pub called The LA in SwanseaSwansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
. It was originally named the Hafod Inn; Money used to say that LA stood for "Lower 'Afod". The pub is now the Hafod Inn once again.
Money is a Director and current Chairman of Merthyr Tydfil FC
Merthyr Tydfil F.C.
Merthyr Tydfil Football Club was a Welsh football club based at the Penydarren Park ground in Merthyr Tydfil. In 2010 the club was liquidated and reformed under the name Merthyr Town, which was accepted into Division One of the Western League.-History:...
, and was instrumental in trying to bring Paul Gascoigne
Paul Gascoigne
Paul John Gascoigne , commonly referred to as Gazza, is a retired English professional footballer.Playing in the position of midfield, Gascoigne's career included spells at Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough, Everton and Gansu Tianma, where he scored at least a goal...
to the club.
Pantomime
In 2000, after appearing himself in pantomimePantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
, he set up his own pantomime company, The Owen Money Theatre Company, with the aim of taking family friendly pantomimes around the theatres of Wales from November to February. The first production was Aladdin
Aladdin
Aladdin is a Middle Eastern folk tale. It is one of the tales in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights , and one of the most famous, although it was actually added to the collection by Antoine Galland ....
, followed by Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
(2001/02), Jack And The Beanstalk
Jack and the Beanstalk
Jack and the Beanstalk is a folktale said by English historian Francis Palgrave to be an oral legend that arrived in England with the Vikings. The tale is closely associated with the tale of Jack the Giant-killer. It is known under a number of versions...
(2002/03), Dick Whittington (2003/04), Aladdin
Aladdin
Aladdin is a Middle Eastern folk tale. It is one of the tales in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights , and one of the most famous, although it was actually added to the collection by Antoine Galland ....
(2004/05), Robinson Crusoe
Robinson Crusoe
Robinson Crusoe is a novel by Daniel Defoe that was first published in 1719. Epistolary, confessional, and didactic in form, the book is a fictional autobiography of the title character—a castaway who spends 28 years on a remote tropical island near Trinidad, encountering cannibals, captives, and...
(2005/06), Peter Pan
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
(2006/07), Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
(2007/08), Jack And The Beanstalk
Jack and the Beanstalk
Jack and the Beanstalk is a folktale said by English historian Francis Palgrave to be an oral legend that arrived in England with the Vikings. The tale is closely associated with the tale of Jack the Giant-killer. It is known under a number of versions...
(2007) and Adult pantomime Buttons Undone - The Cinderella Story continues... (2008).
Personal life
Married, Money lives in PorthcawlPorthcawl
Porthcawl is a town on the south coast of Wales in the county borough of Bridgend, 25 miles west of the capital city, Cardiff and 19 miles southeast of Swansea...
, and has a daughter Katie and a son Mathew.
In March 2006, he suffered a minor stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
while at his holiday home in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. He flew back home, and was admitted to hospital in Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
's Morriston Hospital
Under his given name of Lynn Mittell, Owen Money was awarded an MBE
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...
in the Queen's New Year Honours List 2007. The citation reads: "Radio Presenter and Comedy Music Performer. For services to entertainment in Wales".