Ronnie Waldman
Encyclopedia
Ronald Hartley Waldman was a leading British
television executive
.
He was born in London
, the eldest son of Michael Waldman, OBE, JP (a Mayor of Hackney) and he was educated at Dame Alice Owen's School, Islington
and Pembroke College, Oxford
.
He began as an actor
and producer (1935–1938) before joining the BBC
Variety
department in 1938. Following wartime service in the Royal Air Force Voluntary Reserve, he became the assistant Head of Variety Productions in 1948.
The British public knew him best as the co-producer with Harry S Pepper, and as presenter/interviewer of the popular Monday Night at Eight
radio series, which was broadcast every week live. The programme started as "Monday Night at Seven" in 1938, soon becoming "Monday Night at Eight". It was broadcast throughout World War Two, and continued for several seasons after it. His speciality was "Puzzle Corner" with its "deliberate mistake" which listeners were invited to spot in time for next week's show. Each week saw a birthday guest star allowed 4 wishes, and if it was at all doable, the guest got the wish. For example, one guest wanted to announce the trains (live) leaving from Euston Station. Another guest, young John Clark
, wanted to talk to an airline pilot (live) while he was in the air, and to talk to Joe Davis
, his snooker hero. No problem. Unfortunately, no recordings of the programme seem to have survived, though the famous signature tune "It's Monday Night at Eight O'clock" does exist in the BBC Sound Archives.
After becoming a senior producer
in Television Light Entertainment, he rose to become the BBC Head of Light Entertainment
in 1950, and later chairman of Visnews. He discovered many of the distinguished names in light entertainment, such as Julie Andrews and Morecambe and Wise
.
He later served as the Business Manager of BBC Television Programmes (1958–1960), General Manager of BBC Television Enterprises (1960–1963), Managing Director of Visnews (1963–1977), President of the Lord's Taverners (1966) and as a trustee of the International Institute of Communications (1975–1978).
His recreations included music
and cricket
. He died from cancer
in March 1978 aged 63.
He left a widow, the actress Lana Morris
(whom he married in 1953) and a son.
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...
television executive
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
.
He was born 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...
, the eldest son of Michael Waldman, OBE, JP (a Mayor of Hackney) and he was educated at Dame Alice Owen's School, Islington
Dame Alice Owen's School
Dame Alice Owen's School is a mixed voluntary aided secondary school in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, England, founded in the London Borough of Islington.-Admissions:...
and Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located in Pembroke Square. As of 2009, Pembroke had an estimated financial endowment of £44.9 million.-History:...
.
He began as an 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...
and producer (1935–1938) before joining 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...
Variety
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
department in 1938. Following wartime service in the Royal Air Force Voluntary Reserve, he became the assistant Head of Variety Productions in 1948.
The British public knew him best as the co-producer with Harry S Pepper, and as presenter/interviewer of the popular Monday Night at Eight
Monday Night at Eight
Monday Night at Eight was a weekly BBC program that was on from 8 pm to 9 pm. It started in 1939, but was preceded by a similar program before the start of World War II called Monday Night at Seven. Because of the longer hours worked during the war, it had been pushed back an hour to enable more...
radio series, which was broadcast every week live. The programme started as "Monday Night at Seven" in 1938, soon becoming "Monday Night at Eight". It was broadcast throughout World War Two, and continued for several seasons after it. His speciality was "Puzzle Corner" with its "deliberate mistake" which listeners were invited to spot in time for next week's show. Each week saw a birthday guest star allowed 4 wishes, and if it was at all doable, the guest got the wish. For example, one guest wanted to announce the trains (live) leaving from Euston Station. Another guest, young John Clark
John Clark
-Entertainers:*John Clark , opera singer known as Signor Brocolini*John Clark , British actor, ex-husband of Lynn Redgrave*John Clark , jazz horn player and composer-Politicians, judges, and civil servants:...
, wanted to talk to an airline pilot (live) while he was in the air, and to talk to Joe Davis
Joe Davis
Joe Davis, OBE was a British professional player of snooker and English billiards....
, his snooker hero. No problem. Unfortunately, no recordings of the programme seem to have survived, though the famous signature tune "It's Monday Night at Eight O'clock" does exist in the BBC Sound Archives.
After becoming a senior producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
in Television Light Entertainment, he rose to become the BBC Head of Light Entertainment
Light entertainment
Light entertainment is a term used to describe a broad range of usually televisual performances. These include comedies, variety shows, quiz/game shows, sketch shows and people/surprise shows.-Light entertainment in Britain:...
in 1950, and later chairman of Visnews. He discovered many of the distinguished names in light entertainment, such as Julie Andrews and Morecambe and Wise
Morecambe and Wise
Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise, usually referred to as Morecambe and Wise, or Eric and Ernie, were a British comic double act, working in variety, radio, film and most successfully in television. Their partnership lasted from 1941 until Morecambe's death in 1984...
.
He later served as the Business Manager of BBC Television Programmes (1958–1960), General Manager of BBC Television Enterprises (1960–1963), Managing Director of Visnews (1963–1977), President of the Lord's Taverners (1966) and as a trustee of the International Institute of Communications (1975–1978).
His recreations included music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
and cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
. He died from cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
in March 1978 aged 63.
He left a widow, the actress Lana Morris
Lana Morris
Lana Morris, born Averil Maureen Anita Morris was a British film, stage and television actress during the 1950s and 1960s....
(whom he married in 1953) and a son.