Alvar Lidell
Alvar Lidell | |
---|---|
Born | Tord Alvar Quan Lidell 11 September 1908 |
Died | 7 January 1981 | (aged 72)
Nationality | British |
Education | King's College School, Wimbledon |
Alma mater | Exeter College, Oxford |
Occupation(s) | Radio announcer, newsreader |
Notable credit | BBC News |
Spouse |
Nancy Corfield (m. 1938) |
Children | 3 |
Tord Alvar Quan Lidell
During the Second World War his distinctive voice became synonymous with the reading of news. Lidell left the BBC for one year to report for duty with the Royal Air Force and became chief announcer of the BBC Third Programme in 1946. He began reading news bulletins regularly on the BBC Home Service and the Light Programme from 1951 to his retirement in 1969. Lidell was appointed Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1964.
Early life
Lidell was born on 11 September 1908 in
BBC
Following some brief teaching and singing jobs working with a puppet theatre company,
It was during the
On 3 March 1943 he reported for duty with the Royal Air Force in North London as an intelligence officer (some of the time at Bletchley Park,[19][20]) but returned to the BBC on 28 February 1944.[21] In September 1946,[6] he was appointed chief announcer on the new BBC Third Programme, where he remained for six years.[15] Lidell became a regular reader of news bulletins for the BBC Home Service and the Light Programme on 5 February 1951.[6][22] In 1952 the BBC's news service was reorganised, and he returned as a newsreader, also doing some television work,[15] such as the 1953 BBC Proms.[23] In protest against the "decline in BBC speech",[13] he retired on 11 April 1969 after reading the Nine O'Clock News on BBC Radio 4.[24] In May 1969 Lidell appeared on Desert Island Discs. His chosen book was the Oxford English Dictionary and his luxury item was playing cards.[25]
In 1970 Lidell was heard as narrator on the
Recordings of Lidell's news bulletins have been included in many films set in Britain during the Second World War, such as the 1969 film Battle of Britain. His voice was regularly heard in the television series A Family at War and All Our Yesterdays.[9] Lidell recorded lines introducing various reports on how Europe fared during the Second World War for the seven-part International Assignment radio series broadcast on BBC Radio 4 from November 1978.[28][29] In 1980, he did some broadcasting for BBC Radio London.[4] Lidell did not write news bulletins but rather read them.[2]
Personal life
He married Nancy Margaret Corfield, the daughter of a lawyer, at Chelsea Old Church on 1 October 1938.[1][30] They had three children.[1] Lidell was appointed Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1964 Birthday Honours.[31] He died of a cancer he was diagnosed with 18 months earlier at Michael Sobell House, Mount Vernon Hospital in Northwood on 7 January 1981.[1][16] Lidell left £17,448 net (£17,977 gross) in his will and his wife was given probate.[32]
References
- ^ doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/31361. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ a b "Obituary: Mr Alvar Lidell: Doyen of radio announcers". The Times. No. 60821. 9 January 1981. p. 12. Retrieved 9 May 2023 – via The Times Digital Archive.
- ^ ISBN 0-312-03876-3 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ .
- ^ LCCN 48014352 – via Internet Archive.
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- ^ "News – Outbreak of War with Germany". BBC Archive. Archived from the original on 24 September 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
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- ^ "Alvar Lidell". The Radio Academy. Archived from the original on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
- ^ a b c d "Heritage: This is the news – with Alvar Lidell". Wimbledon Guardian. 4 January 2013. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
- ^ .
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- ISBN 0-7509-3362-3.
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- ^ "Desert Island Discs: Alvar Lidell". BBC. 5 May 1969. Archived from the original on 28 February 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
- ^ Greenfield, Edward (12 October 2018) [12 October 1970]. "John Tavener's The Whale reviewed – archive, October 1970". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
- ^ Kay, Earnst, ed. (1975). International Who's Who in Music and Musicians' Directory (Seventh ed.). Cambridge, England: Melrose Press. p. 540 – via Internet Archive.
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- ^ "No. 43343". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 June 1964. p. 4954.
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External links
- Alvar Lidell at IMDb