Raymond Glendenning

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Raymond Glendenning
commentator

Raymond Carl Glendenning (25 September 1907 – 23 February 1974) was a

commentator
and occasional character actor.

Early years

Glendenning was born in Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales, son of Robert James Samuel Glendenning, a commercial clerk and later a company director, and his wife Mathilde Anna Elise, née Deveridge. He was educated at Newport High School and graduated from the University of London with a BCom.[1][2] He worked briefly as a chartered accountant before joining the BBC as an organiser on Children's Hour in Cardiff in 1932.[3][4]

Pre-war and wartime career

In 1935 he moved to

Second World War was the BBC's leading sports commentator.[3]

Postwar career

He covered the

football matches.[8] Glendenning also commentated regularly on boxing, on horse racing (until the end of 1960) and Wimbledon tennis, as well as covering greyhound racing, and show jumping in the 1948 London Olympics.[3]

Manner and appearance

He was noted for his horn-rimmed glasses, his handlebar moustache and for his fast-paced, excitable, somewhat plummy broadcasting style.[5][9] He was a popular public figure, lending his name to a number of sports books, mostly aimed at boys.[10]

Private life

Glendenning was an active

Freemason under the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE). He was initiated in Wales in the Nioba Lodge No 5264 (Newport), and subsequently joined lodges in London including Avenue Lodge No 3231 (whose members were all members of the Constitutional Club), and Shakespear Lodge No 99. After serving as a Grand Steward of UGLE he also joined the Grand Stewards' Lodge.[11]
: 20 

Broadcasting retirement

He gave up sports commentary in the early months of 1964.[citation needed]

He died aged 66 on 23 February 1974, from a heart attack.

Selected filmography

References

  1. required.)
  2. ^ "Raymond Glendenning". BFI. Archived from the original on 5 August 2018.
  3. ^ – via Google Books.
  4. ^ "The Children's Hour: A Girdle Round the Earth". 18 May 1932. p. 43 – via BBC Genome.
  5. ^ a b c "The Sound of 1937: BBC NI delves into its oldest recordings". BBC. 17 October 2014.
  6. – via Google Books.
  7. ^ "F.A. Cup Final: Blackpool v. Manchester United". 24 April 1948. p. 21 – via BBC Genome.
  8. ^ "Raymond Glendenning". Audioboom.
  9. ^ "Fame in the 40s and 50s lasted much longer than Warhol's 15 minutes". Watford Observer. 23 January 2014.
  10. ^ "The Greyfriars Index: Post 1940 Publications: Glendenning's Book of Sport for Boys (1950-1962)". greyfriarsindex.co.uk.
  11. ^ King-Hamilton, His Honour M A B (Alan); Jenkins, David; Fermor, Andrew (2007). Avenue Lodge, 1907-2007, A History (First ed.). London: Avenue Lodge.

Sources