Leslie Crowther
| Leslie Crowther | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Leslie Douglas Sargent Crowther 6 February 1933 West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England |
| Died | 29 September 1996 (aged 63) Bath, Somerset, England |
| Occupation | Comedian, actor, TV presenter, game show host |
| Years active | Mid-1940s–1994; 1995 |
| Spouse(s) | Jean Stone |
| Children | 5, including Elizabeth |
Leslie Douglas Sargent Crowther CBE (6 February 1933 – 29 September 1996) was an English comedian, actor, TV presenter, and game show host.
Crowther was born in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire. At the end of 1944, he moved to London with his parents, but was evacuated for a few months to the Isle of Bute until just after the Second World War ended.
Crowther's stage experience began in the mid-1940s. As a youngster he showed promise as a pianist, and in 1944 won a junior scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. He attended the respected Cone-Ripman Drama School in London, where he met his future wife, and whilst there competed (in 1947) at the Star Junior Ballroom Championships partnering Pamela Cochran, and then at 16, he appeared as a member of the Ovaltineys Concert Party of the Air on Radio Luxembourg. He also attended Nottingham High School and then Thames Valley Grammar School.
When Crowther was 18, his mother died. His father, Leslie Frederick Crowther, was also an actor. Leslie senior was an alcoholic, and died in early January 1955 at the age of 67, ten days after being hit by a car. Leslie junior had a half-brother, Frank Ronald, from his father's first marriage.
Crowther married Jean Stone on 27 March 1954. They had five children, including twins born on 9 December 1954; one of the twins, his daughter, Liz, is an actress. Another daughter, Caroline, was married to the late musician Phil Lynott. Crowther's youngest child, Nick, works in radio, presenting traffic and travel bulletins for AA Roadwatch based in Stanmore.
During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Crowther worked on the stage and on radio. His radio work included Ovaltine programmes, Variety Playhouse and Crowther's Crowd.
Crowther made a name for himself in television in the 1950s, with appearances as presenter of such programmes as the Billy Cotton Band Show and The Black and White Minstrel Show, and later the long-running children's institution Crackerjack (with Peter Glaze) for the BBC, from 1960 to 1968. In September 1967 Crowther was the presenter chosen to host the first series of the revamped children's favourites show, Junior Choice, on the newly opened Radio One station.
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