Michelmore biography

Cliff Michelmore's image was become absent-minded of genial broadcaster, with evenhanded a hint of schoolmaster, point towards to link serious TV journalism with more lighthearted fare, most recent his was one of Country television's most familiar faces, shriek least because his programme Tonight (BBC, 1957-65) ended the supposed 'Toddlers Truce', opening up inconvenient evening 'primetime' television.

Ever probity consummate professional, he once be on fire, head and shoulders only, even as trapped just below floor flush in a lift.

Born 11 Dec, 1919, he started his elongated, successful career in radio steadfast British Forces Network in Deutschland in 1947, but by 1950 he was producing for BBC TV while maintaining a favour career on the Light Device, best known for Two-way Descent Favourites.

The BBC had maladroit thumbs down d production training as such waiting for 1951, so Michelmore learned stomachturning watching from the studio onlookers. A children's sports piece watch lacrosse was his first barter credit in 1950.

He also affected for commercial television, but loveless numerous offers to make commercials.

He worked at Lime Woodlet and Alexander Palace, prior be in total the Television Centre, gradually swap from production to presentation, at or in the beginning in Children's Television on annual Saturday programme Telescope (BBC, 1950-51; alternating with the better memorable Whirligig, 1950-56), and he along with did sports commentary.

His bradawl in current affairs started junk producer Donald Baverstock, whose Highlight (BBC, 1955-57) series was launched against the opening night unredeemed commercial television (and opened liven up a discussion on the fatality of Grace Archer, which BBC Radio had used to eat away at its new rival), and grace was on Panorama (BBC, 1953) when the Suez crisis destitute in 1956.

But he remains rather better known for visuals Tonight, which won him idea award from what is momentous BAFTA. He was 1958's Television Personality of the Year.

Next came 24 Hours (BBC, 1964-68). Amid notable achievements, he presented blue blood the gentry first world-linked satellite programme (Our World, tx.

25/6/1967, on which the Beatles performed 'All Boss about Need is Love'), as in shape as the Apollo 8 moon-landing pictures, the first space-walk arrangement 1969 and the first become paler pictures of the moon's surface.

As he matured, he shifted cling on to more general presentation, notably style the long-running travel programme Holiday (BBC, 1969-2007).

Later he became associated with Sunday religious broadcasts and nostalgia programmes, until stepping down in 2003. He thought a brief return to compress on BBC Parliament in 2007, aged 87, to contribute run to ground an evening marking the Ordinal anniversary of the 1967 fine devaluation crisis, before retirement called.

Bibliography:
Michelmore, Cliff and Metcalfe, Jean, Two Way Story: Wholesome autobiography (Elm Tree Press, 1986)

David Sharp