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Russell Davies

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Russell Davies
Born
Robert Russell Davies

(1946-04-05) 5 April 1946 (age 78)
Barmouth, Wales
NationalityBritish
EducationManchester Grammar School
St John's College, Cambridge
Occupations
  • Journalist
  • broadcaster

Robert Russell Davies (born 5 April 1946) is a British journalist and broadcaster.

Davies was born in Barmouth, North Wales. He attended Manchester Grammar School, according to his own statement on a November 2010 Brain of Britain programme. Also according to the programme, his grandfather was a mole-catcher. During his time at MGS (1957–64) he acted in dramatic society productions and was appointed school vice-captain.[1]

He gained a scholarship to St John's College, Cambridge, and was awarded a first class degree in Modern and Mediaeval Languages in 1967, but soon abandoned his post-graduate studies in German literature when the opportunity arose to tour with the Cambridge Footlights revue. During his time in Cambridge, he contributed topical cartoons to the news pages of Varsity, the undergraduate newspaper, under the pseudonym Dai.

In 1970, Davies co-starred with fellow Footlights alumni Pete Atkin, Clive James and Julie Covington across three London Weekend Television series. The Party's Moving On and What Are You Doing After the Show? were revue-style shows, featuring original music written by Atkin and James along with sketches and commentary. Think Twice focused on discussion of the arts between Davies and co-host Clive James. He appeared on Atkin's first album Beware of the Beautiful Stranger playing tuba, and also on Covington's first album The Beautiful Changes playing tuba and trumpet.[2][3][4][5][6][7]

In 1970, Davies co-starred in the BBC comedy series Don't Ask Us, alongside Richard Stilgoe and Maureen Lipman.[8]

His felt limited by his early acting credits, a string of comedy roles offered by his agent. To diversify his career, he found fulfilling work as a writer and presenter. Davies became a film and television critic for The Observer and The Sunday Times, and contributed features and sports columns for The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph, caricatures for The Times Literary Supplement and was a deputy editor of Punch. He edited Kenneth Williams's diaries and letters for publication, despite being the target of Williams's acid pen in those same diaries. He regularly appeared on television in the 1980s, presenting Saturday Review for BBC2.[9]

In 1988, Davies was the presenter of a 12-part BBC radio series Radio Fun chronicling the history of comedy on the radio from the thirties to the present day. The series was repeated from 2007 to 2010 on BBC Radio 7 (now BBC Radio 4 Extra).[10]

Davies is a jazz trombonist and has presented television and radio documentaries on jazz, including in 1999 a year-long history for BBC Radio 3, Jazz Century. He has written and presented other radio programmes including BBC Radio 4's series Word of Mouth (winner of the 1996 European Radio, ONDAS prize), and a series on Radio 2 about songwriters Rodgers and Hart, Legends of Light Music. In 2003, Russell Davies wrote and presented Quest for Perfection, a film about jazz clarinetist and bandleader Artie Shaw, for BBC Four and produced by John Warburton (shortlisted for the 2004 Grierson Award). His documentary on the life of the cartoonist Ronald Searle was shown on the BBC in 2006.

He presents Brain of Britain on Radio 4, first temporarily to cover the illness of presenter Robert Robinson, then permanently from 2010 when Robinson retired.[11] From 1998 (when he took over from Benny Green) until 29 September 2013, he presented a Sunday radio programme on BBC Radio 2 called 'The Russell Davies Song Show' which showcased 'The Art, Craft & Inspiration of the Popular Song'. The show was produced by Roy Oakshott and predominantly featured music from 'The Great American Songbook' and the pre-rock 'n' roll jazz era. He has also presented the BBC Radio 4 music quiz Counterpoint.

Bibliography

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  • Vicky (1987) with Liz Ottaway[12]
  • Ronald Searle (1990)[13]
  • Foreign Body - the Secret Life of Robert Maxwell (1995)[14]
  • Brain of Britain: Ultimate Quiz Book (2017)[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ A Biographical Register of Old Mancunians. Manchester Grammar School. 1978. p. 789.
  2. ^ "Session Notes: Pete Atkin The Radio & TV Sessions". Smash Flops. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Two new shows by LWT". The Stage and Television Today. 30 April 1970.
  4. ^ Allan, Elkan (5 July 1970). "Eight new shows tonight". The Sunday Times.
  5. ^ "Session Notes: The Beautiful Changes". peteatkin.com. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  6. ^ "Session Notes: Beware of the Beautiful Stranger". peteatkin.com. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  7. ^ Greaves, William (1970). "How They Do After the Show". The Daily Mail.
  8. ^ "New show, new faces". Middlesex County Times. 30 July 1970.
  9. ^ "Russell's cure for freelance disease". Cambridge Daily News. 31 May 1985.
  10. ^ "BBC Radio 7 - Radio Fun: The Story of Radio Comedy, Episode 12". Bbc.co.uk. 9 January 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  11. ^ "Brain of Britain". BBC. Retrieved 15 February 2010.
  12. ^ Davies, Russell; Ottaway, Liz (1987). Vicky. London: Martin Secker & Warburg.
  13. ^ Davies, Russell (1990). Ronald Searle. London: Sinclair-Stevenson.
  14. ^ Davies, Russell (1995). Foreign Body - the Secret Life of Robert Maxwell. London: Bloomsbury.
  15. ^ Davies, Russell (2017). Brain of Britain: Ultimate Quiz Book. Glasgow: HarperCollins.
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