A few weeks ago both sides of the Atlantic lost 2 of it's last Icons. America lost Jerry Lewis, But days before In Britain, a bigger outcry happened.
Bruce Forsyth: Presenter, Dancer, Singer, Actor, Record Breaker, Knight and Entertainer had died. Today we pay homage to the man who was there at the advent of television in the 50s and became it's pacemaker for the next 6 decades!
Born on the 22nd of February in 1928, in the town of Middlesex, Bruce Joseph Forsyth-Johnson was the son of a mechanic both parents played and sang in the Salvation Army band, so at a young age music and charity was at the fore of his upbringing. Inspired by the movies of Fred Astaire, his father once found his 8 year old son dancing on the the roof of his garage. Impressed by his son, he enrolled his son as the only boy in a dance school in Tottenham, Despite being ridiculed at school for being the only boy going to dancing, Dance was everything to Bruce, so much so at the age of 14, Bruce graduated Primary School with hardly had any real formal education to stand on. However he was adamant that he was destined for the stage, Rubbing in the fact he was the only boy in the dance class, "Boy Brucie" made the rounds in clubs and theatres around Britain, his energetic dancing and charismatic Presence earned Forsyth the much better nickname of "The Mighty Atom" which became a song that he incorporated into his act! In 1939, Bruce, still a child, made his television debut in an interview by the talent scout, Jasmine Bligh (the footage has since being lost!)
In 1943, Bruce lost his brother, John, a pilot, to an unfortunate accident during a training exercise in the Royal Air Force Base in Turnberg.
After the War, Bruce, now a strapping , 6 foot teenager continued to travel the length of War-torn Britain, getting pick up entertainment work wherever he can, including circuses where his Height and Dancer Athleticism made him a strongman. By 20, like his brother before him Bruce was drafted into the Air Force.
In the 50's the Television became affordable and with it a new breed of entertainer was born. Threatre Impressario, Val Parnell, needed a host for a show, that show became Brucie's big break: Sunday Night at the London Palladium. he also acted as the straightman to another legend, the late, great Norman Wisdom. Dropping Johnson to just Forsyth to play up the class stereotype of someone with an uncommon name. Brucie's Straightman in the double act was always "in Charge" and it would bite him when Norman tried to warn Brucie than something bad was going to happen to him! However Bruce's stage commitments grew when he was on tv, so for all of the 60's Bruce's tv appearances were few and far between!
a Decade later the Brucie 2nd foray as a gameshow host would see him become the face of The Generation Game, a family gameshow where 2 family members a generation or 3 apart, competed against similar family in challenges based on whatever actor, play or film wanted free publicity that week! It was also the place where Brucie's signature entrance, the Thinker Pose made it's debut
It was also where Bruce met his second wife, his G.G. Co-host, Anthea Redfern, to which he had 3 daughter. he also has 3 other daughters from his previous marriage. Brucie's Presence, catchphrases made him a hot commodity in the entertainment world. for the next 3 decades, Brucie would be traded back and forth from the BBC to ITV, At Itv Brucie's first show Brucie Big Night was a ratings flop, however the simple formula of Bruce's Play your Cards Right, a game of "Higher or Lower" With cards, proved to be more successful, that when Britain got the rights to make there own Version of The Price is Right, there was only ever one man for the job! In 1981 Bruce Judged that year's Miss World, meeting fellow Judge, Wilnela Merced, a beauty Queen in her own right. 3 years later they married, and remained so til his death last month, where they has Bruce's only son, JJ. In 1986, Bruce tried to break America, to no avail. This meant however that there was no room for any of Bruce's other projects in the 1990's. it seems Bruce Forsyth was going beck and forth reviving the gameshows he hosted, rather than gaining any new projects. By the early 2000s, it looked like An overworked Bruce was ready to retire off our screens for good!
Until 2003 Bruce's career came full circle. The thing that made Brucie, Dance, was back in a big way! Dancing With The Stars ( Called Strictly Come Dancing, or simply Strictly! over in Britain) revitalised the then 70+ Legend's Career, the show was a whirlwind success, the Professional Dancers were overnight stars, Dance schools reflourished, and Bruce was once more the King Of Light Entertainment. He would step down as host in 2014 when illness took over. a year later Bruce suffered a aortic aneurysm that needed surgery. after that, Forsyth made no more public appearances. in February this year he suffered a chest infection and spent 5 days in hospitial. However, his health would deteriorate until on the 18th of August 2017, his Agent confirmed that Sir Bruce Joseph Forsyth-Johnson, OBE, CBE died Peacefully in his Estate in Wentworth aged 89.
Brucie's Indelible influence in Culture will never be erased. His life in entertainment made him a commodity and a litmus test for quality programming. Forsyth is the current Guiness Record Holder for the longest career held by a male performer. In the twillight of his career, Bruce recieved many accolades from his peers until finally and many at the time said it was overdue, Bruce was awarded a knighthood in 2011.
Thank You Brucie,
Thank you for Entertaining Millions
For so Many years
Often Imitated, But Never Matched!
Ever!
RIP
1928-2017
Bruce Forsyth: Presenter, Dancer, Singer, Actor, Record Breaker, Knight and Entertainer had died. Today we pay homage to the man who was there at the advent of television in the 50s and became it's pacemaker for the next 6 decades!
Born on the 22nd of February in 1928, in the town of Middlesex, Bruce Joseph Forsyth-Johnson was the son of a mechanic both parents played and sang in the Salvation Army band, so at a young age music and charity was at the fore of his upbringing. Inspired by the movies of Fred Astaire, his father once found his 8 year old son dancing on the the roof of his garage. Impressed by his son, he enrolled his son as the only boy in a dance school in Tottenham, Despite being ridiculed at school for being the only boy going to dancing, Dance was everything to Bruce, so much so at the age of 14, Bruce graduated Primary School with hardly had any real formal education to stand on. However he was adamant that he was destined for the stage, Rubbing in the fact he was the only boy in the dance class, "Boy Brucie" made the rounds in clubs and theatres around Britain, his energetic dancing and charismatic Presence earned Forsyth the much better nickname of "The Mighty Atom" which became a song that he incorporated into his act! In 1939, Bruce, still a child, made his television debut in an interview by the talent scout, Jasmine Bligh (the footage has since being lost!)
In 1943, Bruce lost his brother, John, a pilot, to an unfortunate accident during a training exercise in the Royal Air Force Base in Turnberg.
After the War, Bruce, now a strapping , 6 foot teenager continued to travel the length of War-torn Britain, getting pick up entertainment work wherever he can, including circuses where his Height and Dancer Athleticism made him a strongman. By 20, like his brother before him Bruce was drafted into the Air Force.
In the 50's the Television became affordable and with it a new breed of entertainer was born. Threatre Impressario, Val Parnell, needed a host for a show, that show became Brucie's big break: Sunday Night at the London Palladium. he also acted as the straightman to another legend, the late, great Norman Wisdom. Dropping Johnson to just Forsyth to play up the class stereotype of someone with an uncommon name. Brucie's Straightman in the double act was always "in Charge" and it would bite him when Norman tried to warn Brucie than something bad was going to happen to him! However Bruce's stage commitments grew when he was on tv, so for all of the 60's Bruce's tv appearances were few and far between!
a Decade later the Brucie 2nd foray as a gameshow host would see him become the face of The Generation Game, a family gameshow where 2 family members a generation or 3 apart, competed against similar family in challenges based on whatever actor, play or film wanted free publicity that week! It was also the place where Brucie's signature entrance, the Thinker Pose made it's debut
It was also where Bruce met his second wife, his G.G. Co-host, Anthea Redfern, to which he had 3 daughter. he also has 3 other daughters from his previous marriage. Brucie's Presence, catchphrases made him a hot commodity in the entertainment world. for the next 3 decades, Brucie would be traded back and forth from the BBC to ITV, At Itv Brucie's first show Brucie Big Night was a ratings flop, however the simple formula of Bruce's Play your Cards Right, a game of "Higher or Lower" With cards, proved to be more successful, that when Britain got the rights to make there own Version of The Price is Right, there was only ever one man for the job! In 1981 Bruce Judged that year's Miss World, meeting fellow Judge, Wilnela Merced, a beauty Queen in her own right. 3 years later they married, and remained so til his death last month, where they has Bruce's only son, JJ. In 1986, Bruce tried to break America, to no avail. This meant however that there was no room for any of Bruce's other projects in the 1990's. it seems Bruce Forsyth was going beck and forth reviving the gameshows he hosted, rather than gaining any new projects. By the early 2000s, it looked like An overworked Bruce was ready to retire off our screens for good!
Until 2003 Bruce's career came full circle. The thing that made Brucie, Dance, was back in a big way! Dancing With The Stars ( Called Strictly Come Dancing, or simply Strictly! over in Britain) revitalised the then 70+ Legend's Career, the show was a whirlwind success, the Professional Dancers were overnight stars, Dance schools reflourished, and Bruce was once more the King Of Light Entertainment. He would step down as host in 2014 when illness took over. a year later Bruce suffered a aortic aneurysm that needed surgery. after that, Forsyth made no more public appearances. in February this year he suffered a chest infection and spent 5 days in hospitial. However, his health would deteriorate until on the 18th of August 2017, his Agent confirmed that Sir Bruce Joseph Forsyth-Johnson, OBE, CBE died Peacefully in his Estate in Wentworth aged 89.
Brucie's Indelible influence in Culture will never be erased. His life in entertainment made him a commodity and a litmus test for quality programming. Forsyth is the current Guiness Record Holder for the longest career held by a male performer. In the twillight of his career, Bruce recieved many accolades from his peers until finally and many at the time said it was overdue, Bruce was awarded a knighthood in 2011.
Thank You Brucie,
Thank you for Entertaining Millions
For so Many years
Often Imitated, But Never Matched!
Ever!
RIP
1928-2017
