Sir Huw Pyrs Wheldon, (7 May 1916 – 14 March 1986) was a Welsh broadcaster and
BBC executive.
Early life
Wheldon was born on 7 May 1916 in
Prestatyn,
Flintshire
, settlement_type = County
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, image_shield = Arms of Flint ...
,
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
. He was educated at
Friars School, Bangor, at the time an all-boys
grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented secondary school, ...
, and graduated with a BSc(Econ) degree from the
London School of Economics
, mottoeng = To understand the causes of things
, established =
, type = Public research university
, endowment = £240.8 million (2021)
, budget = £391.1 mill ...
in 1938.
His father, Sir Wynn Wheldon, was a prominent educationalist who had been awarded the
DSO for gallantry in the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fig ...
. His grandfather, Tomos Jones Wheldon, had been the Moderator of the
Calvinist Methodist Church in Wales. His mother, Megan Edwards, was an accomplished pianist.
Military service
On the outbreak of war in 1939, Wheldon enlisted in the
Buffs Buffs may refer to:
* Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment), British army regiment 1689–1961
** Buffs (football club), an early 20th-century Hong Kong team formed from players from the regiment
* Queen's Own Buffs, The Royal Kent Regiment, British Ar ...
. He was commissioned into the
Royal Welch Fusiliers in 1940, but subsequently volunteered for the airborne forces and joined the
Royal Ulster Rifles, with whom he flew into
Normandy
Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...
. He was awarded the
Military Cross
The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries.
The MC i ...
for an act of bravery on
D-Day + 1.
Broadcasting career
After the war Wheldon joined the
Arts Council of Wales, and then in 1951 became the Arts Council's administrator for the
Festival of Britain
The Festival of Britain was a national exhibition and fair that reached millions of visitors throughout the United Kingdom in the summer of 1951. Historian Kenneth O. Morgan says the Festival was a "triumphant success" during which people:
...
, work for which he was appointed an
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
(OBE) in 1952.
In 1952 he joined the BBC as a publicity officer, but he was keen to make programmes, and he made his first appearance on television running a nationwide
conker competition, and thence became a familiar face on children's TV with his programme ''
All Your Own''. Future
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are c ...
guitarist
Jimmy Page was a guest on his show in 1957.
He also began to produce and present adult programmes, such as ''Men in Battle'' with Sir
Brian Horrocks, and ''Portraits of Power'' with
Robert McKenzie. He was also responsible for ''
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...
' Sketchbook'' (1955).
It was with the arts magazine programme ''
Monitor'' that Wheldon truly made his mark on the cultural scene. He was the editor of the programme – in the sense in which a newspaper has an editor – and he set about moulding a team of exceptional talents, including
John Schlesinger,
Ken Russell,
Humphrey Burton, and
Melvyn Bragg
Melvyn Bragg, Baron Bragg, (born 6 October 1939), is an English broadcaster, author and parliamentarian. He is best known for his work with ITV as editor and presenter of '' The South Bank Show'' (1978–2010), and for the BBC Radio 4 documen ...
.
''Monitor'' ranged in subject over all the arts: the hundredth show was ''
Elgar'' (1962), a film directed by Ken Russell and written by Wheldon, that celebrated the composer
Edward Elgar
Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet, (; 2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934) was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestr ...
. ''Monitor'' featured specially made films, sometimes just one full-length item, eventually using actors to re-enact the subjects' lives. Prior to this, only photos or location shots had been used in programmes.
Wheldon's ''Monitor'' lasted until he had "interviewed everyone I am interested in interviewing"; he was succeeded by
Jonathan Miller for the series' last season.
In 1967 he was invited to deliver the MacMillan Memorial Lecture to the
Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland. He chose the subject "Perspectives on Television".
Wheldon then entered BBC management, becoming by turns Head of Documentaries. In 1968 he became managing director, BBC TV, a position he held until compulsory retirement in 1975. During this time he again gathered a team of the talents about him, promoting fellow programme makers such as
David Attenborough
Sir David Frederick Attenborough (; born 8 May 1926) is an English broadcaster, biologist, natural historian and author. He is best known for writing and presenting, in conjunction with the BBC Natural History Unit, the nine natural histor ...
and
Paul Fox to high executive office, and the period of his administration, which included programmes such as ''
Dad's Army'',
Kenneth Clark's ''
Civilisation'', ''
Alistair Cooke's America'', and
Jacob Bronowski's ''
The Ascent of Man'' (the last two were co-productions with
Time-Life Television).
After he retired from management Wheldon co-wrote, with
J. H. Plumb, and presented ''Royal Heritage'', a ten-part series on the history of the British monarchy as expressed through the
Royal Collections. Produced by
Michael Gill, it achieved immense popularity ratings in 1977, the year of
the Queen's Silver Jubilee. Two other major documentaries followed, ''The Library of Congress'' and ''Destination D-Day''.
Later life
Wheldon was
knighted in 1976. Following his retirement from the BBC he became Chairman of the Court of the Governors of the
London School of Economics
, mottoeng = To understand the causes of things
, established =
, type = Public research university
, endowment = £240.8 million (2021)
, budget = £391.1 mill ...
, where he had read economics before the war. He disarmed potential sponsors of the school by eschewing flattery and opening negotiations with the bald statement that what he was after was their cash. He was also a formidable and active President of the
Royal Television Society (RTS). An RTS Memorial Lecture in his name by a distinguished broadcaster is televised annually.
Brian Cox gave the lecture in 2010; the following year it was given by
Bettany Hughes. Other speakers have included
David Attenborough
Sir David Frederick Attenborough (; born 8 May 1926) is an English broadcaster, biologist, natural historian and author. He is best known for writing and presenting, in conjunction with the BBC Natural History Unit, the nine natural histor ...
,
Jeremy Isaacs and, in 2005, the writer
Paul Abbott. In addition to this, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) dispenses a Huw Wheldon Award for Specialist Factual Programme. There are also Wheldon bursaries and awards at the LSE and the
University of Wales, Bangor.
Sir Huw's lasting influence, other than as a programme maker, which was considerable, probably lies in the ways in which he articulated the needs and requirements of public service broadcasting. "To make the good popular and the popular good", "the aim is not to avoid failure, but to attempt success", "multiplicity does not mean choice", were among his favourite sayings. He also coined the term "
narrowcasting".
Wheldon died of
cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal bl ...
in 1986, aged 69. His ashes were spread anonymously in the
Royal Botanic Gardens at
Kew, where he had served as a Trustee, and which he had loved.
Sir Huw Wheldon was highly regarded in the United States, where he had many friends, one of whom,
Senator
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the e ...
Daniel Patrick Moynihan, caused
Norman Podhoretz
Norman Podhoretz (; born January 16, 1930) is an American magazine editor, writer, and conservative political commentator, who identifies his views as " paleo- neoconservative". 's obituary of his friend Wheldon, a version of which had first appeared in Podhoretz's syndicated column, to be entered into the ''
Congressional Record
The ''Congressional Record'' is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress, published by the United States Government Publishing Office and issued when Congress is in session. The Congressional Record In ...
''.
Wheldon was married to the novelist
Jacqueline Wheldon. They had three children. Sir Huw's son, Wynn Wheldon (named after his grandfather), is his biographer.
References
External links
Interview with Wynn Wheldon about Huw Wheldon* http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/473425/
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wheldon, Huw
1916 births
1986 deaths
BAFTA fellows
Knights Bachelor
Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) soldiers
Royal Welch Fusiliers officers
Royal Ulster Rifles officers
Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Recipients of the Military Cross
People from Prestatyn
People educated at Friars School, Bangor
People associated with the London School of Economics
British Army personnel of World War II
Deaths from cancer in England
British broadcasters
International Emmy Directorate Award
BBC executives
Governors of the London School of Economics
Alumni of the London School of Economics