Jeremy Nicholas (born 20 September 1947) is an English actor, writer, broadcaster, lyricist and musician. Born in

Wellington, Shropshire Wellington is a market town in Telford and Wrekin, Shropshire, England. It is situated 4 miles (6 km) northwest of central Telford and 12 miles (19 km) east of Shrewsbury. The summit of The Wrekin lies 3 miles southwest of the town. The ...

, he was raised in

Stafford Stafford () is a market town and the county town of Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It lies about north of Wolverhampton, south of Stoke-on-Trent and northwest of Birmingham. The town had a population of 70,145 in t ...

and educated at Flash Ley Primary School, Stafford (1952–57);

Wycliffe College Wycliffe College () is an evangelical graduate school of theology at the University of Toronto. Founded in 1877 as an evangelical seminary in the Anglican tradition, Wycliffe College today attracts students from many Christian denominations from ...

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean. The county town is the city of Gl ...

(1957–65) and Birmingham School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art (1966–69). Nicholas's first job between leaving school and going to drama college was as a trainee manager in

Beatties Beatties was a small British department store group located primarily in the Midlands of England. In 2005, when it had 12 stores, the group was acquired by House of Fraser. On 14 January 2006, the Birmingham store closed, because a similar Ho ...

department store in

Wolverhampton Wolverhampton () is a city, metropolitan borough and administrative centre in the West Midlands, England. The population size has increased by 5.7%, from around 249,500 in 2011 to 263,700 in 2021. People from the city are called "Wulfrunian ...

(1965–66) from which he was sacked for rehearsing on the shop floor his lines for an amateur production. During his time at drama college he appeared in

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...

with

Jimmy Jewel James Arthur Thomas Jewel Marsh (4 December 1909 – 3 December 1995),Gifford, Denni''The Independent'', 5 December 1995. Note: This obituary wrongly gives the year of birth as 1912, which is contradicted by the Ben Warriss obituary. Retrie ...

and

Donald Peers Donald Rhys Hubert Peers (10 July 1908 – 9 August 1973) was a popular Welsh people, Welsh singer. His best remembered rendition and signature song was "In a Shady Nook by a Babbling Brook". Biography Early life Peers was born in the Welsh m ...

, and survived a summer season as a Redcoat at

Butlins Skegness Butlins Skegness (officially Butlins Resort Skegness), formerly Butlin's Skegness or Funcoast World; is a holiday camp located in Ingoldmells near Skegness in Lincolnshire, England. Billy Butlin conceived of its creation based on his experience ...

Actor

Nicholas began his career with the

Prospect Theatre Company The Prospect Theatre Company was an English company founded, as Prospect Productions, in 1961. Based at the Arts Theatre, Cambridge from 1964 until 1969, the company, with Toby Robertson as artistic director and Richard Cottrell as associate direc ...

(1969–70) in ''

Richard II Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan, Countess of Kent. Richard's father died ...

'' and ''

Edward II Edward II (25 April 1284 – 21 September 1327), also called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1307 until he was deposed in January 1327. The fourth son of Edward I, Edward became the heir apparent to t ...

'' starring

Ian McKellen Sir Ian Murray McKellen (born 25 May 1939) is an English actor. His career spans seven decades, having performed in genres ranging from Shakespearean and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. Regarded as a British cultural i ...

and

Timothy West Timothy Lancaster West, CBE (born 20 October 1934) is an English actor and presenter. He has appeared frequently on both stage and television, including stints in both ''Coronation Street'' (as Eric Babbage) and ''EastEnders'' (as Stan Carter) ...

. He then joined the

Citizens Theatre The Citizens Theatre, in what was the Royal Princess's Theatre, is the creation of James Bridie and is based in Glasgow, Scotland as a principal producing theatre. The theatre includes a 500-seat Main Auditorium, and has also included various s ...

(1970–72) for the first two seasons under the directorship of

Giles Havergal Giles Pollock Havergal CBE (born 9 June 1938, in Edinburgh) is a theatre director and actor, opera stage director, teacher, and adaptor. He was artistic director of Glasgow's Citizens Theatre from 1969 until he stepped down in 2003, one of the tri ...

Philip Prowse Philip Prowse (born 29 December 1937) is a stage director and designer, and was one of the triumvirate of directors at the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow, Scotland, from 1970 until 2004. Early life and education Prowse was born in England on 29 Dece ...

and

Robert David MacDonald Robert David MacDonald (27 August 1929 – 19 May 2004), known as David, was a Scottish playwright, translator and theatre director. Early life Robert David MacDonald was born in Elgin, in Morayshire, Scotland on 27 August 1929, the son of a d ...

. The first role he played there was Gertrude in an all-male production of ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

'' followed by The Player King in ''

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead ''Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead'' is an absurdist, existential tragicomedy by Tom Stoppard, first staged at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1966. The play expands upon the exploits of two minor characters from Shakespeare's ''Hamle ...

''. Other parts included Butler in

Edward Albee Edward Franklin Albee III ( ; March 12, 1928 – September 16, 2016) was an American playwright known for works such as ''The Zoo Story'' (1958), '' The Sandbox'' (1959), ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' (1962), '' A Delicate Balance'' (1966) ...

’s ''

Tiny Alice ''Tiny Alice'' is a three-act play written by Edward Albee that premiered on Broadway at the Billy Rose Theatre in 1964. Synopsis Powerful widow Miss Alice and her lawyer offer a generous grant to the church on the condition that the cardinal's ...

'' ('a lithe carnivorously affable reading by the most promising new actor I have seen this year’); Lord Foppington in ''

The Relapse ''The Relapse, or, Virtue in Danger'' is a Restoration comedy from 1696 written by John Vanbrugh. The play is a sequel to Colley Cibber's '' Love's Last Shift, or, The Fool in Fashion''. In Cibber's ''Love's Last Shift'', a free-living Resto ...

''; Young Marlow in ''

She Stoops to Conquer ''She Stoops to Conquer'' is a comedy by Oliver Goldsmith, first performed in London in 1773. The play is a favourite for study by English literature and theatre classes in the English-speaking world. It is one of the few plays from the 18th ...

'', Len in ''Saved'' and The Emperor in ''

The Architect and the Emperor of Assyria ''The Architect and the Emperor of Assyria'' (french: L'Architecte et l'Empereur d'Assyrie) is a 1967 play by Fernando Arrabal Fernando Arrabal Terán (born August 11, 1932) is a Spanish playwright, screenwriter, film director, novelist, and ...

''. He performed his own solo adaptation of ''

Three Men in a Boat ''Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog)'',The Penguin edition punctuates the title differently: ''Three Men in a Boat: To Say Nothing of the Dog!'' published in 1889, is a humorous account by English writer Jerome K. Jerome of a tw ...

'' at the Edinburgh Festival (1980) and May Fair Theatre (1981–82), which won him a nomination for an

Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known as ...

as Most Promising Newcomer. He subsequently re-adapted the book for

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...

and again for a

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...

film, as well as also adapting Jerome’s ''

Three Men on the Bummel ''Three Men on the Bummel'' (also known as ''Three Men on Wheels'') is a humorous novel by Jerome K. Jerome. It was published in 1900, eleven years after his most famous work, '' Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog)''. The sequel bri ...

'' for Radio 4. Other theatre roles include Narrator in ''

Side by Side by Sondheim ''Side by Side by Sondheim'' is a musical revue featuring the songs of Broadway and film composer Stephen Sondheim. Its title is derived from the song "Side by Side by Side" from ''Company''. History The musical had its origins when David Kerna ...

'' (

Haymarket Theatre, Leicester The Leicester Haymarket Theatre is a theatre in Leicester, England, next to the Haymarket Shopping Centre on Belgrave Gate in Leicester City centre. History The Haymarket Theatre was opened by Sir Ralph Richardson and the opening season started ...

); Jack Chesney in ''

Charley's Aunt ''Charley's Aunt'' is a farce in three acts written by Brandon Thomas. The story centres on Lord Fancourt Babberley, an undergraduate whose friends Jack and Charley persuade him to impersonate the latter's aunt. The complications of the plot inc ...

'' (York); Richard II in ''Circle of Glory'' (national tour); Lord Brocklehurst in ''

The Admirable Crichton ''The Admirable Crichton'' is a comic stage play written in 1902 by J. M. Barrie. Origins Barrie took the title from the sobriquet of a fellow Scot, the polymath James Crichton, a 16th-century genius and athlete. The epigram-loving Ernest is p ...

'' (

Greenwich Theatre Greenwich Theatre is a local theatre located in Croom's Hill close to the centre of Greenwich in south-east London. Theatre first came to Greenwich at the beginning of the 19th century during the famous Eastertide Greenwich Fair at which the Ric ...

), Greg in '' Relatively Speaking'' opposite

Dora Bryan Dora May Broadbent, (7 February 1923 – 23 July 2014), known as Dora Bryan, was a British actress of stage, film and television.Moray Watson Moray Robin Philip Adrian Watson (25 June 1928 – 2 May 2017) was an English actor from Sunningdale, Berkshire. Life Watson was born in Sunningdale, Berkshire, to Gerard Arthur Watson (1901–1940), a ship broker, who was killed during World ...

; Lenny in ''

The Homecoming ''The Homecoming'' is a two-act play written in 1964 by Harold Pinter and first published in 1965. Its premières in London (1965) and New York (1967) were both directed by Sir Peter Hall. The original Broadway production won the 1967 Tony A ...

'' (directed by

); national tours of ''Beyond the Fringe'' as

Dudley Moore Dudley Stuart John Moore CBE (19 April 193527 March 2002) was an English actor, comedian, musician and composer. Moore first came to prominence in the UK as a leading figure in the British satire boom of the 1960s. He was one of the four writ ...

(for

Cameron Mackintosh Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh (born 17 October 1946) is a British theatrical producer and theatre owner notable for his association with many commercially successful musicals. At the height of his success in 1990, he was described as being "th ...

); ''

Canaries Sometimes Sing ''Canaries Sometimes Sing'' is a 1931 British romantic comedy film, directed by Tom Walls. The film is a four-hander, starring Walls, Cathleen Nesbitt, Athole Stewart and Yvonne Arnaud. It is a screen version of the witty and sophisticated come ...

'' (with

Diana Weston Diana Weston (born 13 November 1953 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian-British actress who has been on British television since 1975. She is a grandchild of Charles Basil Price. Biography Career Weston's first role was in a 1975 episod ...

); ''

An Ideal Husband ''An Ideal Husband'' is a four-act play by Oscar Wilde that revolves around blackmail and political corruption, and touches on the themes of public and private honour. It was first produced at the Haymarket Theatre, London in 1895 and ran for ...

'' (with

Jeremy Sinden Jeremy Mahony Sinden (14 June 1950 – 29 May 1996) was an English actor who specialised in playing eccentric military men and overgrown schoolboys.Times Obituary 31 May 1996 Early life Sinden was born in London into a theatrical family; ...

and Stephanie Turner) and Sir Peter Teazle in ''

The School for Scandal ''The School for Scandal'' is a comedy of manners written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. It was first performed in London at Drury Lane Theatre on 8 May 1777. Plot Act I Scene I: Lady Sneerwell, a wealthy young widow, and her hireling Sna ...

'' (Derby and Nottingham). Nicholas has also performed on television in roles such as Inigo Jollifant in ''

The Good Companions ''The Good Companions'' is a novel by the English author J. B. Priestley. Written in 1929, it follows the fortunes of a concert party on a tour of England. It is Priestley's most famous novel and established him as a national figure. It won ...

'',''Who's Who on Television'', Boxtree (2000), page 218

Nathaniel Winkle Nathaniel Winkle is a fictional character in Charles Dickens's first novel, ''The Pickwick Papers'' (1836). A founder and younger member of the Pickwick Club created by the retired businessman Samuel Pickwick, Winkle is a young friend of Pickwi ...

in ''

The Pickwick Papers ''The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club'' (also known as ''The Pickwick Papers'') was Charles Dickens's first novel. Because of his success with ''Sketches by Boz'' published in 1836, Dickens was asked by the publisher Chapman & Hall to s ...

'', John Maddingham in ''

Crossroads Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to: * Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet Film and television Films * ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa * ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...

'', Sir Jonathan Sibley in

Fay Weldon Fay Weldon CBE, FRSL (born Franklin Birkinshaw; 22 September 1931 – 4 January 2023) was an English author, essayist and playwright. Over the course of her 55-year writing career, she published 31 novels, including ''Puffball'' (1980), '' The ...

’s ''Bright Smiler'' (1985) (with

Janet Suzman Dame Janet Suzman, (born 9 February 1939) is a South African-born British actress who enjoyed a successful early career in the Royal Shakespeare Company, later replaying many Shakespearean roles, among others, on TV. In her first film, ''Nicho ...

and

Jane Asher Jane Asher (born 5 April 1946)The International Who's Who of Women, 3rd edition, ed. Elizabeth Sleeman, Europa Publications, 2002, p. 29 is an English actress and author. She achieved early fame as a child actress and has worked extensively in f ...

), ''Prospects'' (opposite

David Suchet Sir David Courtney Suchet''England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916–2007'' ( ; born 2 May 1946) is an English actor known for his work on British stage and television. He portrayed Edward Teller in the television serial '' Oppenh ...

), ''

The Upper Hand ''The Upper Hand'' is a British television sitcom broadcast by ITV from 1 May 1990 to 14 October 1996. The programme was adapted from the American sitcom '' Who's the Boss?''. As in the former series, affluent single woman Caroline Wheatley, ...

'', Lewis Lake in ''

Wish Me Luck ''Wish Me Luck'' is a British television drama about the exploits of British women undercover agents during the Second World War. The series was made by London Weekend Television for the ITV network between 17 January 1988 and 25 February 199 ...

'', as well as voicing Lionel in all 39 episodes of ''

Budgie the Little Helicopter ''Budgie the Little Helicopter'' is a British animated television series, relating to a fictional helicopter and his friends, based on a series of children's books. The characters were based on the books by Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. The s ...

''. Other television appearances include roles in ''

The Duchess of Duke Street ''The Duchess of Duke Street'' is a BBC television drama series set in London between the late 1800s and 1925. It was created by John Hawkesworth, previously the producer of the ITV period drama '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. It starred Gemma Jo ...

'', ''

Z-Cars ''Z-Cars'' or ''Z Cars'' (pronounced "zed cars") is a British television police procedural series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby, near Liverpool. Produced by the BBC, it debuted ...

'', ''

When the Boat Comes In ''When the Boat Comes In'' is a British television period drama produced by the BBC between 1976 and 1981. The series stars James Bolam as Jack Ford, a First World War veteran who returns to his poverty-stricken (fictional) town of Gallowshiel ...

'', the episodes 'Whispers' (1981) as Colin Thomas; 'Past Lives' (1982) as Peter Marshall; 'Work Force' (1984) as Vernon in ''

Juliet Bravo ''Juliet Bravo'' is a British television police procedural drama series, first broadcast on 30 August 1980, that ran for six series and a total of 88 episodes on BBC1. The theme of the series concerned a female police inspector who took over con ...

'', ''

Rumpole of the Bailey ''Rumpole of the Bailey'' is a British television series created and written by the British writer and barrister John Mortimer. It starred Leo McKern as Horace Rumpole, a middle-aged London barrister who defended a broad variety of clients, o ...

'', ''

Heartbeat A heartbeat is one cardiac cycle of the heart. Heartbeat, heart beat, heartbeats, and heart beats may refer to: Computing *Heartbeat (computing), a periodic signal to indicate normal operation or to synchronize parts of a system *Heartbeat, clus ...

'' (1999), '' Birds of a Feather'', ''

The Bill ''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, first broadcast on ITV from 16 August 1983 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, '' Woodentop'', broadcast in August 1983. The programme focused on ...

'' and '' London’s Burning''. He played

David Dimbleby David Dimbleby (born 28 October 1938) is an English journalist and former presenter of current affairs and political programmes, best known for having presented the BBC topical debate programme ''Question Time''. He is the son of broadcaster R ...

in ''

The Windsors ''The Windsors'' is a British sitcom and parody of the British royal family, the House of Windsor. It was first broadcast on Channel 4 in April 2016 and stars Harry Enfield, Haydn Gwynne, Hugh Skinner, Louise Ford, Richard Goulding, Tom Durant ...

'' (2016)Filmography of Jeremy Nicholas)

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

Database opposite

Harry Enfield Henry Richard Enfield (born 30 May 1961) is an English comedian, actor, writer and director. He is known in particular for his television work, including ''Harry Enfield's Television Programme'' and '' Harry & Paul'', and for the creation and ...

. His film career has included roles in ''

Sex and the Other Woman ''Sex and the Other Woman'' (also known as The Other Woman) is a 1972 British romantic sex comedy film directed by Stanley A. Long. The film starring Bartlett Mullins, Peggy Ann Clifford, Maggie Wright, Anthony Bailey and Margaret Burton in th ...

'' (1972), ''On the Game'' (1974), '' The Stud'' (1974) ''

Turtle Diary ''Turtle Diary'' is a 1985 British film directed by John Irvin and starring Glenda Jackson, Ben Kingsley, and Michael Gambon. Based on a screenplay adapted by Harold Pinter from Russell Hoban's novel ''Turtle Diary'', the film is about "peop ...

'' (1985), ''

Ishtar Inanna, also sux, 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒀭𒈾, nin-an-na, label=none is an ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility. She is also associated with beauty, sex, divine justice, and political power. She was originally worshiped in S ...

'' (1987) and ''

Stanley's Dragon ''Stanley's Dragon'' is a 1994's British family fantasy TV miniseries on CITV starring Judd Trichter and Mia Fothergill. Plot The film takes place in present-day England. Stanley (Trichter) is an American exchange student who, upon becoming s ...

'' (1994). He has presented and / or narrated many classical music concerts including ''

Peter and the Wolf ''Peter and the Wolf'' ( rus, Петя и Bолк, r="Pétya i volk", p=ˈpʲetʲə i volk, links=no) Op. 67, a "symphonic fairy tale for children", is a musical composition written by Sergei Prokofiev in 1936. The narrator tells a children's s ...

'' (2015),

Francis Poulenc Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (; 7 January 189930 January 1963) was a French composer and pianist. His compositions include songs, solo piano works, chamber music, choral pieces, operas, ballets, and orchestral concert music. Among the best-kno ...

's ''

Babar the Elephant Babar the Elephant (, ; ) is an elephant character who first appeared in 1931 in the French children's book ''Histoire de Babar'' by Jean de Brunhoff. The book is based on a tale that Brunhoff's wife, Cécile, had invented for their children. ...

'', ''Façade'', ''The Snowman'', ''The Mousehole Cat'', ''Mr Majeika and the Magic Organ'', ''The King of Instruments'' (set to his own verses) and ''

The Carnival of the Animals ''The Carnival of the Animals'' (''Le Carnaval des animaux'') is a humorous musical suite of fourteen movements, including "The Swan", by the French composer Camille Saint-Saëns. The work, about 25 minutes in duration, was written for private ...

'' (1985), set to his own "eruditely witty and elegant new verses"Nicholas nudges Nash aside for a delightfully witty talk with the animals
Review of ''The Carnival of the Animals'': ''

Gramophone A phonograph, in its later forms also called a gramophone (as a trademark since 1887, as a generic name in the UK since 1910) or since the 1940s called a record player, or more recently a turntable, is a device for the mechanical and analogu ...

'' and also those of

Ogden Nash Frederic Ogden Nash (August 19, 1902 – May 19, 1971) was an American poet well known for his light verse, of which he wrote over 500 pieces. With his unconventional rhyming schemes, he was declared by ''The New York Times'' the country's best ...

. In 2008 he became the first actor since

Robert Donat Friedrich Robert Donat (18 March 1905 – 9 June 1958) was an English actor. He is best remembered for his roles in Alfred Hitchcock's '' The 39 Steps'' (1935) and ''Goodbye, Mr. Chips'' (1939), winning for the latter the Academy Award for ...

in 1954 to give a live performance with orchestra of

Alan Rawsthorne Alan Rawsthorne (2 May 1905 – 24 July 1971) was a British composer. He was born in Haslingden, Lancashire, and is buried in Thaxted churchyard in Essex. Early years Alan Rawsthorne was born in Deardengate House, Haslingden, Lancashire, to Hu ...

’s ''

Practical Cats ''Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats'' (1939) is a collection of whimsical light poems by T. S. Eliot about feline psychology and sociology, published by Faber and Faber. It serves as the basis for Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 musical ''Cats'' ...

'' (2009) with the

BBC Concert Orchestra The BBC Concert Orchestra is a British concert orchestra based in London, one of the British Broadcasting Corporation's five radio orchestras. With around fifty players, it is the only one of the five BBC orchestras which is not a full-scale symp ...

and broadcast on Radio 3. Since 2007 he has hosted and compiled the programme for the annual carol concert in

Birmingham Town Hall Birmingham Town Hall is a concert hall and venue for popular assemblies opened in 1834 and situated in Victoria Square, Birmingham, England. It is a Grade I listed building. The hall underwent a major renovation between 2002 and 2007. It no ...

. From 1983 to 1991 Nicholas was 'the Baron' in a series of German and Austrian commercials for

Ferrero Rocher Ferrero Rocher () is a chocolate and hazelnut confectionery, introduced in 1982 and produced by the Italian company Ferrero. Michele Ferrero is credited as the product's creator. Each Ferrero Rocher ball is covered in foil and placed into a pap ...

chocolates. Also in 1983 he featured in an award-winning commercial for Hamlet cigars.

Music

Nicholas has composed the music for several stage and television plays, among them ''

Quartermaine's Terms ''Quartermaine's Terms'' is a play by Simon Gray which won The Cheltenham Prize in 1982. Plot The play takes place over a period of two years in the 1960s in the staffroom at a Cambridge school for teaching English to foreigners. It deals with ...

'' as well as ''Random Moments in a May Garden'' (1981) and '' A Month in the Country'' (1985) for

BBC Television BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1927. It produced television programmes from its own studios from 193 ...

. From 1977 to 1991 he wrote the lyrics and music for nearly 150 songs for

's '' Stop the Week'' chaired by Robert Robinson. One of the UK’s most authoritative writers on the piano and pianists, he has written four highly-acclaimed reference books on classical music, as well as biographies of

Leopold Godowsky Leopold Mordkhelovich Godowsky Sr. (13 February 1870 – 21 November 1938) was a Lithuanian-born American virtuoso pianist, composer and teacher. He was one of the most highly regarded performers of his time, known for his theories concernin ...

and

Frédéric Chopin Frédéric François Chopin (born Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin; 1 March 181017 October 1849) was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic period, who wrote primarily for solo piano. He has maintained worldwide renown as a leadin ...

.Biography of Jeremy Nicholas

Naxos Naxos (; el, Νάξος, ) is a Greek island and the largest of the Cyclades. It was the centre of archaic Cycladic culture. The island is famous as a source of emery, a rock rich in corundum, which until modern times was one of the best abr ...

website He has composed the scores for many stage plays – among them the British premiere of

Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thre ...

’s ''

Vieux Carré The French Quarter, also known as the , is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. After New Orleans (french: La Nouvelle-Orléans) was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city developed around the ("Old Squ ...

'', and ''Sarah B. Divine'', a musical about

Sarah Bernhardt Sarah Bernhardt (; born Henriette-Rosine Bernard; 22 or 23 October 1844 – 26 March 1923) was a French stage actress who starred in some of the most popular French plays of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including '' La Dame Aux Camel ...

. His songs are published by Novello in two albums, ''Sarah’s Encores'' and ''Funny You Should Sing That'' and which have been recorded by Sarah Walker and

Roger Vignoles Roger Vignoles (born 12 July 1945), is a British pianist and accompanist. He regularly performs with the world's leading singers, including Kiri Te Kanawa, Thomas Allen, Anne Sofie von Otter, Thomas Hampson, Gitta-Maria Sjöberg, Sarah Walk ...

, and Jody Appelbaum and

Marc-André Hamelin Marc-André Hamelin, OC, CQ (born September 5, 1961), is a Canadian virtuoso pianist and composer. Hamelin is recognized worldwide for the originality and technical proficiency of his performances of the classic repertoire. He has received 11 Gr ...

. His instrumental works include ''Quiet Peace No. 1'' which was recorded by duo-pianists Nettle &

Markham Markham may refer to: It may also refer to brand of of clothing which originates from South Africa which saw it's establishment in 1873. Biology * Markham's storm-petrel (''Oceanodroma markhami''), a seabird species found in Chile and Colombia * ...

); ''Blaythorne Suite'' and ''Lendalfoot'' for brass band were recorded by the

Grimethorpe Colliery Band The Grimethorpe Colliery Band is a brass band, based in Grimethorpe, South Yorkshire, England. It was formed in 1917, as a leisure activity for the workers at the colliery, by members of the disbanded Cudworth Colliery Band. Along with the Blac ...

; ''Toccata giubiloso'' has been recorded by organist

Kevin Bowyer Kevin John Bowyer (; born 9 January 1961) is an English organist, known for his prolific recording and recital career and his performances of modern and extremely difficult compositions. Biography Bowyer was born on 9 January 1961 in Southend-o ...

, while his ''Toccata festiva'' was premiered by Thomas Trotter in

in March 2012.

Radio

Nicholas has written and presented over sixty radio features for

BBC Radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927). The service provides national radio stations covering th ...

. Their subject matter has ranged from the

Shipping Forecast The Shipping Forecast is a BBC Radio broadcast of weather reports and forecasts for the seas around the coasts of the British Isles. It is produced by the Met Office and broadcast by BBC Radio 4 on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. ...

, the history of signature tunes, the lyricist Harry Graham, and the Vatican’s Latin specialist Father Reginald Foster, to a series on the art of the comic song (''Funny You Should Sing That'') and the records played in the

Light Programme The BBC Light Programme was a national radio station which broadcast chiefly mainstream light entertainment and light music from 1945 until 1967, when it was replaced by BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 1. It opened on 29 July 1945, taking over the ...

’s long-running request programme ''Children’s Favourites'' (''Hello Children…Everywhere''). The latter resulted in a series of best-selling compilation albums for EMI which Nicholas curated. In 1996 he won a Sony Gold Award (Best Arts Programme) for ''England's Green and Pleasant Land'', a two-hour celebration of England in verse, prose and music for BBC Radio 2. He has read and / or adapted more than twenty books for radio and spoken word recordings including

Axel Munthe Axel Martin Fredrik Munthe (31 October 1857 – 11 February 1949) was a Swedish-born medical doctor and psychiatrist, best known as the author of ''The Story of San Michele'', an autobiographical account of his life and work. He spoke several la ...

’s ''

The Story of San Michele ''The Story of San Michele'' is a book of memoirs by Swedish physician Axel Munthe (October 31, 1857 – February 11, 1949) first published in 1929 by British publisher John Murray. Written in English, it was a bestseller in numerous language ...

'' and '' The Journal of a Disappointed Man'' by

W. N. P. Barbellion Wilhelm Nero Pilate Barbellion was the pen name of Bruce Frederick Cummings (7 September 1889 – 22 October 1919), an English diary, diarist who was responsible for ''The Journal of a Disappointed Man''. Ronald Blythe called it "among the most m ...

. He played Dr. Watson to

Peter Egan Peter Joseph Egan (born 28 September 1946) is a British actor and animal rights activist. He is known for his television roles, including Hogarth in '' Big Breadwinner Hog'', the future George IV of the United Kingdom in ''Prince Regent'' (197 ...

's Stamford Holmes in '' Second Holmes'' (1983), a

comedy six-part series following the adventures of the grandsons of

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...

and

Doctor Watson John H. Watson, known as Dr. Watson, is a fictional character in the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Along with Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson first appeared in the novel ''A Study in Scarlet'' (1887). The last work by Doyle fe ...

in contemporary

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. In 2000 he dramatised and appeared in ''The Fast Gentleman'' by

Keble Howard Keble Howard was the pen name of John Keble Bell (8 June 1875 – 29 March 1928). He was an English writer and journalist, who wrote a large number of novels, short stories, sketches and plays, mainly light comic pieces, often depicting subur ...

, also for Radio 4.

Writer

His lifelong enthusiasm for comic verse led to his first book, ''Raspberries and Other Trifles'' (Hutchinson, 1984), a parody of

Hilaire Belloc Joseph Hilaire Pierre René Belloc (, ; 27 July 187016 July 1953) was a Franco-English writer and historian of the early twentieth century. Belloc was also an orator, poet, sailor, satirist, writer of letters, soldier, and political activist. H ...

's ''

Cautionary Tales for Children ''Cautionary Tales for Children: Designed for the Admonition of Children between the ages of eight and fourteen years'' is a 1907 children's book written by Hilaire Belloc. It is a parody of the cautionary tales that were popular in the 19th centu ...

''. He edited and published his collection of ''Limericks for the Connoisseur'' (New Generation, 2019), while in 2022 Porter Press issued ''What Larks'', a volume of his collected verses and song lyrics. A regular contributor as critic and feature writer to ''

'' and ''International Piano'', he has previously written for ''

Classic FM Magazine The ''Classic FM Magazine'' was a magazine published by Haymarket in the United Kingdom each month. It was the printed organ of Classic FM, a British classical commercial radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), ...

'', ''Classic CD'', ''

BBC Music Magazine ''BBC Music Magazine'' is a British monthly magazine that focuses primarily on classical music. History The first issue appeared in September 1992. BBC Worldwide, the commercial subsidiary of the BBC was the original owner and publisher toget ...

'', ''Piano'' and ''International Record Review''. He is the author of four reference books on classical music and is the biographer of

and

. He has written over 130 classical CD booklets for all the major record labels.

Other activities

Nicholas is President of the

Jerome K. Jerome Jerome Klapka Jerome (2 May 1859 – 14 June 1927) was an English writer and humourist, best known for the comic travelogue ''Three Men in a Boat'' (1889). Other works include the essay collections '' Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow'' (1886) an ...

Society and was, from 2002 to 2021, music director of the Deanery Church of St Mary the Virgin in

Braintree, Essex Braintree is a town and former civil parish in Essex, England. The principal settlement of Braintree District, it is located northeast of Chelmsford and west of Colchester. According to the 2011 Census, the town had a population of 41,634, ...

. He is an authority on the piano, pianists and

in particular.

Personal

Jeremy Nicholas was adopted at the age of two months old and was named Jeremy Nicholas Woolcock. He is the eldest of four children adopted by Mary Cecilia Willson Woolcock (''née'' White) (1909–2008), an interior design artist with Peter Jones before

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

; and Cleave Edward Woolcock (1910–1992), a chartered surveyor in the firm Barber & Woolcock which he co-founded and who served in the

Royal Army Service Corps The Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) was a corps of the British Army responsible for land, coastal and lake transport, air despatch, barracks administration, the Army Fire Service, staffing headquarters' units, supply of food, water, fuel and dom ...

for six years throughout World War II before being demobbed in early 1946 with the rank of Major and resuming his former profession. Biographical information supplied by Jeremy Nicholas (January 2021) He married Jill Elizabeth Rose in 1984 at

St Paul's, Covent Garden St Paul's Church is a Church of England parish church located in Bedford Street, Covent Garden, central London. It was designed by Inigo Jones as part of a commission for the 4th Earl of Bedford in 1631 to create "houses and buildings fit ...

(the ‘Actors’ Church’) during filming for ''

''. They have one child.

Television

*''

'' (1973), Geff Devlin *''The Snow Queen'' (1974), Basin *''The Avenue'' (1977), Vincent Boyd-Thomson *''Rhinestone Cowboy'' (1979), Michael C Regan *''

'' (1977), Nick Somers *''

'' ((1979-80), Inigo Jollifant *''Echoes of Louisa'' (1980), Anthony *''Happy Endings'' (1981), Dr MacDonald and Badger *''

When The Boat Comes In ''When the Boat Comes In'' is a British television period drama produced by the BBC between 1976 and 1981. The series stars James Bolam as Jack Ford, a First World War veteran who returns to his poverty-stricken (fictional) town of Gallowshiel ...

'' (1981), Frank Truett *''

'' (1981-84) *''The Tale of Beatrix Potter'' (1982), Bertram Potter *''

'' (1982), ‘J’ *''

'' (1983), Jeremy Jowling *''

'' (1985),

*''Bright Smiler'' (1985), Sir Jonathan Sibley *''Prospects'' (1985), Jocelyn Gummer *'' Mog'' (1985), Tom Manners *''

King and Castle ''King and Castle'' is a British television crime drama series, made by Thames Television and screened on ITV, that first broadcast on 20 August 1985. The series stars Derek Martin as Ronald King, a Detective Sergeant with the Metropolitan Police ...

'' (1986), Rodney Finch-Courtney *''

Boon Boon may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Boon (game), a trick-taking card game * ''Boon'' (novel), a 1915 satirical work by H. G. Wells * ''Boon'' (TV series), a British television series starring Michael Elphick * The Ultimate Boo ...

'' (1989), Tom *'Crime Story' – '' Deadly Obsession'' (1992), Hugh Rendell *''

'' (1993), Newspaper Editor *'' London’s Burning'' (1987), Berrington *''

'' (1988), John Maddingham *'' Birds of a Feather'' (1990), Gerald *''

'' (1990), Simon Bellamy *''

'' (1990), Lewis Lake aka Antoine *''

'' (1994– 1996), Lionel (voice) * ''Outside Edge'' (1994), Bob Willis *''

'' (1999), Prof Talbot Booth *'' Murder in Mind'' (2001), Mr Green QC *''

'' (2016),

*''Im siebten Himmel'' (''Seventh Heaven'') (2020), Peter Bradley - a German-English co-production

Bibliography

*''Raspberries and Other Trifles – Tales for Discerning Delinquents'' (1984) *''A Beginner's Guide to Opera'' (1993) *''Funny You Should Sing That – The Songs of Jeremy Nicholas'' (1993) *''Victorian Curiosities'', editor (1995) *''The Classic FM Guide to Classical Music'' (1996) *''The Classic FM Good Music Guide'' (1999) *''Chopin – His Life and Music'' (2006) *''The Great Composers'' (2007) *''Idle Thoughts on Jerome K Jerome'', editor (2009) *''Godowsky – The Pianists' Pianist'', 2nd ed. (2014) *''Limericks for the Connoisseur'', collected and edited (2019) *''What Larks – Collected light verse and lyrics'' (2022)

Recordings

*Prokofiev: ''

''. Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, conductor

Ondrej Lenárd Ondrej Lenárd (9 September 1942, Krompachy, Slovakia) is a Slovak conductor. He was principal conductor of the Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1977 to 1990 and of the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra from 1991 to 2001, where his concert ...

, narrator Jeremy Nicholas. (Naxos Records 8.550499) *Camille Saint-Saëns: ''

Carnival of the Animals ''The Carnival of the Animals'' (''Le Carnaval des animaux'') is a humorous musical suite of fourteen movements, including "The Swan", by the French composer Camille Saint-Saëns. The work, about 25 minutes in duration, was written for private ...

''. David Nettle & Richard Markham, pianos (with ensemble). Verses written and narrated by Jeremy Nicholas. (Netmark NEMACD600) *Francis Poulenc: ''

''. David Nettle & Richard Markham, pianos, Text by Jean de Brunhoff, narrator Jeremy Nicholas. (Netmark NEMACD600) *''Toccata Giubiloso''.

, organ. (NPC007, Alto ALC1187, Forum 8103) *Quiet Peace No.1 (arr. 2 pianos) David Nettle & Richard Markham, pianos (MCD 65, Carlton Classics 30366 01052, NEMACD200) *Place Settings (words & music, Jeremy Nicholas) Sarah Walker &

(Hyperion CDA66289, Helios CDH55422) **Musical Chairs (alternative version of Place Settings) (words & music, Jeremy Nicholas) Jody Karin Applebaum &

(Albany TROY744) *Usherette's Blues (words & music, Jeremy Nicholas) Sarah Walker &

(Hyperion CDA66289, Helios CDH55422) Jody Karin Applebaum &

(Albany TROY744) (TTB CD02) *Pretty Plain (words & music, Jeremy Nicholas) Jody Karin Applebaum &

(Albany TROY744) *Maternity (words & music, Jeremy Nicholas) Jody Karin Applebaum &

(Albany TROY744) *Valentine Card (words & music, Jeremy Nicholas) Stewart Collins & Andy Read (FEST CD231) *Blaythorne Suite (arr. Farr), Grimethorpe Colliery Band, conductor Ray Farr (PRL 004)

References

External links

* *
Jeremy Nicholas in BBC Radio (Genome)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicholas, Jeremy 1947 births Living people English male journalists English writers English lyricists English male television actors English male stage actors English male voice actors English male radio actors People from Wellington, Shropshire