Patrick Gordon Campbell, 3rd Baron Glenavy (6 June 1913 – 10 November 1980) was an
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
journalist, humorist and television personality.
Life and career
Campbell was born in
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
, the first son of
Charles Campbell, 2nd Baron Glenavy
Charles Henry Gordon Campbell, 2nd Baron Glenavy (1885–1963) succeeded his father James to become 2nd Baron Glenavy in March 1931. He was in turn succeeded as the 3rd Baron by his son, the satirist and television personality Patrick Campbell.
...
and
Beatrice, Lady Glenavy (the artist Beatrice Elvery). He was educated at
Rossall School
Rossall School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) for 0–18 year olds, between Cleveleys and Fleetwood, Lancashire. Rossall was founded in 1844 by St Vincent Beechey as a sister school to Marlborough College ...
(which he loathed) and then
Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College, a constituent college of the University of Oxford, is located at Pembroke Square, Oxford. The college was founded in 1624 by King James I of England, using in part the endowment of merchant Thomas Tesdale, and was named after ...
, but left Oxford without completing his degree. He was taken on by ''
The Irish Times
''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...
'' by
Robert Smyllie and reported on "Courts Day by Day". During the
Second World War
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 ...
, he served as a
Chief Petty Officer
A chief petty officer (CPO) is a senior non-commissioned officer in many navies and coast guards.
Canada
"Chief petty officer" refers to two ranks in the Royal Canadian Navy. A chief petty officer 2nd class (CPO2) (''premier maître de deuxià ...
in the Irish Marine Service. After the war he re-joined ''The Irish Times'' (using the
pseudonym
A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...
'Quidnunc'), and given charge of the column "Irishman's Diary". He had a weekly column for the Irish edition of the ''
Sunday Dispatch
The ''Sunday Dispatch'' was a prominent British newspaper, published between 27 September 1801 and 18 June 1961. It was ultimately discontinued due to its merger with the ''Sunday Express''.
History
The newspaper was first published as the ''Wee ...
'' before working on the paper in London from 1947 to 1949. He was assistant editor of ''
Lilliput'' from 1947 to 1953. His writings also appeared in ''
The Sunday Times
''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, whi ...
''.
His books, mostly collections of humorous pieces that were originally published in newspapers and magazines, included ''Constantly in Pursuit'', ''Come Here Till I Tell You'', ''Life in Thin Slices'' (1951), ''An Irishman's Diary'', ''Patrick Campbell's Omnibus'' (1954), ''A Short Trot with a Cultured Mind'', ''A Long Drink of Cold Water'', ''How to Become a Scratch Golfer'' (1963), ''The P-P-Penguin Patrick Campbell'' (1965), ''Brewing Up in the Basement'', ''Rough Husbandry'', ''All Ways on Sundays'' (1966), ''A Bunch of New Roses'', ''The Coarse of Events'', ''Gullible Travels'', ''The High Speed Gasworks'', ''Waving All Excuses'', ''Patrick Campbell's Golfing Book'', ''Fat Tuesday Tails'' (1972), ''35 Years on the Job'' (1973), ''The Campbell Companion'' (1987) and an autobiography, ''My Life and Easy Times''.
Campbell was married three times, first in 1941 to Sylvia Alfreda Willoughby Lee, whom he divorced in 1947. Then to Chery Louise Munro in 1947. The two divorced in 1966, the year he married Vivienne Orme.
Campbell spoke with a stammer, but nevertheless delighted
television
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...
audiences with his wit, notably as a regular team captain on the long-running show ''
Call My Bluff
''Call My Bluff'' is a British panel game show based on the short-lived US version of the same name. It was originally hosted by Robin Ray and later, most notably, by Robert Robinson. Its most prominent panellist was Frank Muir.
Format
The g ...
'', opposite his longtime friend,
Frank Muir
Frank Herbert Muir (5 February 1920 – 2 January 1998) was an English comedy writer, radio and television personality, and raconteur. His writing and performing partnership with Denis Norden endured for most of their careers. Together they wro ...
.
Muir noted that "When he was locked solid by a troublesome initial letter he would show his frustration by banging his knee and muttering 'Come along! Come along!'". Some of his funniest short stories described incidents involving his stammer. Campbell stood six feet five inches tall, and several of his funniest pieces dealt with the problems faced by a man of his build in merely finding shoes or clothes that fitted him.
["Fellow Traveller" in ''All Ways on Sundays'' Sphere Books, 1967] He also made regular appearances in ''
That Was The Week That Was
''That Was the Week That Was'', informally ''TWTWTW'' or ''TW3'', is a satirical television comedy programme that aired on BBC Television in 1962 and 1963. It was devised, produced, and directed by Ned Sherrin and Jack (aka John) Duncan, and pre ...
''.
He lived for many years in the South of France, and died in
Cannes
Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions I ...
on 10 November 1980. He was succeeded as the 4th and last Lord Glenavy by his novelist brother Michael.
References
External links
*
List of pieces written by Campbellfor ''
Lilliput'' magazine between 1947 and 1960.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Glenavy, Patrick Gordon Campbell, 3rd Baron
1913 births
1980 deaths
Barons in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
Irish magazine editors
People educated at Rossall School
Comedians from Dublin (city)
The Irish Times people