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David Lewis Jacobs,
CBE
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 ...
(19 May 1926 – 2 September 2013) was a British broadcaster perhaps best known as presenter of the
BBC Television 1960s peak-time show ''
Juke Box Jury
''Juke Box Jury'' was a music panel show which ran on BBC Television between 1 June 1959 and 27 December 1967. The programme was based on the American show '' Jukebox Jury'', itself an offshoot of a long-running radio series. The American serie ...
'', and as chairman of the long-running
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' ...
topical forum ''
Any Questions?
''Any Questions?'' is a British topical discussion programme "in which a panel of personalities from the worlds of politics, media, and elsewhere are posed questions by the audience".
It is typically broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Fridays at 8 p ...
'' Earlier radio work included small acting parts: over the years he played himself or presenter characters in film, television and radio productions. Jacobs finally stepped down as a
BBC Radio 2 presenter shortly before his death in August 2013, his career having spanned more than 65 years.
Early life and career
Jacobs was born to a Jewish family, the youngest of three sons
[Obituary: David Jacobs](_blank)
telegraph.co.uk, 3 September 2013 of Jeanette and David Jacobs senior,
[Dennis Barke]
Obituary: David Jacobs
''The Guardian'', 3 September 2013 in
Streatham Hill
Streatham ( ) is a district in south London, England. Centred south of Charing Cross, it lies mostly within the London Borough of Lambeth, with some parts extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Wandsworth.
Streatham was in Surre ...
, London,
[Spencer Leig]
"Obituary: David Jacobs, much-loved broadcaster whose BBC career lasted more than 60 years"
''The Independent'', 3 September 2013 and educated at Belmont College and
Strand School
Strand School was a boys' grammar school in the Tulse Hill area of South London. It moved there in 1913 from its original location at King's College in London's Strand.
Distinguished in its heyday for its contribution of young men to the civil ...
.
In his early years the family was affluent, but his father, a Covent Garden fruit importer, was bankrupted in 1939 after suffering ill-health for a decade, and the family soon lost their home.
This forced his youngest son to leave school at 14, and Jacobs took up various short-term jobs, before he served in the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
from 1944 to 1947, and performed on the popular BBC General Forces Programme ''
Navy Mixture'' in 1944. He became an announcer with the
British Forces Broadcasting Service and was chief announcer on
Radio SEAC in
Ceylon (1945–47). Jacobs was later assistant station director.
A BBC staff announcer in the early 1950s, his voice intoned the title for many of the 53 episodes of the space adventure series ''
Journey Into Space
''Journey Into Space'' is a BBC Radio science fiction programme written by BBC producer Charles Chilton. It was the last UK radio programme to attract a bigger evening audience than television. Originally, four series were produced (the four ...
''. He played 22 parts in the series. He also broadcast on
Radio Luxembourg
Radio Luxembourg was a multilingual commercial broadcaster in Luxembourg. It is known in most non-English languages as RTL (for Radio Television Luxembourg).
The English-language service of Radio Luxembourg began in 1933 as one of the earlies ...
. He had, between 1957 to 1961, established the chart show format of the
BBC 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 ''
Pick of the Pops
''Pick of the Pops'' is a long-running BBC Radio programme originally based on the Top 20 from the UK Singles Chart and first broadcast on the BBC Light Programme on 4 October 1955. It transferred to BBC Radio 1 (simulcast on BBC Radio 2) from 19 ...
'', to which he briefly returned in 1962. Between 1957 to 1966, he presented ''
A Song for Europe
A, or a, is the first Letter (alphabet), letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, Latin alphabet, used in the English alphabet, modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name ...
'' and provided the UK commentary at
Eurovision Song Contests.
Jacobs presented ''
Juke Box Jury
''Juke Box Jury'' was a music panel show which ran on BBC Television between 1 June 1959 and 27 December 1967. The programme was based on the American show '' Jukebox Jury'', itself an offshoot of a long-running radio series. The American serie ...
'' on
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
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television between 1959 and 1967. This was a weekly show in which a guest panel reviewed newly released pop records and forecast whether each would become a "hit" or a "miss". By 1962 the programme attracted 12 million viewers weekly on Saturday nights.
[Mundy, John, ''Popular music on screen: from the Hollywood musical to music video'' (Manchester University Press, 1999) , pp.204–5] He was one of the four original presenters of ''
Top of the Pops
''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most o ...
'' when it began in 1964, but remained a presenter of the programme for only its first two years.
"I became too square for the pop scene", he once commented.
In 1963 he published an autobiography, ''Jacobs' Ladder''.
From the late 1960s to 1984
Most of Jacobs's career after the late 1960s was at
BBC Radio 2, although in the early days of
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
, which opened in September 1967, he had a late programme on Sundays. Though a Radio 1 show, this was broadcast on Radios 1 and 2 and consisted of
easy listening music and interviews with guests. From December 1967 until July 1984, Jacobs chaired the Radio 4 topical debate programme ''
Any Questions?
''Any Questions?'' is a British topical discussion programme "in which a panel of personalities from the worlds of politics, media, and elsewhere are posed questions by the audience".
It is typically broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Fridays at 8 p ...
'' He later presented a similar series called ''Questions'' for
TVS. He hosted the panel game ''
What's My Line
''What's My Line?'' is a panel game show that originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, originally in black and white and later in color, with subsequent U.S. revivals. The game uses celebrity panelis ...
?'' when it was revived on
BBC2 from 1973 to 1974. In 1973 he hosted a short-lived version of the American game show ''
The Who, What or Where Game''.
Jacobs appeared as himself in the 1974 film ''
Stardust'', compèring a 1960s award ceremony. He also appeared as himself in an episode of the BBC sitcom ''
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em
''Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'' is a British sitcom broadcast on BBC1, created and written by Raymond Allen and starring Michael Crawford and Michele Dotrice. It was first broadcast in 1973 and ran for two series, including two Christmas special ...
'' alongside
Michael Crawford
Michael Patrick Smith, (born 19 January 1942), known professionally as Michael Crawford, is an English tenor, actor and comedian.
Crawford is best known for playing both the hapless Frank Spencer in the sitcom '' Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'' a ...
, presenting a fictional home-improvement show.
In 1984, he received the
Sony Gold Award for his outstanding contribution to radio over the years (and was subsequently admitted to the
Sony Hall of Fame). He also achieved the
Richard Martin Award for exceptional service in the cause of
animal welfare. In the same year, Jacobs was appointed Representative
Deputy Lieutenant for the
Royal Borough of Kingston
The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames is a borough in southwest London. The main town is Kingston upon Thames and it includes Surbiton, Chessington, Malden Rushett, New Malden and Tolworth. It is the oldest of the four royal boroughs in Engl ...
, a position he held over the following 17 years. On his retirement from this position he became
High Steward of Kingston.
Later career
Between January 1985 and December 1991, Jacobs presented a daily lunchtime programme on Radio 2 of what he characterised as "our kind of music", much of it popular tunes from
musical theatre. Jacobs subsequently presented a weekly programme following a similar format, for a time on Saturday evening and later on Fridays, although the show finished airing in early 1999. He also presented Radio 2's long-running Sunday programme ''Melodies for You'' from 1974 to 1984.
By now one of the station's oldest presenters, he hosted a Sunday late-night
easy listening
Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to 1970s. It is related to middle-of-the-road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit songs, n ...
show from 1998 until 2013, ''The David Jacobs Collection'', showcasing songs from
Hollywood,
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
and
Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley was a collection of music publishers and songwriters in New York City that dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It originally referred to a specific place: West 28th Street ...
and continuing the "our kind of music" theme. The programme regularly featured recordings by
Matt Monro
Matt Monro (born Terence Edward Parsons, 1 December 1930 – 7 February 1985) was an English singer. Known as "The Man with the Golden Voice", he performed internationally during his 30-year career. AllMusic has described Monro as "one of the m ...
,
Frank Sinatra,
Judy Garland
Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. While critically acclaimed for many different roles throughout her career, she is widely known for playing the part of Dorothy Gale in '' The ...
,
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...
,
Sammy Davis, Jr.,
Vic Damone
Vic Damone (born Vito Rocco Farinola; June 12, 1928 – February 11, 2018) was an American traditional pop and big band singer and actor. He was best known for his performances of songs such as the number one hit "You're Breaking My Heart", and ...
and
Robert Preston among others and its signature tune was an instrumental version of
Cole Porter's "
I Love You, Samantha" from ''High Society''.
On television, Jacobs was a regular Dictionary Corner guest on Channel 4's popular quiz show ''Countdown'' between 1993 and 2001, making 62 guest appearances in all on the programme.
In a revival of the 1950s show ''Journey into Space'', he played the lead role of Jet Morgan in ''Frozen in Time'' on BBC Radio 4 on 12 April 2008, and he played The Host in ''The Host'' on BBC Radio 4 on 27 June 2009.
DJs
Stuart Maconie
Stuart Maconie (born 13 August 1961) is an English radio DJ and television presenter, writer, journalist, and critic working in the field of pop music and popular culture. He is currently a presenter on BBC Radio 6 Music where, alongside Mark ...
and
Mark Radcliffe recruited Jacobs in 2008 to introduce album tracks from
Cream
Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this process ...
on their weekday evening Radio 2 show under the rubric "Jacobs's Cream Crackers", an allusion to a
brand of biscuit. In 2010, he provided soundbites for
Chris Evans's breakfast show, and chose a record each Thursday. This followed the success of his choice of
Maurice Chevalier's ''I'm Gonna Shine Today'' as a song to play on the programme.
During the first half of 2012, while Jacobs was recovering from two major operations, he continued to be heard each Sunday on BBC Radio 2, which broadcast repeats of ''The David Jacobs Collection'' and ''Frank Sinatra: Voice of the Century'', presented by Jacobs in 1998. He returned to his regular Sunday night slot with ''The David Jacobs Collection'' on 8 July 2012.
On 22 July 2013 Jacobs announced that he was stepping down as presenter of his
Radio 2 show, citing ill health. His last show was broadcast on 4 August 2013. He said, "I will not stop collecting but my sadness will be that I cannot share them with all my loyal listeners. But rest assured, I will be back from time to time." He was replaced in this slot by
Don Black.
He had been involved since its inception in Kingston's
Rose Theatre, of which he was life president. He was vice-patron of the charity ''Advance Centre for the Scotson Technique'',
and patron of the Disabled Photographers' Society.
Jacobs was also a lifelong friend of Dame
Vera Lynn
Dame Vera Margaret Lynn (; 20 March 191718 June 2020) was an English singer and entertainer whose musical recordings and performances were very popular during World War II. She is honorifically known as the " Forces' Sweetheart", having giv ...
and was Vice President of her charity, The Dame Vera Lynn Trust for Children with Cerebral Palsy. He was also involved in the Celebrities Guild, which
Michael Freedland described as "a kind of Jewish Variety Club", and regularly spoke at "ordinary suburban synagogues".
Personal life
In 1949 Jacobs married Patricia Bradlaw, with whom he had three daughters and a son, but their marriage collapsed in 1969,
and the couple finally divorced in 1972.
Their actress daughter Emma Jacobs featured in ''
The Stud'' (1978), a film in which she played Alex Khaled, daughter of Fontaine Khaled (
Joan Collins
Dame Joan Henrietta Collins (born 23 May 1933) is an English actress, author and columnist. Collins is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, a People's Choice Award, two Soap Opera Digest Awards and a Primeti ...
).
His life was marred by several tragic events. Jeremy, his 19-year-old son, was killed in Israel during 1972 in a car accident while engaged in charity work. In 1975, Jacobs survived a car accident in Spain in which his pregnant second wife, Caroline (née Munro), whom he had married earlier that year, and Caroline Marsh, wife of politician
Richard Marsh, were killed.
With journalist Sue Freeman, he co-wrote a memoir of her, ''Caroline'' (1978).
Jacobs' marriage to Lindsay Stuart-Hutcheson lasted from 1979 until his death in 2013.
Death
Jacobs died at home at the age of 87 on 2 September 2013, surrounded by his family.
He had been suffering from
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms becom ...
and had also been treated for
liver cancer since at least 2011.
References
External links
*
Short biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jacobs, David Lewis
1920s births
2013 deaths
People from Streatham
BBC Radio 2 presenters
British radio DJs
British radio personalities
British television presenters
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
People educated at the Strand School
Radio Luxembourg (English) presenters
Place of death missing
Royal Navy personnel of World War II
English Jews
Top of the Pops presenters