Norman Vaughan | Television industry
Television industry This article is more than 21 years oldObituaryNorman Vaughan
This article is more than 21 years oldComedian and variety hostNorman Vaughan, who has died aged 75 following a road accident, was a comedian, compere and game show presenter who achieved fame when, in January 1962, he took over from Bruce Forsyth as the host of ITV's Sunday Night at the London Palladium. The programme's ratings were such that appearing on it was a seal of approval, while compering it assured fame as a national institution. That performance, however, marked the peak of his career and apart from devising the game show, Bullseye, Vaughan largely faded away into the shadows of showbusiness.
Forsyth, with his ingratiating smarm and arch mannerisms, was a hard act to follow. Vaughan was less flamboyant. His response to Forsyth's then catchphrase,"I'm in charge" was to conjure up his own: "swinging!" and "dodgy!". He stayed as presenter for three years, handing over to Jimmy Tarbuck in 1965.
Before Sunday Night, Liverpool-born Vaughan had acted as compere for shows over the north of England. In 1960, he had been glad to do a live radio comedy act with Bill Waddington (later of Coronation Street) on a Workers' Playtime broadcast by the BBC from a Lucas Engineering factory.
After Sunday Night, he was in such demand that Cadbury's hired him for a Roses chocolates commercial in which Vaughan used his third best-known catchphrase, while giving a thumbs up, "Roses grow on you".
Vaughan first appeared on television in 1954: in The Harry Secombe Show and in Scott Free with Terry Scott, with both comedians playing out-of-work actors in Bogmouth-on-Sea. His appearances on Sunday Night at the London Palladium persuaded ITV to give him his own show, A Touch Of The Norman Vaughans, while the BBC created The Norman Vaughan Show (1966) for him. Its writers, such as Eric Merriman and Barry Took, were distinguished in the comedy field, while among the regular performers was Bill Pertwee, of Dad's Army fame.
In 1972 when Bob Monkhouse left The Golden Shot, Vaughan took his place though he remained for only a year. The genre intrigued him and, with Andy Wood, he helped devise Bullseye for Central TV. This programme, was hardly a critical success although it made an impact of a kind: by the end of the final series there was a five-year waiting list to be in the audience. Vaughan latterly had not socialised much with other entertainers although he kept in touch with Forsyth. He spent more time playing golf and enjoying his homes in Surrey and Marbella.
He is survived by his wife, a son and three step-daughters.
· Norman Vaughan, comedian and television presenter, born April 10 1927; died May 17 2002.
Explore more on these topicsShareReuse this contentncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKWVmbaie5FpZ2tnnZbGcH6PaJmrp5GZsKK%2F06KloGaXqq6zsMiapaiamanCor7Inqo%3D