PIONEERING bandleader-turned-DJ who single-handledly dragged the BBC out of the chaps-in-suits era by playing nothing but pesky ‘gramaphone records’, interspersed with his comic repartee and mangled clips of Tony Hancock going into space or something, on weekly light programme effort Record Roundabout, getting away with it mainly by virtue of being a chap-in-suit himself. Wound up on Radio 2 after a short tenure on Radio 1, and continued broadcasting right up until literally days before his death. A huge influence on Kenny Everett, and for that reason alone, his name should be much better known than it is.
Spainhighlander
November 20, 2010 at 5:22 pm
As a young man, I sooooooo looked forward to listening to Jack Jackson on the radio …. Saturday mornings … and absolute must.
His humour was way beyond its time, and technologically, putting together all the zany recordings must have taken ages each week.
He also used to have a television programme in the late 50’s early 60’s and I seem to recall he had a (real or imaginary) cat who always miaowed at the end of the programme.
For me, he was a sad loss, and despite what people say about Kenny Everitt and others who he influenced, for me he was magic.
Regards from sunny Spain