Des O'Connor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Des O'Connor
CBE |
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O'Connor performing in 1974
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| Born |
Desmond Bernard O'Connor
12 January 1932 |
| Died | 14 November 2020 (aged 88) Buckinghamshire, England
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| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1954–2019 |
| Television | The Des O'Connor Show (1963–1973) Des O'Connor Entertains (1974–1976) Des O'Connor Tonight (1977–2002) Take Your Pick (1992–1999) Today with Des and Mel (2002–2006) Countdown (2007–2008) |
| Spouse(s) |
Phyllis Gill
(m. 1953; div. 1959)Gillian Vaughan
(m. 1960; div. 1982)Jay Rufer
(m. 1985; div. 1990)Jodie Brooke Wilson
(m. 2007) |
| Children | 5 |
Desmond Bernard O'Connor (1932–2020) was a famous English comedian, singer, and television presenter. He was known for his friendly personality and long career.
Des O'Connor hosted many TV shows. These included his own chat shows like The Des O'Connor Show (starting in 1963) and Des O'Connor Tonight. He also presented popular game shows such as Take Your Pick! and Countdown.
As a singer, he recorded 36 albums. He had four songs that reached the top ten in the UK. One of his songs, "I Pretend", even reached number one! He sold over sixteen million records worldwide. Des was good friends with the comedy duo Morecambe and Wise. They often joked about his singing on their TV show, but Des always joined in the fun.
Contents
Early Life of Des O'Connor
Desmond Bernard O'Connor was born in Stepney, East London, on January 12, 1932. His mother, Maude, was a cleaner, and his father, Harry, was a dustman. Des often joked that he was the first O'Connor to have a bar mitzvah because his mother was Jewish and his father was Irish Catholic.
When he was a child, Des was very sick. He had rickets and was badly hurt in a car accident. He had to stay in an iron lung for six months to help him breathe. During World War II, he was sent to Northampton for safety. There, he worked in a shoe factory and played football for Northampton Town as a schoolboy.
After serving in the Royal Air Force, Des worked at a Butlin's holiday camp as a Redcoat. He also sold shoes before becoming a full-time entertainer. Early in his career, he met famous people like Welsh singer Shirley Bassey and American rock and roll star Buddy Holly. Des was even the host for Buddy Holly's UK tour in 1958.
Des O'Connor's Career Highlights
Des O'Connor had a very successful career in both live shows and television.
Stage Performances
Des O'Connor performed in many famous theatres around the world. He appeared at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and the Sydney Opera House. He performed over a thousand times at the famous London Palladium in London.
In 2011, he starred in the musical Dreamboats and Petticoats. The next year, he joined the cast of The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium. He played several characters, including Professor Marvel and The Wizard.
From 2015 to 2017, Des toured the UK with fellow comedian Jimmy Tarbuck. They performed a special show together to raise money for charity. Des continued to tour with his own one-man show until 2019.
Television Shows
Des O'Connor was on mainstream television almost every year from 1963 into the 2000s. This was a rare achievement for a TV star.
- The Des O'Connor Show: From 1963 to 1971, Des hosted his own variety show on ITV. It featured singing, dancing, and comedy. Later, he had a similar show called Des O'Connor Entertains. His show was so popular that it was even shown in the United States and over forty other countries.
- Des O'Connor Tonight: From 1977 to 2002, Des hosted his own chat show. It started on BBC Two and later moved to ITV. On this show, he interviewed many famous guests.
- Take Your Pick!: Between 1992 and 1998, Des presented this popular game show.
- Today with Des and Mel: From 2002 to 2006, he co-hosted a lunchtime show with Melanie Sykes.
- Countdown: In 2007, Des became a co-presenter of the game show Countdown on Channel 4. He left the show in 2008 to focus more on live theatre.
- An Audience with Des O'Connor: In 2001, he had a special TV show where he answered questions from a celebrity audience.
- The One and Only Des O'Connor: In 2012, ITV aired a special show to celebrate Des's 80th birthday. Many famous guests joined in the celebration.
Guest Appearances
Des O'Connor was a frequent guest on The Morecambe and Wise Show. The comedians Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise often made jokes about Des's singing. They would call him "Des – short for 'desperate'" or "Death O'Connor." Des was a good sport and even helped write some of these jokes himself!
He also appeared on many other popular TV game shows. These included Would I Lie to You?, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, and The Chase.
Singing Career
Des O'Connor had a very successful career as a singer. He released 36 albums, and five of them reached the top 40 in the UK. He worked with many famous pop stars, including Shirley Bassey and Cilla Black.
He had four top 10 singles. His song "I Pretend" was a number-one hit in 1968. He also had a hit duet with Roger Whittaker called "The Skye Boat Song" in 1986.
Awards and Honours
In 1969, Des O'Connor was the first person to be featured on the TV show This Is Your Life when it returned to television. He was surprised live on stage at the London Palladium.
In 2001, he received a Special Recognition Award at the National Television Awards. This award celebrated his amazing contribution to television over many years.
His autobiography, a book about his own life, was published in 2002. It was called Bananas Can't Fly!.
In 2008, Des O'Connor was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This is a special honour given by the Queen for his services to entertainment.
After he passed away, ITV aired a special tribute show called Des O'Connor: The Ultimate Entertainer in December 2020.
Personal Life
Des O'Connor was married four times and had five children.
- His first wife was Phyllis Gill. They had a daughter named Karen.
- His second wife was Gillian Vaughan. They had two daughters.
- His third wife was Jay Rufer. They had one daughter.
- His fourth wife was Jodie Brooke Wilson. They married in 2007 and had a son together.
Death
Des O'Connor passed away peacefully in his sleep on November 14, 2020, at the age of 88. This was a week after he had a fall at his home. The episode of Countdown that aired on November 16, 2020, was dedicated to his memory.
Images for kids
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O'Connor performing in 1974
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Des O'Connor on the Blackpool Walk of Fame Comedy Carpet, 2022
