Shaw Taylor facts for kids

Eric Stanley Taylor (born 26 October 1924 – died 17 March 2015), known as Shaw Taylor, was a British actor and TV presenter. He was famous for hosting Police 5, a short TV show about solving crimes. He also received an honor called the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).

Shaw Taylor's Early Life and Career

Shaw Taylor joined the RAF when he was younger. After that, he studied acting at the RADA. He then performed in plays on stage in London's West End and went on tour.

He started working in television as an announcer for Associated TeleVision (ATV). From the 1950s, he acted in many films and TV shows. He also hosted several fun game shows. These included Password, Tell the Truth, and Dotto.

In the early 1960s, Shaw Taylor co-hosted a music show. It was called The Friday Spectacular on Radio Luxembourg. Between 1960 and 1962, he presented a quiz show called Pencil and Paper. In 1970, he was the first presenter for the Clunk Click public information films. These films taught people important safety messages.

In 1972, he hosted a trial episode of Whodunnit? on ITV. Later, he was sometimes a judge on the popular talent show New Faces.

Becoming Famous with Police 5

Shaw Taylor was best known for hosting Police 5. This was a short, five-minute TV show that first aired in London in 1962. The show asked people to help police solve crimes. It was very popular and ran for a long time.

He also hosted a version of the show for younger viewers. It was called Junior Police 5, or JP5. His famous saying was "keep 'em peeled!" This meant asking viewers to be very watchful. He first used this phrase on JP5. Later, he started using it on the adult Police 5 show. People loved it, and it became his well-known catchphrase.

Shaw Taylor presented and produced many local versions of Police 5. These included shows for ATV and Central in the Midlands. He also worked on versions for LWT in London and TVS in the South of England. The series finished its 30-year run in December 1992. He also helped with TV appeals for Crimestoppers UK.

In 2008, when he was 83, Shaw Taylor appeared as himself. He hosted Police 5 in an episode of the BBC TV show Ashes to Ashes. This episode was set in 1981. He used his famous "keep 'em peeled!" phrase in the show.

In 2014, at 89 years old, he returned to TV. He had a weekly part on the new Channel 5 version of Police 5. He brought back his "keep 'em peeled!" catchphrase once again. He also enjoyed playing bridge and hosted a TV series about the game.

Shaw Taylor's Later Life

Shaw Taylor passed away at his home in Totland, on the Isle of Wight. He died on 17 March 2015, at the age of 90. He was survived by his partner, Shirley, and his son, Richard.