Ted Rogers (comedian)
Ted Rogers | |
|---|---|
| Born | Edward George Rogers 20 July 1933 Kennington, London, England |
| Died | 2 May 2001 (aged 67) St Thomas' Hospital, London, England |
| Occupation | Television comedian |
| Years active | 1960s - 2001 |
Edward George Rogers (20 July 1933 – 2 May 2001) was an English comedian and light entertainer who started his career as a Redcoat entertainer.[1][2] He hosted the Yorkshire Television game show 3-2-1 from 1978-1988.
Early life and career
Rogers was born in Kennington, South London, the son of Edward Rodgers, a soap machine operator and Lily May Rodgers Nee Cobb, an office cleaner[3] and went to school in Lambeth. His idol as a youngster was Danny Kaye and Rogers won a holiday camp talent contest impersonating Kaye as a youngster,[3] but he would later put all show-business offers on hold whilst he did his national service in the Royal Air Force.
In the early 1960s Rogers appeared as a stand up comedian on the radio programme Billy Cotton Band Show, alongside singers such as Tom Jones, Cliff Richard and Alma Cogan and comedians Terry Scott and Hugh Lloyd. He went on to host Sunday Night at the London Palladium in 1974.[3] Rogers also appeared on the comedy panel game Jokers Wild. He was asked by Perry Como to join him on his tour of Britain in 1975 as a comedian after a Royal Variety Performance.[citation needed] Bing Crosby later invited Rogers join him on his concerts of 1976 and 1977, to form a double act and sing "Gone Fishin'" with Crosby as a tribute to Louis Armstrong.[citation needed] Whilst on tour he was asked to film a pilot for a new TV game show.
3-2-1
Rogers became the presenter of ITV's variety gameshow 3-2-1 in 1978. It ran for just over ten years in a top-rating Saturday night slot. He earned £130,000 a year in the early 1980s from 3-2-1 alone[4] and combined this with a career as a highly paid after-dinner speaker and made regular cabaret and public appearances.[5][6]
Cancellation
3-2-1 was cancelled in December 1987[7][8] when still attracting audiences of 12 million and in the Top 20 ratings. Though initially the plan was for the show to carry on with Christmas and one-off specials. There was an Olympics special shown in September 1988 and a Christmas special in 1988 which was the final ever episode. In April 1996 Rogers told the Sunday Mirror that "The Oxbridge lot got control of TV and they didn't really want [the show]. It was too downmarket for them. We were still getting 12 million viewers when they took it off after 10 years. These days if a show gets nine million everyone does a lap of honour".[better source needed][9] Later that year, in an interview with Garry Bushell, Rogers said, "Entertainment is in the hands of Oxbridge graduates. We treat our stars disgracefully. Look at ITV and Benny Hill. Look how the BBC treated Les Dawson. We need to make programmes that entertain an audience again."[better source needed][10]
After 3-2-1
In the early 1990s, Rogers fell on hard times and was declared bankrupt in February 1992, having apparently invested his fortune in a failed business venture, Wyvern Rogers Television.[11] His home at Little Chalfont, Buckinghamshire, was repossessed and Rogers' production company collapsed with debts of £50,000.[3] He moved from Buckinghamshire to a modest home in Haslemere, Surrey.[citation needed]
In 1997–98, Rogers appeared in the touring production of the play Danny and Me about his hero Danny Kaye, which often sold out. Towards the end of the decade, Challenge TV began re-running episodes of 3-2-1. In 2000, Rogers was seen during the sponsor credits for the ITV quiz Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? – sitting in a dressing room with 3-2-1 mascot Dusty Bin and bemoaning the new show's success.[citation needed]
In 1999 and 2000 Rogers made several commercials for fast food chain McDonald's. On 10 November 2000, Rogers appeared as a guest on TFI Friday. His final television appearance, which was screened at the end of January 2001, saw him playing the host of a downmarket quiz show in the Series 13 episode Let's Get Quizzical of the BBC children's sitcom ChuckleVision. Had he lived, he would have worked with his old friend Jackie Mason on a Vaudeville-type act in America which was due to start in October 2001.[citation needed]
Personal life
Ted Rogers was married twice, firstly to his childhood sweetheart Marge, in 1953, by whom he had two daughters Fenella and Dena, and then in 1979 he married Marion[3] by whom he had a daughter Canna and a son Danny.
Celebrity guest
In 1989 Rogers appeared on the ITV game show You Bet! and in January 1993 on Celebrity Squares. In March 1986 he was featured on This Is Your Life and in April 1994 he appeared on Surprise Surprise.
Death
On 2 May 2001, Rogers died after emergency open-heart surgery to repair a heart valve at St Thomas' Hospital in London.[12]
Discography
Singles and EPs
- "I Can't Stop Thinking Of You" (1965), Piccadilly[13]
- "The Man From Cuckoo" (1966), Piccadilly[14]
- "L'amour" / Cool Date (1967), Pye[15]
- "Beware Of Mr. Shark" (1976), Sol-Doon[16]
- "Dusty Bin" (1982), Patch Records – (Ted Rogers with the Young 'Uns)[17]
References
- ^ 1939 England and Wales Register
- ^ Deaths 2001 - England and Wales
- ^ a b c d e Barker, Dennis (4 May 2001). "Obituary: Ted Rogers". Theguardian.com.
- ^ The Telegraph obituary - 3 May 2001
- ^ The Telegraph - 3 May 2001
- ^ The Stage - London - Obituary (10 May 2001).
- ^ Liverpool Echo - Thursday 17 December 1987
- ^ Daily Mirror - 18 December 1987
- ^ Sunday Mirror, 7 April 1996.
- ^ Back from the Ted - 3-2-1 star Rogers has never been busier - The Sun – 3 August 1996
- ^ The Stage - 16 August 1990
- ^ "Entertainer Ted Rogers dies". BBC News. 2 May 2001. Retrieved 16 December 2009.
- ^ "Ted Rogers - I Can't Stop Thinking Of You". 45cat.com. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
- ^ "Ted Rogers - The Man From Cuckoo". Discogs. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
- ^ "Ted Rogers - L'Amour". 45cat.com. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
- ^ "Ted Rogers - Beware Of Mr. Shark". Discogs. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
- ^ "The Young'uns (3)". Discogs. Retrieved 3 February 2018.