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Bill Kenwright
CBE
Born
William Kenwright

(1945-09-04)4 September 1945
Liverpool, England
Died23 October 2023(2023-10-23) (aged 78)
London, England
Occupation(s)Theatre and film producer
Actor and singer
Everton F.C. chairman
Years active1960s–2023
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1978; div. 1980)​
​
(m. 1994)​
Children1
Websitewww.kenwright.com

William Kenwright, CBE (4 September 1945 – 23 October 2023) was an English theatre and film producer. He was also the chairman of Everton Football Club for nearly two decades, from 2004 until his death in 2023.

Early life

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Kenwright was born in Liverpool and attended Booker Avenue County Primary School,[1] and then Liverpool Institute High School for Boys[2] (predecessor to LIPA) from 1957 to 1964. He was treasurer of the Christian Union at school.[3]

Kenwright was a judge in the 2007 BBC One television series Any Dream Will Do.[4]

Theatre

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As a theatre producer, Kenwright is best known for the long-running West End hit Blood Brothers and the record-breaking UK tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Other productions have included West End runs of Whistle Down the Wind at the Palace Theatre, Festen in London, on a UK tour and on Broadway, The Big Life, Elmina's Kitchen, Scrooge – The Musical, The Night of the Iguana, A Few Good Men, A Man For All Seasons alongside UK tours of Jesus Christ Superstar, Tommy, Tell Me on a Sunday and This is Elvis. He produced the London revival of Cabaret at the Lyric Theatre in September 2006, starring Anna Maxwell Martin, James Dreyfus and Sheila Hancock.

Kenwright helped start the careers of many current West End theatre producers, including Mark Rubinstein and Marc Sinden.[5] It has been estimated that he employed more actors in a year than any employer other than the BBC.[6]

Kenwright also directed many productions, including Blood Brothers, Whistle Down the Wind; he was asked by Andrew Lloyd Webber to make changes to the direction of Love Never Dies. Bill Kenwright additionally produced & directed the 2018/19 UK touring production of Saturday Night Fever, in which Richard Winsor (as the preliminary Tony Manero) perceived the symbolic "Stayin' Alive" dance spectacle as "The Kneebreaker" & he gleefully presented the deceiving "Stage Pose" downgrade (created by Arlene Phillips in 1997).

Productions, mainly musicals, included:

Film

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Music

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Kenwright had his own record label (Bill Kenwright Records), which released a number of albums: the London Palladium cast recording of Scrooge (starring Tommy Steele) and the 2006 Lyric Theatre Recording of Cabaret were joined in February 2008 by the debut album of Kenwright's new boy group Dream On. BK Records also released Joe McElderry's 4th album Saturday Night at the Movies,[7] and a soundtrack of Joe singing Joseph and His Technicolour Dreamcoat.

Dream On, comprising five runners up from the BBC's Any Dream Will Do – Craig Chalmers, Lewis Bradley, Chris Crosby, Chris Barton and Antony Hansen was formed in January 2008.

Kenwright began his music career in a band known as the Chevrolets.[8] Perhaps less known is Kenwright's recording career both solo and with a group Bill Kenwright and the Runaways:

  • "I want to go back there again"/"Walk through dreams" Columbia DB8239 (August 1967)[9]

and solo, as Bill Kenwright:

  • "Love's Black & White"/"Giving Up" MGM 1430 (July 1968)
  • "Tiggy"/"House That Fell on its Face" MGM 1463 (November 1968)
  • "Baby I Could Be So Good at Loving"/"Boy & a Girl" MGM 1478 (January 1969)
  • "Sugar Man"/"Epitaph"/"When Times Were Good" Fontana TF 1065 (October 1969)

Kenwright tried his hand at record production in 1969, producing two singles for Manchester band Money, who also worked as his backing band for several cabaret gigs in Oldham and at Allinson's, Liverpool.[10] The first record, "Come Laughing Home", was the title music for Kenwright's first foray into theatrical production, with Reginald Marsh (also a star of Coronation Street) as co-producer. The show starred Anne Reid, who at the time was playing Valerie Barlow in Coronation Street. It was the first time a Coronation Street star had worked in live theatre whilst still acting in the series. The show opened at Blackpool's Grand Theatre. The single was also released in Argentina.[citation needed]

Actor

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As a young man he became an actor. His early successes included a role in Coronation Street as Gordon Clegg, who was introduced in April 1968. Kenwright left the show after a year to pursue his producing career in March 1969, although he did return to the show on occasion throughout the 1970s for guest appearances. He continued to appear in Coronation Street occasionally until 2012. He had brief stints in other shows, such as The Villains and The Liver Birds, and appeared in the films Carry On Matron (1972), as a reporter, and England, My England (1995). From 1997 he managed the Theatre Royal in Windsor.

Everton Football Club

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Kenwright was the chairman of Everton Football Club. He succeeded Littlewoods director Philip Carter in the role. Kenwright remained on the Everton board since 23 October 1989 and up until his death in 2023. He became the second largest shareholder in 1999, when Peter Johnson sold his shareholding after the Football Association told him to sell his interests in either Tranmere Rovers or Everton.[11] He became the largest stakeholder in the club in 2004.[citation needed]

Scottish international forward Andy Gray reported in his autobiography that the Everton board were ready to offer Gray the job as manager in August 1997, but Kenwright, then director, had wanted to appoint Howard Kendall as manager for a third time.[12] Gray would decide not to become Everton manager and Kendall was appointed.

1994 buyout proposal

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Kenwright became involved in a consortium to buy Everton in 1994, as his consortium rivalled Birkenhead-based Peter Johnson. Kenwright's consortium had assurances from the Everton owner's family head Lady Grantchester that the Moores family would sell their stake in the club. Kenwright's proposal was dismissed as the "Manchester Consortium" in the Liverpool Echo,[11] as the rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester was enough to deter supporters' support. Kenwright's consortium included Manchester-based Tom Cannon, Tony Tighe (who later went on to create the Everton Collection) and Mike Dyble, whilst building magnate Arthur Abercromby was Cheshire-based.[11] Abercromby offered a £2 million interest-free loan to the club for the purchase of players.[13]

Kenwright, who had been a director at Everton for ten years, had an opportunity to sway the board members to accept his bid but chose not to because he did not want a public relations battle with the more affluent Johnson. Tighe, in an interview with a journalist David Conn, said: "Bill didn't want a public row, that's why he didn't go to press much. He wanted the board to be unanimous. As he saw it, he didn't want Everton's name to be dragged through controversy."[11] Peter Johnson's bid was accepted by the Everton board. Johnson installed Kenwright (the half Belgian half English theatre impresario) as vice-chairman and Sir Philip Carter was re-instated as chairman.[citation needed]

1999 buyout proposal and True Blue Holdings

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Kenwright's consortium bought 68% of Everton F.C. from Peter Johnson for £20 million in 1999. A holding company called True Blue (Holdings) Ltd was formed in January 2000. The stakeholders in True Blue Holdings included Paul Gregg, Jimmy Mulville, Jon Woods and Willy Russell before it was dissolved in 2004.[11] Mihir Bose reported that Anita Gregg lent up to £7 million to Kenwright.[14] Upon completion of the deal, Kenwright said: "Acquiring Peter Johnson's shares is only the first step to restoring a great club to where it belongs – to where it should be. If you are going to run a successful football club you need two qualities: you need to be realistic and you need a plan. I'm realistic and I have a plan."[15]

In 2003, he attempted to move Everton to the Kings Dock on the riverside but after a public feud with director Paul Gregg over the proposal's finances and the sale of Wayne Rooney, the move fell through. Gregg had wanted to keep Rooney at the club and Kenwright reluctantly felt it was best he be sold to ease the club's financial burden.[16] Paul and Anita Gregg later sold their shares to Florida-based businessman Robert Earl. Kenwright's close friend Philip Green is believed to have helped him secure the club after being approached for help.[17][18]

Chairmanship

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On 1 June 2004, Kenwright became chairman of Everton Football Club. On the same day, Trevor Birch was appointed chief executive officer to replace the outgoing Michael Dunford. Kenwright said that Birch would be his "sounding board" and that the new CEO should "dictate the policy of the football club". Kenwright stated that Birch had not been brought in to sell the club, but that a new investor can have his shares as long as they "have money to run the club".[19] Birch resigned six weeks later.[20] He resigned after a meeting with True Blue Holding (Kenwright, Woods, Gregg and Abercromby) where the board opted to not to sell the club. Gregg claimed there was a refusal to relinquish control by other directors and that it was preventing progress at the club.[21]

Fortress Sports Fund

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In August 2004, it was reported that a Brunei-based fund Fortess Sports Fund (FSF) were interested in buying a stake in Everton. Following the public fall-out with director Paul Gregg, it was anticipated that Gregg's shares in addition to others would be sold to the fund. Kenwright and Everton director Jon Woods were in favour of accepting the investment whilst Paul Gregg was sceptical and refused to endorse it.[22] Gregg believed that the fund under-valued his investment, it was reported that the fund's bid was £12.8 million for 29.9% of the club.[23]

In February 2005, Keith Wyness stated that the club had begun to look for other potential investors.[24] In April 2005, Samuelson stated that "the Fund is completed and registered" but Everton director Paul Gregg publicly questioned the FSF: "As a director I have not received any proof of funds – or that they even exist."[25] The Liverpool Echo described the FSF situation as a "farce". Paul Gregg stated that he had been "led down the garden path and that the whole exercise has embarrassed the club."[25] Samuelson re-iterated that funds were ready; "The fund is approved and ready to go. I have not received the actual certificate of incorporation of the fund but that is a technicality." He stated that an EGM was necessary to confirm the FSF fund. "As far as I'm concerned it's a fait accompli – subject to the approval of an EGM of shareholders."[26] An EGM was never called and the question of investment into Everton from the FSF fell away from the public eye.[citation needed]

In November 2005, at the following AGM. Kenwright said that Samuelson "was someone who I believed could have come up with the money, he had his credentials and thought he could come up with a deal that was good for the club ... but he didn't, like many many other people, come up with the goods."[27] He added: "I am spending 24 hours a day trying to raise finance for this club. I had a meeting today, three yesterday, all involving money that would dilute my shareholding – but I'm not interested in that."[27]

2004 Extraordinary General Meeting

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By September 2004, concerns amongst fans had grown about the future of the club.[citation needed] An Extraordinary General Meeting was called by shareholders; "The shareholders of the Company express their deep concern at the current state of affairs in the Company". It called for the board of directors to resign if they did not address previous motions to the satisfaction of shareholders[citation needed] Kenwright is considered approachable by fans and prior to the EGM he contacted a fan website before the press regarding the meeting.[28]

2008 Extraordinary General Meeting

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In 2007, Kenwright said in an interview on ITV that Goodison Park would soon fail to obtain a ground safety certificate and announced that he would like to move the club to Kirkby as part of a proposal known as Destination Kirkby which included a Tesco supermarket and a retail park. The pursuit of this project led to minor shareholders of the club calling for an Extraordinary General Meeting in 2008. After it was confirmed that the EGM would go ahead, Keith Wyness resigned and was replaced by Robert Elstone who was promoted to the position from within.[29]

At this meeting, Kenwright revealed that he took business advice from retail industry leaders Sir Philip Green and Sir Terry Leahy.[30] The minority shareholders determined that the club should not pursue the project due to a growing number of concerns. However, Kenwright and the other majority shareholders, using one share one vote forced the resolution to be defeated and the project to proceed.[31] The project was called in by the Secretary for State and a public inquiry determined that the project should not proceed after hearing evidence from groups who opposed the scheme such as Keep Everton In Our City (KEIOC).

In April 2008, he agreed to produce Dixie: The People's Legend, a documentary on Everton legend Dixie Dean produced by Liverpool-based company Tabacula.[32]

Personal life

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Kenwright was married to actress Anouska Hempel from 1978 to 1980 and had a daughter and two grandchildren from his relationship with the actress Virginia Stride. Until Kenwright’s death in 2023, he was in a long-term relationship with the actress Jenny Seagrove, with the couple residing in London. The West End theatre publicist Adam Kenwright is his nephew who runs advertising and marketing company aka.[33]

Death

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Everton provided a short update on Kenwright's health on 12 October 2023 saying in a statement: "Following a diagnosis at the beginning of August, Mr Kenwright underwent a major medical procedure six weeks ago to remove a cancerous tumour from his liver. The procedure was completely successful, but complications during surgery necessitated a prolonged period in an intensive care unit." Everton further went on to say: "his recovery which is expected to be lengthy, but complete."[34] Kenwright died of liver cancer on 23 October 2023, at the age of 78.[35][36]

Following publication of his obituary in The Guardian, one reader posted the following anecdote underneath:[37] “I haven’t met Bill Kenwright since we were in the National Youth Theatre together in about 1963. His broad Merseyside accent caused such amusement that my vivid memory during our production of Richard III at the long-gone Scala Theatre, was of the cast waiting for his line as Third Messenger, either over the intercom or our crowding into the wings to catch it. Hard to do phonetic justice in print to his flat-vowelled news that ‘By sudd’n fludds, Buckin-gum’s ahhmee is dispehhhrsed ‘n’ scatta’d’.”

On 26 October 2023, theatres across the UK dimmed their lights for two minutes to mark Kenwrights's passing.[38]

Honours

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Kenwright received an Honorary Fellowship from Liverpool's John Moores University and was an Honorary Professor of University of West London in London.[citation needed]

Kenwright was awarded the CBE for his services to film and theatre in the 2001 New Year Honours.[39][40]

In November 2008 he was awarded an Honorary degree of Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) from Nottingham Trent University in recognition of his outstanding contribution and commitment to British theatre.[41]

On 3 January 2014, Kenwright appeared on the BBC show Pointless Celebrities. He and his partner Jenny Seagrove reached the final and won the Pointless trophy, but gave three incorrect answers and missed out on the £2,500 jackpot.

References

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  1. ^ "Bill Kenwright - Trivia". IMDb. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  2. ^ Coveney, Michael (24 October 2023). "Bill Kenwright obituary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  3. ^ "Bill Kenwright Films and Shows – Apple TV (UK)". Apple TV. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Any Dream Will Do - UKGameshows". www.ukgameshows.com. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  5. ^ "The British Theatre Guide: New SOLT President". Britishtheatreguide.info. 9 June 2011. Archived from the original on 24 April 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  6. ^ "A Business called Show". British Theatre Guide. Archived from the original on 25 February 2004. Retrieved 23 April 2001.
  7. ^ "JOE MCELDERRY to release new album SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES - West End Wilma". 25 May 2017.
  8. ^ Longmore, Andrew (6 December 1998). "White knight with blue blood". The Independent. London. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  9. ^ "Field's Final Fab Forty – 6th August 1967". Radio London. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  10. ^ "Money on Manchesterbeat – the group and music scene of Manchester in the '60s". Manchesterbeat.com. Archived from the original on 22 November 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  11. ^ a b c d e Conn, David (1998). The Football Business. Mainstream Sport. p. 91. ISBN 978-1-84018-101-2.
  12. ^ Gray, Andy (2004). Gray matters : my autobiography. London: Macmillan. p. 240. ISBN 978-1-4050-4624-4.
  13. ^ Shaw, Phil (4 March 1994). "Van basten out of World Cup". The Independent. London. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
  14. ^ Bose, Mihir (22 June 2004). "Directors wife holds the purse strings at Goodison". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
  15. ^ Ross, Ian (26 January 2000). "Dream script for Kenwright". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  16. ^ Burt, Jason (25 July 2004). "Kenwright on the brink". The Independent. London. Retrieved 31 May 2009.
  17. ^ Nixon, Alan (20 July 2004). "Kenwright turns to the man who was not wanted by Marks and Spencers". The Independent. London. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  18. ^ Peston, Robert (1 August 2004). "Green comes to the rescue of Everton's chairman". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  19. ^ Prentice, David (2 June 2004). "'I want to be Trevor's sounding board'". Liverpool Echo.
  20. ^ McNultty, Phil (16 July 2004). "Everton chief Birch resigns". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  21. ^ Hunter, Andy (14 July 2004). "BIRCH QUITS; Birch resigns after Blues board refuse to sell club". Liverpool Echo.
  22. ^ Prentice, David (2 April 2005). "Fortress saga is dragging on; Board split signals further hold-ups". Liverpool Echo.
  23. ^ McNulty, Phil (13 January 2005). "Fortress may be crumbling". Liverpool Echo.
  24. ^ "Blues' new investors". Liverpool Echo. 3 February 2005.
  25. ^ a b Prentice, David (5 April 2004). "Gregg: I'm not the issue in Fund farce; Gregg's fund blast". Liverpool Echo.
  26. ^ Prior, David (5 April 2004). "Boardroom battle may resurface at Goodison; Gregg lining up rival investment as Fortress deal still not settled". Liverpool Echo.
  27. ^ a b Prior, David (25 November 2005). "Search for investment goes on as Fortress fails; Kenwright tells AGM of '24 hours a day' finance quest". Liverpool Echo.
  28. ^ "Bill Kenwright". Nsno.co.uk. 27 September 2004. Retrieved 31 May 2009.
  29. ^ "Kenwright open to 'right' offers". BBC Sport. 6 August 2008. Retrieved 14 December 2009.
  30. ^ "EGM Date Confirmed". Everton F.C. 7 August 2008. Retrieved 31 May 2009.
  31. ^ "EGM Resolution Defeated – The Official Website of Everton Football Club". Everton F.C. 3 September 2008. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  32. ^ "Notes from the Director 1". Tabacula. 23 April 2008. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  33. ^ Chynoweth, Carly (29 April 2012). "How I Made It: Adam Kenwright, founder of Aka Promotions". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 4 January 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  34. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  35. ^ "Club Statement". Everton FC. 24 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  36. ^ "Bill Kenwright: Everton chairman and theatre director dies aged 78". BBC News. 24 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  37. ^ "Bill Kenwright obituary". theguardian.com. 24 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  38. ^ Wood, Alex (25 October 2023). "Theatres across the UK to dim their lights and pay tribute to Bill Kenwright". WhatsOnStage.com. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  39. ^ Paddock, Terry. "Queen honors UK's Actors Courtenay, Scofield, Stewart, Shaw, Wanamaker" Playbill, 2 January 2001
  40. ^ Supplement, Order of the British Empire, page 8 The London Gazette, 30 December 2000
  41. ^ "Parkinson to become Chancellor of Nottingham Trent University"[permanent dead link] nottinghampost.com, 11 November 2008
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