Bruce Forsyth
Sir Bruce Joseph Forsyth-Johnson, also known as Brucie, was a British entertainer and television personality whose career spanned over 75 years. His appeal stemmed from his showmanship, quick wit, and ability to connect with audiences, a talent honed during years on the post-war variety circuit. His legacy is marked by a transition from traditional music hall performance to the evolving world of television.
Forsyth started his live public performances aged 14, and hosted the variety show Sunday Night at the London Palladium for three years. From the 1970s to the 1990s, Forsyth became famous for presenting several successful British game shows. He is particularly remembered for his work on the BBC series The Generation Game, which he hosted from 1971 to 1977 and again from 1990 to 1994. Moving to ITV, he hosted other successful game shows, including Play Your Cards Right from 1980 to 1987, 1994 to 1999 and from 2002 to 2003, and Bruce's Price is Right from 1995 to 2001.
Forsyth found a new generation of fans by co-hosting the BBC's talent show Strictly Come Dancing with Tess Daly from 2004 to 2013. He was an enthusiastic and lifelong supporter of numerous charities, particularly those focused on helping children, disabled people, and animals. Forsyth was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1998, a Commander in 2006, and a Knight Bachelor in the 2011 Birthday Honours for services to entertainment and charity. In 2012, Guinness World Records recognised Forsyth as having the longest television career for a male entertainer. Towards the end of his life, Forsyth suffered from ill health, which reduced his appearances in public. He made his last full TV appearance on the Strictly Children in Need Special in 2015''.''
Early life
Bruce Joseph Forsyth-Johnson was born on Victoria Road in Edmonton, Middlesex, on 22 February 1928, the son of Florence Ada and John Thomas Forsyth-Johnson. His family owned a car repair garage and, as members of the Salvation Army, his parents played brass instruments; his mother was a singer.His great-grandfather Joseph Forsyth Johnson was a landscape architect who worked in several countries, and Bruce believed that his great-great-great-great-grandfather was William Forsyth a founder of the Royal Horticultural Society and the namesake of the plant genus Forsythia. However both of William's sons died without heirs so William had no direct male descendants.
Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Forsyth was evacuated to Clacton-on-Sea. Shortly after he arrived, Forsyth's parents allowed him to return to London because he felt homesick. On 21 May 1943, Forsyth's older brother John, who was serving as a pilot in the Royal Air Force, was killed aged 20 during a training exercise at RAF Turnberry; he is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Forsyth attended the Latymer School. After watching Fred Astaire in films at the age of eight, he trained in dance in Tottenham and then Brixton.
Career
Boy Bruce, the Mighty Atom
Forsyth started his live public performances aged 14, with a song, dance and accordion act called Boy Bruce, the Mighty Atom. His first appearance was at the Theatre Royal in Bilston, with The Great Marzo at the top of the bill. He had made his television debut in 1939 as a child, singing and dancing on BBC talent show Come and Be Televised, broadcast from Radiolympia and introduced by Jasmine Bligh.Post-war work
After the war, with the goal of joining Moss Empires theatres, he spent years on stage with little success and travelled the UK working seven days a week, doing summer seasons, pantomimes and circuses, where he became renowned for his strong-man act. His act was interrupted by national service when he was conscripted into the Royal Air Force at the age of 19, which he later reflected taught him "respect and discipline".In 1958, an appearance with the comedian Dickie Henderson led to his being offered the job of compère of Val Parnell's weekly TV variety show, Sunday Night at the London Palladium. He hosted the show for two years, followed by a year's break, then returned for another year. His schedule of stage performances, which continued throughout the 1960s, forced him to give up the job of host.
Forsyth appeared in the London production of Little Me, along with Avril Angers in 1964. In the musical film Star!, a biopic of stage actress Gertrude Lawrence, he played alongside lead performer Julie Andrews as Lawrence's father.
On 7 October 1968, he was top of the bill on the opening night of the Golden Garter nightclub, Wythenshawe. Two years later, he played Swinburne in the Disney fantasy film Bedknobs and Broomsticks. In 1976, he appeared on The Muppet Show, where he took on the duo Statler and Waldorf.
Game show host
During his spell of hosting Sunday Night at the London Palladium as part of the show he hosted the 15-minute game show Beat the Clock. Forsyth's next success was The Generation Game, which proved popular and attracted huge Saturday evening audiences. It was on this show that Forsyth introduced his "The Thinker" pose, emulating Rodin's sculpture, appearing in silhouette each week after the opening titles. This pose is reminiscent of the circus strong-man attitude, and Forsyth used it on many shows he later hosted. He also wrote and sang the theme for the show "Life is the Name of the Game." Millions of viewers became familiar with the rasp of Forsyth's north London accented voice and his "distinctively pointy" chin that he emphasised in poses such as the "human question mark", with chin over raised knee. During his time as host of The Generation Game he began using what would become his signature 'call and response' greeting with the studio audience, "It's nice to see you, to see you...", to which the audience would loudly reply, "Nice!"; he used this on many shows he later hosted for the rest of his career. He was replaced on The Generation Game by Larry Grayson.In 1977 he announced that he was leaving television to take the star role in a new musical, The Travelling Music Show, based on the songs of Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse. The show did reasonably well in provincial theatre, but received poor reviews when it moved to London and it closed after four months in July 1978.
London Weekend Television persuaded him to return to the screen later that year to present Bruce Forsyth's Big Night, a two-hour Saturday-night show on ITV encompassing a variety of different entertainment formats. However, the show was not a success and lasted for just one series. Forsyth remained with ITV, hosting the game show Play Your Cards Right, which was the UK version of the US original Card Sharks, from 1980 to 1987, 1994 to 1999, and a brief period from 2002 to 2003, before the show was pulled mid-run.
In 1986, he went to the United States to host a game show on ABC, Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak, which ran for 65 episodes from January to April that year. Shortly after, Forsyth was considered by Mark Goodson to be a candidate for hosting the revival of
Forsyth fronted the third version of The Price Is Right, titled Bruce's Price Is Right during his era as the host. His unsuccessful gameshows include Takeover Bid, Hollywood Or Bust, and Didn't They Do Well!. During the 1970s Forsyth featured in the Stork margarine adverts on television, and then during the 1980s and 1990s he appeared in an advertising campaign for the furniture retailer Courts, in which he dressed as a judge.
Forsyth celebrated his 70th birthday in 1998 and appeared in a week-long run of his one-man show at the London Palladium. In 2000, Forsyth hosted a revived series called Tonight at the London Palladium.
Career revival
In 2003, and again in 2010, Forsyth was a guest presenter on the news and satire quiz show Have I Got News for You. Forsyth had called Paul Merton, one of the team captains on the show, to suggest himself as a guest presenter. He co-presented Strictly Come Dancing with Tess Daly from 2004 to 2013, formally stepping down from hosting the regular live show in April 2014. This decision was made to reduce his workload and for the preparation of pre-recorded specials.On 7 April 2010, Forsyth became one of the first three celebrities to be subjected to the British version of the American institution of a comedy roast, on Channel 4's A Comedy Roast. Forsyth was the subject of the BBC genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are?, broadcast on 19 July 2010. On 20 March 2010, Forsyth appeared on the autobiography-interview programme Piers Morgan's Life Stories, which was broadcast on ITV.
In 2011, Forsyth released a collection of songs on CD called These Are My Favourites. He chose the songs for their personal and musical importance, including a duet with his granddaughter, Sophie Purdie. These Are My Favourites also includes a recording of "Paper Moon" with Nat King Cole.
Charity work
Forsyth was an enthusiastic and lifelong supporter of numerous charities, particularly those focused on helping children, disabled people, and animals.In 2001, Forsyth became a patron for the international charity EveryChild, which supports vulnerable children around the world. For his 80th birthday in 2008, he requested that people donate to EveryChild instead of buying him presents.
Forsyth was heavily involved with the charity Variety, which assists disabled and disadvantaged children. As part of this work, he helped provide the charity with its signature "Sunshine Coaches," which are specially adapted minibuses.
Forsyth was a supporter and ambassador for the children's charity Caudwell Children, regularly appearing at many of their fundraising events.
A patron of this Surrey-based charity for over two decades, Forsyth supported its work by attending events, playing in golf tournaments, and donating Strictly Come Dancing tickets for auctions.
An avid golfer, Forsyth played in and hosted numerous pro-celebrity tournaments for many good causes, including his own Bruce Forsyth Pro-Am Charity Classic. Events he hosted at his home on the Wentworth estate raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for Sparks, a charity that supports children's medical research.
He also lent his support to organizations such as Cats Protection, Help for Heroes, and the Royal Osteoporosis Society.
Forsyth regularly participated in fundraising drives, including a charity auction for child victims of the Balkan conflict and specials for the BBC's Children in Need, including a special episode of Strictly Come Dancing.