Sir Jimmy Savile

Sir James Wilson Vincent Savile, OBE, KCSG

From Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Savile

(31 October 1926 – 29 October 2011) was an English disc jockey, television presenter and media personality, best known for his BBC television show Jim'll Fix It, and for being the first and last presenter of the long-running BBC chart show Top of the Pops. He was also known for his support of various charities and fundraising efforts, particularly Stoke Mandeville Hospital, and was widely described as a philanthropist.[1][2] He died in October 2011, two days short of his 85th birthday.[3]

Early life

Savile was born in Leeds, the youngest of seven children, including Mary, Marjory, Vincent, John, Joan, and Christina Savile, born to Agnes Monica (Kelly) and Vincent Joseph Marie Savile, a bookmaker's clerk and insurance agent.[4] He was a Bevin Boy, conscripted during World War II to work as a coal miner at South Kirkby Colliery, West Yorkshire, England. Having started playing records in dance halls in the early 1940s, Savile claimed to be the first ever disc jockey. According to his autobiography, he was the first person to use two turntables and a microphone, at the Grand Records Ball at the Guardbridge Hotel in 1947.[5] Savile is acknowledged as one of the pioneers of twin turntables for continuous play of music,[6] though his claim has been disputed. Twin turntables were illustrated in the BBC Handbook in 1929, and were advertised for sale in Gramophone magazine in 1931.[7]

Savile later lived in Salford, and worked as manager of the Plaza Ballroom in Oxford Road, Manchester, in the mid-fifties. He lived in Great Clowes Street in Higher Broughton, Salford, and was often seen sitting on his front door steps. He also managed the Mecca Locarno ballroom in Leeds around the late 1950s and early 1960s.[8] Mecca also owned the Palais, a dance hall in Ilford, Essex, and Savile did a stint as manager there between 1955 and 1956. His Monday evening records-only dance sessions (admission one shilling) were a huge favourite with local teens.[9] Savile was a hospital porter at Broadmoor Hospital[10] and Leeds General Infirmary and became a semi-professional sportsman, competing in the 1951 Tour of Britain cycle race[11] and working as a professional wrestler. He said:

If you look at the athletics of it, I've done over 300 professional bike races, 212 marathons and 107 pro fights. [He proudly announces that he lost all of his first 35 fights.] No wrestler wanted to go back home and say a long-haired disc jockey had put him down. So from start to finish I got a good hiding. I've broken every bone in my body. I loved it.[12]

Television

In 1960 he presented Tyne Tees Television's music programme Young at Heart. Although the show was broadcast in black and white, Savile dyed his hair a different colour every week.[13]

On New Year's Day, 1964, he presented the first edition of British music chart television programme Top of the Pops from a television studio – a converted church – in Dickenson Road Rusholme, Manchester (now demolished). On 30 July 2006 he also co-hosted the final edition, ending the show with the words "It's number one, it's still Top of the Pops", before being shown turning off the studio lights after the closing credits. On 31 December 1969, Savile hosted the BBC/ZDF co-production Pop Go The Sixties, shown across Western Europe, celebrating the hits of the 1960s. He presented the television programme Jim'll Fix It from 1975 to 1994. During the early 1960s he co-hosted (with Pete Murray) New Musical Express Poll Winners' Concert, annually held at Empire Pool, Wembley, with acts such as The Beatles, Cliff Richard and The Shadows, Joe Brown And the Bruvvers, The Who, and many others. These were filmed and recorded and later broadcast on television.

He is remembered for a series of Public Information Films promoting road safety, notably "Clunk Click Every Trip" which was about wearing seatbelts, the clunk representing the sound of the door and the click the sound of the seatbelt fastening. This led to Savile's hosting his own Saturday night chat/variety show on BBC1 from 1973 entitled Clunk, Click, which in 1974 featured the UK heats for the Eurovision Song Contest featuring Olivia Newton-John. After two series, the show was replaced by Jim'll Fix It. He also fronted a long running series of advertisements in the early 1980s for British Rail's InterCity 125 (in which he declared "This is the age of the train").

He was interviewed by Dr. Anthony Clare for the radio series In the Psychiatrist's Chair. In April 2000, he was the subject of an in depth documentary by Louis Theroux, in the When Louis Met… documentary series. "When Louis Met...Jimmy" is regarded as one of Theroux's best documentaries[14] and was voted one of the top fifty documentaries of all time in a survey by Britain's Channel Four.[15]

Savile visited the Celebrity Big Brother house on 14 and 15 January 2006. During these visits he "fixed it" for some of the housemates to have their wishes granted; for example, Pete Burns received a message from his significant other and friend while Dennis Rodman was able to trade Savile's offering for a supply of cigarettes for other housemates.

In 2007 Savile returned to television with Jim'll Fix It Strikes Again, in which he shows some of the most popular 'fixits' ever, recreating them with the same people, as well as making new dreams come true.[16]

Radio

Savile started his radio career working as a Radio Luxembourg DJ from 1958 to 1967. Among his programmes was the Teen and Twenty Disc Club (see below).

In 1968 he joined BBC Radio 1, where he initially presented Savile's Travels and the discussion show Speakeasy. His best-remembered contribution to Radio 1, however, is the Sunday lunchtime show Jimmy Savile's Old Record Club, where entire top tens from years gone by were played. This was the first show to feature old charts. It began in 1973 as The Double Top Ten Show and ended in 1987 as The Triple Top Ten Show, at which point he left Radio 1 after 19 years, although he could be heard presenting The Vintage Chart Show on BBC World Service between March 1987 to October 1989, playing top tens from 1957–87.

From March 1989 to August 1997 he was heard on various stations around the UK (mostly taking the Gold format, such as the West Midlands' Xtra AM and the original Classic Gold network in Yorkshire) where he revived his Radio 1 shows.

In 1994, satirist Chris Morris gave a fake obituary on BBC Radio 1 (as a joke), saying that Savile had collapsed and died, which allegedly drew threats of legal action from Savile and forced an apology from Morris.

On 25 December 2005, and 1 January 2007, Savile presented shows on the Real Radio network. The Christmas 2005 show counted down the festive Top 10s of 10, 20 and 30 years previously, while the New Year 2007 show (also taken by Century Radio following its acquisition by GMG) featured Savile recounting anecdotes from his past and playing associated records, mostly from the 1960s although some were from the 1970s.

Career and personal life

Savile was famous for his yodel[17] and his catchphrases included "How's about that, then?", "Now then, now then, now then", "Goodness gracious", "as it happens" (pronounced "as it 'appens") and "Guys and gals". Savile was frequently spoofed for his distinctive appearance, which almost always consisted of a track suit or shell suit, along with gold jewellery. A range of licensed fancy dress costumes were released with his consent in 2009. Savile was also very well known as a heavy cigar smoker, and often smoked them for the public eye.[18] He also has a bench in memory of himself with the words 'Jimmy Savile – but not just yet!' engraved on it, in Scarborough, North Yorkshire.[19]

He was a member of Mensa.[20]

He was named as one of the Radio Times "Top 40 most eccentric TV presenters of all time" in July 2004. A bachelor, Savile lived with his mother (whom he referred to as "The Duchess") and kept her bedroom and wardrobe exactly as it was when she died. Every year he had her clothes dry cleaned.

Savile was a member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists[21] and drove a Rolls-Royce.[22]

In November 2007 Savile was mugged by a fan who made off with his glasses whilst in a Leeds hotel. According to Savile, he was walking down a corridor of the Queens Hotel at around midnight after attending a function at the hotel when he became aware of a woman walking beside him. He assumed the woman was going to hug him but she instead reached for his glasses before sprinting off down the corridor. He later said "I thought it was marvellous, it was just like old times!". Savile promised his 'assailant' a box of chocolates for giving him a "1960s thrill in 2007".[23]

Savile was interviewed by the BBC on 20 November 2008 when he was asked about the return of the programme Top of The Pops, revived for a Christmas comeback, to which he said he would welcome a "cameo role" on the programme.[24] He also ran the Teen and Twenty Disc Club (TTDC),[25] membership for life, on Radio Luxembourg. For a small fee listeners received a certificate and a small bracelet with a disc on it, inscribed with the show's name. He stated on the BBC television series Inside Out that the title Teen and Twenty Disc Club had been rejected by the BBC in favour of Top of the Pops as too long; also that he introduced dancing to records, so that he was the originator of the discothèque.

Savile was chieftain of the Lochaber Highland Games for many years, and owned a house in Glencoe. He prerecorded his appearance on the final edition of Top of the Pops in 2006, as it clashed with the games.[26]

Honours

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In 1971 he was awarded the OBE,[27] which he always subsequently appended to his signature. Awarded honorary Commando Green Beret by the Royal Marines in the 1970s for being one of only two civilians to complete the Royal Marine Commando speed march, 30 miles across Dartmoor carrying 30 lb of kit.[28] The other civilian was former Blue Peter presenter Gethin Jones. In 1990 he was knighted for his services in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.[29] The same year he was honoured with a papal knighthood from the Vatican making him a Knight Commander of Saint Gregory the Great (KCSG). He held an honorary doctorate of law (LLD) from the University of Leeds. He was an Honorary fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists (FRCR). He was a Knight of Malta. He was a Freeman of the Borough of Scarborough Charitable worksOne of the United Kingdom's most recognisable personalities, aside from his TV and radio work, Savile carried out a considerable amount of charity work, including raising money for the Stoke Mandeville Hospital where he worked for many years as a volunteer porter. He raised money for the Spinal Unit, NSIC (National Spinal Injuries Centre). Savile raised money for St Francis Ward – a ward for children and teens with Spinal Cord Injuries. For years, he was the honorary president of Phab (Physically Handicapped in the Able Bodied community) and helped raise over £40,000,000.[30]

He also sponsored medical students at the University of Leeds to perform undergraduate research in the LURE, donating over £60,000 every year.[31] In 2010 the scheme was extended with a commitment of £500,000 over the following five years.[32]

Savile was also well known for running marathons (many of them again for Phab, including their annual half marathon around Hyde Park). He completed the London Marathon in 2005, at the age of 79.

DeathPolice and paramedics were called to Savile's house at Roundhay, Leeds,[33] at 12:10 pm on Saturday, 29 October 2011, where they found his body.[3] He was two days short of his 85th birthday. He had recently been treated in hospital for pneumonia, and police said that they were not treating his death as suspicious.[33] He will be buried in Leeds on 2 November 2011.

WorksBooks Jimmy Savile, As it happens, ISBN 0-214-20056-6, Barrie & Jenkins 1974 (autobiography) Jimmy Savile, Love is an Uphill Thing, ISBN 0-340-19925-3, Coronet 1976 (softback edition of As it Happens) Jimmy Savile, God'll Fix It, ISBN 0-264-66457-4, Mowbray, Oxford 1979 Recordings 1962, "Ahab the Arab" with Brian Poole and the Tremeloes. Decca, F11493[34][35] References1.^ Anthea Lipsett. "'Jim Fixes it for medical students The Guardian 14 July 2009". Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/jul/14/medical-research-fu.... Retrieved 30 October 2011. 2.^ Paul Taylor, Popular Music Since 1955: A Critical Guide To The Literature (Mansell Pub., 1985). ISBN 0720117275 3.^ a b "Veteran Star Sir Jimmy Savile Dies Aged 84". Sky News. 29 October 2011. http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/16099015. Retrieved 29 October 2011. 4.^ Barratt, Nick (17 March 2007). "Family detective: Jimmy Savile – Telegraph". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/portal/main.jhtml?xml=/portal/2007/03/17.... Retrieved 28 July 2008. 5.^ Miller, Harland (27 April 2004). "Harland Miller on Jimmy Savile: inventor of hip-hop style". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2004/apr/20/guesteditors2. Retrieved 28 July 2008. 6.^ Brewster, Bill; Frank Browghton. "DJ Awards-History". djawards.com. Archived from the original on 23 March 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080323111406/http://www.djawards.com/e.... Retrieved 28 July 2008. 7.^ Donovan, Paul (1991). The Radio Companion. London: HarperCollins. p. 198. ISBN 0246136480. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=79IaAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Savile%27s+cla.... Retrieved 3 July 2011. 8.^ "Jimmy Savile". DJHistory.com. http://www.djhistory.com/interviews/jimmy-savile. Retrieved 16 January 2011. 9.^ "Ilford Recorder Ilford Palais". Ilfordrecorder.co.uk. http://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/content/redbridge/recorder/IlfordPa.... Retrieved 20 August 2010. 10.^ Smith, Graham. "Jim's Fix has been to". Retired Magazine. http://www.retiredmagazines.co.uk/Celebrities/celebs-jimmysaville.html. Retrieved 1 August 2011. 11.^ "Tour of Britain's long ride for respect". 4 May 2007. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A22368558. Retrieved 18 December 2008. 12.^ "In bed with Jimmy". The Guardian (London). 11 April 2000. http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,178381,00.html. Retrieved 18 December 2008. 13.^ "Sixties Pop and Music Television 1960–64". Sixties City. http://www.sixtiescity.com/PopTV/PopTV6064.shtm. Retrieved 17 September 2007. 14.^ "Best Louis Theroux Documentary Film On Earth - Best Things On Earth". Btoe.com. 21 April 2009. http://www.btoe.com/lists/best-louis-theroux-documentary-film-on-earth. Retrieved 30 October 2011. 15.^ Channel 4's "50 Greatest Documentaries" 16.^ Oatts, Joanne (26 October 2006). "UKTV brings back 'Jim'll Fix It'". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a38658/uktv-brings-back-jimll-f.... Retrieved 26 March 2011. 17.^ Bernadette Strachan, Little White Lies, chapter 21 (Hodder, 2008). ISBN 978-0340-89805-5 18.^ "'Ow's about that, then?". Yorkshire Post. http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Armouries-fix-it-for-Sir.527738.... Retrieved 8 April 2010. 19.^ "Jimmy Savile's famous bench in Scarborough". Scarborough In Pictures. Archived from the original on 5 June 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080605140712/http://www.scarborough-in.... Retrieved 28 July 2008. 20.^ "Meeting of Mensa minds in Wales". news.bbc.co.uk. 17 June 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/4101494.stm. Retrieved 17 September 2010. 21.^ "Veteran Savile fixes traffic jam". BBC News (BBC). 18 August 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/7568886.stm. Retrieved 29 October 2011. 22.^ "Obituary: Sir Jimmy Savile". BBC News. 29 October 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15053431. Retrieved 29 October 2011. 23.^ "Sir Jimmy robbed of his glasses". BBC News (BBC). 15 November 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/7097061.stm. Retrieved 28 July 2008. 24.^ "BBC interview". http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7739589.stm. 25.^ John Shepherd, Continuum Encyclopedia of Music of the World, Volume 1, Media, Industry and Society, page 468 (Continuum, 2003). ISBN 0-8264-6321-5 26.^ "Sir Jimmy Savile: The medallion man with a heart of gold". The Scotsman. 30 October 2010. http://www.scotsman.com/news/sir_jimmy_savile_the_medallion_man_wit.... Retrieved 30 October 2010. 27.^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 45554. p. 12. 31 December 1971. Retrieved 26 November 2010. 28.^ "Runners for Charlotte take on 30-mile Marine challenge". The Guernsey Press. 13 July 2009. http://www.thisisguernsey.com/2009/07/13/runners-for-charlotte-take.... Retrieved 11 June 2010. 29.^ London Gazette: no. 52173. p. 2. 15 June 1990. Retrieved 26 November 2010. 30.^ 'Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends: "When Louis met Jimmy"', BBC documentary, 13 April 2000 31.^ "Jimmy Savile gives young medics a helping hand – University of Leeds". leeds.ac.uk. http://www.leeds.ac.uk/news/article/494/jimmy_savile_gives_young_me.... Retrieved 18 December 2010. 32.^ "Sir Jimmy's £500,000 for Leeds trainee doctors – Yorkshire Evening Post". yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk. http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Sir-Jimmys-500000-for-Le.... Retrieved 18 December 2010. 33.^ a b "DJ and TV presenter Jimmy Savile dies, aged 84". BBC News. 29 October 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15507374. Retrieved 29 October 2011. 34.^ "Sounds Of The 60s". soundsofthe60s.com. http://www.soundsofthe60s.com/html/artistes/poolebrian.htm. Retrieved 28 July 2008. 35.^ "Brian Poole Interview". Rock N' Roll Britain. http://www.rocknrollbritain.com/Brian%20Poole%20Interview.htm. Retrieved 28 July 2008. External linksBBC News Obituary Jimmy Savile at the Internet Movie Database Jimmy Savile Biography and Radio 1 audio clips at Radio Rewind BBC article about the "Clunk Click Every Trip" safety belt advert featuring Jimmy Savile, including video of the advert Persondata Name Savile, Jimmy Alternative names Short description English DJ, actor and media personality Date of birth 31 October 1926 Place of birth Leeds, Yorkshire, England Date of death 29 October 2011 Place of death Leeds, Yorkshire, England Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jimmy_Savile&oldid=458110503"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ongoing investigations connected with Jimmy Savile's abuse investigation -

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/feb/05/jimmy-savile-abuse-investi...