Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
Denis QUILLEY (1927-2003)
THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Denis Qulley, actor and singer, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while rehearsing for the musical La Cage aux Folles on stage at the London Palladium.
Denis, who was born in Islington, London but grew up in Ilford, joined the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in his teens, and following his national service, when he served with the Sudan Defence Force in Khartoum, he began a West End theatrical career in 1950, appearing in revue, musicals and classic and modern drama.
Having established himself as a leading actor during the 1960s, Denis later appeared in such films as Murder on the Orient Express and Evil Under the Sun. He worked with both the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company and starred in the stage musical Privates on Parade, for which he won the Olivier Award for Best Actor and reprised the role in the 1982 film version.
"What a performance!"
programme details...
- Edition No: 704
- Subject No: 699
- Broadcast date: Wed 30 Apr 1986
- Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
- Recorded: Mon 28 Apr 1986
- Venue: Royalty Theatre
- Series: 26
- Edition: 26
- Code name: Pen
on the guest list...
- George Hearn
- cast members of La Cage aux Folles
- Stella - wife
- Roy Raymond
- Sarah - daughter
- Joanna - daughter
- David - son
- Mike - brother-in-law
- Patty - sister
- Joyce - cousin
- Connie - cousin
- Les - cousin
- Vic - Les's wife
- Donald Swann
- Sidney Benjamin
- Derek White
- Trevor Griffiths
- Jane Wenham
- Ian Kennedy Martin
- Anthony Valentine
- Nigel Hawthorne
- Peter Ustinov
- Lesley Mackie
- Lewis Cowen
- Simon Bowman
- Colette Stevenson
- Mark McGann
- Mia Soteriou
- Jonathan Barlow
- Jackie Marks
- Rebecca Caine
- Sue Jane Tanner
- Keith Burns
- Dave Willetts
- Ursula Smith
- Frank Thornton
- Enn Reitel
- Su Pollard
- Don Francombe Filmed tributes:
- Diana Rigg
- Harry Watkins
- Roddy McDowall
related appearances...
- Wendy Toye - Jan 1992
- Barbara Windsor - Sep 1992
- Peter Ustinov - Dec 1994
- Bob Monkhouse - Apr 2003
production team...
- Researchers: Caroline Blackadder, David N Mason
- Writer: Roy Bottomley
- Directors: Terry Yarwood, Michael D Kent
- Associate Producer: Brian Klein
- Producer: Malcolm Morris
- names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life
a musical theatre chorus line
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Screenshots of Denis Quilley This Is Your Life
Series 26 subjects
William Roache | Dennis Taylor | Elisabeth Welch | Sheila Mercier | Richard Branson | Maurice Denham | David EllawayTerry O'Neill | Gerry Marsden | Joyce Carey | Chas n Dave | Oliver Reed | Felix Bowness | John Harris | Bonnie Langford
Henry Cotton | June McElnea | Derek Jameson | Richard Vernon | Martyn Lewis | Peter Shilton | Ted Rogers
Simon Williams | Larry Slater | Lena Kennedy | Denis Quilley