 Cliff Michelmore's image was that of genial broadcaster, with just a hint of
schoolmaster, able to link serious TV journalism with more lighthearted fare,
and his was one of British television's most familiar faces, not least because
his programme Tonight (BBC, 1957-65) ended the so-called 'Toddlers Truce',
opening up early evening 'primetime' television. Ever the consummate
professional, he once presented, head and shoulders only, while trapped just
below floor level in a lift.
Born 11 December, 1919, he started his long, successful career in radio with
British Forces Network in Germany in 1947, but by 1950 he was producing for BBC
TV while maintaining a parallel career on the Light Programme, best known for
Two-way Family Favourites. The BBC had no production training as such until
1951, so Michelmore learned by watching from the studio gallery. A children's
sports piece about lacrosse was his first production credit in 1950.
He also worked for commercial television, but spurned numerous offers to make
commercials. He worked at Lime Grove and Alexander Palace, prior to the
Television Centre, gradually switching from production to presentation,
initially in Children's Television on fortnightly Saturday programme Telescope
(BBC, 1950-51; alternating with the better known Whirligig, 1950-56), and he
also did sports commentary. His work in current affairs started with producer
Donald Baverstock, whose Highlight (BBC, 1955-57) series was launched against
the opening night of commercial television (and opened with a discussion on the
death of Grace Archer, which BBC Radio had used to undermine its new rival), and
he was on Panorama (BBC, 1953) when the Suez crisis broke in 1956. But he is
rather better known for presenting Tonight, which won him an award from what is
now BAFTA. He was 1958's TV Personality of the Year.
Next came 24 Hours (BBC, 1964-68). Among notable achievements, he presented
the first world-linked satellite programme (Our World, tx. 25/6/1967, on which
the Beatles performed 'All You Need is Love'), as well as the Apollo 8
moon-landing pictures, the first space-walk in 1969 and the first colour
pictures of the moon's surface.
As he matured, he shifted to more general presentation, notably of the
long-running travel programme Holiday (BBC, 1969-2007). Later he became
associated with Sunday religious broadcasts and nostalgia programmes, until
stepping down in 2003. He made a brief return to television on BBC Parliament in
2007, aged 87, to contribute to an evening marking the 40th anniversary of the
1967 sterling devaluation crisis, before retirement called.
Bibliography:
Michelmore, Cliff and Metcalfe, Jean, Two Way Story: An autobiography (Elm Tree Press, 1986)
David Sharp
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FILM & TV CREDITS