Denis Norden
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Denis Norden (born February 6, 1922) is an English comedy writer and television presenter.
Norden is nowadays best known to television audiences for his two occasional shows.
- It'll be Alright on the Night, which consists of out-takes from film and television linked by witty comments and has run since 1977. The early episodes used much the same material as Dick Clark's "Bloopers" specials which aired on NBC a few years later.
- Denis Norden's Laughter File, which showcases spoof adverts, real foreign adverts, practical jokes, live television mistakes, and other various items, which, as he once put it, "tickled our fancies, just when they needed tickling". These items are virtually everything that is discovered when researching material for Alright on the Night that aren't out-takes, and thus cannot be shown on that show. They are collectively known as 'oddities'. This show has been running since 1991.
Early life & career
Born in London, and educated at the City of London School with Kingsley Amis, Norden "was considered to have a fine academic brain." He began by managing a theatre and organising variety shows. His writing career began in the army during World War II, following which he wrote material for comedian Dick Bentley, before meeting Muir in 1947. Their first joint venture was the radio show, Take It From Here, and they went on to write many successful radio and television scripts. They became known as something of a double act, and were regular participants in panel shows such as My Word! and My Music, first on radio then TV. Norden also hosted an ITV nostalgia quiz, Looks Familiar.Retirement & legacy
He and his wife Avril have a son and a daughter, the radio presenter Maggie Norden.He announced his retirement from his two ongoing ITV shows It'll be Alright on the Night and Denis Norden's Laughter File, on 21 April 2006. A special show is being recorded to act as a 'farewell tour' to all his shows over the years, called All the Best from Denis Norden to be shown later in the year.
See also
External links
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