Leslie Douglas Sargent Crowther was an English comedian, actor, TV presenter, and game show host.
30 Facts About Leslie Crowther
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Leslie Crowther was born on Monday 6 February 1933 in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, son of Leslie Frederick Crowther, of Twickenham, Middlesex, and Ethel Maraquita, nee Goulder nee Goulder.
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Leslie Crowther attended the respected Cone-Ripman Drama School in London, where he met his future wife, and whilst there competed at the Star Junior Ballroom Championships partnering Pamela Cochran, and then at 16, he appeared as a member of the Ovaltineys Concert Party of the Air on Radio Luxembourg.
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Leslie Crowther junior had a half-brother, Frank Ronald, from his father's first marriage.
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Leslie Crowther made a name for himself in television in the 1950s, with appearances as presenter of such programmes as the Billy Cotton Band Show and The Black and White Minstrel Show, and later the long-running children's TV show Crackerjack for the BBC, from 1960 to 1968.
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In September 1967, Leslie Crowther was the presenter chosen to host the first series of the revamped children's favourites show, Junior Choice, on the newly opened Radio One station.
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From 1964 to 1967, Leslie Crowther presented Meet the Kids, an annual trip to a children's hospital ward that was screened by the BBC on Christmas Morning.
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Leslie Crowther would walk around the ward meeting the patients, and the show would feature a surprise celebrity, and a present hidden under each bed.
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In 1969, Leslie Crowther switched to ITV, and A Merry Morning was screened annually, following the same format, usually from the Seacroft Hospital in Leeds.
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In 1971, he made The Leslie Crowther Show, a comedy sketch show, with three older comics, Arthur English, Chic Murray and Albert Modley as the internal "rep" company.
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Leslie Crowther narrated two storytelling LPs for children, Tallulah Supercat and Tallulah and the Cat-Burglars.
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Leslie Crowther appeared as Chesney Allen with Bernie Winters as Allen's partner Bud Flanagan in performances on television and on stage.
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Leslie Crowther presented the fifth series of Southern Television's children's game show Runaround in 1977, standing in for Mike Reid.
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In 1994, Leslie Crowther said that when The Price Is Right was axed in May 1988, the producers never bothered to contact him directly.
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Leslie Crowther hosted the first three series, and a Christmas special in 1991.
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At first, Leslie Crowther did not appear to be seriously injured.
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Leslie Crowther was taking anti-coagulants and had been diagnosed with heart trouble three years earlier when he complained of feeling breathless.
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Leslie Crowther was taken to Bristol's Frenchay Hospital for brain surgery to remove the blood clot that evening.
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Leslie Crowther then underwent a second brain operation lasting two hours and a tracheotomy was needed to help him breathe.
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Leslie Crowther was allowed to spend Christmas Day 1992 at home but was a patient in Frenchay Hospital until 12 February 1993.
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Leslie Crowther was appointed a CBE in the 1993 New Year Honours list in recognition of his years of charity work and on 21 July 1993 he went to Buckingham Palace to receive his appointment.
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Leslie Crowther retired from showbusiness on 4 November 1994, accepting that "I wouldn't be able to do things I've done in the past the way I would want to and the way my fans would expect".
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Leslie Crowther said that he was considering starting a new career as a writer.
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Leslie Crowther had previously been honoured by This Is Your Life in March 1973 when Eamonn Andrews surprised him at an antiques fair at Earls Court in London.
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In October 1988, Leslie Crowther arrived drunk at a gala in Glastonbury.
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From 5 February to 17 March 1989, Leslie Crowther was a resident in Clouds House, a drug and alcohol treatment centre near Shaftesbury.
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Leslie Crowther married Jean Elizabeth Stone on 27 March 1954.
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Leslie Crowther died suddenly from heart failure at 5pm on Saturday, 28 September 1996 in the Royal United Hospital in Bath, at the age of 63, with his wife Jean and family at his side.
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Leslie Crowther had been admitted two days earlier for suspected renal failure.
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Leslie Crowther had lived near Bath since 1978 and had a flat in London overlooking Lord's Cricket Ground.