Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Ex-racing driver and builder of racing cars.
On the island
Eight records
It was played in its heyday when I was with Grenadier Guards and went after the end of the 1418 War when I was 17. The Gaz Band played it. He's played everywhere being played since and it's significant that I happened to have won on the ERA car, the Grand Prix of Picardy on two occasions, therefore it means a lot to me.
Love Will Find a WayFavourite
Because that means a terrific amount to me. I was taken to see Josie Collins when I was a schoolboy by my parents at Daly's Theatre. She made a terrific impact on me with a sensational appearance, the black hair, the flashing eyes. The superb voice went sent shivers down my spine. And during the run of the maid of the mounds, I might add, from my school days through my days in the gardens and my days at Cambridge, I saw it eighty-four times.
That song was written by a fellow called Paul Rubens, you obviously know of, Roy, who wrote many musical plays. And he wrote that song dedicated to Phyllis. And it brings back very happy memories of the tune and the person I know.
That too means a lot to me personally, brings a lot of sentimental memories back to me and also I was so impressed when I first saw the picture of the Wizard of Oz. I'm afraid I rather like these dreamy fantasies and all this floating through the clouds. And hearing Judy Garland, when she was very young, sing this song. Again, it impressed me, I think, forever, and I shall always remember it, always pleased to hear it.
I think I can give you the starlight as the most lovely tune, lovely members, lovely melody and lovely words. And uh when I used to go to Drury Lane, to hear this, uh Mary had sent view various numbers to sing. Sometimes this was cut out, but whenever I went I sent a little note round to her dressery room to say I'm in the audience, could she possibly sing it? and she always did.
Doretta Morrow and Richard Kiley
It's a tune that I loved. I love Kismet. I love the singing of Doretta Morrow and Richard Kiley. Uh I like the melody. I like the words. And uh it's often played, as you know, throughout the world on orchestras. And if it isn't played, I think wherever I am, I often ask them to play it, and it's one of my favourites.
This again brings back many memories to me by a very very favorite artist of mine Benny Hale
I love the Merry Widow music. And I adore June Bronhill's singing of the of the Meadow Widow Waltz. And I think Lahar is my favourite composer. I saw him once. ... I adore his music and I shall always adore the Merry Widow.
In conversation
Presenter asks
0:39Are you a musical person?
Yes, I am a musical person. I'm very fond of music. I don't play any instrument. I play the piano a little once, but never having had time through my career, I don't play, but I love music.
Presenter asks
3:28Your father was a motor racing man before you?
Yes, Roy, he was. My father was a pioneer motorist, so I think that probably set the seal on my keenness, but I was always mad about motor cars. I leave when I was in school at Arnold. Uh I didn't pay enough attention to work. I waited for the autocar moment to come out to read about the races.
Presenter asks
4:06What happened to you when you came down from Cambridge?
Well, officially I started my father's business'cause I had to earn a living. Uh but at the back of my mind I was determined to motor race somehow or other. And finally I managed by hook or by crook to buy a Bugatte, which was then a very fine racing car. And it was on that Bilgatti and another one that I sort of really did make my name in motor racing.
The keepsakes
The book
Gaiety: Theatre of Enchantment
W. MacQueen-Pope
without being conceited, motor racing is in my brain and I know it from when I started right up to today. Theatre I know and love, but I mean I still like reminding myself of it and looking who played in what in what year. And I think I should take a book called Gaiety, a theatre of enchantment, for I'm a queen pope.
The luxury
Not recorded.
Presenter asks
[At the outbreak of war] you had a dream of a British Grand Prix car that would wipe the ball?
It sort of brought home in full force to me when I did a motor racing tour of South Africa in the RA and the Grand Prix were Johannesburg, East London and Cape Town. ... And uh as I say, it frightened me and shattered me the impression that had been left behind of the might of Germany in engineering. ... And that made me more keen than ever to say that we to do something.
Presenter asks
8:47Now, were there the right people in the country with the right experience, designers, engineers?
Oh, yes, I think that, because I'd had quite a bunch around me in the RA days and my motor racing career. I had every faith in Peter Burfam. And also with engineers with the caliber of Harry Mundy helped us who is now a big boy Jaguars, Walter Hassan who's a big boy Jaguars now, people like Eric Richter and Frank May, all first-class head draftsmen and engineers. I'd no question in thinking we could not do it from that angle.
Presenter asks
12:36Now looking back on your own driving career, which race do you think back on most?
It's awfully difficult, uh this, but I suppose uh you always have a favourite race to think about. Yes, I think possibly the one that uh I look back upon is when I won the Eiffel Renner, the Nürburg Ring in Germany. ... And to receive the checkered flag before a crowd of something like 600,000 people, Roy is always a thrill.
“She made a terrific impact on me with a sensational appearance, the black hair, the flashing eyes. The superb voice went sent shivers down my spine.”
“It sort of brought home in full force to me when I did a motor racing tour of South Africa in the RA and the Grand Prix were Johannesburg, East London and Cape Town. and I followed the German Auto Union team which had been there the year before. And uh as I say, it frightened me and shattered me the impression that had been left behind of the might of Germany in engineering. And of course the Germans, the days of Hitler, they used that to the full. They were trying to intimidate, without any question of doubt, and the motor racing weapon was a weapon was a very good way of doing it.”
“We had a great driver, French driver Raymond Sommer. We'll drive it to Silverstone. But very unfortunately the pot joint which is part of the drive shaft of the back broke through faulty material and it never started in that first race.”
“The great day when it justified itself was when, to my mind, the greatest driver in the world drove it, and that was the great Fangio and the Grand Prix of Albay, which was a big race then. ... And we he put up an epic performance. ... I mean anybody who saw that race will always remember it. And to this day people talk about that race, showing what the BIM could do. That must have been a good day for you after what, seven years of hard work. Oh, absolutely. I mean it lifted us up into heaven almost.”
“During the racing season, uh You're uh constantly travelling, you see. It's nothing but packing bags and unpacking them again. The rather nice part uh from my point of view is that I go to a lot of places where I was racing myself. Now I'm going as racing director with BRM. Knowing the race organizers, knowing the friendly people, knowing the people in hotels, the managers, the staff. And it's almost like going from home to home.”