Alan Freeman: Difference between revisions
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==Career== |
==Career== |
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Born and educated in [[Melbourne]], after leaving school he worked as an assistant paymaster/accountant for one of Australia's largest timber companies. |
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Freeman originally wanted to be a singer, but decided his voice was not strong enough. He gained work as an announcer radio station 3KZ in Melbourne, and by the early [[1950]]s had combined his roles of presenter, reader of commercials, and singer of various song selections. |
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Freeman originally wanted to be a singer, but decided his voice was not strong enough. In [[1952]] he was invited to audition as a Radio announcer and commenced working for 7LA known as the teenager's station, where his duties varied included continuity announcer, presenter of musical programmes incorporating opera, ballet and classical music, DJ for the top 100, news reader, quiz master and commercials reader. |
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Later moving to radio station 3KZ in [[Melbourne]], in [[1957]] he took an agreed nine month trip around the world with the verbal promise to return to Melbourne by January [[1958]]. He got to [[London]], and on deciding to stay wrote numerous letters of delay and later applogy to his former Melbourne employer<ref>http://www.geocities.com/thehotw/AlanFreemantracker.htm</ref> |
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In [[1961]] he moved to the [[BBC Light Programme]] as presenter of the ''"Records Around Five"'' show, which was introduced by his signature tune ''"At The Sign Of The Swinging Cymbal."'' In September [[1961]] he introduced ''"[[Pick Of The Pops]]"'' as part of a Saturday evening show ''"Trad Tavern"''. ''"Pick Of The Pops"'' became a permanent show in its own right in [[1962]], with Freeman fronting it until [[1972]]. |
In [[1961]] he moved to the [[BBC Light Programme]] as presenter of the ''"Records Around Five"'' show, which was introduced by his signature tune ''"At The Sign Of The Swinging Cymbal."'' In September [[1961]] he introduced ''"[[Pick Of The Pops]]"'' as part of a Saturday evening show ''"Trad Tavern"''. ''"Pick Of The Pops"'' became a permanent show in its own right in [[1962]], with Freeman fronting it until [[1972]]. |
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Freeman worked for [[Capital Radio]] from [[1979]] to [[1988]], reviving both ''Pick of the Pops'' and ''The Rock Show'', and for [[Capital Gold]] (''Pick of The Pops Take Two'') and [[Virgin Radio]] (''The Rock Show'') in the [[1990s]]. In December [[1993]] Freeman presented the ''Alternative Chart Show'' on a trial RSL broadcast by [[XFM]] in London. |
Freeman worked for [[Capital Radio]] from [[1979]] to [[1988]], reviving both ''Pick of the Pops'' and ''The Rock Show'', and for [[Capital Gold]] (''Pick of The Pops Take Two'') and [[Virgin Radio]] (''The Rock Show'') in the [[1990s]]. In December [[1993]] Freeman presented the ''Alternative Chart Show'' on a trial RSL broadcast by [[XFM]] in London. |
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A love of classical music was developed on [[Radio 2]] in the the show ''"Their Greatest Bits"'', but as [[artritis]] got the better of his hands, he occasionally handed over to his eventual replacement, ex-[[Radio Trent]] DJ [[Dale Winton]]. |
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Freeman was awarded the [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]] in [[1998]]. In May [[2000]] he was presented with a Lifetime Achievement award at the [[Sony Radio Academy Awards]]. |
Freeman was awarded the [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]] in [[1998]]. In May [[2000]] he was presented with a Lifetime Achievement award at the [[Sony Radio Academy Awards]]. |
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Revision as of 02:16, 28 November 2006
Alan 'Fluff' Freeman CBE (born July 6, 1927, Melbourne, Australia, died 27 November, 2006 London, England) was a well-known disc jockey and radio personality in the United Kingdom.
Career
Born and educated in Melbourne, after leaving school he worked as an assistant paymaster/accountant for one of Australia's largest timber companies.
Freeman originally wanted to be a singer, but decided his voice was not strong enough. In 1952 he was invited to audition as a Radio announcer and commenced working for 7LA known as the teenager's station, where his duties varied included continuity announcer, presenter of musical programmes incorporating opera, ballet and classical music, DJ for the top 100, news reader, quiz master and commercials reader.
Later moving to radio station 3KZ in Melbourne, in 1957 he took an agreed nine month trip around the world with the verbal promise to return to Melbourne by January 1958. He got to London, and on deciding to stay wrote numerous letters of delay and later applogy to his former Melbourne employer[1]
Freeman started his British career as a summer relief disc jockey on Radio Luxembourg, and continued to present late-evening programmes on the station until the early 1970's.
In 1961 he moved to the BBC Light Programme as presenter of the "Records Around Five" show, which was introduced by his signature tune "At The Sign Of The Swinging Cymbal." In September 1961 he introduced "Pick Of The Pops" as part of a Saturday evening show "Trad Tavern". "Pick Of The Pops" became a permanent show in its own right in 1962, with Freeman fronting it until 1972.
Freeman then moved to presenting the BBC Radio 1 Rock Show until 1978, and later from 1989 to 1993. He also revived "Pick of the Pops" on Radio 1 from 1989 thru 1992, and then Radio 2 from 1997 thru 2000.
Freeman worked for Capital Radio from 1979 to 1988, reviving both Pick of the Pops and The Rock Show, and for Capital Gold (Pick of The Pops Take Two) and Virgin Radio (The Rock Show) in the 1990s. In December 1993 Freeman presented the Alternative Chart Show on a trial RSL broadcast by XFM in London.
A love of classical music was developed on Radio 2 in the the show "Their Greatest Bits", but as artritis got the better of his hands, he occasionally handed over to his eventual replacement, ex-Radio Trent DJ Dale Winton.
Freeman was awarded the CBE in 1998. In May 2000 he was presented with a Lifetime Achievement award at the Sony Radio Academy Awards.
Personal life
In March 1994 Freeman revealed on breakfast television that he had become celibate in 1981, but had previously been bisexual[2].
Suffering from Arthritis, Freeman lived his later years as a resident of Brinsworth House, a retirement home for actors and performers run by the Entertainment Artistes Benevolent Fund until his death in November 2006.
Style
Freeman's distinctive presenting style included the frequent use of classical music stings between records, and many memorable catchphrases such as 'Alright, pop pickers? Alright!' and 'Not 'arf!'. His style has been much parodied, and he was the model for Harry Enfield's popular character 'Dave Nice', although he contributed to the satire himself in good grace by appearing on Enfield's show. For all Freeman's supposed clichés and archetypes in his broadcasting style, he has always been regarded as a true original by his fellow broadcasters - when he appeared on John Peel's This Is Your Life, Peel said: "Fluff was the greatest out-and-out disc jockey of them all."
Trivia
- Other BBC presenters gave him his nickname "Fluff" early in his career, because of his habit of turning up for his show in woolly jumpers.
- During the 1960s, Freeman briefly attempted an acting career, notably in Dr. Terror's House of Horrors, but his limitations were apparent, and in other films he has played himself. He also played God (albeit a God who sat at a mixing desk and said "Alright?") in two episodes of The Young Ones in 1984.