 Whether triggering near hysteria with his The Price is Right catchphrase
'Come on down!', or eliciting youthful cries of 'Crackerjack!', on the
long-running children's show of the same name, game-show host and actor Leslie
Crowther's natural, relaxed style with audiences made him a household favourite
during a long television career.
Born in West Bridgford, Nottingham, in 1933 he moved to London in his teens
where he went to the Cone-Ripman Drama School. He spent the 1950s establishing
his TV credentials, making his mark as a presenter on BBC programmes such as The
Billy Cotton Band Show (BBC, 1956-65), The Black and White Minstrel Show (BBC,
1958-78) and the hit children's variety show Crackerjack (BBC, 1960-68). By the
end of the 1960s he was mixing TV and radio work with stints in theatre
productions.
His switch to ITV in the 1970s saw him in a string of successful variety shows,
among them Crowther's in Town (1970) and The Leslie Crowther Show (1971), as
well as two sitcoms, My Good Woman (1972-73) and Big Boy Now
(1976). He demonstrated his skill as an all-round entertainer alongside Bernie
Winters in the acclaimed tribute to Flanagan and Allen, Bud 'n' Ches (ITV, tx.
16/6/1981).
His natural empathy with audiences made Crowther the perfect compère for The
Price is Right (ITV, 1984-88), whose appeal was based largely on the unpredictable
reactions of unsuspecting members of the audience as he urged them to 'come on
down!' He went on to present the celebrity-impersonation show Stars in Their Eyes (ITV, 1990-2006)
while continuing to work in pantomime and supporting charities, including a
stint as president of the Lord's Taverners.
He ran the gauntlet of media intrusion with his battle against alcoholism,
which he overcame in the late 1980s. In 1992 his career was virtually ended by a
near-fatal road accident that left him in a coma. He was awarded a CBE for
his charity works and appeared in a second This is Your Life in 1994 (the first
one was in 1973). He died of heart failure in 1996. His daughter Liz Crowther
became an actress, while another daughter, Caroline married Thin Lizzy singer
Phil Lynott.
Eddie Dyja
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FILM & TV CREDITS
