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Des O'Connor

Updated: Wikipedia source

Des O'Connor

Desmond Bernard O'Connor (12 January 1932 – 14 November 2020) was an English comedian, singer and television presenter. He was a long-time TV chat-show host, beginning with The Des O'Connor Show in 1963, which ran for ten years as well as the lunchtime chat show Today with Des and Mel from 2002 to 2006 with Melanie Sykes. He also presented several UK television game shows, including Take Your Pick! from 1992 to 1999, and the long-running Channel 4 game show Countdown for two years between 2007 and 2008. O'Connor recorded 36 albums and had four top-ten UK singles, including a number-one hit with "I Pretend", with global sales of more than sixteen million records. Well known for his friendship with comedians Morecambe and Wise, his singing ability was often light-heartedly mocked on their show, with O'Connor taking part in the sketches.

Infobox

Born
Desmond Bernard O'Connor(1932-01-12)12 January 1932Stepney, London, England
Died
14 November 2020(2020-11-14) (aged 88)Slough, Berkshire, England
Occupations
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Years active
1954–2019
Television
The Des O'Connor Show (1963–1973)Des O'Connor Entertains (1974–1976)Des O'Connor Tonight (1977–2002)Take Your Pick (1992–1999)Today with Des and Mel (2002–2006)Countdown (2007–2008)
Spouses
mw- Phyllis Gill (m. 1953; div. 1959) Gillian Vaughan (m. 1960; 2007)
Children
5

Tables

· Selected discography › Albums
UK
UK
Year
UK
Album
AUS
Col 3
IRE
1968
1968
Year
1968
Album
I Pretend
Col 3
8
Col 4
-
Col 5
-
1970
1970
Year
1970
Album
With Love
Col 3
40
Col 4
-
Col 5
-
1972
1972
Year
1972
Album
Sing a Favourite Song
Col 3
25
Col 4
-
Col 5
-
1974
1974
Year
1974
Album
Remember
Col 3
-
Col 4
73
Col 5
-
1978
1978
Year
1978
Album
Another Side
Col 3
-
Col 4
-
Col 5
-
1980
1980
Year
1980
Album
Just for You
Col 3
17
Col 4
-
Col 5
-
1984
1984
Year
1984
Album
Des O'Connor Now
Col 3
24
Col 4
-
Col 5
-
1992
1992
Year
1992
Album
Portrait
Col 3
63
Col 4
-
Col 5
-
2001
2001
Year
2001
Album
A Tribute to the Crooners
Col 3
51
Col 4
-
Col 5
-
2008
2008
Year
2008
Album
Inspired
Col 3
51
Col 4
-
Col 5
-
Year
Album
UK
AUS
IRE
1968
I Pretend
8
-
-
1970
With Love
40
-
-
1972
Sing a Favourite Song
25
-
-
1974
Remember
-
73
-
1978
Another Side
-
-
-
1980
Just for You
17
-
-
1984
Des O'Connor Now
24
-
-
1992
Portrait
63
-
-
2001
A Tribute to the Crooners
51
-
-
2008
Inspired
51
-
-
· Selected discography › Compilation albums
AUS
AUS
Year
AUS
1979
1979
Year
1979
Album
Just for You – 20 Special Songs
Col 3
-
1980
1980
Year
1980
Album
Remember Romance – 20 Great Love Songs
Col 3
65
1984
1984
Year
1984
Album
Now – 16 Classic Songs
Col 3
65
Year
Album
AUS
1979
Just for You – 20 Special Songs
-
1980
Remember Romance – 20 Great Love Songs
65
1984
Now – 16 Classic Songs
65
· Selected discography › Singles
UK
UK
Year
UK
Single
AUS
Chart positions
IRE
Chart positions
Can AC
1967
1967
Year
1967
Single
"Careless Hands"
Chart positions
6
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
1968
1968
Year
1968
Single
"I Pretend"
Chart positions
1
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
1
Chart positions
-
"1–2–3 O'Leary"
"1–2–3 O'Leary"
Year
"1–2–3 O'Leary"
Single
4
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
1969
1969
Year
1969
Single
"Dick-A-Dum-Dum"
Chart positions
14
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
"Loneliness"
"Loneliness"
Year
"Loneliness"
Single
18
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
1970
1970
Year
1970
Single
"I'll Go on Hoping"
Chart positions
30
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
"The Tip of My Fingers"
"The Tip of My Fingers"
Year
"The Tip of My Fingers"
Single
15
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
1972
1972
Year
1972
Single
"Don't Let the Good Life Pass You By"
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
77
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
1973
1973
Year
1973
Single
"Remember"
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
19
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
1974
1974
Year
1974
Single
"My Sentimental Friend"
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
100
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
1975
1975
Year
1975
Single
"Feelings"
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
"Three Times a Lady"
"Three Times a Lady"
Year
"Three Times a Lady"
Single
-
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
1986
1986
Year
1986
Single
"The Skye Boat Song"
Chart positions
10
Chart positions
96
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
16
1988
1988
Year
1988
Single
"Neighbours"
Chart positions
100
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
Chart positions
-
Year
Single
Chart positions
UK
AUS
IRE
Can AC
1967
"Careless Hands"
6
-
-
-
1968
"I Pretend"
1
-
1
-
"1–2–3 O'Leary"
4
-
-
-
1969
"Dick-A-Dum-Dum"
14
-
-
-
"Loneliness"
18
-
-
-
1970
"I'll Go on Hoping"
30
-
-
-
"The Tip of My Fingers"
15
-
-
-
1972
"Don't Let the Good Life Pass You By"
-
77
-
-
1973
"Remember"
-
19
-
-
1974
"My Sentimental Friend"
-
100
-
-
1975
"Feelings"
-
-
-
-
"Three Times a Lady"
-
-
-
-
1986
"The Skye Boat Song"
10
96
-
16
1988
"Neighbours"
100
-
-
-

References

  1. "Profile: Des O'Connor"
    https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7453144.stm
  2. BBC News
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-54950051
  3. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
    https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fodnb%2F9780198614128.013.90000381681
  4. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/nov/15/des-o-connor-obituary
  5. BBC
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-39733917
  6. "Book Des O'Connor – Celebrities from The Mcleod Agency"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20141006125921/http://www.mcleodagency.co.uk/Detail.aspx?ActID=19&CatID=29
  7. Memories of United Counties Part 1: Northampton
  8. "Confirmed: Des O'Connor to Star as The Wizard in THE WIZARD OF OZ from May 22; Show to Close in September", BroadwayWor
    http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Confirmed-Des-OConnor-to-Make-Musical-Debut-as-The-Wizard-in-THE-WIZARD-OF-OZ-from-May-22-20120509
  9. BBC News
    https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4765727.stm
  10. BBC News
    https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7522099.stm
  11. ITV
    https://web.archive.org/web/20120626201330/http://www.itv.com:80/presscentre/pressreleases/programmepressreleases/theoneandonlydesoconnor/default.html
  12. Belfast Telegraph
    https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/des-oconnor-half-the-things-you-worry-about-arent-going-to-happen-30802904.html
  13. Royal Variety Charity
    https://www.royalvarietycharity.org/royal-variety-performance/archive/detail/2012--london-royal-albert-hall
  14. BBC News
    https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7522099.stm
  15. The Daily Telegraph
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/what-to-see/still-bringing-us-sunshine-eric-ernies-best-moments/
  16. BirminghamLive
    http://www.birminghammail.net/whats-on/music/des-i-will-always-remember-buddy-83770
  17. The Irish News
    https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/entertainment/2020/11/15/news/des-o-connor-s-prolific-career-in-music-2130383/
  18. Bananas Can't Fly!
    https://www.headline.co.uk/titles/des-oconnor/bananas-cant-fly/9780747232070/
  19. The London Gazette
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/58729/supplement/8
  20. The Independent
    https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/des-o-connor-parkinsons-disease-b1784860.html
  21. British Hit Singles & Albums
  22. Australian Chart Book 1970–1992
  23. "RPM Top 30 Adult Contemporary – February 21, 1987"
    http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.8025.pdf
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