Politics UK: And finally...
And finally, to complete the Politics UK series, here's one from the archive... in my television days, I produced several programmes involving Harold Wilson (1916-95) – statistician, economist, politician, writer, and UK Prime Minister from 1964 to 1970, and 1974-76. Here am I briefing him in the Thames Television studio in Euston Road, London shortly before going 'live' on air in 1980.
Harold Wilson's principal 'trade-mark' was his pipe, which he always smoked in public – and even in this studio shot, that's what he's holding. He also carried with him a Ronson gas lighter, which made one helluva noise – and if he didn't care for the question, he'd ignite his lighter just inches from the microphone, and as he lit his pipe, the roar of the gas flame would all but drown out the interviewer's voice. But away from the studios and the photographers, he smoked (and preferred) cigars.
Politics UK: And finally...
And finally, to complete the Politics UK series, here's one from the archive... in my television days, I produced several programmes involving Harold Wilson (1916-95) – statistician, economist, politician, writer, and UK Prime Minister from 1964 to 1970, and 1974-76. Here am I briefing him in the Thames Television studio in Euston Road, London shortly before going 'live' on air in 1980.
Harold Wilson's principal 'trade-mark' was his pipe, which he always smoked in public – and even in this studio shot, that's what he's holding. He also carried with him a Ronson gas lighter, which made one helluva noise – and if he didn't care for the question, he'd ignite his lighter just inches from the microphone, and as he lit his pipe, the roar of the gas flame would all but drown out the interviewer's voice. But away from the studios and the photographers, he smoked (and preferred) cigars.