Derek Bailey was my first boss in Ulster Television, he was the one who arranged I got a precious Pye Black Box record player for my 21st birthday and it was he who taught me to use my imagination and not to settle for second best, a man whose life in theatre and television touched so many of our lives here in Northern Ireland and around the world.
At Queen’s University Derek studied economics but his heart was in drama and under his direction the QUB dramatic society won both Irish and UK awards and as a result were invited to perform at Stratford Upon Avon. Although he was gaining management experience at the Pye factory in Larne in the early 60s Derek was expected to join the family accountancy firm but the arts were his first love and television was a natural next step as a producer and director. In Ulster Television he made a name for himself, someone who ‘pushed the envelope’. In the days before outside broadcasts he wasn’t satisfied to remain in the confines of Studio One so, with great difficulty, camera cables were stretched out the back door, across the little road and into the ‘spit and sawdust’ that was the Havelock Arms and so viewers watched live pictures of Dominic Behan surrounded by the McPeakes, the sun shafting through the smokey air as he sat, Guinness in hand singing the story of Master McGrath. Derek saw the opportunity for authenticity and made it work and we had the first ‘multi-camera’ outside broadcast.
His was a career of original productions. He produced and directed two of the most important programmes made in Ulster Television ‘Midnight Oil’ and ‘The Inquiring Mind’, the first adult education programmes on the network and said to be the inspiration for the Open University. I recall travelling with him on film stories, once to Newbliss Co. Monaghan to the home of Sir Tyrone Guthrie. The interview completed, we sat round Guthrie’s lunch table with Lady Judith and the legendary stage designer Tanya Moiseiwitch; soon Guthrie and Derek became involved in talk about theatre, the master and his willing pupil. Another occasion was to Nutts Corner airport to welcome Louis Armstrong, the following week to Baltray to interview Bing Crosby all unique experiences.
Derek was also influenced by Madam Gertrude Drinkwater, a little white haired lady in a long dress, who lived near Whiteabbey. He recalled her wearing elbow length gloves, baton in her left hand as she conducted the Ulster Operatic Society Orchestra at the Empire Theatre. Derek later appeared in leading rolls with the Ulster Operatic combining his stage career with television especially with music programmes, including pianists Ivor Mills and his wife Muriel Hay, singers Maurice and Una O’Callaghan and Irene Sandford,
He directed the first drama from the station, Boatman Do Not Tarry by John D. Stewart which was shown throughout the UK.
In the mid 60s Derek Bailey left Belfast to join the ITV network, first at ATV Birmingham and then to London Weekend Television as senior director for the award winning arts series Aquarius, indeed, at his birthday parties you were likely to rub shoulders with Sir William Walton’s widow, prima ballerina absolute Natalia Makarova, Melvyn Bragg or Aquarius host Humphrey Burton,
He established his film and tv production company Landseer Productions and a list of awards followed including Music Prix Italia, another for outstanding artistic achievement in ballet programmes, the Gold Medal for cultural productions awarded by the New York Festival and in later years he directed BBC Proms in the Park with the Ulster Orchestra.
Tributes have come from many who worked with him all recalling a gentleman of culture, enthusiasm, knowledge and humour who drew out their talents in a gentle and challenging way.
From commentating for the BBC Home Service live from the City Hall Christmas tree at the age of 12 to an international career, Derek Bailey is a name that will go down in broadcasting history.
Sincere sympathies to his wife Gill, his son Patrick and daughter Kate.
The Ups And Down Of Politics Writ Large
What can I say about the election except that the result herald only the beginning, the next weeks, months and years hold many twists and turns and how will we fare here in Northern Ireland? Time will tell. And what shape will Europe be in in the future? A big melting pot right now and the stew thickens.
NIGHTTIME READING
It’s bitter this morning here in Belfast and many people are suffering colds and flu and sleeping is difficult. I had this message from my friend Houston;
“Just wanted to say I am really really enjoying a book you recommended The Good Son by Paul McVeigh.
Not sleeping because of the opium patches have just been reading for 5 hours. I am loving the book. His descriptions are brilliant and he really captures the world through an 11 years old eyes
Thank you !”
He’s not on the yellow brick road by the way but suffering arthritic pain, hence the patches.
In pulmonary fibrosis, the retinoic acid lowered lung generic viagra line fibroblast collagen expression, inhibition of fibrosis, the development. Internet ordering of your medications from a legitimate pharmacy online viagra prescription for woman will need you to have a valid doctor’s prescription on hand that you need to hand over to the pharmacy owner. Erectile dysfunction is http://robertrobb.com/duceys-rhetoric-on-taxes-and-spending-doesnt-match-his-actions/ cialis sale something many men suffer from this dysfunction. Health issues: Obesity, heart disease, high cialis tablets 20mg cholesterol, and chronic kidney disease.HOO HOO HOO IT’S PANTO TIME
If ever there was a ‘head-liner’ it’s Rose-Marie, singer, comedian, actor, entertainer.
Her story is one of celebrity, filling the London Palladium with her ‘one girl’ show three times and on a fourth occasion playing to the late Princess Diana. From the townland of Clough just outside Newry, as a young woman she moved to Blackpool then London, on to California, Holywood and sang in Las Vegas with Tony Curtis and Johnny Cash, special friend of John Travolta and the amazing Tom Jones. She used to introduce herself as Terry Wogan in drag, she’s been called the Irish Bette Midler and can boast of gold and platinum albums and 15 million viewers on the tv show ‘Search for a Star’. And now she’s come home for Christmas to play the Genie in the story of ‘Aladdin’ in the Crescent Arts Centre and her biggest thrill of all is the joy of having her 84 year old mum, Ann in the audience. Although Rose-Marie is an international star, her heart is very much at home with her family and around the farm where she and her sisters were born. Although her head with her tumbling red hair is firmly in showbiz, her heart is at home in County Down where she is close to the people she cares for most and they certainly care for her, delighting in her love of life and her infectious laugh.
“Only my second pantomime here at home, first time was in the Opera House with Frank Carson who taught me the ropes, stage craft and timing. He was so generous in every way, took me under his wing.
It was a wonderful time.
`”He’d love to know I was back home being a Genie, and as he would say, I’m going to make a go of it.” There’s no doubt she will, already she has lots of little ideas up her sleeve and the children are going to love this mischievous spirit of the lamp.
Rehearsals are well underway for the Crescent Arts pantomime which opens on Tuesday. This is the unlikely story of Aladdin as you’ve never heard it before, that’s the promise of Robin Elliott, television and radio broadcaster. He’s used to working with the stars and has an enviable list of interviewees on his NVTV programmes, the Big Musical Show and the equally The Big Interview, singers Susan McCann and Brian Kennedy, actress Kerri Quinn and comedian William Caulfield amongst them.
For Robin this panto means completing a full circle as he started training to be an actor at the Metropolitan College as a teenager and then moved to graduate from the drama department in Queens. “However when I was 20 I realised there was more money to be made in radio and television and I became one of the youngest DJs on City Beat and now I play my own particular brand of music on Belfast 89 and I interview celebrities on NVTV.” And that’s only the half of it.
Recently the acting bug re-emerged when he was invited to play the part of a barman in the West End production of ‘Living the Dream’ with Diane Keen in the Other Palace Theatre and now he’s turning his hand to being Abanazar, the real baddy in this Christmas pantomime.
“I can’t wait to be boo’ed,” he admitted, adding, “although some years ago round the City Hall Christmas Tree, Stewart Robinson of Young Star Search radio programme introduced me as the judge for the NI wide competition, I always told it like it is so I was pretty unpopular with people who didn’t get through! So immediately I walked onto the platform I was boo’ed by 25,000 people! I loved it and that record will be hard to beat!”
The show is bound to be a lot of fun when singer and entertain Rose-Marie is involved.
She is an incredible woman with an amazing little black book of contacts. I remember spending the day with her in London almost 20 years ago. Her apartment in Maida Vale was palatial, her front room as big as a ball room, white marble floor, long white dinning table, pale brocade settees and armchairs and her grand piano. Chandeliers, long tall windows. This is where she rehearsed with her dancers before a show and where she entertained her many top drawer guests and she made me feel like one of them. Some of them came calling and we all went out on the razzle and when she waved me off later that day a few yards down the road the taxi driver asked, “Was that Rose-Marie?” I said it was. He turned round to take a good look at me: “And you actually know Rose-Marie!” That’s star quality!
Rose-Marie is a much loved entertainer who started in the working men’s clubs still makes her way round the world selling out where ever she goes, concerts, plays, overseas tours and charity events, famous for her voice which Les Dawson said could warn shipping in the Solent! But she can sing the most delicate ballad as well as the most raucous rock and roll.
And singing she will be as she brings the powers of the Genie to the stage. She and Robin are a pair made in panto-land, loving the colour and the costumes and the fun of making people laugh.
Aladdin runs in the Crescent Arts Centre from 17th to 22nd December. More at www.crescentarts.org. Booking office 028 9024 2338
Good Bye Strictly
