Desmond John Wilcox (21 May 1931 – 6 September 2000) was a British television producer, documentary filmmaker, journalist and television executive. He worked at the BBC and ITV during his career and was producer of series such as This Week, Man Alive, and That's Life!.
In 1949 Wilcox began a career in journalism as a reporter on a weekly newspaper. After two years of national service, he moved to Fleet Street to work for the Daily Mirror, becoming a foreign correspondent in the New York bureau.
In 1960 Wilcox moved to television as a reporter on ITV's This Week current affairs programme, where he stayed for five years until joining the BBC.
Documentaries
He was co-editor and presenter of the landmark Man Alive series in 1965. He later formed the Man Alive Unit as well as providing the distinctive voice-over in the weekly current-affairs programme TEMPO directed by Mike Hodges.
In an interview in 1986 he said:
Real life honestly portrayed is sufficiently dramatic in itself. The idea that might lurk in some people's minds that you somehow have to beef it up, or pump it up or invent the circumstances to make it more colourful, is an idea born of Fleet Street and ignorance.
Television executive
From 1972 to 1980 he was head of general features at the BBC. He made series including Americans, The Visit, Black in Blue and A Day in the Life.
Personal life
Wilcox married firstly Patsy Price, and they had three children together called Claire, Adam, and Cassandra. During this first marriage he had an eight-year affair with television presenter Esther Rantzen, and in 1977 he married her after obtaining a divorce from Patsy. There were three further children of this marriage, including the television presenter Rebecca Wilcox. In 1992 Wilcox converted to Judaism, the religion of his second wife.
Later life
After he left the staff of the BBC, Wilcox was involved in the occasional series following the story of David Jackson (David Lopez) 'the Boy David', a badly-deformed Peruvian boy (a sufferer of noma) whose face was rebuilt by a Scottish surgeon who adopted him. The series won six international awards.
Wilcox was posthumously awarded the Grierson Documentary Film Awards Life Tribute in November 2001. A media arts centre at a High School in Rainhill, Merseyside has been opened, named in his honour.[9]
Coat of arms
Coat of arms of Desmond Wilcox
Notes
On May 31, 2018 he was granted[10] these arms by the College of Arms, through Letters Patent of Garter and Clarenceux Kings of Arms.
Crest
Upon a Helm with a Wreath Argent and Azure Within a Circlet of Oak Leaves erect Vert a Horse rampant Or. Mantled Azure doubled Or.
Escutcheon
Argent a Pile reversed bendwise Gules the point surmounted in dexter chief by a Sun in Splendour overall a three-masted Schooner in full sail Or the hull charged with a Barrulet Azure fracted with Portholes Or.
Motto
Amor Vincit Omnia (Love Conquers All)
Sources
Esther Rantzen, The Autobiography, BBC Worldwide, 2001
References
^Profile 2 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine, BFI.org.uk; accessed 29 March 2016.
desmond, wilcox, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, october, 2. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Desmond Wilcox news newspapers books scholar JSTOR October 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message Desmond John Wilcox 21 May 1931 6 September 2000 was a British television producer documentary filmmaker journalist and television executive He worked at the BBC and ITV during his career and was producer of series such as This Week Man Alive and That s Life Desmond WilcoxWilcox in 1974BornDesmond John Wilcox 1931 05 21 21 May 1931Welwyn Garden City Hertfordshire EnglandDied6 September 2000 2000 09 06 aged 69 Paddington London EnglandNationalityBritishEducationCheltenham Grammar SchoolChrist s College FinchleyOccupation s Television producer documentary filmmaker journalist television executiveSpousesPatsy Price m 1954 div 1977 wbr Esther Rantzen m 1977 wbr Children6 including Rebecca Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2 1 Journalism 2 2 Documentaries 2 3 Television executive 3 Personal life 4 Later life 5 Death 6 Awards 7 Coat of arms 8 Sources 9 References 10 External linksEarly life EditWilcox was born in 1931 in Welwyn Garden City Hertfordshire England 1 to John Wallace Wilcox a student of architecture under Sir Edwin Lutyens becoming partner in architectural firm Anderson Forster Warren and Wilcox later Anderson Forster and Wilcox 2 3 4 5 and a Second lieutenant in the Royal Engineers 6 and Alice May nee Whittle 7 He attended Cheltenham Grammar School and Christ s College Finchley He was then a training apprentice with the Outward Bound Sea School and left home to work as a deckhand in the merchant marine 8 Career EditJournalism Edit In 1949 Wilcox began a career in journalism as a reporter on a weekly newspaper After two years of national service he moved to Fleet Street to work for the Daily Mirror becoming a foreign correspondent in the New York bureau In 1960 Wilcox moved to television as a reporter on ITV s This Week current affairs programme where he stayed for five years until joining the BBC Documentaries Edit He was co editor and presenter of the landmark Man Alive series in 1965 He later formed the Man Alive Unit as well as providing the distinctive voice over in the weekly current affairs programme TEMPO directed by Mike Hodges In an interview in 1986 he said Real life honestly portrayed is sufficiently dramatic in itself The idea that might lurk in some people s minds that you somehow have to beef it up or pump it up or invent the circumstances to make it more colourful is an idea born of Fleet Street and ignorance Television executive Edit From 1972 to 1980 he was head of general features at the BBC He made series including Americans The Visit Black in Blue and A Day in the Life Personal life EditWilcox married firstly Patsy Price and they had three children together called Claire Adam and Cassandra During this first marriage he had an eight year affair with television presenter Esther Rantzen and in 1977 he married her after obtaining a divorce from Patsy There were three further children of this marriage including the television presenter Rebecca Wilcox In 1992 Wilcox converted to Judaism the religion of his second wife Later life EditAfter he left the staff of the BBC Wilcox was involved in the occasional series following the story of David Jackson David Lopez the Boy David a badly deformed Peruvian boy a sufferer of noma whose face was rebuilt by a Scottish surgeon who adopted him The series won six international awards Death EditWilcox died of a heart attack in Paddington London in 2000 aged 69 8 Awards EditWilcox was posthumously awarded the Grierson Documentary Film Awards Life Tribute in November 2001 A media arts centre at a High School in Rainhill Merseyside has been opened named in his honour 9 Coat of arms EditCoat of arms of Desmond Wilcox Notes On May 31 2018 he was granted 10 these arms by the College of Arms through Letters Patent of Garter and Clarenceux Kings of Arms Crest Upon a Helm with a Wreath Argent and Azure Within a Circlet of Oak Leaves erect Vert a Horse rampant Or Mantled Azure doubled Or Escutcheon Argent a Pile reversed bendwise Gules the point surmounted in dexter chief by a Sun in Splendour overall a three masted Schooner in full sail Or the hull charged with a Barrulet Azure fracted with Portholes Or Motto Amor Vincit Omnia Love Conquers All Sources EditEsther Rantzen The Autobiography BBC Worldwide 2001References Edit Profile Archived 2 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine BFI org uk accessed 29 March 2016 The London Gazette 26 September 1941 p 5607 Country Life collected volume 194 2000 p 141 Dictionary of Scottish Architects DSA Architect Biography Report April 3 2022 2 29 pm Dictionary of Scottish Architects DSA Architect Biography Report April 3 2022 2 29 pm Supplement to the London Gazette 26 September 1941 p 5589 People of Today ed Jonathan Parker David Williamson Debrett s Peerage Ltd 1995 p 2126 a b Desmond Wilcox Obituary The Daily Telegraph 2013 Retrieved 23 February 2013 Rainhill High School Media Arts Status permanent dead link July 2018 Newsletter no 55 College of Arms Retrieved 25 July 2018 External links EditObituary Desmond Wilcox at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Desmond Wilcox amp oldid 1121051875, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
