Dougall was born and educated in Croydon, Surrey.[1] He attended Whitgift School but did not carry on to university despite having some talent in languages, specifically French and German. He joined the BBC initially in the accounts department, but soon found a job as an announcer for the BBC Empire Service (the predecessor of the BBC World Service) on his 21st birthday in 1934. By 1939, he had risen to the position of senior announcer and his was the voice that announced to the world Britain's declaration of war on Germany in September of that year. Shortly before this announcement, he had transmitted a message as an "anonymous" Englishman (although speaking in German), imploring Germany to withdraw its forces and avert the impending conflict:
"I got the first page with about three minutes to go. Then, the red light came on and it was up to me. It was an intensely dramatic script and most of the pages were fed to me at the microphone, so I had to get it right first time. God knows I put my heart into it."
Dougall worked as a radio reporter during the early part of the Second World War, but also served with the Royal Navy from 1942. He resumed his broadcasting career after demobilisation in 1946 as an announcer and newsreader for the BBC Home Service. In 1947, Dougall was appointed Programme Manager for the BBC's Far Eastern Service, a position which required him to move to Singapore.
Television news
Dougall's radio work took a back seat when he returned to London in 1951 to work as a television newsreader. (He is thought to have been the only person from the BBC's early radio service who had an enduring career in television.) Between 1946 and 1955, the BBC News was merely voiced over a photograph of Big Ben, a measure sanctioned by Chief News Editor Tahu Hole to reinforce the absolute impartiality for which the corporation was renowned. However, the coming of commercial television and ITN in 1955 prompted the BBC to have its newsreaders perform to camera – indeed, they began this approach only three weeks before ITN began transmission. Dougall was among the first of these newsreaders to appear in-vision in 1955 (the others were his contemporaries Kenneth Kendall and Richard Baker, with Kendall being the very first). In 1960, he portrayed a newsreader in the film Danger Tomorrow. Dougall presented general BBC News reports and the Newsroom programme during the 1960s and was appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1965, receiving his honour on the same day as the Beatles. He was the first person to present the long-running BBC Nine O'Clock News in 1970, continuing in this role until his retirement from the newsroom in 1973.
Post-retirement
Like Peter Woods, Richard Baker and Kenneth Kendall, Dougall was considered an archetypal newsreader and frequently appeared as himself in comedy programmes of the 1970s and early 1980s, including The Goodies and Yes Minister. He also presented seven series of Channel 4's over-60s programme Years Ahead over four years and appeared in an advertising campaign for the jewellers Prestons of Bolton during the 1980s. His voice provides the news announcement that Big Ben chimed seven times at 6 p.m. in the Bond film Thunderball (1965).
Dougall was also known for his love of animals and birds and he was president of the RSPB for a five-year period. He wrote several books about birds in the 1970s and an autobiography, In and Out of the Box (1973), a witty account of life in the Reithian BBC, which he had joined as its youngest staff announcer on his 21st birthday in 1934, and beyond. He lived in Walberswick in Suffolk though his main home for many years was in Hampstead in London.
Barker, Dennis (20 December 1999). "Obituary: Robert Dougall". Guardian Unlimited Archive. London. Retrieved 17 June 2006.
Miall, Leonard (21 December 1999). "Obituary: Robert Dougall". The Independent, 21 December 1999. London. Retrieved 12 October 2010.
External links
BBC obituary
January 14, 2023
robert, dougall, footballer, footballer, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improv. For the footballer see Robert Dougall footballer This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages 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 Robert Dougall news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations August 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message Robert Dougall MBE 27 November 1913 18 December 1999 was an English broadcaster and ornithologist mainly known as a newsreader and announcer Robert Dougall MBERobert DougallBorn 1913 11 27 27 November 1913Croydon Surrey EnglandDied18 December 1999 1999 12 18 aged 86 Southwold Suffolk EnglandOccupation s BroadcasterOrnithologistYears active1934 1999SpouseNan Byram m 1947 wbr Children2RelativesRose Elinor Dougall granddaughter Contents 1 Early life and radio broadcasting 2 Television news 3 Post retirement 4 Family 5 Bibliography 5 1 Contributions 6 References 7 External linksEarly life and radio broadcasting EditDougall was born and educated in Croydon Surrey 1 He attended Whitgift School but did not carry on to university despite having some talent in languages specifically French and German He joined the BBC initially in the accounts department but soon found a job as an announcer for the BBC Empire Service the predecessor of the BBC World Service on his 21st birthday in 1934 By 1939 he had risen to the position of senior announcer and his was the voice that announced to the world Britain s declaration of war on Germany in September of that year Shortly before this announcement he had transmitted a message as an anonymous Englishman although speaking in German imploring Germany to withdraw its forces and avert the impending conflict I got the first page with about three minutes to go Then the red light came on and it was up to me It was an intensely dramatic script and most of the pages were fed to me at the microphone so I had to get it right first time God knows I put my heart into it Dougall worked as a radio reporter during the early part of the Second World War but also served with the Royal Navy from 1942 He resumed his broadcasting career after demobilisation in 1946 as an announcer and newsreader for the BBC Home Service In 1947 Dougall was appointed Programme Manager for the BBC s Far Eastern Service a position which required him to move to Singapore Television news EditDougall s radio work took a back seat when he returned to London in 1951 to work as a television newsreader He is thought to have been the only person from the BBC s early radio service who had an enduring career in television Between 1946 and 1955 the BBC News was merely voiced over a photograph of Big Ben a measure sanctioned by Chief News Editor Tahu Hole to reinforce the absolute impartiality for which the corporation was renowned However the coming of commercial television and ITN in 1955 prompted the BBC to have its newsreaders perform to camera indeed they began this approach only three weeks before ITN began transmission Dougall was among the first of these newsreaders to appear in vision in 1955 the others were his contemporaries Kenneth Kendall and Richard Baker with Kendall being the very first In 1960 he portrayed a newsreader in the film Danger Tomorrow Dougall presented general BBC News reports and the Newsroom programme during the 1960s and was appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire MBE in 1965 receiving his honour on the same day as the Beatles He was the first person to present the long running BBC Nine O Clock News in 1970 continuing in this role until his retirement from the newsroom in 1973 Post retirement EditLike Peter Woods Richard Baker and Kenneth Kendall Dougall was considered an archetypal newsreader and frequently appeared as himself in comedy programmes of the 1970s and early 1980s including The Goodies and Yes Minister He also presented seven series of Channel 4 s over 60s programme Years Ahead over four years and appeared in an advertising campaign for the jewellers Prestons of Bolton during the 1980s His voice provides the news announcement that Big Ben chimed seven times at 6 p m in the Bond film Thunderball 1965 Dougall was also known for his love of animals and birds and he was president of the RSPB for a five year period He wrote several books about birds in the 1970s and an autobiography In and Out of the Box 1973 a witty account of life in the Reithian BBC which he had joined as its youngest staff announcer on his 21st birthday in 1934 and beyond He lived in Walberswick in Suffolk though his main home for many years was in Hampstead in London Family EditDougall s granddaughter Rose is a singer songwriter formerly with Brighton band the Pipettes Dougall s grandson Tom Dougall was the lead guitarist with Brighton band Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong before leaving to form Toy who are signed to Heavenly Records Bibliography EditThis list is incomplete you can help by adding missing items August 2008 In and out of the box 1973 ISBN 0 00 272703 X Now for the good news 1976 ISBN 0 264 66379 9 A Celebration of Birds Collins and Harvill Press 1978 ISBN 0 00 262113 4 The Ladybird Book Of British Birds Basil Ede s Birds Severn House 1980 ISBN 0 7278 2005 2 foreword by The Duke of Edinburgh Birdwatch Round Britain with Herbert Axell Collins and Harvill 1982 ISBN 0 00 262256 4 foreword by Ian PresttContributions Edit An Introduction To Bird and Wildlife Photography in Still and Movie Marchington John and Clay Anthony Faber amp Faber 1974 Foreword References Edit Miall Leonard 21 December 1999 Obituary Robert Dougall The Independent London Barker Dennis 20 December 1999 Obituary Robert Dougall Guardian Unlimited Archive London Retrieved 17 June 2006 Miall Leonard 21 December 1999 Obituary Robert Dougall The Independent 21 December 1999 London Retrieved 12 October 2010 External links EditBBC obituary Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Robert Dougall amp oldid 1128763820, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
