Jack de Manio
Encyclopedia
Jack de Manio MC and Bar
(26 January 1914 - 28 October 1988) was a British journalist, best known as a radio presenter.
Manio's father was an Italian aviator, who died in a flying accident before he was born; his mother was Polish. He attended Aldenham School
. As a young man Manio worked as an invoice clerk and then as a waiter. He was commissioned into the Royal Sussex Regiment
in 1939 and during World War II
he fought with the British Expeditionary Force
in 1939-40 and was awarded the Military Cross
. On 20 March 1944, as a Lieutenant
, he was dismissed from the service following a Field General Court Martial.
Manio's first experience of radio came when he joined the Forces Broadcasting Unit in Beirut
in 1944. He became an announcer on the BBC Overseas Service
on leaving the army in 1946. He transferred to the Home Service
in 1950.
Manio's career nearly crashed in 1956 when he was duty announcer for the BBC's Home Service. A major radio feature, The Land of the Niger was broadcast worldwide to mark a Royal visit to Nigeria
. Carelessly, he back-announced it as 'The Land of the Nigger'. There was outrage; he was immediately suspended and then returned to the General Overseas Service.
In 1958 Manio was chosen to present the morning current affairs programme Today, which had begun a few months earlier. The programme was less hard news oriented than it is today and was well suited to De Manio’s relaxed, humorous style. He became famous for the number of occasions on which he gave the time incorrectly. In 1969 he was the first radio broadcaster to be permitted to interview Prince Charles. He was voted British Radio Personality of the Year in 1964 and 1971. In 1970 the programme format was changed so that there were two presenters each day. Uneasy with the new format, de Manio left the following year.
From 1971 to 1978 Manio presented an afternoon show, Jack de Manio Precisely on Radio 4
. Subsequently he was an occasional contributor to Woman's Hour
.
Manio's home was a flat on Chelsea Embankment in London.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(26 January 1914 - 28 October 1988) was a British journalist, best known as a radio presenter.
Manio's father was an Italian aviator, who died in a flying accident before he was born; his mother was Polish. He attended Aldenham School
Aldenham School
Aldenham School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged thirteen to eighteen, located between Elstree and the village of Aldenham in Hertfordshire, England...
. As a young man Manio worked as an invoice clerk and then as a waiter. He was commissioned into the Royal Sussex Regiment
Royal Sussex Regiment
The Royal Sussex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1966. The regiment was formed as part of the Childers reforms by the amalgamation of the 35th Regiment of Foot and the 107th Regiment of Foot...
in 1939 and during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he fought with the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
in 1939-40 and was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
. On 20 March 1944, as a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
, he was dismissed from the service following a Field General Court Martial.
Manio's first experience of radio came when he joined the Forces Broadcasting Unit in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
in 1944. He became an announcer on the BBC Overseas Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
on leaving the army in 1946. He transferred to the Home Service
BBC Home Service
The BBC Home Service was a British national radio station which broadcast from 1939 until 1967.-Development:Between the 1920s and the outbreak of The Second World War, the BBC had developed two nationwide radio services, the BBC National Programme and the BBC Regional Programme...
in 1950.
Manio's career nearly crashed in 1956 when he was duty announcer for the BBC's Home Service. A major radio feature, The Land of the Niger was broadcast worldwide to mark a Royal visit to Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. Carelessly, he back-announced it as 'The Land of the Nigger'. There was outrage; he was immediately suspended and then returned to the General Overseas Service.
In 1958 Manio was chosen to present the morning current affairs programme Today, which had begun a few months earlier. The programme was less hard news oriented than it is today and was well suited to De Manio’s relaxed, humorous style. He became famous for the number of occasions on which he gave the time incorrectly. In 1969 he was the first radio broadcaster to be permitted to interview Prince Charles. He was voted British Radio Personality of the Year in 1964 and 1971. In 1970 the programme format was changed so that there were two presenters each day. Uneasy with the new format, de Manio left the following year.
From 1971 to 1978 Manio presented an afternoon show, Jack de Manio Precisely on Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
. Subsequently he was an occasional contributor to Woman's Hour
Woman's Hour
Woman's Hour is a radio magazine programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in the United Kingdom.-History:Created by Norman Collins and originally presented by Alan Ivimey the programme was first broadcast on 7 October 1946 on the BBC's Light Programme . It was transferred to its current home in 1973...
.
Manio's home was a flat on Chelsea Embankment in London.
Selected bibliography
- To Auntie with Love, Hutchinson (London 1967) (autobiography)
- Life Begins Too Early: A Sort of Autobiography, Hutchinson (London 1970)