McDonald Hobley
Encyclopedia
McDonald Hobley, born Dennys Jack Valentine McDonald-Hobley, (9 June 1917, Stanley
, Falklands Islands – 30 July 1987) was one of the first BBC Television
continuity announcers, appearing from 1946 to 1956.
at the cathedral in Stanley
and his wife Gladys, née
Blanchard. He was christened Dennys Jack Valentine McDonald-Hobley and attended Brighton College
, a public school
, from 1931-36. He began his acting career in repertory theatre, under the stage names Val Blanchard and Robert Blanchard, using his mother's maiden name, and toured before the Second World War in J. B. Priestley
's Time and the Conways
.
. He was involved in an ultimately abandoned plot to abduct Adolf Hitler
and bring him to Britain. He also served in Ceylon
with the British Forces Broadcasting Service
.
.
He was also one of the comperes on the BBC's Come Dancing
programme and appeared on various other shows as himself. He headed the team of BBC TV's early continuity announcers which included Peter Haigh
and Sylvia Peters
. Hobley was also a presenter of BBC TV's For Deaf Children from 1953 to 1955, and It's A Knockout
in 1966. He re-appeared in November 1986 as an in-vision announcer on BBC2
, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of BBC Television.
On radio he was chairman of Does The Team Think?
He left the BBC to join Granada Television
in 1956 for its opening. Later Hobley appeared in London's West End
in the farce No Sex Please, We're British
and other drama and comedy roles in television. Just before his death, he returned to the Falklands for a Channel 4
broadcast about the then British South Atlantic Dependencies. In July 1987 he was rehearsing the world premiere of Anthony Marriott and Bob Grant's play "Home is Where Your Clothes Are" produced by David Tudor. He had extreme difficulty learning his lines, which was unusual, and sadly David Tudor had to release him from his contract. A few days later he died of a brain tumour.
He famously once introduced the politician Sir Stafford Cripps as 'Sir Stifford Crapps
'.
Stanley, Falkland Islands
Stanley is the capital and only true cityin the Falkland Islands. It is located on the isle of East Falkland, on a north-facing slope in one of the wettest parts of the islands. At the 2006 census, the city had a population of 2,115...
, Falklands Islands – 30 July 1987) was one of the first BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
continuity announcers, appearing from 1946 to 1956.
Childhood and early career
He was the son of Charles McDonald Hobley, the naval chaplainChaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
at the cathedral in Stanley
Stanley, Falkland Islands
Stanley is the capital and only true cityin the Falkland Islands. It is located on the isle of East Falkland, on a north-facing slope in one of the wettest parts of the islands. At the 2006 census, the city had a population of 2,115...
and his wife Gladys, née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Blanchard. He was christened Dennys Jack Valentine McDonald-Hobley and attended Brighton College
Brighton College
Brighton College is an institution divided between a Senior School known simply as Brighton College, the Prep School and the Pre-Prep School. All of these schools are co-educational independent schools in Brighton, England, sited immediately next to each another. The Senior School caters for...
, a public school
Independent school (UK)
An independent school is a school that is not financed through the taxation system by local or national government and is instead funded by private sources, predominantly in the form of tuition charges, gifts and long-term charitable endowments, and so is not subject to the conditions imposed by...
, from 1931-36. He began his acting career in repertory theatre, under the stage names Val Blanchard and Robert Blanchard, using his mother's maiden name, and toured before the Second World War in J. B. Priestley
J. B. Priestley
John Boynton Priestley, OM , known as J. B. Priestley, was an English novelist, playwright and broadcaster. He published 26 novels, notably The Good Companions , as well as numerous dramas such as An Inspector Calls...
's Time and the Conways
Time and the Conways
Time and the Conways is a British play written by J. B. Priestley in 1937 illustrating J. W. Dunne's Theory Of Time through the experience of a moneyed Yorkshire family, the Conways, over a period of nineteen years from 1919 to 1937...
.
War service
He served in World War II with the Royal ArtilleryRoyal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
. He was involved in an ultimately abandoned plot to abduct Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and bring him to Britain. He also served in Ceylon
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
with the British Forces Broadcasting Service
British Forces Broadcasting Service
The British Forces Broadcasting Service provides radio and television programmes for HM Forces, and their dependents, in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, the Falkland Islands, Germany, Gibraltar, Kosovo, the Middle East, Northern Ireland and Tristan da Cunha as well as a live satellite...
.
Post-war
After being demobbed, he was selected as an announcer for the post-war revival of BBC TelevisionBBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
.
He was also one of the comperes on the BBC's Come Dancing
Come Dancing
Come Dancing was a BBC TV ballroom dancing competition show that ran on and off from 1949 to 1998, becoming one of television's longest-running shows....
programme and appeared on various other shows as himself. He headed the team of BBC TV's early continuity announcers which included Peter Haigh
Peter Haigh
Peter Varley Haigh was a familiar and popular face as an in-vision announcer on BBC Television in the years after the Second World War.-Education:...
and Sylvia Peters
Sylvia Peters
Sylvia Peters was a British actress, and from 1947 to 1958 was a continuity announcer for BBC Television.-Career:...
. Hobley was also a presenter of BBC TV's For Deaf Children from 1953 to 1955, and It's A Knockout
It's a Knockout
It's a Knockout was adapted from the French show Intervilles. It ran between from 7 August 1966 to 25 December 1988 on BBC1, 28 May 1990 on ITV, 3 August 1991 to 24 December 1994 on S4C and from 3 September 1999 to 6 January 2001 on Channel 5, produced by Richard Hearsey and Ronin Entertainment...
in 1966. He re-appeared in November 1986 as an in-vision announcer on BBC2
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of BBC Television.
On radio he was chairman of Does The Team Think?
He left the BBC to join Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
in 1956 for its opening. Later Hobley appeared in London's West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
in the farce No Sex Please, We're British
No Sex Please, We're British
No Sex Please, We're British is a British comedic play written by Alistair Foot and Anthony Marriott, first staged in London's West End in 1971. It was unanimously panned by critics, but still ran for nearly a decade to packed audiences...
and other drama and comedy roles in television. Just before his death, he returned to the Falklands for a Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
broadcast about the then British South Atlantic Dependencies. In July 1987 he was rehearsing the world premiere of Anthony Marriott and Bob Grant's play "Home is Where Your Clothes Are" produced by David Tudor. He had extreme difficulty learning his lines, which was unusual, and sadly David Tudor had to release him from his contract. A few days later he died of a brain tumour.
He famously once introduced the politician Sir Stafford Cripps as 'Sir Stifford Crapps
Defecation
Defecation is the final act of digestion by which organisms eliminate solid, semisolid or liquid waste material from the digestive tract via the anus. Waves of muscular contraction known as peristalsis in the walls of the colon move fecal matter through the digestive tract towards the rectum...
'.