Bernard Delfont, Baron Delfont (5 September 1909 – 28 July 1994), born
Boris (or Boruch)
Winogradsky, was a leading
Ukrainian-bornUkrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group primarily living in Ukraine, or more broadly—citizens of Ukraine...
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
theatrical
impresarioImpresario Impresario Impresario (from the Italian impresa, an enterprise or undertaking Origin: mid 18th century, from Italian impresa, ‘undertaking.’ New Oxford American Dictionary.
Impresa: enterprise; deed; company...
.
He was born in
TokmakTokmak is a city in the Zaporizhia Oblast of south-central Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Tokmatskyi Raion , the city itself is directly subordinate to the oblast, and is located at around .-Points of Interest:*...
,
UkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east; Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the southwest; and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south. The city of Kiev is both the capital and the largest city of...
, the second son of Isaac and Olga Winogradsky. His brothers
Lew GradeLew Grade, Baron Grade , born Lev Winogradsky, was an influential Ukraine-born English impresario and media mogul.-Early years:...
and
Leslie GradeLeslie Grade was a British talent agent and executive with The Grade Organisation. He was born Laszlo Winogradsky in Tokmak, Ukraine. He and his brothers Lew Grade and Bernard Delfont became three of the leading figures in theatre management. His son Michael Grade became a leading television...
also entered showbusiness. His nephew
Michael GradeMichael Ian Grade CBE is a British broadcast executive and businessman. He was BBC chairman and is currently Executive Chairman of ITV plc, but has announced he will step down from his executive role by the end of 2009.-Early life:...
, Leslie's son, is now the Chairman of
ITVITV is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters, set up under the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC. ITV is the oldest commercial television network in the UK...
.
Delfont entered theatrical management in 1941, after a career as first a dancer, then an agent.
Bernard Delfont, Baron Delfont (5 September 1909 – 28 July 1994), born
Boris (or Boruch)
Winogradsky, was a leading
Ukrainian-bornUkrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group primarily living in Ukraine, or more broadly—citizens of Ukraine...
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
theatrical
impresarioImpresario Impresario Impresario (from the Italian impresa, an enterprise or undertaking Origin: mid 18th century, from Italian impresa, ‘undertaking.’ New Oxford American Dictionary.
Impresa: enterprise; deed; company...
.
He was born in
TokmakTokmak is a city in the Zaporizhia Oblast of south-central Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Tokmatskyi Raion , the city itself is directly subordinate to the oblast, and is located at around .-Points of Interest:*...
,
UkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east; Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the southwest; and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south. The city of Kiev is both the capital and the largest city of...
, the second son of Isaac and Olga Winogradsky. His brothers
Lew GradeLew Grade, Baron Grade , born Lev Winogradsky, was an influential Ukraine-born English impresario and media mogul.-Early years:...
and
Leslie GradeLeslie Grade was a British talent agent and executive with The Grade Organisation. He was born Laszlo Winogradsky in Tokmak, Ukraine. He and his brothers Lew Grade and Bernard Delfont became three of the leading figures in theatre management. His son Michael Grade became a leading television...
also entered showbusiness. His nephew
Michael GradeMichael Ian Grade CBE is a British broadcast executive and businessman. He was BBC chairman and is currently Executive Chairman of ITV plc, but has announced he will step down from his executive role by the end of 2009.-Early life:...
, Leslie's son, is now the Chairman of
ITVITV is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters, set up under the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC. ITV is the oldest commercial television network in the UK...
.
Delfont entered theatrical management in 1941, after a career as first a dancer, then an agent. He presented over 200 shows in
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
and
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, including more than 50 musicals, such as the original productions of "Little Me", "Stop The World, I Want To Get Off", "City Of Angels" and "Sweet Charity". He also presented summer variety shows in many towns across the country, mainly seaside resorts. He pulled EMI, of whom he was then Chief Executive, out of funding the film
Life of BrianMonty Python's Life of Brian, also known as Life of Brian, is a 1979 comedy film written, directed and largely performed by the Monty Python comedy team...
in 1978 at the last moment, due to worries over the religious implications; it was then financed by George Harrison's company Handmade Films, and a reference is made jokingly to "Bernie" in the last line of the film, during the song "Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life". He converted the
London HippodromeThe Hippodrome is a building on the corner of Charing Cross Road and Leicester Square in the City of Westminster, London. The name was used for many different theatres and music halls, of which the London Hippodrome is one of only a few survivors...
into the Talk of the Town restaurant, bringing in entertainers such as Shirley Bassey, Frank Sinatra, Eartha Kitt, Laurel & Hardy and Judy Garland, and also securing the exclusive rights from Paul Derval to stage the Folies Bergere for the first time outside of Paris.
He married the actress
Carole LynneCarole Lynne, also known as Baroness Delfont of Stepney, was a British theatre actress, best known for her work in the 1940s and 1950s. She was the widow of Lord Bernard Delfont, a prominent figure in the British entertainment industry. -Early life:Lynne was born Helen Violet Carolyn Heyman in...
in 1946. They had one son and two daughters. He was
knightedThe rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1974 and created a
life peerIn the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles may not be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as
Baron Delfont, of
StepneyStepney is an inner-city district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is located east north-east of Charing Cross and forms part of the East End of London. The area is a mix of post-war high density housing, Victorian mansion blocks and terraced housing that were not demolished during slum...
in
Greater LondonGreater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. The administrative area was officially created in 1965 and covers the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and thirty two London boroughs...
in 1976. He died from a
heart attackMyocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, is the interruption of blood supply to part of the heart, causing some heart cells to die...
at his
AngmeringAngmering is a large village and civil parish between Littlehampton and Worthing in West Sussex, England. It is located approximately two miles north of the English Channel; Worthing and Littlehampton are about four miles to the east and west respectively.Angmering railway station is miles away...
home.
Lord Delfont was the life president of the
Entertainment Artistes Benevolent FundThe Entertainment Artistes Benevolent Fund is a charity based in Twickenham, Middlesex, England. It is dedicated to helping provide support for elderly, infirm or distressed members and former members of the entertainment industry, and their dependants.Founded in 1908 it provides residential care...
, while his wife served as life governor.
His widow
Carole LynneCarole Lynne, also known as Baroness Delfont of Stepney, was a British theatre actress, best known for her work in the 1940s and 1950s. She was the widow of Lord Bernard Delfont, a prominent figure in the British entertainment industry. -Early life:Lynne was born Helen Violet Carolyn Heyman in...
(Lady Delfont), 89, died as a result of
motor neurone diseaseThe motor neurone diseases are a group of neurological disorders that selectively affect motor neurones, the cells that control voluntary muscle activity including speaking, walking, breathing, swallowing and general movement of the body.-Terminology:In this article, MND refers to a group of...
on 17 January 2008 at her home in Sussex, England.
Appointments
- EMI
The EMI Group is a British music company. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major publishing arm- EMI Music Publishing- based in New York City...
Ltd
- Chief Executive (1979-1980)
- Entertainment Artistes' Benevolent Fund
- Life President, for which he presented the annual Royal Variety Performance
For a general description of performances for the monarch, see Royal Command Performance.The Royal Variety Performance is a gala evening held annually in the United Kingdom, which is attended by senior members of the British Royal Family, usually the reigning monarch. In more recent years Queen...
(1958-1978)
- Entertainment Charities Fund
- Companion of the Grand Order of Water Rats
The Grand Order of Water Rats is an entertainment industry charity, and brotherhood, based in London. The Water Rats were founded in 1889 by comedian Joe Elvin. The first King Rat, as the head of the charity is termed, was music hall singer Harry Freeman...
- Member of Saints and Sinners
- Printers Charitable Corporation
- First Leisure Corporation
- Chief Executive 1980-1986
- Executive Chairman 1986-1988
- Chairman 1988-1992
- President 1992-1994
- Bernard Delfont Organisation
External links