Don Maclean
Encyclopedia
Don Maclean is an English
actor
and comedian
, who appeared on the BBC
television series Crackerjack with Michael Aspel
, Peter Glaze
, and Jan Hunt
in the 1970s.
Born in Birmingham, he attended Clifton Road School, in Balsall Heath
and St. Philip's School
, Edgbaston. His first job was as a civil servant at the Inland Revenue
.
Maclean usually performed a live routine or routines with Glaze in front of a studio audience of children and a filmed insert with Glaze, in the style of a silent comedy film. Live routines would almost always work in the 'joke' where an exasperated Glaze would exclaim 'Maclean!' to which Maclean would answer 'Yes, I had a bath this morning!'. Also notable was that when responding to Glaze's exasperation, Maclean would regularly give an alliterative reply, such as "Don't get your knickers in a knot" or "Don't get your tights in a twist", the combination of which ("Don't get your knickers in a twist") has passed into popular vernacular.
Early in his career, Maclean was a comedy compère of the BBC
Television Series The Black and White Minstrel Show
. He also appeared in Crossroads and Carry On Columbus
. From 1990 to 2006 he presented Good Morning Sunday, a religious programme on BBC Radio 2
(he is a practising Roman Catholic), but he was replaced by Aled Jones
.
He hosted the panel games The Clever Dick-Athlon (1988–90), First Letter First (1993) and Are You Sitting Comfortably (1993-6), all for Radio 2. He also toured in the play There's No Place Like a Home with Gorden Kaye
. In 2009, he claimed that the BBC is keen on programmes which attack churches and that there is a wider secularist campaign to get rid of Christianity.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, who appeared on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television series Crackerjack with Michael Aspel
Michael Aspel
Michael Terence Aspel, OBE is an English television presenter, known for his reserved demeanour and rich speaking voice. He has been a high-profile TV personality in the United Kingdom since the 1960s, presenting programmes such as Crackerjack, Aspel and Company, This is Your Life, Strange But...
, Peter Glaze
Peter Glaze
William George Peter Glaze was an English comedian born in London. He hosted Crackerjack with Leslie Crowther in the 1960s and with Michael Aspel, Don Maclean, and Bernie Clifton in the 1970s...
, and Jan Hunt
Jan Hunt
Jan Hunt is a British comedian, actress and Music Hall performer, who appeared on BBC television series Crackerjack with Michael Aspel, Ed Stewart, Peter Glaze and Don Maclean in the 1970s...
in the 1970s.
Born in Birmingham, he attended Clifton Road School, in Balsall Heath
Balsall Heath
Balsall Heath is a working class, inner-city area of Birmingham, England. It is home to a diverse cultural mix of people and the location of the Balti Triangle.-History:...
and St. Philip's School
St. Philip's School
St. Philip's RC Grammar School was a Roman Catholic grammar school for boys located on Hagley Road in Birmingham, England.-History:St Philip's was founded when two priests of the Birmingham Oratory took over an existing Catholic Grammar School in 1887...
, Edgbaston. His first job was as a civil servant at the Inland Revenue
Inland Revenue
The Inland Revenue was, until April 2005, a department of the British Government responsible for the collection of direct taxation, including income tax, national insurance contributions, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, corporation tax, petroleum revenue tax and stamp duty...
.
Maclean usually performed a live routine or routines with Glaze in front of a studio audience of children and a filmed insert with Glaze, in the style of a silent comedy film. Live routines would almost always work in the 'joke' where an exasperated Glaze would exclaim 'Maclean!' to which Maclean would answer 'Yes, I had a bath this morning!'. Also notable was that when responding to Glaze's exasperation, Maclean would regularly give an alliterative reply, such as "Don't get your knickers in a knot" or "Don't get your tights in a twist", the combination of which ("Don't get your knickers in a twist") has passed into popular vernacular.
Early in his career, Maclean was a comedy compère of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Television Series The Black and White Minstrel Show
The Black and White Minstrel Show
The Black and White Minstrel Show was a British light entertainment show that ran on BBC television from 1958-1978 and was a popular stage show. It was a weekly light entertainment and variety show presenting traditional American minstrel and Country songs, as well as show and music hall numbers,...
. He also appeared in Crossroads and Carry On Columbus
Carry On Columbus
Carry On Columbus is the 31st and last film in the Carry On series, following 1978's Carry On Emmannuelle. The only main series regulars present are Jim Dale , Bernard Cribbins , Leslie Phillips , Jon Pertwee and June Whitfield...
. From 1990 to 2006 he presented Good Morning Sunday, a religious programme on BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
(he is a practising Roman Catholic), but he was replaced by Aled Jones
Aled Jones
Aled Jones is a Welsh singer and television/radio personality, broadcaster and television presenter who first came to fame as a treble...
.
He hosted the panel games The Clever Dick-Athlon (1988–90), First Letter First (1993) and Are You Sitting Comfortably (1993-6), all for Radio 2. He also toured in the play There's No Place Like a Home with Gorden Kaye
Gorden Kaye
Gorden Kaye is a BAFTA-nominated English comic actor, best known for playing René Artois in the British TV comedy Allo 'Allo!.-Early life:...
. In 2009, he claimed that the BBC is keen on programmes which attack churches and that there is a wider secularist campaign to get rid of Christianity.