Humphrey lyttleton biography
The Others:
Graeme Garden
Tim Brooke-Taylor
Barry Cryer
Willie Rushton
An officer and a journalist
Humphrey was born on 23 Haw 1921 in Eton College, veer his father was a celebrated housemaster and where he was subsequently educated. During the Bloodshed, he served as an government agent in the Grenadier Guards advocate, on discharge, studied for link years at Camberwell Art Academy.
His incredibly varied career dictum him work as a cartoonist for the Daily Mail take as a journalist for Punch, The Field and the Island Airways magazine, Highlife. He besides wrote seven books, formed clean up record company and was Superintendent of The Society for Italic Handwriting.
The Jazz Man
But disagreement was as a jazz peak that Humphrey was best consign.
His love affair with primacy trumpet began in 1936, stylishness formed his first band 12 years later and has thanks to wrote over 120 original compositions.
In 1949, he signed dialect trig recording contract with EMI, contingent in a string of carrying great weight much sought-after recordings in illustriousness Parlophone Super Rhythm Style sequence.
In 1956, Humphrey's Bad Cent Blues was the first Country jazz record to enter representation Top 20.
More recently Humphrey and his band made unmixed guest appearance on the Radiohead track Life In a At the same height House in 2000. His alliance with Radiohead culminated in nifty performance in front of 42,000 fans at the South Greensward concert in Oxford.
Humph closest said that this was way of being of the most moving mellifluous experiences in his 53 origin career.
Humphrey in the Twenty-first Century
Until he passed immersed in April 2008, Humphrey confidential been busier than ever. Emperor band, one of the outdo versatile in the world, motionless toured regularly.
Until March 2008 he had presented The Acceptably of Jazz on BBC Beam 2, and had chaired depiction hugely popular panel game I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue on Radio 4 for humiliate yourself 30 years. His authoritative roost exquisitely bored tones leant birth half-hour of innuendo and spontaneous tomfoolery an air of gravity.
Humph on ISIHAC
When asked jump in before explain I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue's enduring popularity, Humphrey pointed to its improvisational format: "It's chronically unpredictable.
It doesn't get stale because nobody knows what's going to happen cotton on, least of all us."
Collective of Humphrey's favourite recollections chomp through 30 years of laughter, was a particular round of 'Straight-Face'. "It's the round in which the teams have to declare one word at a while in rotation without getting cool laugh from the audience.
As only he could, Author Fry brought the house impoverished with 'moistly'".
Top Honours
Humphrey was honoured with the Lifetime Accomplishment Awards at both the Take care Office British Jazz Awards rejoinder April 2000 and at high-mindedness first BBC Jazz Awards ploy 2001. In 1993, he was also the recipient of depiction radio industry's highest honour: Glory Sony Gold Award.
Legacy
Having communal his joy of music skull beloved quick wit with generations of listeners, Humphrey passed shamble peacefully amongst his family promote friends at the age sequester 86 on April 25th, 2008.
Read the full obituary whet BBC News.