Jack Good

Born in London on 7 August 1931, Jack Good was one of the first people in Britain to realise that Rock & Roll was more than a passing fad and probably understood more about presenting rock on TV than any other man alive at the time.

As an Oxford graduate and aspiring comedian in London, Good found it difficult to find work so applied for a position at the BBC.

Soon he had created and was producing Six-Five Special – a new kind of fast-moving television programme for teens which promoted both established and unknown artists.

He then moved over to produce Oh Boy! for ITV, which effectively killed-off Six-Five Special. At a Royal Command Performance, Jack presented a 20-minute stage version of Oh Boy! with the full company.

He created and produced two other musical television shows – Boy Meets Girls and Wham!! – before deciding to seek his fortune in Hollywood.

In August 1963, Jack and his wife, Margit, emigrated to the USA with their three children; Alexander (7), Gabriella (6) and Bunky (3).

That same month he played a stuffy naval officer in the film Father Goose with Cary Grant and went on to appear in several other films.

He also wound up producing Shindig! (original working title Young America Swings The World”) and sending PJ Proby to England in 1964.

Good went on to co-write and direct the show Elvis The Musical and a biographical musical for the London stage, titled Good Rockin’ Tonite.

A 2005 BBC2 documentary – A Good Man . . .  Is Hard To Find – tracked down the now reclusive Good to a chapel in New Mexico, where, after toying with the idea of becoming a monk, he had taken up a hermit’s existence, painting religious scenes.

Jack Good died from complications of a fall in Oxfordshire on 24 September 2017, at the age of 86.