Calling Dickie Valentine

1 9 5 9 (UK)
1 9 6 1 (UK)
15 x 25 minute episodes

Dickie Valentine (born Richard Maxwell) sang and introduced guests such as Petula Clark, Roy Castle, Cleo Laine and Dennis Lotis.

The regular team on the ATV show included Douglas Squires, Ronnie Curran, Alex Morrow, Hal Chambers and the Jack Parnell Dance Band.

Dickie’s rise was meteoric. He left the Ted Heath Orchestra to launch a solo career in 1954, and appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in New York, took part in a Royal Variety Performance, topped the bill at the London Palladium for two weeks, won the male vocalist category in the NME poll and reached the top of the charts with Finger of Suspicion.

In 1967, Valentine presented and starred in The Dickie Valentine Show.

He was killed in a car crash on a single lane bridge at Glangrwyney, near Crickhowell, Wales, on 6 May 1971. He was 41.

His pianist and drummer also died in the accident.