 Howard Marshall.
Howard was one of the voices of Auntie Beeb, being mainly a commentary man. His main love
was for rugby, and he gave commentaries on many a rugby match, but of course in the days before television,
anyone who could give a decent running commentary was a very welcome assistant when a Royal Wedding was being
covered. He did sterling service at the 1934 Royal Wedding. He also covered other sports, and could be found
commentating test matches in the summer.
Howard was the son of a publisher, and was educated at Oxford (where he was a "rugger blue"). He was later
captain of Harlequins and Surrey rugby teams. |
 Billy Mayerl.
Billy Mayerl was billed as "the pianist with lightning in his fingers". He had made an early
start on the piano, and by the age of seven was studying at Trinity College of Music. He got into trouble there
for taking music by Beethoven and Grieg and jazzing it up rather too blatantly. When he was twelve he played the
Greig Concerto at the Queen's Hall, and was hailed as a prodigy. Unfortunately, his family hit a spell of bad
luck and the child prodigy ended up playing the piano at the local cinema, to accompany the silent films. This
taught him that there was more money in jazzing things up, and he joined the Savoy Orpheans and never looked
back. |
 Derek McCulloch.
Derek McCulloch was much better known as Uncle Mac. He was in charge of Children's Hour.
He had a daughter of his own, as well as the many thousands of wireless "nieces and nephews" who listened to him
daily. Uncle Mac wrote many plays and stories. He was known as the "man who always smiles".
Short Sound Clip |
 Billy Merrin.
Billy Merrin came from Nottingham, and started out as a clerk in a local warehouse. When the
first world war came, he went into the Royal Naval Air Service, where his talent with the piano and the banjo and
as a vocalist was much appreciated by his comrades. He made his first broadcast in 1932 and was soon a band
leader of national repute. |
 Joseph Muscant.
This popular conductor who made his radio fame with the Commodore Grand Orchestra broadcasts,
was born in Russia and was taught to play the violin by his father. At the age of nine he gave a recital at
Queen's Hall, and a few years later toured the variety halls with an orchestra. He began broadcasting very early,
and was known as the "King of the Pot-Pourri", which was a title he earned by arranging more than fifty
pot-pourri medleys. |
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