Eric Thompson
Eric Norman Thompson (9 November 1929 – 30 November 1982) was an English actor, television presenter and producer. He is best remembered for creating and performing the English narration for The Magic Roundabout, which he adapted from the French original Le Manège Enchanté.
Life and career
Thompson was born in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England, the son of Annie (née Jackson) and George Henry Thompson, and grew up Rudgwick, Sussex, attending Collyer's School, Horsham. He trained to be an actor at the Old Vic acting school in London and joined the Old Vic theatre company in 1952.
He worked regularly for the BBC, and was a presenter of the children's television programme Play School from 1964-67. He was best known as the narrator of The Magic Roundabout, for which he wrote the English language scripts, using the visuals from the French Le Manège Enchanté. These were transmitted between October 1965 and January 1977. His daughter Emma Thompson has noted his influence on her career, saying "his humour and his rigour, a self-taught man, who loved words and loved the use of words and how they worked. Everything about that was hugely influential." Thompson rarely worked on television after his voice became well-known, but occasionally appeared in programmes such as Doctor Who in the serial The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve in 1966.
Eric Thompson (disambiguation)
Eric Thompson (1929–1982) was a British actor, husband of Phyllida Law and father of Emma Thompson.
Eric Thompson may also refer to:
Eric Thompson (cyclist)
Eric Gordon Thompson (9 July 1927 – 15 May 1996) was a British Olympic cyclist. He died after cycling across Spain with friends in May 1996. He had been president of the Derby Mercury cycling club and took part in the first running of the Dovedale Dash.
He won the gold medal in the men's road race at the 1954 British Empire Games in Vancouver.
Achievements
References
External links
Eric Thompson (racing driver)
Eric Thompson (4 November 1919 – 22 August 2015) was a British motor racing driver, book dealer and insurance broker. He participated in sports car racing between 1949 and 1955 taking his greatest success by finishing third in the 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans and took part in the 1952 British Grand Prix.
Thompson worked as a broker for Lloyd's of London. His racing career started in 1948, racing cars for HRG. He won the 1.5-litre class in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1949 and drove for Aston Martin driving a DB2 to third place in the 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans. He also drove in Formula Libre, Tourist Trophy and Formula Two achieving minor success. He took part in his only Formula One race in the 1952 British Grand Prix finishing fifth, and later spent more time working at Lloyd's. He retired from motor racing at the end of 1955. Thompson resigned from Lloyd's in the 1980s and became a dealer of rare books on motorsport.
Biography
Early life
Thompson was born on 4 November 1919 in Ditton Hill, Surrey. In his childhood he developed an interest in motorsport, becoming a fan of Richard Seaman. After leaving secondary school Thompson found a job at Lloyd's of London as a broker. The work was well paid and required commitment, loyalty and long hours of work. Thompson won many awards for his effort and during the Second World War saw active service.
Podcasts:
Eric Thompson
ALBUMS
- Flatpicking Guitar Festival released:
Flatpicking Guitar Festival
- Medley: Fisher's Hornpipe / Devil's Dream
- Paddy on the Swingpipe
- Medley: Fishing Creek Blues / Arkansas Traveller
- All of Me
- Big Sandy River
- El Chicken Real
- The Kitchen Girl
- Down Yonder
- Fire Hose Reel
- Alabama Jubilee
- Irish Reels: The Sailor's Jacket / The Sligo Maid
- Hippodrome Reel
- Back Home in Indiana
- Indian Killed at Woodstock
- Medley: Liza / Lady Be Good
- Port Arthur Blues
- Possum Up a Gum Stump
- Beaumont Rag
- Texas Gals
- Drunken Billy Goat
- Soldier's Joy
- Red Haired Boy
- Sheik of Araby
