Denis Norden
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Denis Norden (born February 6, 1922), is a British comedy writer and television presenter.
Norden is nowadays best known to television audiences for his two occasional shows.
- It'll be Alright on the Night, which consists of out-takes from film and television linked by witty comments and has run since 1977.
- Denis Norden's Laughter File, which showcases spoof adverts, real foreign adverts, practical jokes, live television mistakes, and other various items, which, as he once put it, "tickled our fancies, just when they needed tickling". These items are virtually everything that is discovered when researching material for Alright on the Night that aren't out-takes, and thus cannot be shown on that show. They are collectively known as 'oddities'. This show has been running since 1997.
Aside from this success, he has had a long and distinguished career as a writer and radio and TV personality, partnered by Frank Muir.
Born in London, Norden began by managing a theatre and organising variety shows. His writing career began in the army during World War II, following which he wrote material for comedian Dick Bentley, before meeting Muir in 1947. Their first joint venture was the radio show, Take It From Here, and they went on to write many successful radio and television scripts. They became known as something of a double act, and were regular participants in panel shows such as My Word! and My Music, first on radio then TV. Norden also hosted an ITV nostalgia quiz, Looks Familiar.
See also: List of British Jews