| Biography | Ronald Hartley Waldman (13 May 1914 10 March 1978) was a leading British television executive.
He was born in London, the eldest son of Michael Waldman, OBE, JP (a Mayor of Hackney) and he was educated at Dame Alice Owen's School, Islington and Pembroke College, Oxford.
He began as an actor and producer (19351938) before joining the BBC Variety department in 1938. Following wartime service in the Royal Air Force Voluntary Reserve, he became the assistant Head of Variety Productions in 1948.
The British public knew him best as the co-producer with Harry S Pepper, and as presenter/interviewer of the popular Monday Night at Eight radio series, which was broadcast every week live. The programme started as "Monday Night at Seven" in 1938, soon becoming "Monday Night at Eight". It was broadcast throughout World War Two, and continued for several seasons after it. His speciality was "Puzzle Corner" with its "deliberate mistake" which listeners were invited to spot in time for next week's show. Each week saw a birthday guest star allowed 4 wishes, and if it was at all doable, the guest got the wish. For example, one guest wanted to announce the trains (live) leaving from Euston Station. Another guest, young John Clark, wanted to talk to an airline pilot (live) while he was in the air, and to talk to Joe Davis, his snooker hero. No problem. Unfortunately, no recordings of the programme seem to have survived, though the famous signature tune "It's Monday Night at Eight O'clock" does exist in the BBC Sound Archives.
After becoming a senior producer in Television Light Entertainment, he rose to become the BBC Head of Light Entertainment in 1950, and later chairman of Visnews. He discovered many of the distinguished names in light entertainment, such as Julie Andrews and Morecambe and Wise.
He later served as the Business Manager of BBC Television Programmes (19581960), General Manager of BBC Television Enterprises (19601963), Managing Director of Visnews (19631977), President of the Lord's Taverners (1966) and as a trustee of the International Institute of Communications (19751978).
His recreations included music and cricket. He died from cancer in March 1978 aged 63. He left a widow, the actress Lana Morris (whom he married in 1953) and a son. |