Leslie Crowther - Revision history

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	Crowther was one of the many hosts of the [[ITV (TV network)\|ITV]] panel/game show ''Whose Baby?'' which he presented in the mid-1980s. He also presented the fifth series of [[Southern Television]]'s children's game show ''[[Runaround (UK game show)\|Runaround]]'' in 1977, standing in for [[Mike Reid (actor)\|Mike Reid]]. He was also host of the first British version of the game show ''[[The Price Is Right (British game show)\|The Price is Right]]'', from 1984 to 1988, during which time his "Come on down!" catchphrase became familiar. In 1994, Crowther said that when ''The Price is Right'' was axed in May 1988, the producers never bothered to contact him directly. Instead, he learned the news from the press who called at his house and asked him how he felt.		Crowther was one of the many hosts of the [[ITV (TV network)\|ITV]] panel/game show ''Whose Baby?'' which he presented in the mid-1980s. He also presented the fifth series of [[Southern Television]]'s children's game show ''[[Runaround (UK game show)\|Runaround]]'' in 1977, standing in for [[Mike Reid (actor)\|Mike Reid]]. He was also host of the first British version of the game show ''[[The Price Is Right (British game show)\|The Price is Right]]'', from 1984 to 1988, during which time his "Come on down!" catchphrase became familiar. In 1994, Crowther said that when ''The Price is Right'' was axed in May 1988, the producers never bothered to contact him directly. Instead, he learned the news from the press who called at his house and asked him how he felt.

	In February 1990, he was chosen to be host of the TV show ''[[Stars in Their Eyes]]''. The first episode was transmitted on 21 July 1990. Crowther hosted the first three series, and a Christmas special in 1991. At the time of his car crash in October 1992 he was booked to record an [[Elvis Presley]] special, which was then hosted by [[Russ Abbot]], and a fourth series, eventually hosted by [[Matthew Kelly]] (who would later host the show for 11 years).~~{{cn\|date=February 2022}}~~		In February 1990, he was chosen to be host of the TV show ''[[Stars in Their Eyes]]''. The first episode was transmitted on 21 July 1990. Crowther hosted the first three series, and a Christmas special in 1991. At the time of his car crash in October 1992 he was booked to record an [[Elvis Presley]] special, which was then hosted by [[Russ Abbot]], and a fourth series, eventually hosted by [[Matthew Kelly]] (who would later host the show for 11 years).

	==1992 car accident==		==1992 car accident==

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	~~{{Short description\|English comedian}}~~
	~~{{Use British English\|date=November 2012}}~~
	~~{{Use dmy dates\|date=December 2020}}~~
	{{Infobox person		{{Infobox person
	\| ~~name~~ = ~~Leslie Crowther<br><small>~~[[w:Order of the British Empire\|CBE]]~~</small>~~		\| honorific_suffix = [[Order of the British Empire\|CBE]]
	\| image = Leslie Crowther.jpg		\| image = Leslie Crowther.jpg
	\| image_size =		\| image_size =
	\| caption =		\| caption =
	\| birth_name = Leslie Douglas Sargent Crowther		\| birth_name = Leslie Douglas Sargent Crowther
	\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1933\|2\|6\|df=y}}.~~<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0189849/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm\|title = Leslie Crowther\|website = [[IMDb]]}}</ref>~~		\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1933\|02\|06\|df=y}}.
	\| birth_place = [[~~w:West Bridgford\|~~West Bridgford]], [[~~w:Nottinghamshire\|~~Nottinghamshire]], England		\| birth_place = [[West Bridgford]], [[Nottinghamshire]], England
	\| death_date = {{death date and age\|1996\|9\|29\|1933\|2\|6\|df=y}}		\| death_date = {{death date and age\|1996\|09\|29\|1933\|02\|06\|df=y}}
	\| death_place = [[~~w:Bath, Somerset\|~~Bath, Somerset]], England		\| death_place = [[Bath, Somerset]], England
	\| death_cause =		\| death_cause =
	\| years_active = Mid-1940s–1992; 1993-94		\| years_active = Mid-1940s–1992; 1993-94
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	\| footnotes =		\| footnotes =
	}}		}}
	'''Leslie Douglas Sargent Crowther''', [[w:Order of the British Empire\|CBE]] (6 February 1933 – 29 September 1996) was an English comedian, actor, TV presenter, and game show host.<ref>{{cite news\| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-leslie-crowther-1365779.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-leslie-crowther-1365779.html \|archive-date=14 June 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live \| title=Obituary: Leslie Crowther – Independent, The (London) \| work=The Independent \| first=William G \| last=Stewart \| date=30 September 1996}}</ref>		'''Leslie Douglas Sargent Crowther''', [[Order of the British Empire\|CBE]] (6 February 1933 – 29 September 1996) was an English comedian, actor, TV presenter, and game show host.<ref>{{cite news\| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-leslie-crowther-1365779.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-leslie-crowther-1365779.html \|archive-date=14 June 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live \| title=Obituary: Leslie Crowther – Independent, The (London) \| work=The Independent \| first=William G \| last=Stewart \| date=30 September 1996}}</ref>

	==Biography==		==Biography==

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External links

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 *{{imdb name|0189849}}
 *[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19960930/ai_n14064781 Obituary]
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Crowther, Leslie}}

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Later career and retirement

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	Crowther was appointed a [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire\|CBE]] in the 1993<ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-leslie-crowther-1365779.html\|title=Obituary: Leslie Crowther\|date=1996-09-30\|website=The Independent\|language=en\|access-date=2019-11-28}}</ref> [[New Year Honours]] list in recognition of his years of charity work and in July 1993 he went to [[Buckingham Palace]] to receive it. On 20 November 1993, he made his first TV appearance since his crash in the ''[[Royal Variety Performance]]'', appearing alongside [[Cilla Black]]. On stage, he announced that he had just started to write an autobiography. Entitled ''The Bonus of Laughter,'' it was published in the autumn of 1994.		Crowther was appointed a [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire\|CBE]] in the 1993<ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-leslie-crowther-1365779.html\|title=Obituary: Leslie Crowther\|date=1996-09-30\|website=The Independent\|language=en\|access-date=2019-11-28}}</ref> [[New Year Honours]] list in recognition of his years of charity work and in July 1993 he went to [[Buckingham Palace]] to receive it. On 20 November 1993, he made his first TV appearance since his crash in the ''[[Royal Variety Performance]]'', appearing alongside [[Cilla Black]]. On stage, he announced that he had just started to write an autobiography. Entitled ''The Bonus of Laughter,'' it was published in the autumn of 1994.

	Crowther retired from show business on 4 November 1994, accepting that "I wouldn't be able to do things I've done the way I would want to, and the way my fans would expect". He also said that he was considering starting a new career as a writer. As he later put it, his mind was still sharp but his body had slowed down. Five days after retiring, he appeared as the subject on ''[[This Is Your Life (British TV series)\|This Is Your Life]]'' for the second time, when he was surprised by [[Michael Aspel]] during a book-signing session in [[Selfridges, Oxford Street\|Selfridges]] on London's Oxford Street.~~{{Citation needed\|date=September 2021}}~~ He had previously been honoured by ''This Is Your Life'' in March 1973 when [[Eamonn Andrews]] surprised him at an antiques fair at [[Earls Court Exhibition Centre\|Earls Court]] in London.~~{{Citation needed\|date=September 2021}}~~ Crowther's final television appearance was in March 1995, as a guest on [[June Whitfield]]'s ''This Is Your Life'' episode.		Crowther retired from show business on 4 November 1994, accepting that "I wouldn't be able to do things I've done the way I would want to, and the way my fans would expect". He also said that he was considering starting a new career as a writer. As he later put it, his mind was still sharp but his body had slowed down. Five days after retiring, he appeared as the subject on ''[[This Is Your Life (British TV series)\|This Is Your Life]]'' for the second time, when he was surprised by [[Michael Aspel]] during a book-signing session in [[Selfridges, Oxford Street\|Selfridges]] on London's Oxford Street. He had previously been honoured by ''This Is Your Life'' in March 1973 when [[Eamonn Andrews]] surprised him at an antiques fair at [[Earls Court Exhibition Centre\|Earls Court]] in London. Crowther's final television appearance was in March 1995, as a guest on [[June Whitfield]]'s ''This Is Your Life'' episode.

	==Personal life==		==Personal life==

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Biography

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	Crowther's stage experience began in the mid-1940s. As a youngster he showed promise as a pianist, and in 1944 won a junior scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. He attended the respected Cone-Ripman Drama School in London, where he met his future wife, and whilst there competed (in 1947) at the Star Junior Ballroom Championships partnering Pamela Cochran, and then at 16, he appeared as a member of the [[Ovaltineys]] Concert Party of the Air on Radio Luxembourg. He also attended [[Nottingham High School]] and then [[Thames Valley Grammar School]].<ref>Who's Who In The Theatre, sixteenth edition, ed. Ian Herbert, Pitman, 1977, p. 522</ref>		Crowther's stage experience began in the mid-1940s. As a youngster he showed promise as a pianist, and in 1944 won a junior scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. He attended the respected Cone-Ripman Drama School in London, where he met his future wife, and whilst there competed (in 1947) at the Star Junior Ballroom Championships partnering Pamela Cochran, and then at 16, he appeared as a member of the [[Ovaltineys]] Concert Party of the Air on Radio Luxembourg. He also attended [[Nottingham High School]] and then [[Thames Valley Grammar School]].<ref>Who's Who In The Theatre, sixteenth edition, ed. Ian Herbert, Pitman, 1977, p. 522</ref>

	In November 1951 his mother died of a massive stroke aged 56.~~{{citation needed\|date=November 2019}}~~ His father was also an actor.~~{{citation needed\|date=November 2019}}~~ Leslie senior was an alcoholic, and died in early January 1955 at the age of 67, ten days after being hit by a car.~~{{citation needed\|date=November 2019}}~~ Leslie junior had a half-brother, Frank Ronald, from his father's first marriage.~~{{citation needed\|date=November 2019}}~~		In November 1951 his mother died of a massive stroke aged 56. His father was also an actor. Leslie senior was an alcoholic, and died in early January 1955 at the age of 67, ten days after being hit by a car. Leslie junior had a half-brother, Frank Ronald, from his father's first marriage.

	During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Crowther worked on the stage and on radio. His radio work included [[Ovaltine]] programmes, ''[[Variety Playhouse (BBC)\|Variety Playhouse]]'' and ''Crowther's Crowd''.		During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Crowther worked on the stage and on radio. His radio work included [[Ovaltine]] programmes, ''[[Variety Playhouse (BBC)\|Variety Playhouse]]'' and ''Crowther's Crowd''.

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	{{Use dmy dates\|date=December 2020}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=December 2020}}
	{{Infobox person		{{Infobox person
	\| name = Leslie Crowther<br><small>[[Order of the British Empire\|CBE]]</small>		\| name = Leslie Crowther<br><small>[[w:Order of the British Empire\|CBE]]</small>
	\| image =		\| image = Leslie Crowther.jpg
	\| image_size =		\| image_size =
	\| caption =		\| caption =
	\| birth_name = Leslie Douglas Sargent Crowther		\| birth_name = Leslie Douglas Sargent Crowther
	\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1933\|2\|6\|df=y}}.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0189849/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm\|title = Leslie Crowther\|website = [[IMDb]]}}</ref>		\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1933\|2\|6\|df=y}}.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0189849/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm\|title = Leslie Crowther\|website = [[IMDb]]}}</ref>
	\| birth_place = [[West Bridgford]], [[Nottinghamshire]], England		\| birth_place = [[w:West Bridgford\|West Bridgford]], [[w:Nottinghamshire\|Nottinghamshire]], England
	\| death_date = {{death date and age\|1996\|9\|29\|1933\|2\|6\|df=y}}		\| death_date = {{death date and age\|1996\|9\|29\|1933\|2\|6\|df=y}}
	\| death_place = [[Bath, Somerset]], England		\| death_place = [[w:Bath, Somerset\|Bath, Somerset]], England
	\| death_cause =		\| death_cause =
	\| years_active = Mid-1940s–1992; 1993-94		\| years_active = Mid-1940s–1992; 1993-94
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	\| footnotes =		\| footnotes =
	}}		}}
	'''Leslie Douglas Sargent Crowther''', [[Order of the British Empire\|CBE]] (6 February 1933 – 29 September 1996) was an English comedian, actor, TV presenter, and game show host.<ref>{{cite news\| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-leslie-crowther-1365779.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-leslie-crowther-1365779.html \|archive-date=14 June 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live \| title=Obituary: Leslie Crowther – Independent, The (London) \| work=The Independent \| first=William G \| last=Stewart \| date=30 September 1996}}</ref>		'''Leslie Douglas Sargent Crowther''', [[w:Order of the British Empire\|CBE]] (6 February 1933 – 29 September 1996) was an English comedian, actor, TV presenter, and game show host.<ref>{{cite news\| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-leslie-crowther-1365779.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-leslie-crowther-1365779.html \|archive-date=14 June 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live \| title=Obituary: Leslie Crowther – Independent, The (London) \| work=The Independent \| first=William G \| last=Stewart \| date=30 September 1996}}</ref>

	==Biography==		==Biography==

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New page

{{Short description|English comedian}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Leslie Crowther<br><small>[[Order of the British Empire|CBE]]</small>
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_name = Leslie Douglas Sargent Crowther
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1933|2|6|df=y}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0189849/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm|title = Leslie Crowther|website = [[IMDb]]}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[West Bridgford]], [[Nottinghamshire]], England
| death_date = {{death date and age|1996|9|29|1933|2|6|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Bath, Somerset]], England
| death_cause =
| years_active = Mid-1940s–1992; 1993-94
| resting_place =
| residence =
| other_names =
| known_for =
| education =
| employer =
| occupation = {{hlist|Comedian|actor|television presenter|game show host}}
| title =
| spouse = {{marriage|Jean Stone|1954}}
| partner =
| children = 5, including [[Liz Crowther]]
| parents =
| relatives =
| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
'''Leslie Douglas Sargent Crowther''', [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]] (6 February 1933 – 29 September 1996) was an English comedian, actor, TV presenter, and game show host.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-leslie-crowther-1365779.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-leslie-crowther-1365779.html |archive-date=14 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | title=Obituary: Leslie Crowther – Independent, The (London) | work=The Independent | first=William G | last=Stewart | date=30 September 1996}}</ref>

==Biography==
Crowther was born on Monday 6 February 1933 in [[West Bridgford]], [[Nottinghamshire]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-leslie-crowther-1365779.html|title=Obituary: Leslie Crowther|date=1996-09-30|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2019-11-28}}</ref> son of Leslie Frederick Crowther (died 1955), of Twickenham, Middlesex, and Ethel Maraquita (died 1951), née Goulder.<ref>Debrett's People of Today, Debrett's Peerage Ltd, 1995, p. 472</ref><ref>Who's Who In The Theatre, sixteenth edition, ed. Ian Herbert, Pitman, 1977, p. 522</ref>

At the end of 1944, he moved to London with his parents, but was evacuated for a few months to the [[Isle of Bute]] until just after the [[Second World War]] ended.<ref>[http://www.bute-gateway.org/vday/butewar.shtml Bute's War] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510141901/http://www.bute-gateway.org/vday/butewar.shtml |date=10 May 2008 }} bute-gateway.org. Retrieved 1 February 2008.</ref>

Crowther's stage experience began in the mid-1940s. As a youngster he showed promise as a pianist, and in 1944 won a junior scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. He attended the respected Cone-Ripman Drama School in London, where he met his future wife, and whilst there competed (in 1947) at the Star Junior Ballroom Championships partnering Pamela Cochran, and then at 16, he appeared as a member of the [[Ovaltineys]] Concert Party of the Air on Radio Luxembourg. He also attended [[Nottingham High School]] and then [[Thames Valley Grammar School]].<ref>Who's Who In The Theatre, sixteenth edition, ed. Ian Herbert, Pitman, 1977, p. 522</ref>

In November 1951 his mother died of a massive stroke aged 56.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} His father was also an actor.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} Leslie senior was an alcoholic, and died in early January 1955 at the age of 67, ten days after being hit by a car.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} Leslie junior had a half-brother, Frank Ronald, from his father's first marriage.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}

During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Crowther worked on the stage and on radio. His radio work included [[Ovaltine]] programmes, ''[[Variety Playhouse (BBC)|Variety Playhouse]]'' and ''Crowther's Crowd''.

==Television career==
Crowther made a name for himself in television in the 1950s, with appearances as presenter of such programmes as the ''[[Billy Cotton Band Show]]'' and ''[[The Black and White Minstrel Show]]'', and later the long-running children's tv show ''[[Crackerjack (TV series)|Crackerjack]]'' for the [[BBC]], from 1960 to 1968. In September 1967, Crowther was the presenter chosen to host the first series of the revamped children's favourites show, ''Junior Choice'', on the newly opened [[BBC Radio 1|Radio One]] station. The next year, 1968, he recorded the LP 'Songs for Swinging Children', released on Pye's blue Label.

From 1964 to 1967, Crowther presented ''Meet the Kids'', an annual trip to a children's hospital ward that was screened by the BBC on Christmas Morning. He would walk around the ward meeting the patients, and the show would feature a surprise celebrity, and a present hidden under each bed. Typical locations were [[Great Ormond Street Hospital|Great Ormond Street]] and Hackney Hospitals. In 1969, Crowther switched to ITV, and ''A Merry Morning'' was screened annually, following the same format, usually from the Seacroft Hospital in Leeds.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.offthetelly.co.uk/?page_id%3D3778 |title=Prologue : Off the Telly |access-date=2011-08-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319151353/http://www.offthetelly.co.uk/?page_id=3778 |archive-date=19 March 2012 }}</ref>

From the 1970s, Crowther was the face of [[Stork (margarine)|Stork SB Margarine]], for which he appeared in a number of [[television commercials]]. In 1971, he made ''The Leslie Crowther Show'', a comedy sketch show, with three older comics, [[Arthur English]], [[Chic Murray]] and [[Albert Modley]] ("Eee it's grand to be daft!") as the internal "rep" company. In 1972 and 1973, he appeared in a television [[sitcom]] called ''My Good Woman'', alongside [[Richard Wilson (Scottish actor)|Richard Wilson]], [[Sylvia Syms]] and [[Keith Barron]]. He also narrated two storytelling LPs for children, ''Tallulah Supercat'' and ''Tallulah and the Cat-Burglars''. Crowther also appeared as [[Chesney Allen]] with [[Bernie Winters]] as Allen's partner [[Bud Flanagan]] in performances on television and on stage.

In the middle of 1977, Crowther made an effort to break into radio with the pilot of a comedy show, [[''It's Leslie, by Crowther'']], recorded in the Regent Sound Stage (now the Vue Cinema in Lower Regent Street) and produced by [[John Browell]]. This however did not come to anything and he returned to TV.

===Game shows===
Crowther was one of the many hosts of the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] panel/game show ''Whose Baby?'' which he presented in the mid-1980s. He also presented the fifth series of [[Southern Television]]'s children's game show ''[[Runaround (UK game show)|Runaround]]'' in 1977, standing in for [[Mike Reid (actor)|Mike Reid]]. He was also host of the first British version of the game show ''[[The Price Is Right (British game show)|The Price is Right]]'', from 1984 to 1988, during which time his "Come on down!" catchphrase became familiar. In 1994, Crowther said that when ''The Price is Right'' was axed in May 1988, the producers never bothered to contact him directly. Instead, he learned the news from the press who called at his house and asked him how he felt.

In February 1990, he was chosen to be host of the TV show ''[[Stars in Their Eyes]]''. The first episode was transmitted on 21 July 1990. Crowther hosted the first three series, and a Christmas special in 1991. At the time of his car crash in October 1992 he was booked to record an [[Elvis Presley]] special, which was then hosted by [[Russ Abbot]], and a fourth series, eventually hosted by [[Matthew Kelly]] (who would later host the show for 11 years).{{cn|date=February 2022}}

==1992 car accident==

The show business career of Leslie Crowther came to a sudden end on the afternoon of Saturday, 3 October, 1992 on the [[M5 motorway|M5]] near [[Cheltenham]], when he sustained serious head injuries in a car accident. The precise cause of the accident to this day remains unknown. It was speculated that he [[driver fatigue|fell asleep at the wheel]] and, as a result, his [[Rolls-Royce (car)|Rolls-Royce]] car skidded into the [[central reservation]] barrier and overturned several times. In the months before the crash, Crowther was extremely busy with [[Lord's Taverners]] events and functions and on the previous day, 2 October, had been to a dinner in [[Swansea]]. That night, he stayed at a hotel in Birmingham and then opened some [[Allied Carpets]] stores in [[Birmingham]] on the morning of 3 October. Crowther was returning home when the crash occurred.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/police-still-seek-cause-of-crowther-car-crash-1555538.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/police-still-seek-cause-of-crowther-car-crash-1555538.html |archive-date=14 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Police still seek cause of Crowther car crash|date=1992-10-05|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2019-11-28}}</ref>

The car ended up on its roof on the [[hard shoulder]] of the motorway, and was a write-off. At first, Crowther did not appear to be seriously injured, apart from being shaken up. He was able to tell the [[police]] his personal details, including his home telephone number and what tablets he was taking for his heart condition and a faulty heart valve; he had been diagnosed with heart trouble three years earlier when he complained of feeling breathless.

However, after being taken to [[Cheltenham General Hospital]], his condition suddenly deteriorated and he lapsed into unconsciousness. A [[brain scan]] revealed a [[blood clot]] had formed on the left-hand side of his [[brain]]. Crowther was taken to [[Bristol]]'s [[Frenchay Hospital]] for [[brain surgery]] to remove the blood clot that evening.

On 5 October, after a nurse was unhappy with his condition, a further scan revealed that another blood clot, the size of a small apple, had formed on the same side of his brain. Crowther then underwent a second brain operation that lasted two hours and a [[tracheotomy]] to help him breathe. Crowther remained in a coma for 17 days. Although he was allowed to spend Christmas 1992 at home, he was a patient in Frenchay Hospital until 12 February 1993 when he was discharged. After his release, he underwent months of [[occupational therapy]] and [[physiotherapy]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/leslie-crowther-critical-after-second-operation-1555688.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/leslie-crowther-critical-after-second-operation-1555688.html |archive-date=14 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Leslie Crowther 'critical' after second operation | location=London | work=The Independent|date=6 October 1992}}</ref>

==Later career and retirement==
Crowther was appointed a [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire|CBE]] in the 1993<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-leslie-crowther-1365779.html|title=Obituary: Leslie Crowther|date=1996-09-30|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2019-11-28}}</ref> [[New Year Honours]] list in recognition of his years of charity work and in July 1993 he went to [[Buckingham Palace]] to receive it. On 20 November 1993, he made his first TV appearance since his crash in the ''[[Royal Variety Performance]]'', appearing alongside [[Cilla Black]]. On stage, he announced that he had just started to write an autobiography. Entitled ''The Bonus of Laughter,'' it was published in the autumn of 1994.

Crowther retired from show business on 4 November 1994, accepting that "I wouldn't be able to do things I've done the way I would want to, and the way my fans would expect". He also said that he was considering starting a new career as a writer. As he later put it, his mind was still sharp but his body had slowed down. Five days after retiring, he appeared as the subject on ''[[This Is Your Life (British TV series)|This Is Your Life]]'' for the second time, when he was surprised by [[Michael Aspel]] during a book-signing session in [[Selfridges, Oxford Street|Selfridges]] on London's Oxford Street.{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}} He had previously been honoured by ''This Is Your Life'' in March 1973 when [[Eamonn Andrews]] surprised him at an antiques fair at [[Earls Court Exhibition Centre|Earls Court]] in London.{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}} Crowther's final television appearance was in March 1995, as a guest on [[June Whitfield]]'s ''This Is Your Life'' episode.

==Personal life==
Like his father, Crowther was an [[alcoholic]] and this problem continued throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. On 14 November 1983, Crowther was arrested for [[Drink driving|drink-driving]]. Two weeks later, he was fined, and banned from driving for nine months. In October 1988, Crowther arrived drunk at a gala in [[Glastonbury]]. This made him realise that he had a serious problem and needed help. Unlike five years earlier, his alcohol addiction received much publicity. From January to 17 March 1989, Crowther was a resident in [[Clouds House]], a drug and alcohol treatment centre near [[Shaftesbury]]. He never drank alcohol again.

Crowther married Jean Elizabeth Stone (12 May 1931 – 10 December 2017) on 27 March 1954. They had five children, including twins born on 9 December 1954; one of the twins, his daughter, [[Liz Crowther|Liz]], is an actress. His other daughter, Caroline, was married to the musician [[Phil Lynott]]. Crowther's youngest child, his son Nick, works in radio, presenting traffic and travel bulletins for [[The Automobile Association|AA Roadwatch]] based in [[Stanmore]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rocklegend.thin-lizzy.info/bio-plynott.htm |title=Thin lizzy-arocklegend-philip lynott bio |access-date=2009-09-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090429021628/http://www.rocklegend.thin-lizzy.info/bio-plynott.htm |archive-date=29 April 2009 }}</ref>

==Death==
Leslie Crowther died from [[heart failure]] at 5{{nbsp}}am on 29 September 1996 in the [[Royal United Hospital]] in [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]], at the age of 63, with his wife Jean and family at his side. He had lived near Bath since 1978, and had a flat in London overlooking [[Lord's Cricket Ground]].

The 30 September 1996 episode of ''[[The Price Is Right (UK game show)#Forsyth era (Bruce's Price is Right)|Bruce's Price Is Right]]'', the [[Bruce Forsyth]] version of ''The Price is Right'', was dedicated to Crowther at the request of Forsyth himself, according to the [[ITV Network|ITV]] continuity announcement. Forsyth told the ''[[Daily Mirror]]'' the previous day that Crowther had written to congratulate him on obtaining the job of presenting ''The Price is Right'' when it was relaunched on 4 September 1995.

Crowther was cremated a week later, on 7 October. His ashes were later scattered at Lord's and a memorial service was held for him in London on 27 November. Also in October, at that year's [[National Television Awards]], [[Matthew Kelly]] dedicated an award he won for ''[[Stars In Their Eyes]]'' to Crowther.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{imdb name|0189849}}
*[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19960930/ai_n14064781 Obituary]

{{s-start}}
{{succession box |
before=[[Eamonn Andrews]]|
title=Host of ''[[Crackerjack (TV series)|Crackerjack]]''|
years=1960 – 1968|
after=[[Michael Aspel]]|
}}{{succession box |
before=First host|
title=Host of ''[[The Price Is Right (UK game show)|The Price is Right]]''|
years=1984 – 1988|
after=[[Bob Warman]]|
}}
{{succession box |
before=First host|
title=Host of ''[[Stars in Their Eyes]]''|
years=1990 – 1992|
after= [[Matthew Kelly]]|
}}{{succession box |
before=[[Tim Rice]]||
title=President of [[Lord's Taverners]]|
years=1991 – 1992|
after=[[Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex]]|
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Crowther, Leslie}}
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:1996 deaths]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:English male comedians]]
[[Category:English game show hosts]]
[[Category:People from West Bridgford]]
[[Category:20th-century English comedians]]