Alan Freeman

Biography

Alan Leslie Freeman MBE (6 July 1927 – 27 November 2006), nicknamed "Fluff", was an Australian-born British disc jockey and radio personality in the United Kingdom for 40 years, best known for presenting Pick of the Pops from 1961 to 2000. Born and educated in Melbourne, Australia, Freeman worked as an assistant paymaster/accountant for one of Australia's largest timber companies after leaving school. He wanted to be an opera singer, but decided his voice was not strong enough. Freeman was invited to audition as a radio announcer in 1952, and began work for 7LA in Tasmania, known as the teenagers' station. Freeman's duties included continuity announcer, presenter of musical programmes incorporating opera, ballet and classical music, DJ for the top 100, news reader, quizmaster and commercials reader. After moving to radio station 3KZ in Melbourne, he took a nine-month trip around the world in 1957, with the promise to return to Melbourne by January 1958. He arrived in London, and on deciding to stay wrote numerous letters of delay, and later apology, to his former employer. Freeman began his British career as a summer relief disc jockey on Radio Luxembourg and continued to present late evening programmes on the station until the early 1970s. In 1960 he moved to the BBC Light Programme as presenter of the Records Around Five show, introduced by his signature tune, "At the Sign of the Swingin' Cymbal", written by Brian Fahey. A more upbeat version performed by Brass Incorporated was introduced in April 1970. In September 1961, he introduced Pick of the Pops as part of Saturday evening show Trad Tavern. Pick of the Pops became a permanent show in its own right; Freeman presented it until 24 September 1972, continuing with his 'Swingin' Cymbal' signature tune. Freeman acted in the horror film Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965) and the rock musical Absolute Beginners (1986), and played himself or a similar character in films such as It's Trad, Dad! (1962), Just for Fun (1963) and Sebastian (1968). He also played God (albeit a God who sat at a mixing desk and said "Alright?") in two episodes of The Young Ones in 1984. Freeman also appeared in TV advertisements for Brentford Nylons and for Omo "with exclusive WM7 for perfect whiteness." He appeared in Noël Coward's Private Lives at the Adeline Genee Theatre in East Grinstead in June 1968, starring alongside Shirley Anne Field, Sally Anne Howe and Conrad Phillips. He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1998. In May 2000, he was presented with a Lifetime Achievement award at the Sony Radio Academy Awards. He was initiated into the Grand Order of Water Rats in 1976, and ten years later was elected "King Rat". He also served as Vice-President of the London Union of Youth Clubs. He died on 27 November 2006 in Brinsworth House, aged 79, after a short illness.