More sad news today. Chat show host and journalist Michael Parkinson has passed away at the age of 88. I watched his show very frequently on Saturday nights during its first run (from 1971 and 1982) and remember many great interviews he did, especially with wonderful raconteurs such as Peter Ustinov and Kenneth Williams.
I can’t add much to the extensive obituaries you can find in the regular media except to say that Parky was a big fan of jazz, as am I, and he often got jazz musicians on his show. One example I remember vividly watching 50 years ago (!) in 1973 was Duke Ellington. I remember the interview very well, but what I remember even better was the impromptu postscript. As they were wrapping up the recording, Ellington said he wanted to play a number with the resident band (led by Harry Stoneham on the organ), who I’m sure were absolutely thrilled at the prospect. What followed was this version of Ellington’s own tune Satin Doll. Parky’s show had its own signature tune, but I don’t think he’d mind being played out with this…
R.I.P. Michael Parkinson (1935-2023)
In the Dark 