At Home with Larry Grayson

Janet Street-Porter hosts a tribute to Larry Grayson on the occasion of his 60th birthday. She takes him on a nostalgic trip to his hometown, Nuneaton, and they reminisce about his career in show business. Many guest stars appear, including Noele Gordon and Arthur Marshall, before the programme ends with a tune - Born in Trunk, sung by his idol Judy Garland over the closing credits.

In the 1940s the fey comedian Larry Grayson (1923-1995) began a long and difficult climb to fame. By the early 1970s he had become a national treasure, with catchphrases such as “What a gay day”, imaginary friends like Everard and Slack Alice, and his first television series Shut That Door! However, in 1978 Gay News described Larry’s appointment to replace Bruce Forsyth on the BBC’s popular Generation Game as “the worst possible thing that could happen to gay rights on British television.” In spite of this, viewers loved him and his version of The Generation Game ran until 1982.

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