After 70 years of acting
“His energy was extraordinary”: Actor and dancer Lionel Blair died at the age of 92
Lionel Blair has a 70-year acting career behind him.
© Dominic Lipinski / Picture Alliance
British actor and choreographer Lionel Blair has passed away. Most recently he hosted the quiz show “Name that Tune”.
The English actor and TV presenter Lionel Blair has died at the age of 92, according to media reports. The agency PA and the broadcaster reported BBC on Thursday evening, citing Blair’s agent. In a career spanning nearly 70 years, Blair has appeared in a number of films, including “A Hard Day’s Night” with the Beatles. He also performed as a tap dancer and worked as a choreographer. Most recently he hosted the quiz show “Name That Tune” on television.
Blair was most recently known as the team captain in the game show “Give Us A Clue”. In addition, he played in Ricky Gervais “Extras” in recent years and also appeared on “Celebrity Big Brother”.
Born in Canada in 1928, he moved to Great Britain as a young boy, where he first appeared in bomb shelters during World War II.
70-year acting career
At the age of 14, Lionel Blair appeared in musical productions with his older sister Joyce Blair. The actor was best known for his autodidactic skills. In the Beatles film “A hard Day’s Night” he took on the role of a choreographer. He also appeared on television, initially in programs such as the “Tommy Cooper Hour” and the “Jimmy Tarbuck Show”. In the late 1970s he was a juror on the talent show “New Faces”.
His friend Christopher Biggins, also an actor and presenter, called Blair “the most wonderful (man), kind, funny, a real life giver. His energy was extraordinary.”
Sources: BBC, DPA