Editing Des O'Connor

{{Short description|English comedian, singer and television presenter (1932–2020)}}
{{other people}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Des O'Connor
| honorific_suffix   = {{post-nominals|size=100%|country=GBR|CBE}}
| birth_name         = Desmond Bernard O'Connor
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1932|1|12|df=y}}
| image              = Des O'Connor, Christchurch NZ (1974) 3 (cropped).jpg
| caption            = O'Connor performing in 1974
| birth_place        = [[Stepney]], London, England
| death_date         = {{death date and age|2020|11|14|1932|1|12|df=y}}
| death_place        = [[Slough]], Berkshire, England
| occupation         = {{flatlist|
* Broadcaster
* musician
* comedian
}}
| years_active       = 1954–2019
| television         = {{nowrap|''[[The Des O'Connor Show]]'' (1963–1973)<br />''Des O'Connor Entertains'' (1974–1976)<br />''[[Des O'Connor Tonight]]'' (1977–2002)<br />''[[Take Your Pick]]'' (1992–1999)<br />''[[Today with Des and Mel]]'' (2002–2006)<br />''[[Countdown (game show)|Countdown]]'' (2007–2008)}}
| spouse             = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Phyllis Gill|1953|1959|reason=divorced}}
* {{marriage|Gillian Vaughan|1960|1982|reason=divorced}}
* {{marriage|Jay Rufer|1985|1990|reason=divorced}}
* {{marriage|Jodie Brooke Wilson|September 2007}}
}}
| children           = 5
}}

''' Desmond Bernard O'Connor''' (12 January 1932 – 14 November 2020) was an English comedian, singer  and television presenter.

He was a long-time TV chat-show host, beginning with ''[[The Des O'Connor Show]]'' in 1963, which ran for ten years as well as the lunchtime chat show ''[[Today with Des and Mel]]'' from 2002 to 2006 with [[Melanie Sykes]]. He also presented several UK television game shows, including ''[[Take Your Pick!]]'' from 1992 to 1999, and the long-running [[Channel 4]] game show ''[[Countdown (game show)|Countdown]]'' for two years between 2007 and 2008.

O'Connor recorded 36 albums and had four top-ten UK singles, including a number-one hit with "[[I Pretend]]", with global sales of more than sixteen million records.<ref>{{cite news|title=Profile: Des O'Connor|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7453144.stm|access-date=15 November 2020|agency=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=13 June 2008}}</ref> Well known for his friendship with comedians [[Morecambe and Wise]], his singing ability was often light-heartedly mocked on [[The Morecambe & Wise Show (1968 TV series)|their show]], with O'Connor taking part in the sketches.<ref name="Ultimate entertainer"/>

==Early life==
Desmond Bernard O'Connor was born on 12 January 1932 in [[Stepney]], [[East End of London|East London]], to Maude (''née'' Bassett), a cleaner, and Harry O'Connor, a dustman.<ref name = ODNB>{{cite ODNB|title = O'Connor, Desmond Bernard [Des] (1932–2020), comedian, singer, and television host|last = Leigh|first = Spencer|date = 2024|doi = 10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.90000381681}}</ref> His father was of Irish Catholic descent and his mother was Jewish, and he joked that he was the first O'Connor to have a [[Bar and bat mitzvah|bar mitzvah]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Jeffries |first=Stuart |date=15 November 2020| title=Des O'Connor obituary |work=The Guardian |location= London |url= https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/nov/15/des-o-connor-obituary |access-date=16 November 2020}}</ref>

In his childhood, he had [[rickets]] and was later badly injured in a hit-and-run car accident which meant he had to be in an [[iron lung]] for six months.<ref name=bbc1/> He had a brother and a sister. He was evacuated to [[Northampton]] during the [[Second World War]], where he worked in a shoe factory and was a schoolboy and reserves football player with [[Northampton Town F.C.|Northampton Town]].<ref name=bbc1/><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.mcleodagency.co.uk/Detail.aspx?ActID=19&CatID=29 |title=Book Des O'Connor – Celebrities from The Mcleod Agency |publisher=The Mcleod Agency |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141006125921/http://www.mcleodagency.co.uk/Detail.aspx?ActID=19&CatID=29 |access-date=15 November 2020 |archive-date=6 October 2014 }}</ref>

After completing his [[Conscription in the United Kingdom#After 1945|national service]] in the [[Royal Air Force]], he worked as a [[Butlins Redcoat|Redcoat]] at [[Butlin's Filey|Butlin's holiday camp in Filey]], where he met his first wife Phyllis, and as a shoe salesman at [[Church's]] in [[Northampton]], and for the bus company [[United Counties]], both on the road and in the office,<ref>{{cite book |first=Caroline |last=Cleaveley |title=Memories of United Counties Part 1: Northampton |year=2010 |publisher= Silver Link Publishing |isbn=978-1-85794-343-6}}</ref> before entering show business. Prior to his break on television, his first fully professional stage appearance in variety was in a Newcastle theatre. Later, while in [[Leeds]], he invited the Welsh singer [[Shirley Bassey]] out on two dates.<ref name=":0" /> In 1958, when [[Buddy Holly]] toured the UK, O'Connor was the show's [[compere (host)|compère]] for which he was paid £100 per week.<ref name="Ultimate entertainer" /><br> 

In 1950 and 1952, he collaborated in songwriting with British singer [[Sam Browne (musician)|Sam Browne]] and Australian pianist and composer [[Ray Hartley (musician)|Ray Hartley]]. The team produced hit songs "Let's Do It Again", "Start Singing A Song", "Yes! Yes! Yes! (I Like Good Old Melody)" and "Why Do I Love You?". O'Connor and Hartley also created the hit song "My Baby Told Me She Loves Me".

==Career==
===Stage===
O'Connor appeared at the [[Glasgow Empire Theatre|Glasgow Empire]], [[MGM Grand Las Vegas|MGM Grand]], [[Las Vegas]], the [[Sydney Opera House|Opera House]], Sydney, and the [[O'Keefe Centre]], Toronto, and  made more than one thousand solo appearances at the [[London Palladium]].<ref name=bbc1/>

In late 2011, O'Connor starred in ''[[Dreamboats and Petticoats]]'' at the [[Playhouse Theatre]].{{citation needed|date=November 2020}}

In May 2012, O'Connor replaced [[Russell Grant]] in the West End musical, ''[[The Wizard of Oz (2011 musical)|The Wizard of Oz]]'', at the [[London Palladium]], as Professor Marvel, Doorman at the Emerald City, Tour Guide, and The Wizard.<ref>[http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Confirmed-Des-OConnor-to-Make-Musical-Debut-as-The-Wizard-in-THE-WIZARD-OF-OZ-from-May-22-20120509 "Confirmed: Des O'Connor to Star as The Wizard in THE WIZARD OF OZ from May 22; Show to Close in September"], BroadwayWorld, 22 May 2012, accessed 21 February 2021</ref>

In October 2015, O'Connor and [[Jimmy Tarbuck]] starred in their own one-off show at the London Palladium to raise money for the new Royal Variety Charity. Due to the success of this show, they toured the country in 2016 from April to October. The venues they visited were (in chronological order), the Southampton [[Mayflower Theatre]], [[Grand Theatre, Leeds|Leeds Grand Theatre]], Southend [[Cliffs Pavilion]], [[Bristol Hippodrome]], [[Bournemouth International Centre]], and [[Milton Keynes Theatre]].{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

In 2017, O'Connor and Tarbuck toured the UK again from May to December. The venues they visited included [[Theatre Royal, Norwich]], [[Wolverhampton Grand Theatre]], [[Blackpool Opera House]], [[Princess Theatre, Torquay]], [[The Hexagon, Reading]], [[Theatre Royal, Newcastle]] and [[Grand Theatre, Swansea]].{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

Until 2019, O'Connor toured theatres around the UK with his one-man show.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

===Television===
O'Connor starred in mainstream television shows in almost every year from 1963 until the 2000s, a feat that only one other television personality has achieved worldwide (U.S. game show host [[Bob Barker]], who hosted mainstream television shows from 1956 until 2007, with 1966–1972 being in syndication).
* Between 1963 and 1971 O'Connor hosted ''[[The Des O'Connor Show]]'', a British variety show, for eight series on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]. This was followed by ''Des O'Connor Entertains'', a show which ran for two series between 1974 and 1976 and featured singing, dancing, and comedy sketches. In 1969, thirteen editions of the show were sold to [[NBC]] in the United States, as a summer replacement for the network's ''[[Kraft Music Hall]]''. The series was broadcast in more than forty countries.{{Citation needed|date=January 2011}}
* Between 1977 and 2002, O'Connor presented his own chat show series entitled ''[[Des O'Connor Tonight]]'' which lasted for seven series on [[BBC Two]] and later seventeen on ITV.
* From 1992 to 1998 O'Connor presented the game show ''[[Take Your Pick!]]'' where he met fourth wife Jodie Wilson. In 1995 and 1997 O'Connor compèred the [[Royal Variety Performance]].
* In January 2001 ITV aired ''[[An Audience with...|An Audience with Des O'Connor]]''.
* From 2002 to 2006 O'Connor co-hosted ''[[Today with Des and Mel]]'' opposite [[Melanie Sykes]]. The show was a lunchtime light entertainment programme aired on ITV. On 12 May 2006, the channel announced that the show would be one of a number to be axed in a "painful, but utterly necessary" move.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4765727.stm |title=ITV swings axe to revive channel |work=BBC News |date=12 May 2006 |access-date=1 May 2014}}</ref>
* In January 2007, O'Connor replaced [[Des Lynam]] as co-presenter of the [[Channel 4]] game show ''[[Countdown (game show)|Countdown]]'' with [[Carol Vorderman]]. He left the show in 2008 to spend more time on theatre and entertainment-based projects.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7522099.stm |title=Des O'Connor to leave Countdown |work=BBC News |date=23 July 2008 |access-date=1 May 2014}}</ref> In 2009, O'Connor was replaced by sports presenter [[Jeff Stelling]].
* In April 2012, ITV aired ''[[The One and Only (TV programme)|The One and Only Des O'Connor]]'', a one-off show that celebrated O'Connor's 80th birthday, with guests including [[Katherine Kelly (actress)|Katherine Kelly]], [[Olly Murs]], [[Robert Lindsay (actor)|Robert Lindsay]], and Melanie Sykes.<ref>{{cite web |title=The One and Only Des O'Connor |url=http://www.itv.com/presscentre/pressreleases/programmepressreleases/theoneandonlydesoconnor/default.html |website=ITV |access-date=15 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120626201330/http://www.itv.com:80/presscentre/pressreleases/programmepressreleases/theoneandonlydesoconnor/default.html |archive-date=26 June 2012 |date=19 March 2012}}</ref>

====Guest appearances====
* O'Connor appeared as a guest on ''[[The Morecambe & Wise Show (1968–1977)|The Morecambe and Wise Show]]'' a number of times. He was the butt of many a joke by Eric Morecambe, being referred to as "Des – short for 'desperate", and "Death O'Connor".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/des-oconnor-half-the-things-you-worry-about-arent-going-to-happen-30802904.html|title=Des O'Connor – Half the things you worry about aren't going to happen|newspaper=Belfast Telegraph|date=5 December 2014|access-date=15 November 2020}}</ref> One line, sung to the tune of "Crazy Words – Crazy Tune" was, "Roses are red, violets are blue, Des can't sing, we know that's true!". (O'Connor was actually an old friend of the duo, and even participated in writing many of the "put-downs".)
* In May 2012, O'Connor took part in the TV game show ''[[Would I Lie to You? (British game show)|Would I Lie to You?]]''.
* In December 2012, O'Connor was invited to celebrate 100 years of the [[Royal Variety Performance]] with [[Bruce Forsyth]], [[Ronnie Corbett]],  and [[Jimmy Tarbuck]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.royalvarietycharity.org/royal-variety-performance/archive/detail/2012--london-royal-albert-hall|title=2012 – London Royal Albert Hall|work=Royal Variety Charity|access-date=15 November 2020}}</ref>
* In December 2012, O'Connor partnered [[Lee Mack]] in a celebrity edition of ''[[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (British game show)|Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?]]''.
* In December 2013, O'Connor appeared in a celebrity edition of ''[[The Chase (British game show)|The Chase]]''.
* In October 2014, O'Connor was a panellist on an episode of ''[[Through the Keyhole]]''.
* In April 2017, O'Connor was on the panel of ''[[Harry Hill's Alien Fun Capsule]]''.

===Singing===
O'Connor had a successful career as a singer, recording 36 albums,<ref>{{cite news| url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7522099.stm | work=BBC News | title=Des O'Connor to leave Countdown | date=23 July 2008 | access-date=1 May 2010}}</ref> five of which reached the [[top 40]] of the [[UK Albums Chart]]. O'Connor appeared with Morecambe and Wise on several of their Christmas shows.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/what-to-see/still-bringing-us-sunshine-eric-ernies-best-moments/ |title=Still Bringing Us Sunshine: Eric and Ernie's best moments |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location= London |date=23 December 2016
|access-date=15 November 2020}}</ref> He worked with many pop stars, including [[Adam Faith]], [[Shirley Bassey]], [[Barbra Streisand]] and [[Cilla Black]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2011}} He toured with [[Buddy Holly]] (during Holly's 1958 stay in the UK)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.net/whats-on/music/des-i-will-always-remember-buddy-83770 |title=How Des O'Connor will never forget Buddy Holly |first=Graham |last=Young |date=1 February 2009 |website= BirminghamLive}}{{dead link |date=November 2020}}</ref> and [[Jason Donovan]].{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

He recorded four top 10 singles,<ref>{{Cite news |title=Des O'Connor's prolific career in music |date=15 November 2020 |work=The Irish News |location= Belfast |url= https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/entertainment/2020/11/15/news/des-o-connor-s-prolific-career-in-music-2130383/}}</ref> including "[[I Pretend]]", which topped the [[UK Singles Chart]] in 1968, and "[[The Skye Boat Song]]", a 1986 duet with [[Roger Whittaker]].

His singing ability was often parodied on ''[[The Morecambe & Wise Show (1968 TV series)|The Morecambe & Wise Show]]'', with O'Connor taking part in the sketches.<ref name="Ultimate entertainer">{{cite news |title='Ultimate entertainer' Des O'Connor dies aged 88 |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-54950051 |date=15 November 2020 |work=BBC News}}</ref>

==Awards and honours==
[[File:Des O'Connor on Blackpool's Walk of Fame, 2022.jpg|thumb|Des O'Connor on the Blackpool Walk of Fame Comedy Carpet, 2022]]
O'Connor was the first subject of the second incarnation of the long-running television programme ''[[This Is Your Life (British TV series)|This Is Your Life]]'', when the show returned to screens after a five-year absence, produced by [[Thames Television]]. He was surprised live on the stage of the [[London Palladium]] by [[Eamonn Andrews]] in November 1969.<ref name=bbc1>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-39733917 |title=Des O'Connor: From Butlin's to chat show king |website=BBC |date=15 November 2020 }}</ref>

In 2001, O'Connor was presented with the Special Recognition Award at the [[National Television Awards]] for his contribution to television.

In 2002, his autobiography, ''Bananas Can't Fly!'', was published.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.headline.co.uk/titles/des-oconnor/bananas-cant-fly/9780747232070/|title = Bananas Can't Fly!|date = 30 January 2019|isbn = 9780747232070|last1 = O'Connor|first1 = Des| publisher=Headline }}</ref>

He was appointed [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] (CBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=58729 |date=14 June 2008 |page=8 |supp=y}}</ref>

A month after his death, ITV aired a tribute, titled ''Des O'Connor: The Ultimate Entertainer'', on 13 December 2020.

==Personal life==
O'Connor was married four times:<ref name = ODNB/>
* Phyllis Gill (married 1953, divorced 1959; one daughter)
* Gillian Vaughan (married 1962, divorced 1982; two daughters)
* Jay Rufer (married 1985, divorced 1990, one daughter)
* Jodie Brooke Wilson (married September 2007; one son)

==Death==
On 14 November 2020, O'Connor died in his sleep at [[Wexham Park Hospital]] in [[Slough]], aged 88, following a fall at his home in [[Gerrards Cross]], [[Buckinghamshire]], a week earlier.<ref name = ODNB/><ref name="Ultimate entertainer"/> In a January 2021 interview, his widow Jodie revealed that in 2017, he had been diagnosed with [[Parkinson's disease]], although he thought that he had suffered from effects of it for a few years previously.<ref>{{cite web |date=January 12, 2021 |title=Des O'Connor had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease before his death |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/des-o-connor-parkinsons-disease-b1784860.html |access-date=August 17, 2024 |website=The Independent}}</ref> The episode of ''[[Countdown (game show)|Countdown]]'' broadcast on 16 November 2020 was dedicated to his memory.

==Selected discography==
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}

===Albums===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|-
!rowspan="2"| Year
!rowspan="2"| Album
|-
!| [[UK Album Chart|UK]]<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book| first= David| last= Roberts| year= 2006| title= British Hit Singles & Albums| edition= 19th| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London| isbn= 1-904994-10-5| page= 403}}</ref>
!| [[Kent Music Report|AUS]]<ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=221}}</ref>
!| [[Irish Album Chart|IRE]]
|-
|1968
|align="left"|''I Pretend''
| style="text-align:center;"|8
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
|1970
|align="left"|''With Love''
| style="text-align:center;"|40
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
|1972
|align="left"|''Sing a Favourite Song''
| style="text-align:center;"|25
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
|1974
|align="left"|''Remember''
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|73
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
|1978
|align="left"|''Another Side''
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
|1980
|align="left"|''Just for You''
| style="text-align:center;"|17
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
|1984
|align="left"|''Des O'Connor Now''
| style="text-align:center;"|24
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
|1992
|align="left"|''Portrait''
| style="text-align:center;"|63
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
|2001
|align="left"|''A Tribute to the Crooners''
| style="text-align:center;"|51
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
|2008
|align="left"|''Inspired''
| style="text-align:center;"|51
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|}

===Compilation albums===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|-
!rowspan="2"| Year
!rowspan="2"| Album
|-
!| [[Kent Music Report|AUS]]<ref name=aus/>
|-
|1979
|align="left"|''Just for You – 20 Special Songs''
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
|1980
|align="left"|''Remember Romance – 20 Great Love Songs''
| style="text-align:center;"|65
|-
|1984
|align="left"|''Now – 16 Classic Songs''
| style="text-align:center;"|65
|}
{{col-2}}

===Singles===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|-
!rowspan="2"| Year
!rowspan="2"| Single
!colspan="4"| Chart positions
|-
!| [[UK Singles Chart|UK]]<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/>
!| [[Kent Music Report|AUS]]<ref name=aus/>
!| [[Irish Singles Chart|IRE]]
!| [[Canadian Singles Chart|Can AC]]
|-
|1967
|align="left"|"[[Careless Hands]]"
| style="text-align:center;"|6
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
| rowspan=2| 1968
|align="left"|"[[I Pretend]]"
| style="text-align:center;"|1
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
|align="left"|"1–2–3 O'Leary"
| style="text-align:center;"|4
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
| rowspan=2| 1969
|align="left"|"Dick-A-Dum-Dum"
| style="text-align:center;"|14
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
|align="left"|"Loneliness"
| style="text-align:center;"|18
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
| rowspan=2| 1970
|align="left"|"I'll Go on Hoping"
| style="text-align:center;"|30
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
|align="left"|"The Tip of My Fingers"
| style="text-align:center;"|15
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
|| 1972
|align="left"|"Don't Let the Good Life Pass You By"
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|77
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
|| 1973
|align="left"|"Remember"
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|19
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
|| 1974
|align="left"|"My Sentimental Friend"
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|100
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
| rowspan=2| 1975
|align="left"|"[[Feelings (Morris Albert song)|Feelings]]"
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
|align="left"|"[[Three Times a Lady]]"
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|-
|1986
|align="left"|"[[The Skye Boat Song]]"
| style="text-align:center;"|10
| style="text-align:center;"|96
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|16<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.8025.pdf| title=RPM Top 30 Adult Contemporary – February 21, 1987}}</ref>
|-
|1988
|align="left"|"[[Neighbours theme song|Neighbours]]"
| style="text-align:center;"|100
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
| style="text-align:center;"|-
|}
{{col-end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{IMDb name|id=0640300|name=Des O'Connor}}
* {{Discogs artist|Des O'Connor}}
* [http://www.45cat.com/artist/des-oconnor Entry at 45cat.com]
* {{NPG name|id = 60304}}
{{Des O&#39;Connor|state=expanded}}
{{National Television Award for Special Recognition}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:OConnor, Des}}
[[Category:1932 births]]
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century English male singers]]
[[Category:21st-century English male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century English comedians]]
[[Category:21st-century English comedians]]
[[Category:20th-century English singers]]
[[Category:21st-century English singers]]
[[Category:20th-century Royal Air Force personnel]]
[[Category:Accidental deaths from falls]]
[[Category:Men's association football players not categorized by position]]
[[Category:Butlins Redcoats]]
[[Category:Columbia Graphophone Company artists]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:English autobiographers]]
[[Category:English crooners]]
[[Category:English men's footballers]]
[[Category:English game show hosts]]
[[Category:Jewish English comedians]]
[[Category:English male singers]]
[[Category:English people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:English television personalities]]
[[Category:English television presenters]]
[[Category:English television talk show hosts]]
[[Category:Footballers from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets]]
[[Category:People from Stepney]]
[[Category:Jewish English musicians]]
[[Category:Jewish singers]]
[[Category:Military personnel from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets]]
[[Category:Northampton Town F.C. players]]
[[Category:Pye Records artists]]
[[Category:Singers from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets]]
[[Category:Television personalities from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets]]
[[Category:Traditional pop music singers]]
[[Category:Comedians from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets]]
[[Category:English male comedians]]
[[Category:Jewish male comedians]]
[[Category:Piccadilly Records artists]]