Bernard Delfont
A Russian immigrant who built a British entertainment empire, bringing everything from West End musicals to the Black and White Minstrel Show to national TV.
1909–1994 (age 85)·British theatrical impresario and media proprietor·Birthday: September 5·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Born Boris Winogradsky in 1909, Bernard Delfont arrived in London as a child refugee and, with his brothers Lew and Leslie Grade, would come to dominate British show business. His genius lay in a producer’s nose for a hit, coupled with a shrewd understanding of mass appeal. Delfont’s name became synonymous with lavish West End and Broadway productions; he was the force behind long-running musicals like 'The Great Waltz' and 'Billy'. His vision extended to television, where as head of ATV he commanded weekend programming, and to summer seasons that defined British holiday entertainment. Knighted and later made a life peer, Delfont’s career mapped the mid-century entertainment landscape, from variety theatre to corporate media.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bernard was born in 1909, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bernard Was Born
The biggest hits of 1909
Bernard's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1909Born
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1914Started school
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Became a teenager
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1925Could drive
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1927Could vote
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1930Turned 21
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1939Turned 30
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1949Turned 40
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1959Turned 50
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 60
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 70
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 80
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1994Died at 85
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
Key Achievements
- Served as Chairman of the entertainment conglomerate EMI's leisure division, which included the Blackpool Tower complex and the London Palladium.
- Produced the massively successful stage musical 'The Great Waltz', which ran for over five years in London.
- Was a key figure in Associated Television (ATV), responsible for popular weekend programming like 'Sunday Night at the London Palladium'.
- Founded the Delfont Foundation, a charitable trust supporting the arts and medical research.
Did You Know?
He was the eldest of the three entertainment mogul brothers, known collectively as the 'Grade brothers'.
He began his career as a dancer in a double act called 'Delfont and Delfont' with his cousin.
He owned a significant stable of racehorses, one of which, 'Attivo', won the 1974 Chester Cup.
“The public will tell you what they want; your job is to hear it first.”
