Biography

Tony Staveacre is a writer/producer/musician whose specialities are popular culture, oral history, music and comedy. He is the author of four books: 'Al Bowlly' (with Sid Colin), 'The Songwriters', 'Slapstick! - the Illustrated Story of Knockabout Comedy': his biography of band-leader Lew Stone - 'A Modest Maestro' was published in 2011. His tv credits have included 'Irving Berlin - the Voice of the City' (winner of Ace Award, USA), 'Tango Nuevo' (BBC-2), 'Organ Imperial', 'Tangos & Rags'(Decca), 'Behind the Scenes' (BBC-2), 'Tango Maestro' (BBC Four), 'The Old Boys Band' (BBC-1). In the previous millenium, he was a regular producer/presenter of The Radio 2 Arts Programme: also for Radio 2 he devised and presented two series of 'The Tango Trail' and 'Hooked on Tango', and two series of comedy archive programmes featuring John Bird: 'That Mocking Bird'.