David Frost
Born 1939 · Age 86
English television host, journalist, comedian and writer best known for That Was the Week That Was and his interviews with major political figures including the 1977 Nixon interviews.
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Life & Career Timeline
Birth
Born David Paradine Frost in Tenterden, Kent, England, son of Methodist minister Wilfred John Paradine Frost and Maude Evelyn (Mona) Aldrich.
Matriculated at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Began studies at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge; became active in Footlights, edited Varsity and Granta.
First TV appearance on Anglia Television's Town And Gown
Appeared performing comic characters while at Cambridge — his first television appearance.
Graduated Cambridge (Third in English) and joined Associated-Rediffusion
Graduated with a Third in English; became a trainee at Associated-Rediffusion and performed cabaret evenings at The Blue Angel.
Chosen to host That Was the Week That Was (TW3)
Selected by Ned Sherrin (after John Bird's recommendation) to host the BBC satirical programme That Was the Week That Was, launching his public profile.
US TW3 pilot aired (New York) / nearly drowned incident
Pilot for the American version of TW3 aired 10 November 1963; anecdote that Frost jumped into a pool and nearly drowned until rescued by Peter Cook.
TW3 JFK tribute edition
On 23 November 1963 That Was the Week That Was devoted an entire edition to a tribute to the recently assassinated US President John F. Kennedy.
Published 'How to Live Under Labour'
Published the book How to Live Under Labour (1964).
Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life
Co-chaired the successor series to TW3 (1964–65) with Willie Rushton and P. J. Kavanagh.
US That Was the Week That Was series began on NBC
An American version of TW3, featuring Frost, began on NBC (10 January 1964) and ran through May 1965.
Launched The Frost Report; launched David Paradine Ltd
The Frost Report (1966–67) established new comedy talent; Frost also set up David Paradine Ltd (production company) in 1966.
Consortium bid for ITV franchise (founded what became LWT)
Member of a consortium that successfully bid for an ITV franchise leading to London Weekend Television (began broadcasting 1968).
Published 'To England with Love' and 'The Presidential Debate, 1968'
Co-authored To England with Love (1968) with Antony Jay and published The Presidential Debate, 1968: David Frost talks with Hubert H. Humphrey and others.
Signed major US contract worth £125,000
In 1968 he signed a contract reported at £125,000 to appear on American television three evenings a week — a record for a British TV personality at the time.
London Weekend Television began broadcasting
The ITV contractor LWT began broadcasting in July 1968; Frost participated in the station's early years.
Started The David Frost Show (US) — syndicated run 1969–72
Fronted The David Frost Show in the US (Group W) from 1969 to 1972, expanding his American profile.
Presented David Frost's Moon Party during Apollo 11 coverage
On 20–21 July 1969 he fronted a ten-hour LWT discussion and entertainment marathon on the night Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon.
Part-financed The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer (executive producer credit)
His production company part-financed the 1970 film The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer; Frost received executive producer credit.
Frost on America TV special; awarded OBE and honorary degree
Produced the TV special Frost on America (1970); named Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) 5 June 1970; awarded Honorary LL.D., Emerson College (1970).
Declassified phone call to Henry Kissinger
On 3 July 1972 Frost telephoned Henry Kissinger urging him to contact Bobby Fischer — declassified transcript later revealed.
Interviewed Muhammad Ali before 'Rumble in the Jungle'
Interviewed heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali at his Deer Lake training camp ahead of the 1974 fight with George Foreman.
Executive producer credit on The Slipper and the Rose
Served as executive producer for the 1976 British musical film retelling Cinderella.
Nixon paid $600,000 for the interviews
Richard Nixon was paid $600,000 plus a share of profits for the 1977 interviews; Frost funded and syndicated the programme himself.
The Nixon Interviews broadcast
Broadcast of five 90-minute interviews with former US President Richard Nixon — Frost taped ~29 hours over four weeks and syndicated them himself when networks declined.
Published '"I Gave Them a Sword": Behind the Scenes of the Nixon Interviews'
Published the behind-the-scenes account of the Nixon interviews in 1978 (reissued as Frost/Nixon in 2007).
Organiser: Music for UNICEF Concert
Frost was one of the organisers of the Music for UNICEF Concert held at the United Nations General Assembly in 1979.
Interviewed the deposed Shah of Iran (broadcast)
Frost conducted the Shah of Iran's last interview (on Contadora Island) which was broadcast in the US on ABC on 17 January 1980.
Married Lynne Frederick
Married actress Lynne Frederick (widow of Peter Sellers) in 1981; the marriage ended in divorce the following year.
Divorced Lynne Frederick
Divorced Lynne Frederick after a short marriage (married 1981, divorced 1982).
Co-founded TV-am (one of the 'Famous Five')
Was one of the 'Famous Five' who launched the ITV breakfast station TV-am in February 1983; remained a presenter after restructuring.
Married Lady Carina Fitzalan-Howard
Married Lady Carina Fitzalan-Howard on 19 March 1983; the couple later had three sons.
Launched Frost on Sunday (TV-am)
Frost on Sunday began in September 1983 and continued until TV-am lost its franchise at the end of 1992.
Published 'David Frost's Book of Millionaires, Multimillionaires, and Really Rich People'
Authored a book about wealthy individuals in 1984, among other non-fiction works through the 1980s.
Three sons born to Frost and Lady Carina (1983–1988)
Three sons were born to the couple over the five years after their marriage (born between 1983 and 1988). (Event summarises the births.)
Began hosting Through the Keyhole
Started hosting the panel show Through the Keyhole in 1987, a programme he would present (on and off) for around two decades.
Inaugural host of Inside Edition; dismissed after three weeks
Hired as the inaugural anchor of US tabloid programme Inside Edition (1989); dismissed after only three weeks because of poor ratings.
TV-am lost franchise; reported TV-am salary
TV-am lost its ITV franchise at the end of 1992; by this time reports suggested Frost was paid about £368,000 a year for his TV-am work.
Published Autobiography: An Autobiography. Part 1: From Congregations to Audiences
Published the first part of his autobiography (1993), reflecting on his early life and career.
Began Breakfast with Frost on BBC
Transferred to the BBC to present the Sunday morning interview programme Breakfast with Frost from January 1993.
Knighted (Knight Bachelor)
Appointed Knight Bachelor in April 1993 for services to broadcasting.
Honorary doctorate from the University of Sussex
Received an honorary doctoral degree from the University of Sussex in 1994.
Attempted takeover bid of Southampton F.C.
Part of a consortium alongside Gavyn Davies that attempted to take over Southampton Football Club in 1996.
Patron and trustee roles (Motor Neurone Disease Association and others)
Served as patron/former vice-president of Motor Neurone Disease Association and patron of Alzheimer's Research Trust, Elton John AIDS Foundation and other charities (dates not precisely specified).
Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement
Received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement (2000).
BAFTA Fellowship
Received the BAFTA Fellowship from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 2005.
Sunday Times Rich List estimate
After 40 years in television, the Sunday Times Rich List (2006) estimated Frost's worth at £200 million — a figure Frost later disputed as an overestimate.
Frequent Concorde passenger
Noted as one of Concorde's most frequent fliers — reportedly flew London–New York about 20 times per year for 20 years.
Frost/Nixon theatrical & cultural legacy begins
The stage play Frost/Nixon (2006) and later film (2008) revived interest in the 1977 interviews and extended Frost's cultural impact.
Frost/Nixon stage play premiered
Peter Morgan's play Frost/Nixon, developed from the 1977 Nixon interviews, was staged in London (2006) and then on Broadway (2007).
Launched 'Frost Over the World' on Al Jazeera English
Started hosting the weekly current affairs programme Frost Over the World on Al Jazeera English when the channel launched in November 2006.
Broadway run and Tony Award for Frost/Nixon actor
Frost/Nixon reached Broadway in 2007; Frank Langella won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor for his portrayal of Nixon.
Frost/Nixon Tony nomination & award recognition (play & actor)
Frost/Nixon (play) earned Tony nominations for Best Play and Best Direction; Frank Langella won Tony for Best Leading Actor (2007).
Frost/Nixon film released
Ron Howard directed the 2008 film adaptation of Frost/Nixon (Michael Sheen as Frost, Langella as Nixon); it received five Golden Globe and five Academy Award nominations.
Primetime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award
Received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Emmy Awards in 2009 (also received Honorary Doctor of Letters, University of Winchester, 2009).
Presented 'Frost on Satire' documentary
Presented the BBC Four documentary Frost on Satire in June 2010, exploring the history of television satire.
Started The Frost Interview; ended Frost Over the World
In 2012 Frost began presenting The Frost Interview and Frost Over the World ended that year (programme transitioned).
Died on MS Queen Elizabeth
Died of a heart attack on board the cruise ship MS Queen Elizabeth on 31 August 2013 while engaged as a speaker; post-mortem found hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Funeral service and interment
Funeral service held at Holy Trinity Church, Nuffield, Oxfordshire on 12 September 2013; subsequently interred in the church graveyard.
Memorial stone unveiled in Poets' Corner
A memorial stone to Sir David Frost was unveiled in Poets' Corner at Westminster Abbey (13 March 2014).
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