Bruce Belfrage

Bruce Belfrage (30 October 1900 August 1974) was an English actor, BBC newsreader and British Liberal Party politician.

Background

He was born in Marylebone, London. His younger brother was the author and journalist Cedric Belfrage. He was educated at Gresham's School, Holt, Norfolk before he took an honours degree at Oxford in modern languages.[1]

Professional career

Belfrage started his career as an actor, appearing in his first film in 1932. He was a broadcaster in the early days of 2LO at Savoy Hill, and in 1935 joined the BBC as a casting director and later became a news reader and announcer.[2] In a famous incident on 15 October 1940, the BBC's Broadcasting House took a direct hit from a delayed-action German bomb, which eventually exploded during the nine o'clock radio news read by Belfrage. Seven people were killed, and Belfrage, covered with plaster and soot, carried on reading the news as if nothing had happened. Listeners at home heard just a dull thud.[3] He enlisted in the Royal Naval Reserve in 1942, and was demobilized with the rank of lieutenant-commander.[4]

Filmography[5]

Politics

He was Liberal candidate for the South Buckinghamshire division at the 1950 General Election. In an election at which hundreds of Liberal candidates polled so poorly that they Lost their deposit by polling under 12.5%, Belfrage polled better;

General Election 1950: South Buckinghamshire[6]

Registered electors 53,482

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ronald McMillan Bell 26,865 58.6 N/A
Labour Cyril Alfred Dee 11,389 23.9 N/A
Liberal Bruce Henning Belfrage 7,559 16.5 N/A
Majority 15,476 33.7 N/A
Turnout 45,813 85.7 N/A
Conservative win

He did not stand for parliament again. He died in Sydney, Australia at the age of 73.[7]

External links

References

  1. The Times House of Commons 1950
  2. The Times House of Commons 1950
  3. Broadcasting House becomes casualty of war
  4. The Times House of Commons 1950
  5. Internet Movie Database
  6. British Parliamentary Election Results 1950-1970, Fred W. S. Craig
  7. The Times, 17 August 1974
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