BBC TV "WDYTYA?" Series 5 Episode #4: Esther Rantzen

[RJ_Paton]

Montague Leverson ... was however on the 1900 I think as Montague K Leverson in  Brooklyn, New York described as Physician which is odd, but born England 1830 which is right - original could be R.

On the marriage certificate that Esther was looking at from when Montague was 82 years old, under occupation it said 'Doctor of Medicine', which nobody commented on at all. How did he go from being a solicitor to being a doctor? Was he actually qualified? I'd have been very interested to find out more about that.

i noticed that    ?......

Wish they would cover all the facts written on the documents.

Debz

If you go to the WDYTYA web site there are several clips of unshown footage - for esther rantzen there are two clips - one of those clips is where she discovers that Montague did in fact qualify as a doctor from Baltimore College of Medicine

[Necromancer]

This just isn't true.  When I did a bit of research on this film it was made very clear to me that the golden rule was that the celebs are told nothing until they made the discovery on camera.  Of course it's all researched behind the scenes beforehand.

Many thanks for this and your previous posting.


Sadly, it seems many people just read the title and not even the last post before presenting their subjective opinions.

[Nick29]

This just isn't true.  When I did a bit of research on this film it was made very clear to me that the golden rule was that the celebs are told nothing until they made the discovery on camera.  Of course it's all researched behind the scenes beforehand.

Many thanks for this and your previous posting.


Sadly, it seems many people just read the title and not even the last post before presenting their subjective opinions.

"Some people" have read the entire thread, thank you 

However, it has become quite clear in this thread that Ms Rantzen did already know quite a lot about her grandfather, Montague Leverson, and there was quite a lot that was only a Google away, so even if the makers do have a golden rule about telling the celebrities things in advance, they are not being totally honest about revealing the depth of information that the celebrities already knew.

[Susan_131]

However, it has become quite clear in this thread that Ms Rantzen did already know quite a lot about her grandfather, Montague Leverson, and there was quite a lot that was only a Google away, so even if the makers do have a golden rule about telling the celebrities things in advance, they are not being totally honest about revealing the depth of information that the celebrities already knew.

How has it been made clear in this thread the she knew a lot about her great-grandfather?   As I said, I didn't play much of part in the research so don't have any inside knowledge, but when I watched the programme it seemed she didn't even know Montague's name until she was told it by her relation.  She couldn't have done a Google search without knowing the man's name could she?   

Even if she could look into Montague, want makes you think Esther would have the time or inclination to do any research when she knew it was all being done for her already by people like me?

[Nick29]

How has it been made clear in this thread the she knew a lot about her great-grandfather?   

This quote from Hivizman:
"In a recent biography of Finzi (Diana McVeagh's Gerald Finzi: His Life and Work, there's a footnote mentioning that one of Leverson's sons was Esther Rantzen's grandfather (Esther mentions this in an article in yesterday's Daily Mail, so I suspect that much of her family history on her mother's side was known to her already)."

You think that someone wrote in a book that Leverson was Rantzen's grandfather, and she wasn't aware of it ?  Hmmm......

"As I said, I didn't play much of part in the research so don't have any inside knowledge.... "

Sorry, but that's not the impression that you gave in your first post, where you gave the impression that you were quite involved

[Windsor87]

You think that someone wrote in a book that Leverson was Rantzen's grandfather, and she wasn't aware of it ?  Hmmm......

That isn't a very realistic claim. If I were to writ a book about Leverson, and I knew a celebrity such as Rantzen was a granddaughter of the subject, I'd be in touch for research purposes. See what kind of relationship he had with his family etc.

Also, if someone was writing a book about any of my grandparents, I', pretty sure I'd know about it - especially if I was named as a grandson within the book.

[toni*]

perhaps the things that are on google have been added after the research was done like the informaton by 'Cilla Rantzen - Esthers sister

Esther said at the beginning she knew there was a black sheep in her family and that her grandfather was talked about, so she knew somethings that would be turned upwould not be very good and she knew it had something to do with her grandfather or was thather greatgrandfather  

[Nick29]

You think that someone wrote in a book that Leverson was Rantzen's grandfather, and she wasn't aware of it ?  Hmmm......

That isn't a very realistic claim. If I were to writ a book about Leverson, and I knew a celebrity such as Rantzen was a granddaughter of the subject, I'd be in touch for research purposes. See what kind of relationship he had with his family etc.

Also, if someone was writing a book about any of my grandparents, I', pretty sure I'd know about it - especially if I was named as a grandson within the book.

Precisely.  Writing a book making allegations about any personality in a book would be very unwise without checking it out with them beforehand 

[Windsor87]

According to google, Leverson also dabbled in politics.

Leverson, Montague R. — of California. Member of California state assembly 12th District, 1883-84. Burial location unknown.

I think it would be best if we didn't go there. 

Sounds like a very interesting man...