The Daily Telegraph du lieu suivant : London, Greater London, England • 15

Leslie Mitchell, first face of television, dies By HARVEY LEE Television Staff TESLIE MITCHELL, the pioneer broadL caster who was hailed as the "Adonis of television" after his historic appearance in 1936 as the BBC's first on-screen announcer, has died at the age of 80 in a London Hospital after a long illness. He had been an author, actor, film publicist, radio presenter. television executive with both BBC and ITV. and the voice behind the British Movietone newsreels. But he will be.

brought up by William J. Locke. his novelist uncle. In later life always remembered as the first face Mr Mitchell a history of of British broadcasting. Holland House, Kensington, wrote, His clean square: jawed published in 1980.

and his autofeatures the flicker biography, Leshe Mitchell recognisably across the earliest title recalling domestic television sets, intro- his vocal signature at the end of ducing 'a series of trans- his distinctive commentaries for missions from Alexandra Palace Movietone newsreels. for a radio exhibition at Olympia. In the book he described how A friend of John Logie Baird. he joined the BBC as a radio Mr Mitchell had first. appcared announcer on a probationer's on the small.

dark screen with salary of £5 a week. His a demonstration by the inventor Dame Marie Tempest as part of to television brought promotions at Selfridges He was an interviewer for six in 1933. With only 70 television sets i in the country, costing between £90 and £120 each. Mr Mitchell's first BBC fans were a privileged group. They were also probably unaware that his handsome face was a triumph of plastic surgery.

Leslie Mitchell Motorcycle crash Before he joined the BBC, he was involved in a crash which left him motorcycle injuries that plagued him for the rest of his life. Despite his richly "BBC" accent. Leshe Mitchell was born in Edinburgh and educated at King's School, Canterbury, and then Chillon College. Switzerland, where Barnes Wallis taught mathematics. His parents were divorced and left the young Leslie to be years on Picture Page." the first television magazine programme, and when the war blacked out the television service he became a questionmaster on the first radio Brains Trust." After the war Mr Mitchell became publicity, to Sir Alexander film director, maker.

He returned to television in 1955. again making history as the first announcer on the rival London IT channel, Associated Rediffusion, where he was head of talks, then controller of light entertainment. He left after three years and became a freelance. Last year he was made a Freeman of the City of London. He leaves a widow, Inge, who was his second 12 INJURED IN ALIMONY CLASH fired on demonstrators during Moslem protests against a Supreme Court ruling giving a Moslem woman alimony.

The protesters say the ruling puts Indian civil law above Islamic law. The Press Trust of India said four police were injured during the clash in Patna, capital of Bihar, when they were stoned by demonstrators trying to march on the State Parliament.Reuter. About 12 people were injured yesterday when Indian police Hypertension- Angina- Thrombosis- Atherosclerosis- 61 The Daily Telegraph, Monday, November 25, 1985 15 PRINCESS ANNE SEES ORPHANS By JAMES MacMANUS in Maputo PRINCESS ANNE her visit 'to Mozambique yesterday as officials in Maputo claimed that South Africa had recently resumed airdrops of supplies to rebels operating in the province around the capital. They said the South African military authorities were making good guerrilla losses by flying in supplies of medicines, ammunition and explosives by helicopter to secret landing zones close to the capital. On the second leg of her fournation African tour.

the Princess vesterdav visited one of the safest areas of the countrv. the city and province of Inhambane. 300 miles Maputo. In her capacity as president of the Save the Children Fund, she saw an immunisation programme carried out by the British charity and visited an orphanage and a cashew nut factory. The Princess.

who looked unruffled despite the steamv coastal chime where middav temperatures at of vear reach 90F. will spend another full dav in Mozambique before flying to Zambia and the Sudan. £140,000 SAGA OF WAYWARD HEARSE By Our Staff Correspondent in Los Angeles Vern Howard was driving a hearse from Paradise in northern California with a coffin in the back when he was struck from behind in traffic in Los Angeles He was jailed and charged with drunk driving. The woman's body in the cof. fin had become so dishevelled in the crash that when her son saw it several davs later he had a fatal heart attack.

The nightmare of the wayward hearse. which began in 1979, still has not ended for Howard. 64. A jury has 000 now awarded damages of 200.000 dollars (£140.000) against him in a wrongful-death suit. to be paid to the family of the dead woman.

MOTOR-CYCLES FOR MARINES By Our New York Staff The United States Marines. who phased out motor-(voles as combat vehicles 40 vears ago. have signed a contract to return two-wheelers to active dutv. In January the Marines are due to begin recening the first of 186 Kawasaki KIR 250) motorcycles. lightweight vehicles designed for use on rough or steep terrain.

Labour MP his 'homosexual king' forecast By IAN BRODIE in Los Angeles A LABOUR homosexual MP who has his admitted remark he is in a explained America that one English king had been homosexual "and there will be The comment was made by Mr Chris Smith (Islington South), who was in Los Angeles as the main speaker at a so-called "gay summit" of elected Princess Anne with Senhor Joaquim Chissano, Mozambique's Foreign Minister, on her arrival at Maputo airport. 'RISKY' TO EAT FAT NO FIBRE By Dr K. C. HUTCHIN, Medical Consultant TOO fibre much fat increase without the may risk of cancer of the bowel according to a report in the BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL. Dr K.

W. Heaton. of the Bristol Royal Infirmary, and three colleagues compared the habitual diet of 50 patients with large bowel with that of 50 matched healthy people and estimated the average intake of nutrients and fibre in the two groups. This showed that patients with bowel cancer consumed 41 per cent. more carbohydrates, mainthe form without fibre, and 14 per cent more fat in combination with sugar as found in cake, biscuits and confectionary than the healthy whose average age was 67 vrs.

and who were not on any special diet. Animal products as well as plant also products without fibreling were in excess in the diet of the cancer patients. The results suggest high en ergv diets rich in sugar and fat, may be associated with increased risk of cancer of the rectum. But it should be pointed out that in general death from cancer of all types is commoner in those overweight Patients told to shop around to cut queues By SARAH THOMPSON A GUIDE lists to hospital waiting in England and Wales i is published today by the College of Health, an independent body, and the Inter-Authority Comparisons and Consultancy. The guide based on work by Mr John Yates, of the Health Services Management Centre in Birmingham.

who recently said that inefficiency was a major cause of long waiting lists. names the arcas where patients have the longest wait. In Trent health authority region there are 15 districts where 40 per cent. of nonurgent general surgery patients wait for more than a vear for an operation. while 25 West Midlands districts have similar records.

More than half a million of the 680.000 people believed to be waiting for operations (March 1985 figures) are on lists in five specialties: general surgery; trauma and orthopaedics (includhip replacements): ear. nose and throat: gynaecology and ophthalmology. The districts where people needing "non-urgent" surgery are likely to wait for well over a two. or more problem" specialties are Derby. shire Coventry.

South Sefton, Wigan and Burnlev. The guide urges health authorities where more than 40 for more than to find out per cent. of natients, are waiting why. It says: "There are many districts which use their beds. theatres and surgeons to the full.

equally there are others which waste beds and theatres and do not make full use of their surgeons." Patients are urged to try to persuade doctors to transfer them to other districts with shorter waiting lists. They are advised to get authority from their GP to telephone hospitals themselves when the GP is reluctant to do so. (The Gunde to Hospital Waiting lists 1985 is available from the College of Health. 18 Vitona Park Square London F2 9PF price £2 50 inc. p.

El 50 for College members) GENERAL PRACTICE Basic information Family doctors are being asked by the British Medical Association to is sue prospective patients with booklets giving details of their surgery and visiting hours. telephone numbers and information about" clinics and ancillary services. The B.MA has already asked the DHSS make information on local general practice available Stroke Heart failure Coronary heart attack Congenital heart defects Claudication -Oedema officials. He said I was asked in an interview if there would come a day when we would have an openly gay President or Prime Minister King. "I said we've already had one gay monarch a long time ago.

Edward Il. and In due course there will come a time when openlv gav people are elected to highest offices of State and. ves. there could be a gay king or queen. He would not these developments in expect, vear.

but "times do change and opinions move. Nor did Mr Smith intend his remarks to be taken as applying to the Prince of Wales. "The evidence points in the other direction." he said. But. he added in any large collection of people, whether dustmen, kings or Members of Parliament, some of them would be homosexual.

Killed by poker Edward II reigned 20 years until 1327 when he was murdered with a red hot poker in Berkelv Castle after being deposed by Parliament. Mr Smith, 34. who declared publicly he was a homosexual a vear ago, was planning to tell the three-day gathering that new ideas were necded to combat COLOMBIAN COCAINE RING SMASHED By Our New York Staff What is described as a Colombian family- run cocainesmuggling ring has been smashed by American police and Federal agents who seized cocaine valued at more than $600 million (£412 million) at burv. New York. and netted 27 suspects in simultaneous raids in New York.

New Jersey, Puerto. Rico and Florida. Police said the Colombian operation was as formidable as any run by the traditional family" of American organised crime, the Mafia. prejudice and discrimination against homosexuals, especially following backlash. This theme was taken up by others.

who. said homosexuals could no longer rely on liberal straight politicians to defend their rights. The meeting attracted 200 participants from across the U.S., 20 of them elected officials, and was held in West Hollywood, America's first city homosexual majority on the town council. In addition to concern about Aids, the conference discussed campaign management, media relations. political action committees and fund-raising.

Mr Chris Smith A CARD' CLAUSE IN UNCLE'S WILL Mr Gordon Hodge, of Christ Church Avenue, Stanningley Road. Armley. Leeds, who died on Sept. 23, left his silver watch to one of his one who draws the lowest card from a pack of cards, from which all nephews will draw a card." His sister, Mrs Barbara Spellman, of Carlton Road, Harrogate, who was granted probate, said yesterday: "His wishes were carried out and one of his nephews now has the watch." Call it what you like, but help us stop it. Heart and circulatory disease occurs under many names, in many forms.

And any one of them could ruin your life, or end it altogether. But answers are being found through heart research and the British Heart Foundation is the charity specially set up to finance that work. However, we rely totally on you to help us to do that. And your name on the coupon could help us spell the end for heart disease. The more you help us, the more we'll find out.

Please send me more information on the work of the BHF, and tell. me about the ways in which I could help. Send this coupon to the British Heart Foundation, 102 Gloucester Place, London W1H 4DH. Name: dib Address: British Heart Foundation heart research charity..