‘AN EVENING WITH THE LEGENDARY STAN BOARDMAN' Stan was born on Merseyside and his great schoolboy ambition was to play professional football for Liverpool. After failing to make the grade in big time soccer he eventually started his own haulage business which earned him a steady living. Then in the summer of 1976 his entire life and career changed dramatically, almost overnight. Stan and his family were on holiday at a Butlin's holiday camp, when his twin children persuaded him to enter the weekly talent competition; just for fun. He reluctantly agreed and for the first time in his life he stood up on stage in front of a packed audience and entertained them with a hastily memorised list of jokes. Suprisingly he won first prize! That talent contest, however was just one of the many heats in a much larger national competition. Stan, now gaining in confidence with every appearance, progressed through each stage to a place in the Grand Final at the London Palladium. It was here that his distinctive style of comedy and his original material helped him walk off with the £1,000 first prize, a summer season engagement and the title 'Star Act Of The Year'. One leading business trade newspaper in reviewing Stan's act, headlined: 'A Star is Born'. Next followed an appearance on television's Opportunity Knocks where he made such an impact that he topped the poll with the studio audience. He was invited back to appear on the programme's Gala Show and for the Opportunity Knocks Variety Awards Shows. Such was his success on television that he was later asked to take over as host of Southern Television's popular children's series Runaround. He was in good company too, following the two previous hosts, Leslie Crowther and Mike Reid. Starring appearances on Granada Television's new Comedians series proved to be a tremendous springboard to even greater success for Stan Boardman. In the space of a handful of months he emerged as one of the most sort after comedians in show business. The diverse nature of his act meant that he appeared in, pantomimes, concerts, cabaret and summer seasons at major venues all over Britain. Stan has even performed as far afield as Sydney in Australia returning to start in the pantomime Aladdin at Southport Theatre. On television he completed a second series of The Comedians and starred in Granada's Video Entertainers, before headlining his own television special 'Success With Stan'. He also starred in the entire series of the BBC television celebrity game show The Railway Carriage Game and co-hosted Granada's talent series The Fame Game. He then presented a further Granada television show I Feel Fine. Additional television appearances included Live At Her Majesty's, Knees Up, Entertainment Express, Russell Harty, Des O'Connor Tonight, The Grumbleweeds Radio Show, Mike Reid's Mates and Music, A Question of Sport, Give Us A Clue and A Question of Entertainment. Passion for golf Stan started playing golf sometime in the early 70's at Bowring Park Municipal with his five mates who all played out of the same bag. However, he is now an accomplished golfer and plays two or three times a week. He regularly participates in various charity golf events including the Roy Castle Appeal, Howard Keel and has organised his own charity golf tournaments. Stan has played at some of the best courses around the world, from as far afield as Bangkok, Barbados and South Africa to Belfast, Scotland and Germany which are slightly closer to home, staying at some of the top golf resorts. He has developed an extensive knowledge of the game and now has a '15' handicap. Stan has come a long way since his Municipal days; not bad for a '4B Secondary Modern Dunce'.