Derek Boote

Derek Boote (13 December 1942[1], Anglesey East, Anglesey, Wales[2] - 29 November 1974[3]) was a Welsh singer and actor.[4]

Boote came from Star, near Gaerwen on Anglesey. He was educated in Llangefni and at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff.

Boote played the guitar and double bass and sang with the Welsh broadcaster Hywel Gwynfryn; they later formed a group with singer Endaf Emlyn. Boote competed in the 1971 edition of Welsh singing competition Cân i Gymru.

Boote performed alongside Ryan and Ronnie, playing the original Nigel Wyn character on their sketch show. After his death, he was replaced by Bryn Williams. He also appeared in the Welsh-language television programme Dau a Hanner (Two and a Half).[5]

Boote released an EP record Byw'n Rhydd on the Recordiau'r Dryw label.[6]

Boote occasionally taught at Ysgol Gyfun Llanhari, and at six feet four inches (1.93 m) tall was a keen amateur rugby player.

On October 17, 1974, Boote was dressed up in a space monster costume for a childrens scifi programme named Maldwyn Aldwyn[7] and waiting to go on at BBC Studios.[8] Screams were heard from his dressing room and he was found engulfed in flames. He was badly burned and rushed to hospital in critical condition.[9][10] The explanation given by Gareth Price in his work Broadcasters of BBC Wales was that he had been smoking a cigarette during a break and the ash from his cigarette had dropped on his costume, which had ignited after a short time. He later died from his injuries in Chepstow hospital.[11][12] The costume was supposed to have been fireproof, but the protection was ineffective.[13]

References

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  1. ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 Q4 1974 Newport Volume:28 Page:0258
  2. ^ "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008" (database) – via FamilySearch.
  3. ^ Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice 1975
  4. ^ British Broadcasting Corporation (1976). BBC Handbook. British Broadcasting Corporation. p. 113.
  5. ^ Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons (1971). Sessional Papers. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 197.
  6. ^ "Byw'n Rhydd". Discogs. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Actor 'critically ill' after costume goes up in flames". Sunday Mirror. London, London, England. 13 October 1974. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "BBC Cymru'r Byd - Radio Cymru - Ffeithiau 1974" [BBC Cymru'r Byd - Radio Cymru - Facts in 1974]. www.bbc.co.uk (in Welsh). Retrieved 19 January 2019. Derek Boote, y cerddor a'r adlonwr, ar ôl i'w ddillad fynd ar dân yn stiwdio'r BBC. [Derek Boote, musician and entertainer, after his clothes went on fire in the BBC studio.]
  9. ^ Steiger, Brad (1991). "The Terror of Spontaneous Human Combustion". Beyond Belief. Scholastic. p. 116. ISBN 059044252X.
  10. ^ "Derek Boote still critical". Daily Post (Merseyside ed.). Liverpool, Merseyside, England. 17 October 1974. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Gareth Price (12 January 2018). Broadcasters of BBC Wales. Y Lolfa. p. 202. ISBN 978-1-78461-535-2.
  12. ^ John Davies (1994). Broadcasting and the BBC in Wales. University of Wales Press. p. 360. ISBN 978-0-7083-1273-5.
  13. ^ "Costume fire actor was given a warning". Weekly Argus. Newport, Gwent, Wales. 19 December 1974. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
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