Grade family

Notes:

The Grade brothers, Lew, 1906-98, Bernard Delfont, 1909-94, and Leslie, d1979, established powerful interests in British entertainment post 1945. For the most part they operated independently, Lew in television, Bernard in London theatre productions and Leslie in theatrical agency. Lew & Leslie Grade early on operated as Lew & Leslie Grade Ltd and quickly emerged as a leading London theatrical agency making several acquisitions. Became known as the Grade Organisation. This was sold to EMI in 1967. Lew in 1950s established, with others, Independent Television Corp to distribute television programmes with great success and also became involved in ATV, an independent television franchise serving London and the Midlands. From 1962 Lew was managing director of ATV, overseeing its acquisitions, eg Northern Songs and Pye Records. Late 1960s reorganised his various media interests as Associated Communications Corp [ACC]. From late 1970s he focused on film production but was unsuccessful and meanwhile ATV had lost television franchises meaning that his media empire was in decline. 1982 lost control of ACC. Bernard Delfont acquired his first theatre in 1943 and controlled 11 by 1945. Leslie's son, Michael Grade, b1943, also emerged as a leading television executive and media businessman. He was, for example, Chief Executive of Channel Four, 1988-97; Chairman of BBC Governors, 2004-06; Chairman of ITV Plc, 2007-09 [2024]