Godfrey Winn and Carroll Levis

Family and friends.

Well I must have had a sheltered existence then because I didn't know a thing about homosexuality until I was in my late teens. I knew there were men who were what my family friends would call 'effeminate' but I truly had no idea there was any more to it than their manner

Really, Indinana? That sounds as though you had a rather sheltered existence... People did talk in code, I suppose - so-and so was 'a bit light on his feet', 'a brown hatter', 'one of those'. 'camp as a row of pink lace tents'.

We kids knew of a local gentleman whose name was 'Ben' something, and 'a bit of a Ben' was our code for any wearer of suede shoes... This would have been about the time of the scandal involving my Lord Montague of Beaulieu, who has recently died. People still spoke in hushed tones of Oscar Wilde...

Yes, I know Annie, but what I meant was that the fact of homosexuality wasn't openly acknowledged - people simply didn't talk about it, and therefore many of us were quite ignorant about its existence.

He did have cats, yes, he`s the only male Beverley I`ve ever come across as well.

I remember Godfrey Winn (vaguely) but not Carroll Levis.
I also remember Beverley Nicholls who wrote a column for a magazine thar DM used to take.
(Did he have a cat?)

Feetle, it did fit, honest!
Carroll Levis was someone I first came across on the radio, but several years later his talent show transferred to TV.
In the days when I first heard Godfrey Winn on the radio Id neve seen him, but remember thinking he had a soft,gentle voice, ten when I later saw a pic of him in a magazine I thought he looked a bit effeminate, but in those days I knew nothing about homosexuality.

I was wondering that!

I remember that Barry Took toured as compere of the Carrol Levis Discoveries variety package. I believe Levis was Canadian.

@numberplease : How do you fit "I want to be discovered Mr. Levis" to Stardust (Hoagy Carmichael)?

I remember Carrol Levis. I seem to remember be had an American or Canadian accent. I remember him on the radio but can't remember seeing him on tv.

Homosexuality was against the law untill 1967 so it couldn't be acknowledged in his life time

Yes, I remember Godfrey Winn, but only quite vaguely. I do recall his obviously camp manner - odd really, because homosexuality was not openly acknowledged then but it's the one thing I remember clearly about him.

I remember him very well, he could be quite acerbic ! If anyone ever portrayed him would have to be Derek Jacobi !!

These days Godfrey Winn would probably be outed as gay - then he was a bachelor journalist of a certain age who wrote rather sentimental articles in Women's magazines and popular newspapers. There used to be several of those journalists about then, the older lady readers were very fond of them ("What a nice man!")

I can recall Godfrey Winn writing a weekly article in my aunts magazine but not in radio sorry

I remember Caroll Levis but not Godfrey Winn. I remember Carroll Levis had something to do with a talent show but wouldn't have remembered that it was on the radio or the theme tune. Strange what pops into our heads!