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Lew Grade, Baron Grade

The Right Honourable
The Lord Grade
OStJ KC*SS
Lord Grade in 1997, artistic portrait by the Earl of Snowdon.jpg
Born Lovat or Lev Winogradsky
(1906-12-25)25 December 1906
Tokmak, Ukraine, Russian Empire
Died 13 December 1998(1998-12-13) (aged 91)
London
Cause of death Heart failure
Resting place Liberal Jewish Cemetery, Willesden, London, England
Nationality Russian (1906–12)
British (1912–98)
Other names
  • Louis Grad (as professional dancer)
  • "The Dancer with the Humorous Feet"
Education Rochelle Street Elementary School
Occupation
Years active 1926 to mid-1990s
Organization Independent Television Company (ITC)
Associated Television (ATV)
Home town Bethnal Green, London, England, UK
Television The Muppet Show (1976–80)
Jesus of Nazareth (1977)
Board member of
  • Grade Organisation
  • Embassy Communications International (Chairman, CEO; 1982–85)
  • Associated Communications Corporation (Chairman, CEO; 1973–82)
  • ITC Entertainment Chairman, Managing Director; 1958–82)
  • Royal Shakespeare Theatre (Governor)
Spouse(s) Kathleen Sheila Moody (m. 1942)
Children Paul Nicholas Grade (1952–2012)
Parent(s) Isaak Winogradsky
Olga Eisenstadt
Relatives Bernard Delfont (brother)
Leslie Grade(brother)
Rita Grade Freeman (sister)
Michael Grade (nephew)
Awards
Military career
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Artillery
Battles/wars World War II
Notes

Lew Grade, Baron Grade, OStJ, KC*SS (25 December 1906 – 13 December 1998), born Louis Winogradsky, was a Ukrainian-born British media proprietor and impresario.

Originally a dancer, and later a talent agent, Grade's interest in television production began in 1954 when, in partnership, he successfully bid for franchises in the newly created ITV network, which led to the creation of Associated Television (ATV). Having worked for a time in the United States, he was aware of the potential for the sale of television programming to American networks, and a subsidiary, the Incorporated Television Company (ITC; commonly known as ITC Entertainment) was formed with this specific objective in mind. Grade had some success in this field, and a number of these television series, such as Gerry Anderson's various Supermarionation series such as Thunderbirds, Patrick McGoohan's The Prisoner, and Jim Henson's The Muppet Show still have an international following. Later, Grade invested in film production. However, several expensive box office failures caused him to lose control of ITC, and ultimately resulted in the disestablishment of ATV after it lost its ITV franchise.

Grade was born in Tokmak, Taurida Governorate, Russian Empire to Isaak and Olga Winogradsky. In 1912, when Grade was six, the Jewish family emigrated to escape Cossack violence and anti-Semitism, from Odessa via Berlin to Brick Lane in Bethnal Green in the East End of London.


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