Magnus Magnusson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Magnús Sigursteinsson (1929-10-12)12 October 1929 |
| Died | 7 January 2007(2007-01-07) (aged 77) Balmore,East Dunbartonshire, Scotland |
| Alma mater | Jesus College, Oxford |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1962-2007 |
| Known for | Mastermind presenter, translation work |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 5, includingSally andJon |
| Relatives | Jamie Magnus Stone (grandson) |
Magnus Magnusson (bornMagnús Sigursteinsson; 12 October 1929 – 7 January 2007) was an Icelandic-born British-based journalist, translator, writer and television presenter. Born inReykjavík, he lived in Scotland for almost all his life, although he never took British citizenship. He came to prominence as aBBC television journalist and was the presenter of the BBC television quiz programmeMastermind for 25 years.[1]
Magnús Sigursteinsson was born inReykjavík on 12 October 1929, but grew up inEdinburgh, where his father, Sigursteinn Magnússon, was the Icelandicconsul. In Scotland his family adopted a British naming convention, and from childhood Magnus used his father'spatronymic as a surname.
Magnusson lived with his family in John Street,Portobello, an eastern suburb of Edinburgh. He was educated at theEdinburgh Academy, where he was in the school's marching brass band, and atJesus College, Oxford.[2]
After graduating fromOxford Magnusson became a reporter with theScottish Daily Express andThe Scotsman. Between 1962 and 1964 he edited theSaltire Society's magazineNew Saltire.[3] He went freelance in 1967, then joined theBBC. In 1968 he appeared as a storyteller infive episodes of the BBC children's programmeJackanory, narrating English translations of 'Stories from Iceland'. He presented programmes on history andarchaeology includingChronicle andBC The Archaeology of the Bible Lands, and appeared in news programmes. In later years Magnusson wrote for theNew Statesman.[4]
Magnusson presented the long-running quiz showMastermind from 1972 to 1997 onBBC1. His catchphrase "I've started, so I'll finish", which his successors continued to use, was said whenever the time for questioning a contestant ran out while he was reading a question on the show. Magnusson made cameo appearances as himself, hostingMastermind inMorecambe and Wise as well as the children's seriesDizzy Heights and as MagnusMagnesium inThe Goodies episode "Frankenfido". He also used hisMastermind catchphrase in a television advertisement for cheese.
Magnusson ended his 25-year run hostingMastermind in September 1997, and the original black chair was given to him at the end of the production, passing to his daughterSally Magnusson after his death.
Magnusson later returned to present a one-off celebrity special, originally broadcast on 30 December 2002 onBBC Two, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first everMastermind final.[5] This was a precursor to the main show returning to the BBC with Humphrys as host.[6] Shortly before his death, Magnusson returned to the regularMastermind series to present the trophy to the 2006 champion Geoff Thomas. Sally Magnusson presented the trophy to the next series winner, David Clark, while also paying tribute to her father and his legacy to the show.
Magnusson translated or co-translated a variety of books from modernIcelandic andOld Norse into English. Among these are several works byHalldór Laxness, theNobel Prize-winning novelist from Iceland, as well as a number ofNorse sagas, which he co-translated (withHermann Pálsson) forPenguin Classics:Njal's Saga (1960),The Vinland Sagas (1965),King Harald's Saga (1966) andLaxdæla Saga (1969).
Magnusson was given the honorary award of Knight Commander of theOrder of the British Empire in 1989.
He was elected President of theRoyal Society for the Protection of Birds at its 94th annual general meeting in October 1995, succeedingMax Nicholson, and held the office until 2000. He was founder chairman ofScottish Natural Heritage from 1992 and founder chairman of the Scottish Churches Architectural Heritage Trust in 1978 (it becameScotland's Churches Trust in 2012).[7]
He wasLord Rector of Edinburgh University from 1975 to 1978 and in 2002 he becameChancellor ofGlasgow Caledonian University. TheMagnus Magnusson Fellowship, an intellectual group based at the Glasgow Caledonian University, was named in his honour.[8]
On 12 October 2006, his 77th birthday, Magnusson was diagnosed withpancreatic cancer. His condition forced him to cancel a string of public appearances. He died on 7 January 2007.[9][10][11][12] TheAigas Field Centre has a building named the Magnus House in his honour.
Magnusson was married toMamie Baird from 1954 until his death.[13] They had five children. Their eldest son, Sigursteinn "Siggy", died in a traffic accident in 1973, when he was struck by a vehicle close to the Glasgow Academy playing fields atAnniesland in the city's West End.[14] Their daughterSally is a journalist, writer and television presenter, and youngest sonJon is a television producer, writer and director.[15][16][17]
| Academic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Rector of the University of Edinburgh 1976–1979 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chancellor ofGlasgow Caledonian University 2002–2007 | Succeeded by |
| Media offices | ||
| New creation | Host ofMastermind 1972–1997 | Succeeded by |
