ADRIAN CRONINwho has died aged 74, was a former head of light entertainment at RTÉ television who directed the Late, Late Showfor many years.
Another career highlight was directing the first Eurovision song contest to be broadcast from Ireland, in 1971. In the lead-up to the broadcast there was criticism of RTÉ’s hosting of the event, with critics pointing out that the £35,000 it cost to put it on equalled the reduction in the station’s programme budgets for the following year.
It was also claimed that the introduction of colour television to Ireland was being rushed to facilitate the contest. RTÉ was also accused of joining in the production of mass-produced culture rather than developing a new vision of broadcasting.
Nevertheless, Maeve Binchy reported in this newspaper that the show went off without a hitch. “The colour transmission was perfect, no one forgot any line, everyone seemed pleased with the winner and said they had been forecasting it all week.”
Born in Dublin in 1936, Adrian Cronin was the son of Patrick and Edwina Cronin and grew up in Terenure. He was educated at St Mary’s College, Rathmines, where he took part in school plays and played rugby.
On leaving school he toured Europe with the Gate Theatre as an assistant stage manager. He joined Brendan Smith Productions for summer seasons at Butlins holiday camp in Mosney, Co Meath, and was associated with the Lantern Theatre.
In 1957, as a semi-professional actor, he appeared in an adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank,directed by Jim Fitzgerald at the Gaiety Theatre. In 1958 he was in Micheál Mac Liammóir's adaptation of Liam O'Flaherty's The Informerat the Gate, and appeared in Hugh Leonard's play for the 1959 Dublin Theatre Festival, A Walk on the Water.
By day he worked for a firm called Radio Publicity, writing and broadcasting scripts for sponsored radio programmes. He went into business with Gay Byrne after coming up with the idea for recording messages from Irish residents to be sent through the post on flexible, unbreakable discs to relatives abroad. The business was not a success and closed down after eight months.
A jazz aficionado, Cronin presented Jazz Club on Raidió Éireann, ran the Blue Note jazz club in Grafton Street, Dublin, and together with Louis Marcus and Michael Monaghan made a jazz-themed experimental film.
After joining Telifís Éireann in 1961 as a trainee operative he later became a producer and director. In 1967 he took over as director of the Late, Late Show.Originally appointed on a temporary basis, he stayed for 20 years.
In 1985 his announcement of the appearance of two lesbian nuns on the first show of the new season prompted a deluge of hostile letters and phone calls to RTÉ. Notwithstanding the hostility, the nuns appeared on the show and attracted the highest Tam rating achieved by RTÉ in the history of the station.
Byrne described Cronin as the "best and sharpest and most tasteful director of a live show like the Late, Lateanywhere in the world". He said that guests appreciated him and he was hugely popular with crews.
Cronin's other work included introducing pop groups and showbands to television audiences, and he profiled artists and performers ranging from poet Austin Clarke to singer John McNally. He made a documentary on the making of the film Ryan's Daughterand also initiated live coverage of the Rose of Tralee contest.
In 1977, with Mike Murphy, he challenged the BBC to a race to Rockall with the costs to be paid by the loser. This was after the BBC programme Nationwidesaid it would send a team to the disputed rock and plant a Union Jack, thereby reinforcing Britain's claim to ownership. But Nationwiderefused to accept the challenge; a spokesman said its plan was part of a film schedule, and not a race.
Cronin stood down as head of light entertainment in 1979. He directed Kenny Livebefore retiring in 2001.
Predeceased by his wife Patricia, he is survived by his daughters Fiona and Rozelle, son Conor and grandchildren.
Adrian Cronin: born September 10th, 1936; died September 7th, 2011