Alfred Black was a renowned theatrical impresario in British light entertainment, producing numerous post-war revues and musicals in London's West End and provinces. Alongside his brother George, he discovered the comedian Sid Field and brought him to London, where he starred in shows like Piccadilly Hayride and Strike a New Note.
Born in Sunderland, Alfred's family was deeply rooted in showbusiness, with his grandfather being a travelling showman and his father, George, becoming one of London's most powerful producers, presenting shows at the London Palladium and controlling the Moss Empires variety circuit. Alfred's brother George was two years his elder, and both decided to pursue a career in showbusiness at an early age.
During World War II, Alfred served in the Army Film and Photographic Unit, and in 1942, he married the stage and screen actress Roma Beaumont. After George Black Senior's death in 1943, the two brothers took over the family's thriving entertainment empire, presenting many star-studded West End shows, including Harvey, starring Sid Field, and Wedding in Paris, starring Evelyn Laye.
In 1957, the brothers were part of a successful consortium, which included film producer Sidney Box, who invested in Tyne Tees Television. As one of the smallest ITV regions, the company's ambitions were modest, but they achieved success with shows like Saturday Showtime, starring comedian Jimmy Logan, and The One O'Clock Show, starring Sheila Mathews, which boasted the highest viewing figures in the UK for a lunchtime show, with over 150,000 viewers daily.
George Black passed away in 1970 at the age of 59, and Alfred continued to produce television and variety shows with leading stars. In his retirement, Alfred and his wife Roma were known for their lavish showbusiness parties, which they hosted at their penthouse in North London, once the home of Peter Sellers. Roma Beaumont died in 2001.
