Alastair Scott Johnston

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Alastair Ninian Scott Johnston (10 November 1917 – 7 October 1992) was a British BBC radio producer who mainly worked on comedy. Born in London, he left a banking job to join the BBC as a junior, where he began by creating and using sound effects for radio. After serving with distinction in the Grenadier Guards during World War II in Burma and India, he returned to Britain and became a producer in the BBC's Variety department, working on shows such as All Star Bill, Variety Playhouse and Floggit's. He helped launch the careers of Tony Hancock, Anthony Newley, Semprini, Frankie Howerd, Leslie Phillips and Ronnie Barker. His longest-running project was producing The Navy Lark, written by Lawrie Wyman, which ran from 1959 to 1977. He was married twice and died at his home, "Dumble Dore", in Stanford Dingley, Berkshire, aged 74.