Magnus Magnusson

Magnus Magnusson, KBE ([ˈmaknus ˈmaknusɔn]; born Magnús Sigursteinsson; 12 October 1929 – 7 January 2007) was an Icelandic-born British based journalist, translator, writer, and television presenter. Born in Reykjavík, he lived in Scotland for almost all his life, although he never took British citizenship. He came to prominence as a BBC television journalist and was best known as the presenter of the BBC television quiz programme Mastermind, which he hosted for 25 years.[1] He is also known for his famous catchphrase "I've started so I'll finish", which he said whenever the time ran out while he was reading a question on Mastermind.

For other people named "Magnús Magnússon" or similar, see Magnus Magnusson (disambiguation).

Magnus Magnusson

KBE
Born(1929-10-12)12 October 1929
Reykjavík, Kingdom of Iceland
Died7 January 2007(2007-01-07) (aged 77)
Balmore, Dunbartonshire, Scotland
NationalityIcelandic
Alma materJesus College, Oxford
Occupation
  • Television presenter
  • journalist
  • translator
  • writer
Known forMastermind presenter, translation work
Spouse(s)Mamie Baird
Children5, including Sally and Jon

Early life

Magnús Sigursteinsson was born in Reykjavík on 12 October 1929. But he grew up in Edinburgh, where his father, Sigursteinn Magnússon, was the Icelandic consul. In Scotland his family adopted a British naming convention and from childhood (rather than his Icelandic name) Magnus used his father's patronymic surname: Magnusson.

Magnusson lived with his family in John Street, Joppa, an eastern suburb of Edinburgh. He was educated at the Edinburgh Academy and was in the school's marching brass band.[2]

Career

Journalism

After graduating from Jesus College, Oxford, Magnusson became a reporter with the Scottish Daily Express and The Scotsman. He went freelance in 1967, then joined the British Broadcasting Corporation, presenting programmes on history and archaeology (including Chronicle and BC The Archaeology of the Bible Lands), as well as appearing in news programmes.

Mastermind

Magnusson presented the long-running quiz show Mastermind from 1972 to 1997 on BBC1. His catchphrase, which the current presenter John Humphrys has continued to use, was "I've started so I'll finish". Magnusson made cameo appearances as himself, hosting Mastermind in Morecambe and Wise as well as the children's series Dizzy Heights and as Magnus Magnesium in The Goodies episode "Frankenfido".

Magnusson ended his 25-year run of hosting Mastermind in September 1997, and the original Black Chair was given to him at the end of the production, passing to his daughter Sally Magnusson after his death.

Magnusson later returned to present a one-off celebrity special, originally broadcast on 30 December 2002, on BBC Two to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first ever Mastermind final.[3] This was a precursor to the main show returning to the BBC with a new host, John Humphrys. The first series of the main show hosted by Humphrys began on BBC Two on 7 July 2003.[4] Following the one-off special, Celebrity Mastermind began airing as a full series also hosted by Humphrys.[5] The celebrity version of the show has continued every year since, alongside the main show. Shortly before his death, Magnusson returned to the regular Mastermind series in order to present the trophy to the 2006 champion Geoff Thomas. His daughter 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.

Books
  • Scotland: the story of a nation
  • Introducing Archaeology
  • Viking Expansion Westwards
  • The Clacken and the Slate (The Edinburgh Academy, 1824 - 1974)
  • Viking Hammer of the North
  • BC : The Archaeology of the Bible Lands
  • Landlord or Tenant?: A view of Irish History
  • Iceland
  • Vikings!
  • Magnus on the move
  • Treasures of Scotland
  • Lindisfarne: The Cradle Island
  • Reader's Digest Book of Facts (ed.)
  • Iceland Saga
  • Chambers Biographical Dictionary (ed., 5th edition)
  • The Nature of Scotland (ed.)
  • I've Started, So I'll Finish
  • Rum: Nature's Island
  • Magnus Magnusson's Quiz Book

Translator

Magnusson translated a variety of books from modern Icelandic and Old Norse into English. Among these are several works by Halldór Laxness, the Nobel prize-winning novelist from Iceland as well as a number of Norse sagas which he co-translated (with Hermann Pálsson) for the Penguin Classics series: Njal's Saga (1960), The Vinland Sagas (1965), King Harald's Saga (1966) and Laxdaela Saga (1969). In 1968 he appeared as a storyteller in five episodes of the BBC children's programme Jackanory, narrating English translations of 'Stories from Iceland'. Magnusson was also the author of a popular history of the Viking Age, called The Vikings (revised edition, 2000).[6]

Awards and charity positions

Magnusson was awarded an honorary knighthood (Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 1989. He was elected President of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, for a five-year period, at their 94th AGM in October 1995, succeeding Max Nicholson. He also became the founder chairman of Scottish Natural Heritage upon its inception in 1992. He was Lord Rector of Edinburgh University from 1975 to 1978 and later in 2002, became Chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian University. The Magnus Magnusson Fellowship, an intellectual group based at the Glasgow Caledonian University, was named in his honour. [7]

Later life
Magnus House near Aigas

In later years, Magnusson also wrote for the New Statesman.[8] On 12 October 2006, his 77th birthday, Magnusson was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Magnusson mordantly noted that "This has to be one of my worst birthdays ever". His condition forced him to cancel a string of public appearances. He died on 7 January 2007.[9][10][11] The Aigas Field Centre has a building named the Magnus House in his honour.

Family

Magnus Magnusson was married to Mamie Baird (1925–2012). They had five children. Their eldest son, Siggi, died in a traffic accident in 1973, when he was struck by a vehicle close to the Glasgow Academy playing fields at Anniesland, Glasgow. Their daughter Sally is a journalist, writer and TV presenter, and youngest son Jon a TV producer, writer and director.[12][13][14]

Bibliography
  • Viking Expansion Westwards (1973), ISBN 978-0-8098-3529-4
  • The Clacken and the Slate (1974), ISBN 0-00-411170-2
  • Viking, Hammer of the North (1976), ISBN 978-0-399-11744-2
  • BC The Archaeology of the Bible Lands (1977), ISBN 978-0-671-24010-3
  • The Vikings (1980), ISBN 978-0-7524-2699-0
  • Lindisfarne, The Cradle Island (1984), ISBN 0-85362-223-X
  • Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1990), as General Editor, ISBN 0-550-16040 X Hardback
  • Scotland Since Prehistory: Natural Change and Human Impact (1993), ISBN 978-1-898218-03-6
  • I've Started So I'll Finish (1998), ISBN 978-0-7515-2585-4
  • Scotland: The Story of a Nation (2000), ISBN 978-0-00-653191-3
  • Lindisfarne (2004), ISBN 978-0-7524-3227-4
  • Fakers, Forgers and Phoneys: Famous Scams and Scamps (2005), ISBN 978-1-84596-190-9
  • Iceland Saga (2005), ISBN 978-0-7524-3342-4
  • Keeping Your Words: An Anthology of Quotations (2005), ISBN 978-0-340-86264-3

References
  1. ODNB, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2005–2008 ed. Lawrence Goldman 2013 page 740
  2. "Magnus Magnusson". Telegraph Media Group Limited. 8 January 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  3. BBC Press Office (6 December 2002). "Mastermind Celebrity Special".
  4. BBC. "The history of Mastermind". Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  5. BBC Press Office (27 October 2003). "Rt Hon David Blunkett MP to appear on Mastermind".
  6. "Magnus Magnusson". The Independent. 22 September 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  7. Roger Crofts and David Breeze. "Magnus Magnusson" (PDF). Royal Society of Edinburgh. Retrieved 19 October 2015.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  8. "Magnus Magnusson". New Statesman. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
  9. "Magnusson faces cancer treatment". BBC News. 12 October 2006. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
  10. "TV's Magnus Magnusson dies at 77". BBC News. 8 January 2007. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
  11. "Obituary: Magnus Magnusson". BBC News. 7 January 2007. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
  12. Rachel Carlyle (2 February 2014). "BBC presenter Sally Magnusson on her mum's battle with dementia". BBC Press Office. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  13. "Mamie Magnusson". 17 April 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  14. "Sally Magnusson, Presenter". BBC Press Office. March 2006. Archived from the original on 4 May 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2015.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
Academic offices
Preceded by
Gordon Brown		 Rector of the University of Edinburgh
1976–1979		 Succeeded by
Anthony Ross
Media offices
New creation Host of Mastermind
1972–1997		 Succeeded by
Peter Snow
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