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Vernon Corea was one of the world's greatest broadcasters - he was born on the island of Ceylon. The 'Hindu' newspapers placed him among the 'greats' in the world of broadcasting. Vernon was born in Kurana, Katunayke on September 11 th, 1927. His father Rev. Ivan Corea was a curate at the St. Phillips Church in Kurana in 1927.
The Corea family are descendants of Dominican Corea who was crowned King of Kate in the 16 th century. Vernon Corea's parents were the late Canon Ivan Corea and Ouida Corea, one time Rural Dean of Colombo of the Church of Sri Lanka and Vicar of St. Lukes Church, Borella. In the late 1950 s Canon Corea was appointed Vicar of St. Paul's Milagiriya.
Vernon Corea was educated at Royal College, Colombo where he played a full role in the life of the school - from debating society to playing tennis. He was also educated at Bishop's Theological College in Calcutta, India but decided not to pursue ordination. Vernon Corea returned to Sri Lanka and went into teaching at Uva College, Badulla where he met his wife, Monica, who was also a teacher. After the death of their first born son Harishchandra, Vernon and Monica moved to Colombo. He worked briefly for Car Mart and then joined Radio Ceylon as a Relief Announcer in 1956.
Vernon was appointed as an Announcer in Radio Ceylon in 1957 by the Director of the Commercial Service, Clifford R. Dodd. Vernon had the joined the 'greats' - Livy Wijemanne, Pearl Ondaatje, Tim Horshington, Greg Roskowski, Jimmy Barucha, Mil Sansoni, Early Paris, Shirley Perera, Bob Harvie, Chris Greet, Prosper Fernando, Ameen Sayani (of Binaca Get Mala fame), S. P. Mylvaganam (the first Tamil Announcer on the Commercial Service), H. M.
Gunasekera to name a few. They blazed a trail in broadcasting in South Asia. Vernon also worked with the legendary Karunaratne Abeysekera, they were very close friends. People from all over the Indian sub-continent stayed awake into the wee hours of the morning to listen to the announcers from Radio Ceylon. Fan mail flooded from all over South Asia. Radio ruled the airwaves in the 1950 s and 1960 s.
Television hadn't even arrived in Ceylon. Announcers like Vernon were the pioneers of public service broadcasting in Ceylon. Vernon took to radio like a duck takes to water and his career spilled upwards. He soon established himself as a popular Announcer of Radio Ceylon. Everyone is South Asia loved Radio.
Announcers were the 'pop stars' of that generation and Radio Ceylon occupied a very special place in the hearts of South Asians in India, West Pakistan, East Pakistan, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan and there were listeners even in Burma. Salman Rushdie mentions Radio Ceylon in his novel 'Shame. ' People in India remember the radio station with such affection. ' No amount of criticism could diminish the popularity of Radio Ceylon to the public taste but also cultivated the same it offered not only what people liked but also what they should have liked... ' ' Radio Ceylon still boasts of possessing the largest library of 78 RPM records. They are preserved in an air-conditioned room, lovingly handled and safely played on a heavy turn-table with an Australian made diamond stylus. ' PLAYBACK & FAST FORWARD MAGAZINE, INDIA ' Nobody bought radio sets that did not receive Radio Ceylon! ' AMEEN SAYANI (Who presented Binaca Geetmala over Radio Ceylon) Vernon Corea presented some of the most popular radio programmes in South Asia: Two for the Money, Kiddies Korner, Old Folks at Home, To Each His Own, Ponds Hit Parade, Saturday Stars, Take it or Leave It, Maliban Bandwagon (Maliban Show), Roving Mike, Dial-a-disc, Holiday Choice, Sunday Choice and many more. Vernon was also a sought after compere of countless dinners, dances, events and he was at the helm of many a New Year celebration and his voice greeted listeners with a cheerful 'Happy New Year, ' in the 1960 s and 1970 s. He introduced Mignonne Fernando and the Jetliners onto the stage at the popular 'Count Grove' in the Galle Face Hotel in the early sixties. The manager of The Jetliners, Tony Fernando, knew Vernon so well.
Vernon has compered so many varied shows from events for the Army, Navy and the Ceylon Air Force to a dinner dance in China. Vernon travelled the length and breadth of Sri Lanka - he soon became a household name on the island. Vernon was called upon to present the first ever experimental television broadcast from Colombo in 1972. These were the first tentative steps into the world of television.
He appeared in the first grainy pictures on the television screen presenting the first experimental tv program in Colombo. Livy Wijemanne, the veteran broadcaster (who joined Radio Ceylon in 1945) was Assistant Director of the Commercial Service, it was Livy who appointed Vernon as a relief announcer - writing on 9 th August 1956, Livy Wijemanne noted: ' Mr. Vernon Corea has had intensive daily training under the supervision of Mr. Goonesena, and is now fit to go on his own as a relief announcer. I shall, therefore, be glad if you will approve of my employing him as a relief announcer on the Commercial Service of Radio Ceylon with immediate effect... ' The legendary Director of the Commercial Service, Clifford R.
Dodd wrote to Vernon on 17 th September 1957 to inform him that he had been 'placed on the panel of Relief Announcers in English on the Commercial Service with effect from September 1 st, 1957. ' This was the beginning of Vernon's amazing career in broadcasting in Ceylon. Vernon was paid the princely sum of Rs 1 / 75 per hour, subject to a maximum of Rs. 12 per day. He started his career in radio at the bottom of the ladder but he soon climbed up - Vernon was appointed Announcer from 1958 - 1959, Programme Assistant from 1959 - 1968, Business Manager from 1968 - 1974 and he was appointed Director News of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation in 1974. Vernon spent six months in England from 29 th April 1970 following a course of training in Broadcasting Management under the Imperial Relations Trust at the British Broadcasting Corporation. He was instrumental in introducing Sinhala music into the English Service. Together with his cousins, Sangabo Corea and Vijaya Corea he made Clarence Wijewardene, Annesley Malawana and other talented Sri Lankan musicians, household names.
He had an influential EMCEE column in the Daily News in the 1960 s and 1970 s and many musicians went to see Vernon, in order to publicise their group. It was a huge plus to be featured in the EMCEE column of the Daily News. Vernon has also mentored the great Sri Lankan radio names of today, including his cousin Vijaya Corea and Nepal Bhareti. The family moved to England in 1975 when Vernon and Monica became the first Asian missionaries at the Worldwide Evangelization Crusade founded by the all England cricketer C.
T. Study. They worked for the radio arm of WEC, Radio Worldwide who were stationed in Upper Norwood South East London at the time. After a spell in religious broadcasting Vernon was invited to present the first ever Asian programme in English. "London Sounds Eastern" on BBC Radio London. Vernon Corea's record selection included Sri Lankan hit makers - Clarence Wijeywardene, Annesley Malawana, Dharmaratne Brothers, La Ceylonians, Indian Perera, The Gypsies, Dalrene, Sam The Man, Mignonne Fernando and the Jetliners, Desmond de Silva, Normal Media and many more - they were reaching the heart of London through the airwaves. Many of these musicians were featured on Vernon's radio programs at the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation.
This was certainly a first for the Sri Lankan Community in the UK and other Asian Communities. Vernon paved the wa...
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