Watching the Isle of Man TT the other week there was an excellent documentary/interview with highly respected and long serving motor racing commentator Murray Walker. In the interview he not only exhibited an excellent memory and grasp of motorsport but also massive deference and respect for his father Graham Walker. Murray’s father competed at the TT in the 1930s until his retirement from the sport then became a commentator until his death in 1962. Murray said of his father ‘he was a much better commentator than me.’

Similarly I recall reading travel writer and commentator Bill Bryson exalting his father in one of his books saying that his father was one of the greatest baseball journalists ever known. These two examples show two highly respected and famous men paying tribute to and following their fathers into their particular field.

One of my favourite authors is Ian Fleming, love his work or loath it you cannot deny his creation of James Bond has had a massive impact worldwide in literature and in film. Few people probably know that Fleming spent much of his life in the shadow of his war hero father (who died serving in the First World War) and his elder journalist brother. Fleming was always trying to please his demanding mother who almost deified his father, putting so much pressure on young Ian to succeed and live up to an impossible image.

Sport is full of examples of children trying to live up to their father’s reputation: Julio Cesar Chavez Jr has made Dad proud by recently winning the world WBC middleweight title. Others have not been as successful: Ronald Hearns and Marvis Frazier both tried and failed to emulate their fathers. Ronald Hearns may yet get another chance at world glory but it is not a certainty. Staying with the world of boxing George Foreman III is another young man trying to follow in his fathers footsteps, he will try to do it his way and on his terms of course but once again the media will be making comparisons between the two.

Back to motor sport and you have Damon and Graham Hill as well as brothers Joey Dunlop and Robert Dunlop with Roberts’s boys William and Michael both following in their famous father and uncles footsteps.

There are many father - son football examples but one that sticks in my mind the most is Nigel Clough trying to achieve success as a football manager at his Dad’s old club Derby County FC. This is particularly tough and poignant as the acerbic and sharp-minded Brian Clough has to be one of the (if not the) greatest football managers in Britain, maybe in Europe. So poor Nigel has the proverbial mountain to climb if he is to even equal his Dad’s achievements. It is all pretty unfair but no matter what he does it will always be scrutinised and compared to his father.

The world of acting has had more than its fair share of children following parents into their profession. Famous horror star and ‘Man of a Thousand Faces’ Lon Chaney was a massive star of the 1920s with his groundbreaking performances and pioneering make up and disguises to bring the hunchback of Notre Dame and the Phantom of the Opera to life onto the big screen. Poor Lon Chaney Jr was a hulking character with none of his fathers genius and he was forever in Dad’s shadow despite a bold stab at eliciting sympathy as the doomed Lawrence Talbot in Universals ‘The Wolf Man’ as well as donning the make up for the transformation scenes.

Jason Connery is a decent enough actor but he has never reached the same heights as his father yet has always been unfairly compared to or referenced against his father’s cinematic achievements. Ben Stiller has arguably done better than his famous Dad Jerry, as have brothers Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen in following Dad Martin Sheen into acting. Scott Caan son of James Caan is doing well appearing and starring in Hawaii Five O and Jaden Smith is doing alright, although he does seem like his life is being programmed and plotted for him by Dad Will. The Bridges clan with father Lloyd a successful and popular actor on the big and small screen saw his two sons Beau and Geoff both succeed with Jeff recently appearing in hit films ‘Iron Man’, ‘Tron: Legacy’ and ‘True Grit.’

The music world has seen Julian and Sean Lennon trying but never hitting the same heights as famous Dad John although that is a huge act to follow. It must hugely affect children especially at an early age when they become aware that their father is so famous. Ozzy Osbourne’s family have been in the media spotlight for the last decade or so and two of his children’s struggles: Jack and Kelly have been well documented. Both now seem to be happy and content and have achieved success on their own terms and at their own level.

So, it is tough having a famous or successful father with all the unfair weight of expectation, even more so from the media. The best thing to do is to realise that Dad had to start somewhere too and the path he took may not be the same one you wish to take. If you are afraid of comparisons constantly being drawn then perhaps it is best to look at a different field to try to be successful in. Also, we must not forget that it is the father who ultimately bears the responsibility of not putting too much pressure on his children to succeed, or measuring their lives in terms of his own successes. A good father should nurture, encourage and guide and never force or compel a child into a situation, career or scenario they don’t want to go or get into. The biggest most important role of all is being a good father.