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Tony Hatch
Anthony Peter Hatch (born 30 June 1939) is an English composer for musical theatre and television. He is also a songwriter, pianist, arranger and producer. Early life and early career Hatch was born in Pinner, Middlesex. Encouraged by his musical abilities, his mother – also a pianist – enrolled him in the London Choir School in Wansunt Road, Bexley, Kent when he was 10. Instead of continuing at the Royal Academy of Music, he left school in 1955 and found a job with Robert Mellin Music in London's Tin Pan Alley. Not long after working as a tea boy, he was writing songs (under the name Mark Anthony) and entered the recording industry when he joined The Rank Organisation's new subsidiary Top Rank Records; there he worked for future Decca Records A&R man Dick Rowe. While he served his National Service, he became involved with the Band of the Coldstream Guards. On his return in 1959, Hatch began producing Top Rank artists such as Bert Weedon, the then unknown Ad ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) and backs onto Drury Lane. The building is the most recent in a line of four theatres which were built at the same location, the earliest of which dated back to 1663, making it the oldest theatre site in London still in use. According to the author Peter Thomson, for its first two centuries, Drury Lane could "reasonably have claimed to be London's leading theatre". For most of that time, it was one of a handful of patent theatres, granted monopoly rights to the production of "legitimate" drama in London (meaning spoken plays, rather than opera, dance, concerts, or plays with music). The first theatre on the site was built at the behest of Thomas Killigrew in the early 1660s, when theatres were allowed to reopen during the English Restoration. Initially ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Decca Records
Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American Decca's president. In 1937, anticipating Nazi Germany, Nazi aggression leading to World War II, Lewis sold American Decca and the link between the U.K. and U.S. Decca labels was broken for several decades. The British label was renowned for its development of recording methods, while the American company developed the concept of cast albums in the musical genre. Both wings are now part of the Universal Music Group. The U.S. Decca label was the foundation company that evolved into UMG (Universal Music Group). Label name The name dates back to a portable phonograph, gramophone called the "Decca Dulcephone" patented in 1914 by musical instrument makers Barnett Samuel and Sons. The name "Decca" was coined by Wilfred S. Samuel by merging the w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Look For A Star (song)
"Look for a Star" is a song written by Mark Anthony composed by Tony Hatch) and performed by Garry Mills for the 1960 UK movie Circus of Horrors. It reached #7 on the UK charts. When the movie was released in the U.S. there were several versions of the song quickly recorded, the main one being by Buzz Cason under the pseudonym, Garry Miles (in order to capitalize on the success of Gary Mills' UK original). Snuff Garrett produced the song and came up with the pseudonym. The strategy worked and the Garry Miles version reached #16 on the U.S. pop chart in 1960. Other charting versions * Billy Vaughn and His Orchestra released an instrumental version of the song in 1960 which reached #13 on the Cashbox chart and #19 on the U.S. pop chart. *Deane Hawley released a version of the song in 1960 which reached #29 on the U.S. pop chart. *Jericho Brown (Robert Hensley) reached the #6 spot on the U.S. pop chart in 1960. Other versions *The Brook Brothers released a version of the song on th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Garry Mills
Garry Mills (also Gary Mills) (born 13 October 1941 in West Wickham, Kent, England) is a former British pop singer. Mills had three hits on the UK Singles Chart in the early 1960s. Released on Top Rank Records in 1960, these were "Look for a Star" (charted at No 7) and "Top Teen Baby" (No. 24). "I'll Step Down", released on Decca in 1961, charted at No. 39. In the United States, "Look for a Star" reached No. 26 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. "Look for a Star" also made the Hot 100 in versions by Deane Hawley, Billy Vaughn and Garry Miles, the latter a pseudonym for Buzz Cason. The song, composed by Tony Hatch, appeared in the soundtrack to the horror film, ''Circus of Horrors ''Circus of Horrors'' is a 1960 British horror film directed by Sidney Hayers, and starring Anton Diffring, Yvonne Monlaur, Erika Remberg, Kenneth Griffith, Jane Hylton, Conrad Phillips, Yvonne Romain, and Donald Pleasence. Set in 1947, it foll ...'' (1960). References External linksGary Mills pho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Side Saddle
Sidesaddle riding is a form of equestrianism that uses a type of saddle which allows female riders to sit aside rather than astride an equine. Sitting aside dates back to antiquity and developed in European countries in the Middle Ages as a way for women in skirts to ride a horse in a modest fashion while also wearing fine clothing. It has retained a specialty niche even in the modern world. History The earliest depictions of women riding with both legs on the same side of the horse can be seen in Greek vases, sculptures, and Celtic stones. Medieval depictions show women seated aside with the horse being led by a man, or seated on a small padded seat (a ''pillion'') behind a male rider. Ninth century depictions show a small footrest, or ''planchette'' added to the pillion. These designs did not allow a woman to control a horse; she could only be a passenger. In Europe, the sidesaddle developed in part because of cultural norms which considered it unbecoming for a woman to str ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Russ Conway
Russ Conway, DSM (born Trevor Herbert Stanford; 2 September 1925 – 16 November 2000) was an English popular music pianist and composer. Conway had 20 piano instrumentals in the UK Singles Chart between 1957 and 1963, including two number one hits. Career Conway was born in Bristol, England.Larkin C (1997) ''Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music'', Muze UK Ltd, p. 125 He won a scholarship to Bristol Cathedral Choir School and, after leaving school at 14, was largely self-taught on piano during a three-year term in a Borstal detention centre for stealing from his employers. During the Second World War, he was conscripted into the Royal Navy and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal as signalman in a minesweeping flotilla "for distinguished service, efficiency and zeal" in clearance of mines in the Aegean and operations during the relief of Greece 1944–45. During his Navy service, he lost the tip of the third finger of his right hand while using a bread slicer. At th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kenneth Connor
Kenneth Connor, (6 June 1918 – 28 November 1993) was a British stage, film and broadcasting actor, who rose to national prominence with his appearances in the ''Carry On'' films. Early life Connor was born in Highbury, Islington, London, the son of a naval petty officer who organised concert parties. He first appeared on the stage at the age of two as an organ-grinder's monkey in one of his father's shows, in Portsmouth. By the age of 11 he had his own act. He attended the Central School of Speech and Drama, where he was a Gold Medal winner. Connor made his professional debut in J. M. Barrie's ''The Boy David'', at His Majesty's Theatre, London, in December 1936. During the Second World War he served as an infantry gunner with the Middlesex Regiment, but continued acting by touring Italy and the Middle East with the Stars in Battledress concert party and ENSA. Earlier in the war, in 1941, he was apparently performing as a comedic entertainer in a concert party named the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carry On (film Series)
The ''Carry On'' series of 31 British comedy films were released between 1958 and 1978, produced by Peter Rogers with director Gerald Thomas. The humour of ''Carry On'' was in the British comic tradition of music hall and bawdy seaside postcards. In between the films, Rogers and Thomas produced four Christmas television specials (1969–1973), a 1975 television series of thirteen episodes, and three West End stage shows that later toured the regions. The series drew on regular ensemble that included Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Kenneth Connor, Peter Butterworth, Hattie Jacques, Terry Scott, Bernard Bresslaw, Barbara Windsor, Jack Douglas, and Jim Dale. A 31st film was released in 1992, though featuring only four of the "irregular" cast members. The ''Carry On'' series contains the largest number of films of any British film series, and is the second longest running, albeit with a fourteen-year gap (1978–1992) between the 30th and 31st entries ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jackie Dennis
Jackie Dennis (8 October 1942 – 28 September 2020) was a Scottish singer. He was discovered by the comedians Mike and Bernie Winters in 1958. The brothers brought him to the attention of the show business agent Eve Taylor, and he appeared on the television programme, ''Six-Five Special'', at the age of 15, and in a subsequent film spin-off. Chart success The kilt-wearing, spiky-haired pop singer enjoyed seven successful years in the show business and toured the world. "La Dee Dah" was his biggest UK hit, reaching number 4 in the UK Singles Chart in 1958, whilst his cover of Sheb Wooley's "Purple People Eater" was his second and final UK hit, peaking at number 29. Dennis appeared on Perry Como's US television show, where he was introduced as 'Britain's Ricky Nelson' performing the song "Linton Addie". He latterly worked as a nursing home carer, before retiring and living in Pilton, Edinburgh, with wife Irene, to whom he was married for over 30 years. He died in Septembe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Josh MacRae
Joshua J Macrae (born 1964 in Tel Aviv, Israel) is an English drummer, audio engineer and record producer. Starting with a snare drum & hi hat in Primrose Hill Primary orchestra then from school punk band in Cornwall "Inconvenience" he left school & toured Europe with local band "Metro Glider". Upon return he moved to Bath & became a founder member of "Still Life", later renamed "Wadi Vision", show casing at The Embassy Club & doing a "Live In Maida Vale" Radio One session For Bruno Brooks. With the demise of "Wadi Vision" he played various sessions, did a short promotional tour of Europe with Spandau Ballet standing in for John Keeble who remained home with his expectant wife. In '87, answering an advert in the back of The Melody Maker, he landed the drum throne in Roger Taylor's band The Cross. and went on to co-produce all of Taylor's solo albums from 1992 on, played drums at Roger Taylor's solo concerts and works with Queen in the studio from 1992. Selected discography * Th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Adam Faith
Terence Nelhams Wright (23 June 1940 – 8 March 2003), known as Adam Faith, was an English singer, actor, and financial journalist. A teen idol, he scored consecutive No. 1 hits on the UK Singles Chart with "What Do You Want?" (1959) and "Poor Me" (1960). He became the first UK artist to lodge his initial seven hits in the top 5, and was ultimately one of the most charted acts of the 1960s. He was also one of the first UK acts to record original songs regularly. Faith also maintained an acting career, appearing as Dave in the teen exploitation film ''Beat Girl'' (1960), the eponymous lead in the ITV television series '' Budgie'' (1971–1972) and Frank Carver in the BBC comedy drama ''Love Hurts'' (1992–1994). Early life and education Terence Nelhams Wright was born on 23 June 1940 at 4, East Churchfield Road, Acton, Middlesex (now London), England, son of coach driver Alfred Richard Nelhams and cleaner Ellen May (née Burridge), formerly wife of Cecil G. Wright, from whom ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bert Weedon
Herbert Maurice William Weedon, OBE (10 May 1920 – 20 April 2012) was an English guitarist whose style of playing was popular and influential during the 1950s and 1960s. He was the first British guitarist to have a hit record in the UK Singles Chart, in 1959, and his best-selling tutorial guides, ''Play in a Day'', were a major influence on many leading British musicians, such as Eric Clapton, Brian May and Paul McCartney. He was awarded an OBE in 2001 for his "services to music". Biography Weedon was born in Burges Road, East Ham, Essex (now part of the London Borough of Newham). He began learning classical guitar at the age of 12, and decided to become a professional musician. In his teens during the 1930s, he led groups such as the Blue Cumberland Rhythm Boys, and Bert Weedon and His Harlem Hotshots, before making his first solo appearance at East Ham Town Hall in 1939. He worked with leading performers including Stephane Grappelli and George Shearing, and perform ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
