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Laurie Johnson

January 20, 2023

For the West Indies-born cricketer, see Laurie Johnson (cricketer).

Laurence Reginald Ward Johnson, MBE (born 7 February 1927)[1] is an English composer and bandleader who has written scores for dozens of film and television series[2] and has been one of the most highly regarded arrangers of instrumental pop and swing music since the 1950s[3] with works often serving as stock production music.

Laurie Johnson
MBE
Born (1927-02-07) 7 February 1927 (age 95)
Hampstead, England
GenresPop, swing, soundtrack
Occupation(s)Composer, bandleader, arranger

Career

Johnson was born in Hampstead, England, and studied at the Royal College of Music[4] in London, and spent four years in the Coldstream Guards before moving to the entertainment industry in the 1950s. One of his first major projects was as composer and music director in a musical adaptation of Henry Fielding's Rape Upon Rape, entitled Lock Up Your Daughters (1959), which opened in Bernard Miles' Mermaid Theatre.[1] The score, with lyrics by Lionel Bart, won an Ivor Novello Award.[1] Johnson's stage work included music for the Peter Cook revue, Pieces of Eight (1959), and The Four Musketeers (1967), starring Harry Secombe.[1]

In 1961, Johnson entered the UK Singles Chart with "Sucu Sucu",[5] the theme music from the UK television series Top Secret.[1] It was in this area of television scoring that he was to be most prolific. From the 1960s to the 1980s, he composed over fifty themes and scores, including the theme used on This Is Your Life[6] (entitled "Gala Performance"), The Avengers (from 1965), Animal Magic (entitled "Las Vegas"),[6] Jason King, The New Avengers and The Professionals.[6] He was one of the founders, with Albert Fennell and Brian Clemens, of Mark One Productions, the television production company responsible for The New Avengers and The Professionals.[1]

Johnson was responsible for the theme music to the BBC Radio 1 series Sounds of Jazz, introduced by Peter Clayton and broadcast on Sunday evenings from October 1973 onwards.[7]

Johnson's film scores included The Good Companions, The Moonraker (1958), Tiger Bay, Dr. Strangelove, First Men in the Moon, You Must Be Joking!, And Soon the Darkness, Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter and Diagnosis: Murder (the 1975 Christopher Lee film).[8] Among his other works was the music for the television film, Mister Jerico, which involved many of the original Avengers team, including Patrick Macnee.[9]

Johnson released several recordings on the Unicorn-Kanchana label. These included his own compositions The Royal Tour, The Wind in the Willows and Symphony: Synthesis for a large ensemble comprising a jazz orchestra and symphony orchestra. Originally released by EMI Records, Symphony featured several famous jazz names including Tubby Hayes, Don Lusher, Joe Harriott, Kenny Wheeler and Stan Tracey, as well as the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Johnson also released an album of music from The Avengers, The New Avengers and The Professionals, an album of his scores for The First Men in the Moon, Dr Strangelove and Captain Kronos, and two albums of the compositions of others: the film music of Dmitri Tiomkin, and Bernard Herrmann's suite for North by Northwest.

Since 1997, Johnson has toured with the band he formed, The London Big Band. Their "Theme From 'The Professionals'" peaked on the UK Singles Chart at number 36 in May 1997.[5] He has also provided DVD commentaries on several of the series in which he has been involved. Many of Johnson's works have since become stock music for a number of animated series, including SpongeBob SquarePants and Ren And Stimpy.

Johnson was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2014 Birthday Honours for services to music.[10]

Film credits

Television credits

Notable stock tracks

  • "Blood in the Gutter" (from "Two Cities" Suite) KPM
  • "Fisticuffs" (fight music from "The Avengers") KPM
  • "Gala Performance" (theme from "This Is Your Life") KPM
  • "Happy Go Lively" KPM
  • "Lonely Stranger" (from "The Avengers", Episode: "Joker") KPM
  • "Shopping Spree" KPM

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 1298/9. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
  2. ^ "Laurie Johnson". IMDb.com. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  3. ^ "Laurie Johnson". Pandora.com. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  4. ^ "Laurie Johnson - Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  5. ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 287. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  6. ^ a b c "Laurie Johnson - film and TV composer". Mfiles.co.uk. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  7. ^ "BBC Jazz Sessions". Jazzinbritain.org. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  8. ^ "Laurie Johnson". BFI.
  9. ^ "Mister Jerico (1970)". BFI.
  10. ^ "No. 60895". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 June 2014. p. b21.

External links

 
Wikiquote has quotations related to Laurie Johnson.

January 20, 2023
laurie, johnson, west, indies, born, cricketer, cricketer, this, biography, living, person, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, adding, reliable, sources, contentious, material, about, living, persons, that, unsourced, poorly, sourced, mu. For the West Indies born cricketer see Laurie Johnson cricketer This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification Please help by adding reliable sources Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately especially if potentially libelous or harmful Find sources Laurie Johnson news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message Laurence Reginald Ward Johnson MBE born 7 February 1927 1 is an English composer and bandleader who has written scores for dozens of film and television series 2 and has been one of the most highly regarded arrangers of instrumental pop and swing music since the 1950s 3 with works often serving as stock production music Laurie Johnson MBEBorn 1927 02 07 7 February 1927 age 95 Hampstead EnglandGenresPop swing soundtrackOccupation s Composer bandleader arranger Contents 1 Career 2 Film credits 3 Television credits 4 Notable stock tracks 5 References 6 External linksCareer EditJohnson was born in Hampstead England and studied at the Royal College of Music 4 in London and spent four years in the Coldstream Guards before moving to the entertainment industry in the 1950s One of his first major projects was as composer and music director in a musical adaptation of Henry Fielding s Rape Upon Rape entitled Lock Up Your Daughters 1959 which opened in Bernard Miles Mermaid Theatre 1 The score with lyrics by Lionel Bart won an Ivor Novello Award 1 Johnson s stage work included music for the Peter Cook revue Pieces of Eight 1959 and The Four Musketeers 1967 starring Harry Secombe 1 In 1961 Johnson entered the UK Singles Chart with Sucu Sucu 5 the theme music from the UK television series Top Secret 1 It was in this area of television scoring that he was to be most prolific From the 1960s to the 1980s he composed over fifty themes and scores including the theme used on This Is Your Life 6 entitled Gala Performance The Avengers from 1965 Animal Magic entitled Las Vegas 6 Jason King The New Avengers and The Professionals 6 He was one of the founders with Albert Fennell and Brian Clemens of Mark One Productions the television production company responsible for The New Avengers and The Professionals 1 Johnson was responsible for the theme music to the BBC Radio 1 series Sounds of Jazz introduced by Peter Clayton and broadcast on Sunday evenings from October 1973 onwards 7 Johnson s film scores included The Good Companions The Moonraker 1958 Tiger Bay Dr Strangelove First Men in the Moon You Must Be Joking And Soon the Darkness Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter and Diagnosis Murder the 1975 Christopher Lee film 8 Among his other works was the music for the television film Mister Jerico which involved many of the original Avengers team including Patrick Macnee 9 Johnson released several recordings on the Unicorn Kanchana label These included his own compositions The Royal Tour The Wind in the Willows and Symphony Synthesis for a large ensemble comprising a jazz orchestra and symphony orchestra Originally released by EMI Records Symphony featured several famous jazz names including Tubby Hayes Don Lusher Joe Harriott Kenny Wheeler and Stan Tracey as well as the London Philharmonic Orchestra Johnson also released an album of music from The Avengers The New Avengers and The Professionals an album of his scores for The First Men in the Moon Dr Strangelove and Captain Kronos and two albums of the compositions of others the film music of Dmitri Tiomkin and Bernard Herrmann s suite for North by Northwest Since 1997 Johnson has toured with the band he formed The London Big Band Their Theme From The Professionals peaked on the UK Singles Chart at number 36 in May 1997 5 He has also provided DVD commentaries on several of the series in which he has been involved Many of Johnson s works have since become stock music for a number of animated series including SpongeBob SquarePants and Ren And Stimpy Johnson was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire MBE in the 2014 Birthday Honours for services to music 10 Film credits EditThe Good Companions 1957 The Moonraker 1958 Girls at Sea 1958 No Trees in the Street 1959 Tiger Bay 1959 Operation Bullshine 1959 I Aim at the Stars 1960 Spare The Rod 1961 What a Whopper 1961 Siege of the Saxons 1963 Bitter Harvest 1963 Dr Strangelove 1964 First Men in the Moon 1964 East of Sudan 1964 The Beauty Jungle 1964 You Must Be Joking 1965 Hot Millions 1968 Mister Jerico 1970 And Soon the Darkness 1970 The Firechasers 1971 Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter 1972 The Belstone Fox 1973 The Maids 1974 Hedda 1975 Diagnosis Murder 1975 It Shouldn t Happen to a Vet 1976 A Hazard of Hearts 1987 It s Alive III Island of the Alive 1987 The Lady and the Highwayman 1989 A Ghost in Monte Carlo 1990 Television credits EditNo Hiding Place 1959 Top Secret 1961 Animal Magic 1962 Riviera Police 1965 The Avengers 1965 This Is Your Life 1969 Red Gauntlet 1970 Shirley s World 1971 Jason King 1971 Thriller 1973 The New Avengers 1976 The Professionals 1977 W1A 2014 same theme as Animal MagicNotable stock tracks Edit Blood in the Gutter from Two Cities Suite KPM Fisticuffs fight music from The Avengers KPM Gala Performance theme from This Is Your Life KPM Happy Go Lively KPM Lonely Stranger from The Avengers Episode Joker KPM Shopping Spree KPMReferences Edit a b c d e f Colin Larkin ed 1992 The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music First ed Guinness Publishing p 1298 9 ISBN 0 85112 939 0 Laurie Johnson IMDb com Retrieved 12 July 2016 Laurie Johnson Pandora com Retrieved 12 July 2016 Laurie Johnson Biography amp History AllMusic Retrieved 3 April 2019 a b Roberts David 2006 British Hit Singles amp Albums 19th ed London Guinness World Records Limited p 287 ISBN 1 904994 10 5 a b c Laurie Johnson film and TV composer Mfiles co uk Retrieved 3 April 2019 BBC Jazz Sessions Jazzinbritain org Retrieved 18 September 2021 Laurie Johnson BFI Mister Jerico 1970 BFI No 60895 The London Gazette Supplement 14 June 2014 p b21 External links Edit Wikiquote has quotations related to Laurie Johnson Laurie Johnson at IMDb Official website archived Artist page at Bucks Music Group Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Laurie Johnson amp oldid 1125601549, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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