- Born
- Died
- Birth nameEric Gaukroger
- Born in 1921, Eric Rogers' interest in music began at an early age. A regular churchgoer, he was taught to play the church organ at the age of 13. His musical apprenticeship was a largely untutored one. During the Second World War, Rogers found himself playing the piano in return for free beer! Following the war, Rogers set up his own orchestra, playing in the Orchid Room at London's Trocadero. His reputation grew and he was gradually offered a series of jobs scripting incidental music for films. Later successes were writing the theme for the hugely popular Sunday Night at the Palladium, and transcribing Lionel Bart's notes for Oliver! (Bart himself couldn't read or write music).- IMDb Mini Biography By: jameshogg34@hotmail.com
- Eric was musical from an early age having taken to the clarinet and piano as a young child and started composing music from age 11. As a Spitfire pilot during the war he would play the wartime favourites for a pint of beer. On being demobbed he used his gratuity to set up a small orchestra playing at the Orchid Room in London's Trocadero. In addition to playing the Big Band sound he was accompanist and arranger for a number of variety artistes and helped Norman Wisdom to perfect his multi musical skills. A friend of Lionel Bart, it was Eric who transcribed and orchestrated the score for 'Oliver' and he was appointed musical director when the show transferred to Broadway rewriting parts of the score for the larger orchestra. His work on the film version with John Green won an Oscar. He became musical director of Decca Records accompanying such singers as Max Bygraves,Julie Andrews,and Anthony Newley. His arrangement on 'I'll Be With You in Apple Blossom Time' for Rosemary June reached no ! on the U.S.Billboard Chart in 1959. He adapted some music which became 'Startime', the theme tune for the television variety show 'Sunday Night at the London Palladium and eventually became the musical director of the theatre. His first contact with the Carry on films came when his friend Bruce Montgomery, the original Carry on composer, asked and paid him for additional passages, such as the 'back scratching sequence in 'Carry on Teacher'. Charles Hawtrey's visit to a strip club in 'Carry on Regardless' , and Liz Fraser and Dilys Laye dressing for dinner in 'Carry on Cruising. Director Peter Rogers was aware that more and more of Bruce's music was in fact that of Eric's so signed him up to compose and conduct the score for 'Nurse on Wheels' and after that he was first choice. When he was confirmed as composer for 'Carry on Don't Lose Your Head' Rank accused Peter of using his relatives in his films, thinking that they were related. Peter said that they were so close that they could well have been as they always worked together on the film music finding it the most enjoyable part of the production.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Tonyman 5
- Brother of Alan Rogers
- Although known professionally as Eric Rogers, he was born Eric Gaukroger in 1921, and later hyphenated his surname. His death in 1981 was registered as Eric Gauk-Roger.
- Did the music for all but two of the Carry on films.
- He worked on several stage musicals, and did the arrangements for a number of hits in America, including 'Apple Blossom Time'.
- He wrote the songs which introduce Carry on Cowboy, Screaming and Don't Lose Your Head.
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