119:(7 February 1927 – 16 January 2024) was an English composer and bandleader who wrote scores for dozens of film and television series, described as "one of the most highly regarded arrangers of big-band swing and pop music" in England. Much of Johnson's music was written for the
281:. It was in this area of television scoring that he was to be most prolific, and in 1965 he left KPM to work directly for various television companies. From the 1960s to the 1980s he composed over fifty themes and scores, including the theme used on
231:. At the sessions Johnson produced two styles of music: light orchestral and big band jazz. He was also house conductor for KPM in the 1960s. Some of the library music pieces were also issued as commercial recordings -
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in 1959 and was later revived at the
Mermaid in 1962, transferring to the West End in 1963. Johnson's other stage work included music for the
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and was offered for sale at £4.6 million. Johnson retired from composition work in the early 1990s. He published an autobiography,
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The Mood Modern: The story of two of the world's greatest recorded music libraries: KPM (1956-1977) and Bruton Music (1978-1980)
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commentaries on several of the series in which he was involved. For radio he provided the theme music to the BBC Radio 1 series
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He died on 16 January 2024 after a short illness, at the age of 96. He is survived by his wife Dot and daughter Sarah.
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Johnson married his wife Doris ('Dot') Morley in 1957. In 1962 the family moved into Priory House, Clamp Hill in
521:(1971), a 25 minute piece for brass, organ and percussion with narrator, based on the Spanish repression of the
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Johnson began writing and recording for the KPM Music
Library in 1960, holding orchestral sessions at the
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and others. One of his first major projects was as composer and music director in a musical adaptation of
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525:. It is scored for ten trumpets, ten French horns, ten trombones, two tubas, eight percussion and organ.
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for a large ensemble comprising a jazz orchestra and symphony orchestra. Originally released by
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155:(playing French horn) before moving to the entertainment industry in the 1950s, arranging for
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1426:"Property of the week: Stanmore home of Avengers and Dr Strangelove composer Laurie Johnson"
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247:. His library music has been used more recently in a number of animation series, including
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In the 1990s, several of
Johnson's early recordings were re-issued on the
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music library, for which he composed and conducted between 1960 and 1965.
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1234:(19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 287.
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was composed in 1989 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the
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Petula Clark; Laurie
Johnson and seven members of his orchestra
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The
Avengers theme song composer Laurie Johnson dies, aged 96
984:"Lonely Stranger" (from "The Avengers", Episode: "Joker") KPM
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and broadcast on Sunday evenings from
October 1973 onwards.
239:(1965) on Denis Preston's Record Supervision label, and the
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Concerto For
Trumpet, Tenor Saxophone and Orchestra (1999)
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978:"Gala Performance" (theme from "This Is Your Life") KPM
457:. Their "Theme From 'The Professionals'" peaked on the
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Johnson released albums of his band playing music from
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involved many of the original
Avengers team, including
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1529:"Laurie Johnson: The Avengers theme composer dies"
975:"Fisticuffs" (fight music from "The Avengers") KPM
1612:: Laurie Johnson in conversation with Dave Randle
233:The New Big Sound of the Laurie Johnson Orchestra
1400:Noises in the Head: The Adventures of a Composer
552:. Three CDs of their performances were issued.
139:, England on 7 February 1927. He studied at the
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493:featured several famous jazz names including
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473:label. These included his own compositions
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1116:"Laurie Johnson - Biography & History"
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1385:, The Massed Bands of The Royal Air Force
578:Member of the Order of the British Empire
102:Composer, bandleader, conductor, arranger
1516:(Supplement). 14 June 2014. p. b21.
333:. Later in his career Johnson provided
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1261:"Laurie Johnson - film and TV composer"
1216:'The Laurie Johnson Orchestra', Discogs
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540:as conductor and soloists Don Lusher,
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972:"Fashion Centre", KPMLPB-0010 (1960)
568:in 2015. The property is a Grade II
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317:. He was one of the founders, with
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177:(1959). The score, with lyrics by
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1693:English male television composers
1688:English male film score composers
227:, where he was aided by engineer
1413:Laurie Johnson's London Big Band
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987:"Paris Honeymoon", KPM086 (1961)
981:"Happy Go Lively", KPM110 (1962)
406:film). The 1970 television film
348:Johnson's film scores included:
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880:Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter
393:Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter
287:(entitled "Gala Performance"),
237:The Big New Sound Strikes Again
275:from the UK television series
243:(1966), which was licensed to
151:. He spent four years in the
112:Laurence Reginald Ward Johnson
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1683:English light music composers
515:London Philharmonic Orchestra
267:In 1961, Johnson entered the
127:Early career, theatre and KPM
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1678:English film score composers
965:"Blood in the Gutter" (from
920:It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet
576:, in 2000. He was appointed
528:The suite for military band
143:, where his tutors included
16:English composer (1927–2024)
1482:"Laurie Johnson, 1927-2024"
1355:The Music of Laurie Johnson
1150:. Vocalion (2018), p. 50-53
944:The Lady and the Highwayman
431:, albums of his scores for
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461:at number 36 in May 1997.
21:Laurie Johnson (cricketer)
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1030:(1989), for military band
465:Orchestral and band music
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299:(entitled "Las Vegas"),
1230:Roberts, David (2006).
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556:Personal life and death
479:The Wind in the Willows
1333:"Mister Jerico (1970)"
1048:Lock Up Your Daughters
952:A Ghost in Monte Carlo
744:No Trees in the Street
271:with "Sucu Sucu", the
219:on Euston Road and at
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149:Ralph Vaughan Williams
141:Royal College of Music
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990:"Shopping Spree", KPM
864:And Soon the Darkness
816:First Men in the Moon
582:2014 Birthday Honours
517:. It was followed by
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375:First Men in the Moon
250:SpongeBob SquarePants
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185:. It opened the new
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768:I Aim at the Stars
574:Noises in the Head
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183:Ivor Novello Award
1595:Bucks Music Group
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1488:. 23 January 2024
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73:(2024-01-16)
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1658:2024 deaths
1653:1927 births
1617:"Las Vegas"
1591:Artist page
1508:"No. 60895"
550:Tom Whittle
546:Kenny Baker
511:Stan Tracey
495:Tubby Hayes
487:EMI Records
273:theme music
245:Pye Records
235:(1963) and
179:Lionel Bart
171:, entitled
1647:Categories
1625:theme tune
1587:(archived)
1540:22 January
1492:23 January
1383:To The Few
1160:Obituary,
1073:References
1028:To the Few
713:Film music
673:Jason King
620:Top Secret
542:Vince Hill
530:To the Few
499:Don Lusher
402:(the 1975
302:Jason King
278:Top Secret
191:Peter Cook
50:1927-02-07
1162:The Times
896:The Maids
752:Tiger Bay
489:in 1969,
363:Tiger Bay
181:, won an
157:Ted Heath
133:Hampstead
92:classical
63:, England
57:Hampstead
1534:BBC News
1121:AllMusic
1091:IMDb.com
681:Thriller
562:Stanmore
491:Symphony
360:(1958),
1604:Discogs
1438:29 June
1270:3 April
1127:29 June
1096:12 July
1558:', in
1238:
1199:
1067:(1967)
1059:(1959)
1051:(1959)
1036:(1985)
1018:(1969)
955:(1990)
947:(1989)
939:(1987)
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923:(1976)
915:(1975)
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723:(1957)
708:(2014)
700:(1977)
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684:(1973)
676:(1971)
668:(1971)
655:(1969)
647:(1965)
639:(1965)
631:(1962)
623:(1961)
615:(1961)
607:(1959)
523:Aztecs
447:, and
137:London
80:Genres
61:London
969:) KPM
904:Hedda
194:revue
88:swing
1580:IMDb
1542:2024
1494:2024
1440:2023
1297:2021
1272:2019
1236:ISBN
1197:ISBN
1129:2023
1098:2016
548:and
509:and
481:and
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427:and
396:and
329:and
321:and
311:and
253:and
147:and
68:Died
44:Born
1593:at
1578:at
1337:BFI
1315:BFI
705:W1A
335:DVD
223:'s
167:'s
121:KPM
116:MBE
84:Pop
36:MBE
1649::
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