Ronald Cass

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Ronald Cass
BornRonald Cass
(1923-04-21)21 April 1923
musical director
NationalityBritish
Period1949–1979
GenreMusical
Notable worksSummer Holiday, The Young Ones
SpouseValerie Carton
ChildrenDebbie, Stephen and Nicola
RelativesJoseph, Rachel, Leila and Benji (grandchildren)

Ronald Cass (21 April 1923 – 2 June 2006), also known as Ronnie Cass, was a British screenwriter, composer, playwright, novelist and music director. He co-wrote the screenplays for the Cliff Richard films The Young Ones (1961) and Summer Holiday (1963).

Biography

Cass was born in

Jewish, and he was himself a member of the New London Synagogue.[1]

Cass first pursued a career as a maths teacher but in 1951 was recognized more for his contributions to several musicals produced at

Burma, he insisted that they take a piano with them so that he could continue entertaining the troops.[2]

Cass returned to Wales after the war ended in 1945, but travelled to London in 1949 in search of musical opportunities. It did not take much searching before Cecil Landeau hired him as musical director at Ciro's night-club, and it was there that Cass met Peter Myers, who was preparing a new revue. They soon put together a successful after-the-show show called 10:15 at the Irving Theatre.[2]

In 1952, Cass attended a show performed by the students of the London School of Economics, and was so impressed by one of them, Ron Moody, that he and Myers decided to let him make a début performance in Intimacy at 8, a revue presented at the New Lindsay Theatre. This show was retitled High Spirits when it reopened in the Hippodrome Theatre in 1953. Cass said that High Spirits had always been his favourite show. Among the cast was an actress named Valerie Carton, whom he married in 1955.

Cass went on to write TV plays, cantatas, and cabaret shows for cruise liners. He composed the score to the film adaptation of

Sir Harry Secombe
.

Having joined the theatre from the world of cabaret, Cass tried cabaret again in 1979, co-writing Blondes and Bombshells. He wrote two novels, True Blue and Fringe Benefits, and a book of theatrical humour called A Funny Thing Happened or an Anthology of Pro's.[3]

Personal life

Ronald Cass married actress Valerie Carton in 1955, and had three children, Debbie, Stephen and Nicola, and four grandchildren, Joseph, Rachel, Leila and Benji. He died in June 2006, at the age of 83.

Credits

Theatre works
  • 10:15 Revue (1951)
  • The Irving Revue (1952)
  • Just Lately, Intimacy at Eight (1952)
  • High Spirits (1953)
  • Intimacy at 8:30 (1954)
  • For Amusement Only (1956)
  • Harmony Close (1957)
  • For Adults Only (1958)
  • The Lord Chamberlain Regrets (1961)
  • Enrico (1963)
  • Jack and the Beanstalk (composition contributor) (1968)
  • Deja Revue (1975)
  • Deja Revue, Move Along Sideways (1975)
  • The Thoughts of Chairman Alf (1977)
  • Blondes and Bombshells (1979)
Film scores
Teleplays
  • Affair on Demand
  • The Other Side of London
Writings
  • A Funny Thing Happened, or An Anthology of Pro's
  • The Highway Companion
  • True Blue
  • Fringe Benefits[4]

References

  1. William D. Rubinstein, Michael Jolles, Hilary L. Rubinstein
    , The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History, Palgrave Macmillan (2011), p. 145
  2. ^ a b Vosburgh, Dick (1 August 2006). "Ronnie Cass: Unstoppable composer". The Independent. London. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  3. ^ Shorter, Eric (28 July 2006). "Ronald Cass: Composer of West End revues and Cliff Richard film scores". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  4. ^ Carter, Jim. "Ronald Cass Biography". Film Reference.com. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
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