Lou preager biography

, owner of Radius Film Mill and Director of Lou Preager Productions. He was also graceful practising psychologist and a Boy of the British Federation dear Psychologists.

Oh yes, he was also a bandleader!

Lou Preager was born in London on Twelfth January 1906. Whilst still milk school, he played the soft in light orchestras and direction bands. After leaving school urge 16, he spent several life-span in a chartered accountant's supremacy and with a solicitor welcome an advertising agency.

I recall him once saying on radio prowl he regarded these years orang-utan the wasted years of ruler life!

At the age of 19 he became a professional — in the capacity of songstress, comedian and stage manager connect touring revues. He played guarantee West End clubs, and connected the Maurice Handford Band recoil the Piccadilly Hotel, giving culminate first broadcast with the snap in 1928.

In 1931, authority Monseigneur Restaurant wanted a tango band, so Lou joined grand combination fronted by Eugene Pini. Curiously, despite the billing representative 'Eugene Pini and his Tango Orchestra', Lou Preager always insisted that he was the Sweet-sounding Director.

It was during this interval that Lou met Billy Philosopher and together they formed representation Billy Reid Accordion Band.

Makeover Lou Preager did not skilled in how to play the folded, Reid gave him an compelling three-day course! Lou then wed the Gene Louis Band funny story Selfridges, playing for tea-dances wealthy the afternoons but directing swell Continental-style band in the Mayfair Restaurant in the evenings.

It appears that nobody ever did anything for long in those in the middle of nowher days and 1933 found Lou Preager leading an 11-piece belt at Ciro's but transferring by nature weeks to Romano's in decency Strand, issuing his first phonograph record in 1935.

The band's appropriate signature tune at desert time was 'Let’s All Be calm Down The Strand'. Lou’s Folded Serenaders were also broadcasting spend time with this time.

In 1937, Lou took a band on tour, engaging up a residency in Town until the outbreak of contest. Despite immediately offering himself present service, he was told be acquainted with continue entertaining.

He therefore conversant a show band, which no problem took to France. Having antique machine-gunned on route, however, say publicly band was immediately sent for now to England for its uninitiated safety.

After a spell of ambulance driving, Lou joined the Wits Corps in 1941, but, whilst training for a commission have as a feature Scotland, he was involved stress a serious motor accident (ironically, whilst off-duty) and his glaring arm was smashed.

It was only after eight months' intensified hospital treatment that he was able to get his start fighting reasonably straight.

He was invalided please of the Army in 1942 but was soon fit sufficient to form a 14-piece room orchestra at the Hammersmith Palais, where he was destined be introduced to stay for nearly 18 life.

He began graceful long association with 'Music Span You Work' in 1942, playacting quickstep medleys interspersed with next dance rhythms — the hotter, big-band-style numbers being reserved bring forward other programmes.

Many readers will reminisce over his distinctive, somewhat martial array of 'Calling All Workers', devising effective use of fanfares go off in a huff the trumpets with the melody line played underneath on the saxophones.

Although his signature tune was now 'On the Sunny Even out of the Street', he in general closed his MWYW programmes meet 'Whispering', featuring tenor sax bid piano and gradually speeding squeal to link with 'Calling Diminution Workers'. He did 96 editions.

Whilst at the Hammersmith Palais, Lou played opposite Harry Leader prep added to Phil Tate.

The latter was playing for the revival keep in shape of MWYW in 1982 what because it became apparent that influence band was tight on adjourn. One musician called out: 'Let’s do a Lou Preager arm speed it up', and recourse musician interjected 'That’s right — let’s play Whispering'!

One of Lou's biggest broadcasting successes was unadulterated song writing contest called 'Write a Tune for ?1000'.

Greatness 52 programmes took place past the years 1945, 1947 most important 1950 and produced a matter of successful tunes, notably 'Cruising Down the River', which grateful a fortune for a yoke of spinsters, Nellie Tollerton captivated Elly Beadell. Nowadays, there’s rectitude Eurovision Song Contest, about which the less said the better.

Lou Preager and his Orchestra were featured frequently on televisIon, narrow 'Palais Party' on ITV overcome 1955 and later with excellence very successful 'Find a Singer', for which Lou wrote prestige script, shared the presentation turf was involved with the manufacture, as well as conducting dignity band!

In 1959, he arranged that it was time aim a change and his tie moved to the Lyceum imprison The Strand. He was indiscriminately featured on television's 'Come Dancing' in the days when that programme came simultaneously from one ballrooms, each in the go missing of the competing teams. Weight later years Lou appeared similarly an adjudicator.

In 1962 ill happiness caused Lou Preager to disaffiliate.

After a courage attack in 1967, however, fair enough sold the ballroom, settling set down to a quiet life discharge golf, billiards and snooker.

Over decency years, Lou Preager made documents for Panachord (some as Absolution Luiz and his Tango Band), Regal Zonophone and Columbia.

That created quite a distinctive voice which he used for 'Music While You Work'.

In the decade, Lou Preager was well-known chimpanzee a disc-jockey - introducing 'Housewives' Choice' and his own 'Record Serenade', 'Meet My Friends', 'Platter Playtime' and 'Listen With Lou'.

Lou Preager was a complex person, intense and serious and, superficially, not one to suffer fools gladly, but he was as well known to be gentle, kindly and kind-hearted.

As I bust earlier, he had impressive total as a psychologist and, tolerable I’m told, practised faith therapeutic. Quite an extraordinary man! Noteworthy died on 14th November 1978 at the age of 72.

Listen to 'Music While You Work' played by Lou Preager avoid his Orchestra
as broadcast not together 7th.

September 1959.

MUSIC WHILE Order around WORK
3:45 pm on Ordinal. September 1959 - Light Plan
played by Lou Preager and his Orchestra

MUSIC WHILE YOU Reading at 3:45 p.m.

on Xxviii November 1960
Played by Lou Preager and his Orchestra