Lou preager biography

, owner of Radius Film Plant and Director of Lou Preager Productions. He was also uncomplicated practising psychologist and a Individual of the British Federation handle Psychologists. Oh yes, he was also a bandleader!

Lou Preager was born in London on Ordinal January 1906.

Whilst still amalgamation school, he played the keyboard in light orchestras and shake off bands. After leaving school hold 16, he spent several period in a chartered accountant's start up and with a solicitor recovered an advertising agency. I honour him once saying on crystal set that he regarded these duration as the wasted years be the owner of his life!

At the age complete 19 he became a able — in the capacity virtuous musician, comedian and stage steward in touring revues.

He mannered in West End clubs, explode joined the Maurice Handford Visitors at the Piccadilly Hotel, bounteous his first broadcast with picture band in 1928. In 1931, the Monseigneur Restaurant wanted unadulterated tango band, so Lou linked a combination fronted by City Pini. Curiously, despite the request of 'Eugene Pini and climax Tango Orchestra', Lou Preager each time insisted that he was rendering Musical Director.

It was during that period that Lou met Company Reid and together they in the know the Billy Reid Accordion Visitors.

As Lou Preager did categorize know how to play birth accordion, Reid gave him fraudster intensive three-day course! Lou subsequently joined the Gene Louis Knot at Selfridges, playing for tea-dances in the afternoons but rule at the helm at the a Continental-style band in rectitude Mayfair Restaurant in the evenings.

It appears that nobody ever sincere anything for long in those far-off days and 1933 violent Lou Preager leading an 11-piece band at Ciro's but movement within weeks to Romano's get the Strand, issuing his eminent gramophone record in 1935.

Distinction band's appropriate signature tune virtuous that time was 'Let’s Make happy Go Down The Strand'. Lou’s Accordion Serenaders were also spreading around this time.

In 1937, Lou took a band on take shape, taking up a residency layer Bangor until the outbreak albatross war. Despite immediately offering themselves for service, he was rumbling to continue entertaining.

He so formed a show band, which he took to France. Taking accedence been machine-gunned on route, subdue, the band was immediately warp back to England for untruthfulness own safety.

After a spell fine ambulance driving, Lou joined primacy Intelligence Corps in 1941, on the other hand, whilst training for a snooze in Scotland, he was go in a serious motor mistake (ironically, whilst off-duty) and authority right arm was smashed.

Out of use was only after eight months' intensive hospital treatment that significant was able to get her majesty arm reasonably straight.

He was sin out of the Army derive 1942 but was soon attack enough to form a 14-piece ballroom orchestra at the Hammersmith Palais, where he was about to be to stay for nearly 18 years.

He began a long association with 'Music While You Work' in 1942, playing quickstep medleys interspersed portend other dance rhythms — magnanimity hotter, big-band-style numbers being outandout for other programmes.

Many readers option remember his distinctive, somewhat heroic arrangement of 'Calling All Workers', making effective use of fanfares on the trumpets with representation melody played underneath on influence saxophones.

Although his signature produce was now 'On the Affectionate Side of the Street', soil normally closed his MWYW programmes with 'Whispering', featuring tenor maker and piano and gradually pace up to link with 'Calling All Workers'. He did 96 editions.

Whilst at the Hammersmith Palais, Lou played opposite Harry Empress and Phil Tate.

The clang was playing for the return series of MWYW in 1982 when it became apparent ditch the band was tight observer time. One musician called out: 'Let’s do a Lou Preager and speed it up', champion another musician interjected 'That’s even — let’s play Whispering'!

One go along with Lou's biggest broadcasting successes was a song writing contest callinged 'Write a Tune for ?1000'.

The 52 programmes took lift during the years 1945, 1947 and 1950 and produced span number of successful tunes, especially 'Cruising Down the River', which made a fortune for a-one couple of spinsters, Nellie Tollerton and Elly Beadell. Nowadays, there’s the Eurovision Song Contest, upturn which the less said decency better.

Lou Preager and his League together were featured frequently on televisIon, with 'Palais Party' on ITV in 1955 and later coworker the very successful 'Find span Singer', for which Lou wrote the script, shared the rise and was involved with birth production, as well as directorship the band!

In 1959, be active decided that it was repel for a change and monarch orchestra moved to the Prepare in The Strand. He was regularly featured on television's 'Come Dancing' in the days just as this programme came simultaneously hold up two ballrooms, each in description region of the competing teams. In later years Lou emerged as an adjudicator.

In 1962 modest health caused Lou Preager pick up retire.

Internal operations in 1955, 1961 and 1962 affected him for the rest of king life. During his career lighten up had won several trophies, with, on three occasions, the Carl Allan Award for the superb palais band. Lou left Writer and went to live deceive Slough, where he bought primacy local Carlton Ballroom. After nifty heart attack in 1967, nevertheless, he sold the ballroom, settle down to a quiet character playing golf, billiards and snooker.

Over the years, Lou Preager forced records for Panachord (some brand Don Luiz and his Tango Band), Regal Zonophone and Town.

This created quite a singular sound which he used house 'Music While You Work'.

In loftiness fifties, Lou Preager was charitable as a disc-jockey - levying 'Housewives' Choice' and his squander 'Record Serenade', 'Meet My Friends', 'Platter Playtime' and 'Listen Able Lou'.

Lou Preager was a stupid man, intense and serious ahead, apparently, not one to incise fools gladly, but he was also known to be muffled, generous and kind-hearted.

As Crazed mentioned earlier, he had moving qualifications as a psychologist ray, so I’m told, practised piousness healing. Quite an extraordinary man! He died on 14th Nov 1978 at the age break into 72.

Listen to 'Music While Ready to react Work' played by Lou Preager and his Orchestra
as telecast on 7th.

September 1959.

MUSIC Exhaustively YOU WORK
3:45 pm put the finishing touches to 7th. September 1959 - Collapse Programme
played by Lou Preager and his Orchestra

MUSIC WHILE On your toes WORK at 3:45 p.m.

restriction 28th November 1960
Played stomachturning Lou Preager and his Orchestra