Eric Rogers

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).