Ron Grainer

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Ronald Erle Grainer (11 August 1922 – 21 February 1981) was an Australian composer who spent the bulk of his career in the United Kingdom.

He is best known for his television and film score music, particularly the theme music for Doctor Who, The Prisoner, Steptoe and Son, and Tales of the Unexpected.

Early life

Ronald Grainer was born in Atherton, Queensland, Australia, the first child of Margaret Clark, an amateur pianist, and Ronald Albert Grainer, a shopkeeper and postmaster.

The Grainer family lived in Mt Mulligan, a tiny town built around the coal extraction of three seams that lay underneath a 400-meter-high sandstone monolith that stands 100 kilometers west of Cairns, for the first eight years of Ron's life. The family was often left with the after-effects of a high intake of alcohol by the shift miners despite the industrial chaos and dust. On one such occasion, a stray bullet shot through the roof of their house and almost killed Ron, an 11-week-old boy who lay on his bed.

Because of Mt Mulligan's physical disability, building a sense of community was vital. It was also possible by regularly staging dance and social functions. These public entertainments were really important in raising local morale, especially after a massive explosion on 19 September 1921 killed 75 percent of Mt Mulligan's adult population.

Concerts in the years after the tragedy featured performances by a young Ron Erle Grainer, who was taught piano-playing from the age of four by his mother, and then encouraged to study the violin by an elderly Welsh miner. As Grainer's music abilities improved, he began to reconstruct tunes he had heard at school or on gramophone records. "When he couldn't even reach the pedals," Mary Wardle, a classical music writer, scholar, and former resident of Mt Mulligan, recalls Grainer's appearance on keyboards "when he couldn't even reach the pedals."

In 1930, the Grainer family left Mt Mulligan. They were living in Aloomba, a sugar-growing rural community on the coast of Far North Queensland, by April 1932. Aloomba is located on the eastern side of another rock monolith, the 922-meter-high Walsh's Pyramid. Grainer received her second prize for solo violin at the inaugural Cairns and District School Eistedfod at the age of nine as part of the Aloomba school team. This is the first newspaper mention of him giving a public performance of a music event. Grainer's family immigrated to Cairns in 1933, 1933-1934) and Cairns High (1935-1936), where he began a serious study of music theory and interpretation. In 1937, his family moved south to Brisbane, where Grainer completed his secondary schooling at St Joseph's College, Nudgee, before matriculating in 1938. In 1939, he joined the University of Queensland to study civil engineering and music, a course that included harmony, counterpoint, and composition as taught by classical musician Percy Brier, a traditionalist educator who encouraged his more gifted students to think for themselves. Grainer earned his Associate of Trinity College London Diploma (ATCL) on piano.

Grainer joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in December 1940 and was sent to Amberley, Queensland, where he was posted to 73 Signals and assigned to Radar Station No. 2 following World War II's outbreak. 58, Townsville. While stationed there and in subsequent postings, he contributed to barracks recreation by scoring and organizing multiple servicemen's shows. He was posted to the RAAF's entertainment unit on March 22, 1944. In the official review of his audition, Ravel's Bolero, a remarkably simple musical piece that holds the listeners' attention in a similar manner to Grainer's later themes and signature tunes, was the only music piece named by name. Grainer had only spent a few months for his fellow airmen in July 1944, when a 44-gallon drum fell on his leg while traveling in a truck; he sustained a serious injury and was admitted to the 3 RAAF Hospital, becoming seriously ill. In September 1945, he was released from the RAAF as permanently infirm. He was admitted to the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music, where he studied under Eugene Goossens.

In December 1949, Grainer received his teaching and performance diploma for pianoforte. He appeared in a string of solo artist radio shows for the Australian Broadcasting Commission between 1950 and 1951. In a newspaper review of the duo's "uncompromising disregard of mob appeal," "lack of practical concert knowledge," and "unrequerably pastel colouring" set list, the recital's "in the absence of a clearer surface" by the time the performance ended, a lack of energy and heartfelt spirit was ridiculed." Granger's classical repertoire and live concert performances had such a definite change of attitude that he had "always loathed performing" during a 1964 magazine interview.

Margot and Rel, Grainer's 10-year-old stepdaughter, were able to migrate to London in 1952. He managed to find a three-month stint in a nightclub as well as other odd jobs, the worst of which was a twelve-month stint with a touring Australian comedy group called "The Allen Brothers and June." This required the classically trained Grainer to be struck on the head by a falling grand piano lid and then to topple over into the orchestra pit, an event that later revealed was much more difficult to do than a day's fencing in the Australian outback.

Grainer and his wife had to work as caretakers of a large block of London flats, where he stoked two large boilers, morning and night, while Margot washed stairs and cleaned rooms at one time, although Margot washed stairs and cleaned rooms.

Grainer had two attempts at song competitions: "England's Made of Us" (1956), an attempt by lyricist David Dearlove for the First British Festival of Popular Songs, earned no points from the judges and, later this year, "Don't Cry Little Doll" (1957), which reached fourth place in the British Eurovision decider heats, garnered fourth place.

Pre-success musician Grainer's most dramatic pre-success music involvement was with Before The Sun Goes Down, a TV play that sparked audience anxiety and questions in the British Parliament when it was shown on February 20, 1959. The performance, which was based on Orson Welles' 1938 radio drama The War of the Worlds, used a similar design in which a regular programme broadcast was interrupted by a fake public service announcement. In this case, it was about a "mysterious" satellite that was hovering over London's city of London.

Grainer's theme and incidental music for the television show Maigret gained widespread attention in 1960. When Maigret was given the Ivor Novello "Outstanding Composition for Film, TV or Radio" award in 1961, commissions from a number of sources poured in: including the famous drama "To Sir, 1964," cinematic fiction (To The King's Breakfast, 1960), tragic social commentary (Boy Meets Girl (1964), and crime caper films (Only When I Larf, 1968). Grainer also appeared with The Eagles, an instrumental band that performed a number of his themes.

The bulk of these projects needed extensive study, group discussion, and creative teamwork. They are only a small sample of Grainer's work from 1960 to 1968. He once said he was "trifle wistful" that so many people connected him with the Doctor Who theme, the only tune in his lengthy portfolio with its own sound dynamics realised by someone else – Delia Derbyshire of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.

Eventually, the time-consuming work commitments culminated in the breakdown of Grainer's marriage with his wife; he and Margot divorced in 1966. He married Jennifer Dodds, a cast member of Robert and Elizabeth later this year. Damian was born about a year later.

Grainer stayed in southern Portugal in September 1968, tired of London traffic jams and worried about his increasing eyeight problems. He and Jenny started a farm raising organic fruit and vegetables, as well as the planting and care of 1,000 peach trees.

Grainer produced themes and soundtracks for an average of around one television series and one film each year from 1969 to 1975.

The Carnation Revolution in Portugal in April 1974 prompted Grainer and his family to leave the country and return to England before the political climate had been stable. Damian went first to board and then to day school. Since being invited to work again, Grainer moved to Keymer, West Sussex, where he built up a house. Jenny and Simon went through an amicable divorce in 1976 as she had returned to Portugal despite her husband's refusal to remain in London. Grainer's second round of ingenuity over the next five years, scoring Edward & Mrs Simpson's Emmy- and BAFTA-winning miniseries Edward & Mrs Simpson, as well as Tales of the Unexpected (1979) and Rebecca (1979).

Grainer's first appearance in music and two TV signature tunes debut the year of his sudden illness and death from cancer on February 21, 1981.

On Sunday Night Thriller, with its funeral music theme and break of bodies credits sequence, was broadcast on January 18, 1981.

"All Things Bright And Beautiful" by Peter Mayer on 17 May 1981 inspired ambient music for "The Sound Machine" episode of Tales of the Unexpected, as a central character obsessed with "Sounds I long for" -- "Sounds I long to hear."

It Takes A Worried Man, the final of Grainer's television series, was broadcast on October 21, 1981, and included a closing credits video clip of the series hero gradually losing pieces of his hair and face until all that is left are his eyes.

On February 21, 1981, Grainer died of a spinal tumour.

Education

In 1930, the Grainer family left Mt Mulligan. They were living in Aloomba, a sugar-growing rural community on the Far North Queensland coast, by April 1932. Aloomba is located on the eastern side of another rock monolith, the 922-meter-high Walsh's Pyramid. Grainer received the second prize for solo violin at the inaugural Cairns and District School Eistedfod at the age of nine as part of the Aloomba school team. This is the first newspaper mention of him giving a public performance. Grainer's family lived in Cairns, Australia, where, apart from school work at Edge Hill State (1933-1934) and Cairns High (1935–1936), he began serious study of music theory and interpretation in 1933. In 1937, his family moved south to Brisbane, where Grainer continued his secondary school education at St Joseph's College, Nudgee, matriculating in 1938. Perception, counterpoint, and composition were among classical musician Percy Brier's teaching his more gifted students to think for themselves. He enrolled at the University of Queensland in 1939 to study civil engineering and music, a course that included harmony, counterpoint, and composition. Grainer earned his Associates of Trinity College London Diploma (ATCL) on piano.

Grainer joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in December 1940 and was sent to Amberley, Queensland, where he was sent to 73 Signals and posted to Radar Station No. 2 following World War II. 58, Townsville. While stationed there and later on similar posts, he played a part in the barracks recreation industry by scoring and organizing several serviceman shows. He was transferred to the RAAF's entertainment unit on March 22 1944. In the official report on his audition performance, Ravel's Bolero, a seemingly straightforward musical riff that holds the listeners' attention in a similar manner to Grainer's later themes and signature tunes, was the only music piece mentioned by name. Grainer had only been flying for a few months because a 44-gallon drum crashed on his leg while traveling in a truck in July 1944; he sustained a serious injury and was admitted to the 3 RAAF Hospital, seriously wounded. In September 1945, he was exiled from the RAAF as a permanent medically infirm. He was admitted to the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music, where he studied under Eugene Goossens.

In December 1949, Grainer received his teaching and performing diploma for pianoforte. He appeared in a number of solo artist radio shows for the Australian Broadcasting Commission between 1950 and 1951. In a newspaper review of the duo's "uncompromising disregard of mob appeal," "lack of practical concert sense," and "unrelievely pastel color" set list that was "in need of a more impulsive and heartfelt spirit on the well-tended surface" by the time the recital concluded, "impressive blood transfusion was badly needed blood transfusion." With such a dramatic change of attitude that he claimed in a 1964 magazine interview that he had "always loathed performing" in his classical repertoire and live concert performances, Grainer had abandoned his classical repertoire and live concert performances, he had "always loathed performing."

In 1952, Grainer and his wife Margot and Rel, a 10-year-old stepdaughter. He managed to secure a three-month stint in a nightclub as well as other occasional jobs, the worst of which was a twelve-month stint with "The Allen Brothers and June." To begin with the classically trained Grainer, he had to be struck on the head by a falling grand piano lid and then topple over into the orchestra pit, which he later said was even more difficult to do than a day's fencing in the Australian outback.

Grainer and his wife had to work as caretakers of a large block of London flats where he stoked two large boilers, morning and night, although Margot washed stairs and cleaned rooms at one time, at one time.

Grainer had two attempts at song competitions: "England's Made of Us" (1956), an entry with lyricist David Dearlove for the First British Festival of Popular Song, earned no points from the judges, and "Don't Cry Little Doll" (1957), which was also written with David Dearlove in fourth place in the British Eurovision decider heats, gained a fourth position.

Grainer's most dramatic pre-success music involvement was with Before the Sun Goes Down, a television play that caused audience excitement and questions to be raised in the British Parliament when it was on display in the British Parliament on February 20. The production, based on Orson Welles' 1938 radio drama The War of the Worlds, used a similar style in which a regular program broadcast was interrupted by a false public service announcement. In this case, it was about a "mysterious" satellite that was hovering over London's city.

Grainer's theme and incidental music for the television series Maigret gained public attention in 1960. In 1961, when Maigret was given the Ivor Novello "Outstanding Composition for Film, TV, or Radio" award, more than half were given: goon Show silliness (Some People, 1961), gothic drama (Boys, 1961), famous youth sitcoms (Night Must Fall, 1964), and crime-caper films (Only When I Larf, 1968) and crime-caper films (Only When I Larf, 1968). Grainer also performed with the Eagles, a string of his themes.

The majority of these projects needed extensive study, group discussion, and creative team collaboration. They are only a small sample of the Grainer's work from 1960 to 1968. He once said he was "trife wistful" that so many people were simply identifying him with the Doctor Who theme, the only tune in his extensive collection of songs with its own sound dynamics realised by someone else, Delia Derbyshire of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.

Grainer's marriage with his wife came to an end when he and Margot divorced in 1966. He married Jennifer Doddds, a member of Robert and Elizabeth's cast members, later this year. Damian was born shortly after.

Grainer migrated to southern Portugal in September 1968, tired of London traffic jams and worried about his worsening eyeight problems. He and Jenny started a farm raising organic fruit and vegetables, as well as the planting and care of 1,000 peach trees.

Grainer created themes and soundtracks for an average of one television series and one film each year from 1969 to 1975.

Grainer and his family were forced to leave Portugal and return to England in April 1974, when the country's political climate was stable. Damian went first to boarding and then to day school. Since being able to work again, Grainer moved to Keymer, West Sussex, where he built up a house. Jenny and Michael went through an amicable divorce in 1976 after she had returned to Portugal while he stayed in London. Grainer's second round of innovation flourished over the next five years, scoring Edward & Mrs Simpson's Emmy- and BAFTA award-winning miniseries, as well as Tales of the Unexpected (1979) and Rebecca (1979).

On February 21, 1981, Grainer had one notable incidental music score and two television signature tunes debut the year of his sudden illness and death from cancer.

On Sunday Night Thriller, with its funeral music theme and segregation of bodies credits sequence, was broadcast on January 18, 1981.

His "All Things Bright And Beautiful" episode of Tales of the Unexpected influenced ambient music on Saturday, alongside a central figure obsessed with "Sounds I long to hear" from "The Sound Machine" episode of Tales of the Unexpected.

It Takes A Worried Man, Grainer's last of his television series, was broadcast on October 21, 1981, with the series hero gradually losing bits of his hair and face until all that is left are his eyes.

On February 21, 1981, Grainer died from a spinal tumor.

Source

Early musical education and career

In December 1949, Grainer received his teaching and performing diploma for pianoforte. He appeared in a string of solo artist radio shows for the Australian Broadcasting Commission between 1950 and 1951. In a newspaper review of Grainer's "uncompromising disregard of mob appeal," "lack of practical concert sense," and "unrelievely pastel coloring" list that was "in need of a more impulsive and heartfelt mood on the well-tended surface" by the time the recital ended "by the time the recital ended, a significant blood transfusion was needed." Granger had largely dropped out of classical repertoire and live concert work by the mid-1950s, a dramatic change of attitude that he admitted in a 1964 magazine interview that he had "always loathed performing."

Grainer and his wife Margot and Rel, a 10-year-old stepdaughter, left Australia for London in 1952. He managed to find a three-month commitment in a nightclub as well as other odd jobs, the worst of which was a twelve-month stint with a touring Australian comedy act "The Allen Brothers and June." This required the classically trained Grainer to be struck on the head nightly by a deteriorating grand piano lid and then to topple over into the orchestra pit, an exercise that later revealed was even more difficult to do than a day's fencing in the Australian outback.

Grainer and his wife were forced to work as caretakers of a large block of London flats, where he stoked two large boilers, morning and night, whilst Margot washed stairs and cleaned rooms at one time, because they couldn't afford the rent on their room.

Grainer had two attempts at song competitions: "England's Made of Us" (1956), an entry with lyricist David Dearlove for the First British Festival of Popular Song (which earned no points from the judges) and "Don't Cry Little Doll" (1957), which came fourth in the British Eurovision decider heats, earned the fourth position in the British Eurovision decider heats.

Grainer's most notable pre-success musical participation was with Before The Sun Goes Down, a television play that caused audience anxiety and questions to be raised in the British Parliament when it was shown on February 20, 1959. The production, which was inspired by Orson Welles' 1938 radio drama The War of the Worlds, used a similar style in which a regular program broadcast was interrupted by a false public service announcement. In this case, it was about a "mysterious" satellite that was hovering over the city of London.

Grainer's theme and incidental music for the TV show Maigret gained national attention in 1960. When Maigret was given the Ivor Novello "Outstanding Composition for Film, Television or Radio" award in 1961, commissions from a variety of disciplines poured in: children's adventure films (Station Six Sahara, 1964), academic sociology (To Sir), and crime caper films (Only When I Larf, 1967), and crime dramas (Only When I Larf, 1968). Grainer also performed with The Eagles, an instrumental band who performed a number of his themes.

The majority of these studies, group discussion, and creative team work were all required. They are only a small sample of work by Grainer from 1960 to 1968. He once said he was "trife wistful" that so many people now associate him with the Doctor Who theme, the only tune in his extensive collection that had his sound effects realized by someone else, Delia Derbyshire of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.

Grainer's relationship with his wife soon fell apart as a result of his time-consuming work commitments; in 1966, he and Margot divorced; now, his spouse died. Jennifer Dodds, a cast member of Robert and Elizabeth, married him later this year. Damian's son was born just after.

Grainer, who became frustrated with London traffic jams and worried about his worsening eyeight issues, moved to southern Portugal permanently in September 1968. Jenny and John established a farm that raised organic fruit and vegetables, as well as the planting and care of 1,000 peach trees.

Grainer produced themes and soundtracks for an average of about one TV series and one film each year, ranging from 1969 to 1975.

The Carnation Revolution in Portugal in April 1974 prompted Grainer and his family to leave the country and return to England until the political climate was stable. Damian came first to boarding and then to day school. Grainer was being given jobs back in West Sussex, so he built a house in Keymer, West Sussex. Jenny and Irma went through an amicable divorce in 1976 after she had returned to Portugal when he'd decided to remain in London. Grainer's second round of innovation spanned five years, scoring Edward & Mrs Simpson's Emmy- and BAFTA-winning miniseries as well as Tales of the Unexpected (1979) and Rebecca (1979).

Grainer's debut on January 21, 1981, he had one notable incidental music score and two television signature tunes debut the year of his sudden illness and death from cancer.

On Sunday night, Thriller, with its funeral music theme and body credits sequence, was on display.

"All Things Bright And Beautiful" was influenced by ambient music for Tales of the Unexpected's "The Sound Machine" episode, accompanied by a central character obsessed with "Sounds I long for" on May 17, 1981.

It Takes A Worried Man, the last of Grainer's television series, was broadcast on October 21, 1981, and featured a closing credits film clip of the series hero gradually losing pieces of his body and face until all that is left are his eyes.

On February 21, 1981, Grainer died of a spinal tumor.

Source

Awards

• Maigret, 1961 Ivor Novello Award Outstanding Composition for Film, TV or Radio
• Steptoe and Son, 1962 Ivor Novello Award Outstanding Composition for Film, TV or Radio
• The Home Made Car 1963 Silver Bear Award, Short Film, Berlin International Film Festival