Peter Knight
b. 23 June 1917, Exmouth, Devon, England, d. 30 July 1985. An arranger, composer and musical director, Knight played the piano by ear as a young child, and studied piano, harmony and counterpoint privately before making his first broadcast on BBC radio's CHILDREN'S HOUR in 1924. After working in semi-professional bands at venues such as London's Gig club, he won the individual piano award with Al Morter's Rhythm Kings in the 1937 Melody Maker All London Dance Band Championship. Three years later he played with the Ambrose Orchestra at the Mayfair Hotel before joining the Royal Air Force for service in World War II. On his discharge, he worked with Sidney Lipton at the Grosvenor House in London for four years before forming a vocal group, the Peter Knight Singers, which became popular on stage and radio. His wife Babs was a founder member and remained with the group for over 30 years. Besides operating the Singers, Knight also worked for Geraldo for a year before becoming a musical director for London West End shows such as COCKLES AND CHAMPAGNE and THE JAZZ TRAIN, a revue which gave American actress, Bertice Reading, her first London success. In the late '50s, Knight became musical director for Granada Television, and worked on popular programmes such as SPOT THE TUNE and CHELSEA AT NINE. When he resumed freelance work, he arranged and conducted records by artists such as Harry Secombe, Petula Clark, Sammy Davis Jnr. and the Moody Blues( DAYS OF FUTURE PASSED). Knight was musical director for a 1964 touring version of Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley's show, THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT—THE SMELL OF THE CROWD, and for several series of the extremely popular MORECAMBE AND WISE SHOW on television. In the late '70s, Knight spent some time in Hollywood, and conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra in concerts by the Carpenters. In 1979, he scored and conducted the music for Roman Polanski's Oscar-nominated film, TESS. His other film credits include the scores for SUNSTRUCK (1973) and CURSE OF THE CRIMSON ALTAR (1970). He continued to work until shortly before his death in July 1985.