Robin Ray
Encyclopedia
Robin Ray was an English
actor, musician and broadcaster, the son of comedian Ted Ray
and the brother of actor Andrew Ray
.
and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
first appearing as a professional actor in a London production of The Changeling
in 1960, before taking up teaching drama at RADA
. In 1966, Ray resigned his post at RADA, pursuing a career in show business.
From 1965 he was the chairman of the new BBC
show Call My Bluff and he was a popular regular panel member on the BBC classical music series, Face the Music, which began in 1966. Ray was able to recognise pieces of piano music and name not only the piece and the composer but also the opus number, particularly the Köchel or "K" number of pieces by Mozart
. His cheerful manner and boyish good looks made him a great favourite with viewers, so that when the programme ended its long run, he was invited to present other quiz programmes, including Movie Quiz and Film Buff of the Year.
The children's television programme Sounds Exciting, broadcast in 1968, was a musical education series culminating in a final "whodunit" called Dead in Tune with Robin Ray's original story set to the music of Herbert Chappell performed by a chamber group of players from the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra
. Two years later Argo recorded the piece using an ensemble of 45 LSSO players conducted by Herbert Chappell. This LP also included a new commission, George and the Dragonfly, with John Kershaw’s words set to the music of Herbert Chappell and narrated by Robin Ray, John Kershaw and Susan Stranks (Robin Ray's wife).
He wrote the musical Cafe Puccini at the age of 45, which opened at the Wyndham's Theatre
in 1986 with musical director William Blezard
. In the early 1980s he had presented a programme called "Robin Ray's Record Review" on Capital Radio
.
In the early 1990s, he was one of the first executives hired by the start-up commercial classical music radio station, Classic FM
, with which he remained associated from 1991 to 1997. He undertook the Herculean task of drawing up a list of 50,000 pieces of classical music, and rating them for popular appeal, which was the basis for the Classic FM playlist. This list proved to be extremely attractive to similar popular classical music radio stations in other countries and there was a legal dispute between Ray and Classic FM, which Ray won in 1998, as to who was entitled to the copyright
in the playlist and ratings (Robin Ray v Classic FM Plc [1998] FSR 622).
Robin Ray died from lung cancer at the age of 64, in 1998. His brother Andrew Ray
was an actor, who died in 2003, also at the age of 64.
and had a son, Rupert. His original family name was Olden.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
actor, musician and broadcaster, the son of comedian Ted Ray
Ted Ray (comedian)
Ted Ray was a popular English comedian of the 1940s, 50s and 60s....
and the brother of actor Andrew Ray
Andrew Ray
Andrew Ray was an English actor who was best known as a child star.He was born Andrew Olden , in North London, the son of the famous radio comic Ted Ray and his wife, showgirl Dorothy...
.
Career
Ray was educated at Highgate SchoolHighgate School
-Notable members of staff and governing body:* John Ireton, brother of Henry Ireton, Cromwellian General* 1st Earl of Mansfield, Lord Chief Justice, owner of Kenwood, noted for judgment finding contracts for slavery unenforceable in English law* T. S...
and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art is a drama school located in London, United Kingdom. It is generally regarded as one of the most renowned drama schools in the world, and is one of the oldest drama schools in the United Kingdom, having been founded in 1904.RADA is an affiliate school of the...
first appearing as a professional actor in a London production of The Changeling
The Changeling (play)
The Changeling is a Jacobean tragedy written by Thomas Middleton and William Rowley. Widely regarded as "among the best" tragedies of the English Renaissance, the play has accumulated a significant body of critical commentary....
in 1960, before taking up teaching drama at RADA
Rada
Rada is the term for "council" or "assembly"borrowed by Polish from the Low Franconian "Rad" and later passed into the Czech, Ukrainian, and Belarusian languages....
. In 1966, Ray resigned his post at RADA, pursuing a career in show business.
From 1965 he was the chairman of the new BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
show Call My Bluff and he was a popular regular panel member on the BBC classical music series, Face the Music, which began in 1966. Ray was able to recognise pieces of piano music and name not only the piece and the composer but also the opus number, particularly the Köchel or "K" number of pieces by Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
. His cheerful manner and boyish good looks made him a great favourite with viewers, so that when the programme ended its long run, he was invited to present other quiz programmes, including Movie Quiz and Film Buff of the Year.
The children's television programme Sounds Exciting, broadcast in 1968, was a musical education series culminating in a final "whodunit" called Dead in Tune with Robin Ray's original story set to the music of Herbert Chappell performed by a chamber group of players from the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra
Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra
The Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra is a youth orchestra based in Leicester, England. The players, aged between 15 and 18, are all drawn from secondary schools in the county of Leicestershire and the City of Leicester.-History:...
. Two years later Argo recorded the piece using an ensemble of 45 LSSO players conducted by Herbert Chappell. This LP also included a new commission, George and the Dragonfly, with John Kershaw’s words set to the music of Herbert Chappell and narrated by Robin Ray, John Kershaw and Susan Stranks (Robin Ray's wife).
He wrote the musical Cafe Puccini at the age of 45, which opened at the Wyndham's Theatre
Wyndham's Theatre
Wyndham's Theatre is a West End theatre, one of two opened by the actor/manager Charles Wyndham . Located on Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster, it was designed by W.G.R. Sprague about 1898, the architect of six other London theatres between then and 1916...
in 1986 with musical director William Blezard
William Blezard
William Blezard was a talented pianist and composer who was musical director to Noël Coward, Marlene Dietrich and Joyce Grenfell.- Personal life :...
. In the early 1980s he had presented a programme called "Robin Ray's Record Review" on Capital Radio
Capital Radio
Capital London is a London based radio station which launched on 16 October 1973 and is owned by Global Radio. On 3 January 2011 it formed part of the nine station Capital radio network.- Pre-launch :...
.
In the early 1990s, he was one of the first executives hired by the start-up commercial classical music radio station, Classic FM
Classic FM (UK)
Classic FM, one of the United Kingdom's three Independent National Radio stations, broadcasts classical music in a popular and accessible style.-Overview:...
, with which he remained associated from 1991 to 1997. He undertook the Herculean task of drawing up a list of 50,000 pieces of classical music, and rating them for popular appeal, which was the basis for the Classic FM playlist. This list proved to be extremely attractive to similar popular classical music radio stations in other countries and there was a legal dispute between Ray and Classic FM, which Ray won in 1998, as to who was entitled to the copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
in the playlist and ratings (Robin Ray v Classic FM Plc [1998] FSR 622).
Robin Ray died from lung cancer at the age of 64, in 1998. His brother Andrew Ray
Andrew Ray
Andrew Ray was an English actor who was best known as a child star.He was born Andrew Olden , in North London, the son of the famous radio comic Ted Ray and his wife, showgirl Dorothy...
was an actor, who died in 2003, also at the age of 64.
Personal life
He married children's TV presenter, Susan StranksSusan Stranks
Susan Stranks is a British actress, television presenter and producer.-Career:Born in London, Stranks was ten years old when she played the role of the younger Emmeline Foster in the 1949 romantic adventure film The Blue Lagoon....
and had a son, Rupert. His original family name was Olden.