Talk:Ron Grainer

Untitled
I'm not convinced that he ever "got his hands dirty" and actually worked on electronic music in the Radiophonic Workshop. I'll investigate, but if I find no evidence I'll edit this article.Silver plane


 * Already have done. I'm also pretty sure that he never did any of the actual radiophonic stuff, but I think my wording has left me an out if I turn out to be wrong. :o)
 * -Paul A

"A few years ago"? When exactly? (Don't tell me, place it in the article :)). Cheers. --kingboyk 03:37, 8 March 2006 (UTC)

odd wording
"second ex-wife at his side"? It's enough to say "second wife" when you've already explained that she's an ex-wife.--Rfsmit (talk) 03:00, 30 November 2009 (UTC)

Misattribution
"In 1964 and 65 he furthered his collaboration with Derbyshire in creating four Inventions for Radio (whose working title was Mid-Century Attitudes) made as a collage of voices recorded from life in an Old People's Home, set to a backing of pure electronic music." This is a misattribution. The 'Inventions for radio' were a collaboration between Delia Derbyshire and Barry Bermange, not Ron Grainer. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 95.144.123.26 (talk) 03:12, 10 November 2011 (UTC)

Edward and Mrs Simpson
Grainer is credited for the incidental music to the Thames series "Edward and Mrs Simpson." Did he compose the music and/or lyrics to the theme song? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.117.144.216 (talk) 23:48, 12 February 2013 (UTC)

No! see this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I've_danced_with_a_man,_who's_danced_with_a_girl,_who's_danced_with_the_Prince_of_Wales tobalwin (talk) 15:20, 2 August 2013 (UTC)

Ron Grainer The Australian Years link?
Would it OK to include "Ron Grainer "The Australian Years" in External Links? http://rongrainertheaustralianyears.blogspot.com.au/

This blog goes into a lot more detail on Grainer's family background, early life and early career. Disclosure: I am the author of the blog which tries, for the most part, to use Wikipedia principles and was only started because of dissatisfaction with certain information about Grainer currently given online. The primary sources are digitised Australian newspaper articles accessed via the Australian National Library search engine TROVE. tobalwin (talk) 15:08, 2 August 2013 (UTC)


 * I know nothing of blogspot, but Trove links would have to be the gold standard. Doug butler (talk) 01:18, 3 August 2013 (UTC)

"Blogspot" is just a standard Google Blogger blog. So it's alright to add that link? tobalwin (talk) 01:14, 6 August 2013 (UTC) Added the link. tobalwin (talk) 15:20, 11 August 2013 (UTC)

Corrected mistake in html of link - www repeated  - tobalwin (talk) 10:20, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

First divorce reference
I think reference 6, Grainer's first divorce, would be more fairly served by a link to the Ron Grainer.org biography http://www.rongrainer.org.uk/bio.php rather then the "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" interview Margot Grainer gave to "The Canberra Times" 19.1.1972 p18 with accusations that Ron Grainer personally denied, once he knew about them,"Canberra Times" 18.11.72 p3. tobalwin (talk) 07:40, 8 August 2013 (UTC)

Edited "Notable Film Credits"/ "Notable Television Credits" "Stage Credits"
Film: As the key term is "Notable" I deleted "Mutiny On the Buses" [a tv series cash in], "I Don't Want To Be Born" is regarded by many online film review sites as one of the worst movies ever made. "Night Must Fall" is notorious for Albert Finneys bizarre accent and acting and Grainer's underscore, with the exception of a savage music rift that appears mainly in the trailer, is very derivative of Bernard Herrmann's Hitchcock work [this may have been at the producers insistence]. "One Away" is a minor film with an ordinary soundtrack.tobalwin (talk) 20:53, 11 August 2013 (UTC)

Added six films not mentioned in the original list. "Some People" was a UK box office hit [top six British films early 1964 - The Age Melbourne 8.1.64 p6] it's Johnny Worth/Ron Grainer soundtrack ep was a best seller. "Station Six Sahara" was named by director Martin Scorsese as one of his guilty pleasures and its discordant/harmonious central theme which uses North African folk instruments was well ahead of its time. "The Kings Breakfast" had pioneering female director Wendy Toye, costumes by cartoonist Ronald Searle and music by Grainer. It was shown at the 1963 Cannes Film Festival [IMDb], "The Caretaker" was notable for Grainer's sound effects only score "Only When I Larf" was a hit single for Whistling Jack Smith. The "Before Winter Comes" soundtrack orchestration uses elements of Russian chorale music. tobalwin (talk) 20:53, 11 August 2013 (UTC) tobalwin (talk) 13:55, 13 August 2013 (UTC) tobalwin (talk) 13:55

TV: Deleted "Danger Man" - IMDb gives Edwin Astley as its theme tune writer. Added "Comedy Playhouse". It ran for 14 years and 120 episodes. Added "Giants Of Stream" the documentary that got Grainer the Dr Who gig and the soundtrack EP was a best seller released in stereo as well as mono format. Relocated "The Home Made Car" from the film section as it only runs for 27 minutes and was mainly used as a colour TV test pattern in the lead up to BBC 2 transmissions. Added "The Finest Hours" a documentary on British politican Winston Churchill with Orson Welles narrating. It was nominated for an oscar and won the 1964 NBR USA award for one of years top ten films [IMDb]. Added "Sunday [later Saturday] Night Thriller" Grainer's second to last composition broadcast shortly before his death and notable for its eerie melody and disturbing opening and closing credits film clip. Added "It Takes A Worried Man" Grainer's droll and no frills final professional composition released 27.10.1981 tobalwin (talk) 19:28, 9 August 2013 (UTC) Added year of first broadcast to all titles. Put titles in chronological order. Added Steptoe and Son Ivor Novello award. tobalwin (talk) 15:40, 13 August 2013 (UTC)tobalwin (talk) 04:02, 14 August 2013 (UTC)

Stage: Added "Nickleby And Me [1975] Grainer's ill fated musical project with old partners Ned Sherrin and Carly Brahms [see "Ned Sherrin The Autobiography".Sphere.2005.p270-274]tobalwin (talk) 16:04, 13 August 2013 (UTC)

Added education years detail
Added relevant years to list of Grainer's education using as source his Air Crew application / National Archives of Australia / RAAF records / A9301/23963/ barcode 4564067/ "Ronald Erle Grainer" p25/80 photo document section.On an earlier application form [p15/80] he overlaps his years as Edge Hill State 1933 to 1935, Cairns High 1935 to 1937, Nudgee 1937 to 1939, Uni 1939. On the second application he corrected this mistake. The Edge Hill State School Golden Jubilee book lists Ronald Grainer as starting there in 1933. tobalwin (talk) 16:39, 11 August 2013 (UTC)

Biography
There is no mention of Grainers Mt Muligan childhood and little information on his full career in England and the reasons for his unexpected relocation to Portugal. The paragraph devoted to a review of one composition "The Omega Man" would be better as just a reference link. I'm working on these updates and will post them in the next weekor so.tobalwin (talk) 15:02, 15 August 2013 (UTC)

Corrections to present text: Rel was Rons stepdaughter not daughter. The Grainers arrived in London 24th November 1952 [shipping record detail] not 1953". Added detail the caretaking job was for a huge block of flats. Ron has to stoke two large boilers morning and night Margot did the house cleaning REF "On the trail of Inspector Maigret" Australian Womans Weekly 27.6.52 p42 tobalwin (talk) 18:17, 15 August 2013 (UTC)

Added childhood overview tobalwin (talk) 12:10, 29 August 2013 (UTC) Added career overview tobalwin (talk) 16:16, 29 August 2013 (UTC)
 * Brilliantly written article. The best humour on any Wikipedia article I have read so far. 86.181.121.123 (talk) 12:44, 10 April 2024 (UTC)

"Before The Sun Goes Down" panic 1959
Added direct link [30] to British Hansard record http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1959/mar/16/television-bogus-news-broadcast#S5CV0602P0_19590316_HOC_407 tobalwin (talk) 04:32, 2 September 2013 (UTC)

The Eagles [UK group] paragraph deleted
Deleted a paragraph giving publicity to an lp released by Bristol band The Eagles managed for a brief period by Ron Grainers first wife Margot. This article is an overview of the life of Ron Grainer not the artists he worked with or their product. The Eagles [UK band] have ther own Wiki page and information or detail of their albums should be inserted there if appropriate and relevant.tobalwin (talk) 21:08, 25 December 2013 (UTC)tobalwin

Deleted Compilation Reference
Deleted reference to a record company sampler album containing Grainers theme and incidental music for the Maigret series plus some Grainer b sides and filler tracks by other artists who have no connection to Grainers work. The three compilation albums listed feature only Grainer material from a variety of TV and film projects and give a wide focussed overview of his output over a certain period.tobalwin (talk) 14:26, 2 June 2016 (UTC).

Header description reverted to original
The original header description was accurate and informative. Changing the intro description to "a British composer" is confusing and inaccurate. tobalwin (talk)

Correct Date for Transfer to Entertainment Unit
Several attempts have been made to change the date for Grainers transfer to the RAAF entertainment unit without any references to justify the alteration. The official National Archives of Australia document Ronald Erle Grainer NAA A9301 23963 is open for public inspection and shows on page 6/80, in pencil script that can be read with magnification, that Grainer was accepted on 22.3.1944 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=4564067&fbclid=IwAR0Foqc2CwfKBadHViU1F4DHEfymhgaWjl47FmF8LtpTJzqf_yNqRP2gOSo As stated in the original Wikipedia article he only had a couple of months in the unit before his leg accident. tobalwin (talk) 13:32, 31 October 2020 (UTC)