SLANEY, IVOR  

Ivor Slaney trained as an oboist but he is best remembered as a versatile composer and arranger, responsible (anonymously) for many recordings by the 101 Strings, and, credited, as the composer of the scores for two classic, but very different children’s TV film series - Sir Francis Drake and The Double-Deckers. Like so many of his contemporary colleagues he contributed extensively to the recorded music libraries. From here came the theme for the earliest TV series featuring Harry Worth and Top Dog which became just as famous through its use as the signature-tune of BBC radio’s comedy series, chronicling the world of an imaginary government department in Whitehall, The Men from the Ministry.

© 2006 Philip Lane