Gary Miller (singer)
Encyclopedia
Gary Miller born Neville Williams (1924 — 15 June 1968) was an English
popular music
singer and actor
of the 1950s and 1960s. His career spanned only 13 years before he died of a heart attack
in 1968. He released 24 singles
and six EP
s on the Pye Records
label
between 1955 and 1967. Pye released a further compilation EP after his death.
. The most successful was "Robin Hood" (the theme to The Adventures of Robin Hood
) which spent 28 weeks in the chart
and peaked at #10, his only Top 10 hit
.
Miller had a number of small acting roles in the television series
The Saint
and Gideon's Way
, and was a regular panelist on Juke Box Jury
. He provided the singing voice for Troy Tempest in the Gerry Anderson
series Stingray
and recorded "Aqua Marina", the end titles theme for the series. He also recorded vocals for two different versions of an ultimately-unused end titles theme for Thunderbirds
. The song was later re-worked as "Flying High" for the episode Ricochet; one of the original two versions appears on the Thunderbirds 2 compilation album
.
Miller appeared on stage
in the 1964 production of She Loves Me
at the Lyric Theatre
and on the cast album of that production. He also began appearing in the musical Come Spy with Me with Danny La Rue
and Barbara Windsor
, shortly before his death. He died shortly before production finished on an episode of The Saint, The People Importers, in which he was also playing a key part. The series' Associate Producer, Johnny Goodman
, later remarked that Miller was "working night and day" as a consequence of his twin commitments, and that production on the Saint episode had to be completed with a double in place of the late actor.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
popular music
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
singer and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
of the 1950s and 1960s. His career spanned only 13 years before he died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in 1968. He released 24 singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
and six EP
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
s on the Pye Records
Pye Records
Pye Records was a British record label. In its first incarnation, perhaps Pye's best known artists were Lonnie Donegan , Petula Clark , The Searchers , The Kinks , Sandie Shaw and Brotherhood of Man...
label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
between 1955 and 1967. Pye released a further compilation EP after his death.
Career
Miller had several Top 40 singles early in his career, his debut single, "Yellow Rose Of Texas" reaching #13 on the UK Singles ChartUK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. The most successful was "Robin Hood" (the theme to The Adventures of Robin Hood
The Adventures of Robin Hood (TV series)
The Adventures of Robin Hood is a popular British television series comprising 143 half-hour, black and white episodes. It starred Richard Greene as the outlaw Robin Hood and Alan Wheatley as his nemesis, the Sheriff of Nottingham. The show aired weekly between 1955 and 1959 on ITV in London in the...
) which spent 28 weeks in the chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
and peaked at #10, his only Top 10 hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
.
Miller had a number of small acting roles in the television series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
The Saint
The Saint (TV series)
The Saint was an ITC mystery spy thriller television series that aired in the UK on ITV between 1962 and 1969. It centred on the Leslie Charteris literary character, Simon Templar, a Robin Hood-like adventurer with a penchant for disguise. The character may be nicknamed The Saint because the...
and Gideon's Way
Gideon's Way
Gideon's Way is a British television crime series made by ITC Entertainment in 1964/65, based on the novels by John Creasey . The series was made at Elstree in twin production with The Saint TV series...
, and was a regular panelist on Juke Box Jury
Juke Box Jury
Juke Box Jury was a musical panel show which originally ran on BBC Television from 1 June 1959 until December 1967. The programme was based on the American show Jukebox Jury, itself an offshoot of a long-running radio series....
. He provided the singing voice for Troy Tempest in the Gerry Anderson
Gerry Anderson
Gerry Anderson MBE is a British publisher, producer, director and writer, famous for his futuristic television programmes, particularly those involving specially modified marionettes, a process called "Supermarionation"....
series Stingray
Stingray (TV series)
Stingray is a children's marionette television show, created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and produced by AP Films for ATV and ITC Entertainment from 1964–65. Its 39 half-hour episodes were originally screened on ITV in the UK and in syndication in the USA. The scriptwriters included Gerry and...
and recorded "Aqua Marina", the end titles theme for the series. He also recorded vocals for two different versions of an ultimately-unused end titles theme for Thunderbirds
Thunderbirds (TV series)
Thunderbirds is a British mid-1960s science fiction television show devised by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and made by AP Films using a form of marionette puppetry dubbed "Supermarionation"...
. The song was later re-worked as "Flying High" for the episode Ricochet; one of the original two versions appears on the Thunderbirds 2 compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
.
Miller appeared on stage
Stage (theatre)
In theatre or performance arts, the stage is a designated space for the performance productions. The stage serves as a space for actors or performers and a focal point for the members of the audience...
in the 1964 production of She Loves Me
She Loves Me
She Loves Me is a musical with a book by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and music by Jerry Bock.The musical is the fifth adaptation of the play Parfumerie by Hungarian playwright Miklos Laszlo, following the 1940 James Stewart-Margaret Sullavan film The Shop around the Corner and the...
at the Lyric Theatre
Lyric Theatre (London)
The Lyric Theatre is a West End theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster.Designed by architect C. J. Phipps, it was built by producer Henry Leslie with profits from the Alfred Cellier and B. C. Stephenson hit, Dorothy, which he transferred from the Prince of Wales Theatre to open...
and on the cast album of that production. He also began appearing in the musical Come Spy with Me with Danny La Rue
Danny La Rue
Danny La Rue, OBE was an Irish-born British entertainer known for his singing and drag impersonations.-Early life:...
and Barbara Windsor
Barbara Windsor
Barbara Ann Windsor, MBE , better known by her stage name Barbara Windsor, is an English actress. Her best known roles are in the Carry On films and as Peggy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders....
, shortly before his death. He died shortly before production finished on an episode of The Saint, The People Importers, in which he was also playing a key part. The series' Associate Producer, Johnny Goodman
Johnny Goodman (TV producer)
Johnny Goodman is a producer most active in independent British television from the 1960s-1980s. He has typically been employed as a supervising producer. He is particularly associated with ITC Entertainment action-adventure shows like The Saint, The Persuaders!, and The Baron.- References :...
, later remarked that Miller was "working night and day" as a consequence of his twin commitments, and that production on the Saint episode had to be completed with a double in place of the late actor.
Singles
| Year | Title | Label | UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | "The Yellow Rose of Texas The Yellow Rose of Texas "The Yellow Rose of Texas" is a traditional folk song. The original love song has become associated with the legend of how an indentured servant named Emily Morgan "helped win the battle of San Jacinto, the decisive battle in the Texas Revolution."... " |
Nixa Nixa Records Nixa Record Company Ltd. was founded in 1950 by F. H. B. Nixon. Nixa was the second company, after Decca, in Britain to release LP records. At the time, EMI was attempting to promote 45 rpm records over 33 LP records... |
|
| 1956 | "Robin Hood" | Nixa | |
| 1957 | "Garden of Eden The Garden of Eden (1956 song) "The Garden of Eden" is a song written and composed by Dennise Haas Norwood and first recorded by Joe Valino, who reached Number 12 on the Billboard charts in October 1956.... " |
Pye Nixa Pye Records Pye Records was a British record label. In its first incarnation, perhaps Pye's best known artists were Lonnie Donegan , Petula Clark , The Searchers , The Kinks , Sandie Shaw and Brotherhood of Man... |
|
| 1957 | "Wonderful, Wonderful Wonderful! Wonderful! "Wonderful! Wonderful!" is a popular music song written by Sherman Edwards, with lyrics by Ben Raleigh. The song was first published in 1957.... " |
Pye Nixa | |
| 1958 | "The Story of My Life The Story of My Life (song) "The Story of My Life" is a popular song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and published in 1957.The song became a 1957 hit for US country singer Marty Robbins, staying at number one on the country chart for four weeks and reaching number fifteen on the Billboard Top 100 and number two on... " |
Pye Nixa | |
| 1961 | "There Goes That Song Again" / "The Night is Young (And You're so Beautiful)" | Pye Pye Records Pye Records was a British record label. In its first incarnation, perhaps Pye's best known artists were Lonnie Donegan , Petula Clark , The Searchers , The Kinks , Sandie Shaw and Brotherhood of Man... |
|