Ronald Cass

Ronald Cass (April 21, 1923–June 2, 2006), b. Llanelli, Wales, was a writer and a composer. He cowrote the films "Summer Holiday" and "The Young Ones".

Ronnie's obituary appeared in "The Times", "The Guardian" and "The Jewish Chronicle".

Personal life

Ronald Cass was born on April 21, 1923 in Llanelli, Wales to Saul and Rachel Cass, the second of five sons. He married actress Valerie Carton in 1955, and had three children. Ronald died on June 2, 2006 at the age of 83.

Biography

Ronald Cass first pursued a career as a math teacher but in 1951 was recognized more for his contributions to several musicals produced at Leicester Square's Irving Theater club. Cass was studying economics at Aberystwyth University when World War II began and he joined the RAF. When he and his squadron were posted into Burma, he insisted that they took a piano with them so that he could continue entertaining the troops. [Vosburgh, Dick (August 2), "Ronnie Cass- Unstoppable Composer", The Independent]

Ronald returned to Wales after the war ended in 1945, but traveled to London in 1949 in search of musical opportunities. It did not take much searching before Cecil Landeau hired him as musical director at Ciro's night-club and it was there that Cass met Peter Myers, who was preparing a new revue. They soon put together an after-the-show-show called 10:15 which successfully took place at the Irving Theatre. [Vosburgh, Dick (August 2), "Ronnie Cass- Unstoppable Composer", The Independent]

In 1952, Ronald attended a show performed by the students of the London School of Economics, and was so impressed by one of them, Ron Moody, that he and Myers decided to debut him in Intimacy at 8, a revue presented at the New Lindsay Theatre. This show was retitled High Spirits when it reopened in the Hippodrome Theatre in 1953. Cass said that High Spirits has always been his favorite show. Among the cast was an actress named Valerie Carton, whom he married in 1955.

The "unstoppable Ronald Cass" also went on to write TV plays, cantatas, and cabaret shows for cruise liners. He joined his old friend, Warren Mitchell, to write The Thoughts of Chairman Alf in 1975, which traveled with them and was performed all over the country for the next twenty years. Cass worked with another friend, Tom Jones, on more than 70 television shows and musicals.

Having joined the theatre from the world of cabaret, Cass tried cabaret again in 1979, co-writing Blondes and Bombshells. He wrote two novels, True Blue and Fringe Benefits, and a book of theatrical humour called A Funny Thing Happened or an Anthology of Pro's. [Shorter, Eric (July 8), "Ronald Cass", The Guardian]

Ronald Cass died at the age of 83 in 2006, on June second.

Famous works

Theatre credits
*"Deja Revue, Move Along Sideways" (1975)
*"The Thoughts of Chairman Alf" (1977)
*"10:15 Revue" (1951)
*"The Irving Revue" (1952)
*"Jack and the Beanstalk" (composition contributor) (1968)
*"Just Lately, Intimacy at Eight" (1952)
*"High Spirits" (1953)
*"Intimacy at 8:30" (1954)
*"For Amusement Only" (1956)
*"Harmony Close" (1957)
*"For Adults Only" (1958)
*"The Lord Chamberlain Regrets" (1961)
*"Enrico" (1963)
*"Deja Revue" (1975)
*"Blondes and Bombshells" (1979)

Film scores
*"Summer Holiday" (1963)
*"Best House in London" (1969)
*"The Virgin and the Gypsie" (1970)
*"Also the Young Ones; Go to Blazes; French Dressing; Wonderful Life"

Teleplays
*"Affair On Demand"
*"The Other Side of London"

Writings
*"A Funny Thing Happened, or An Anthology of Pro's"
*"The Highway Companion"
*"True Blue"
*"Fringe Benefits" [Carter, Jim, Ronald Cass Biography, . Retrieved on 10 March 2008]

References