Noel Gay facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Noel Gay
Born	Reginald Moxon Armitage (1898-07-15)15 July 1898 Wakefield, Yorkshire, England
Died	4 March 1954(1954-03-04) (aged 55)
Other names	Stanley Hill
Alma mater	Christ's College, Cambridge
Occupation	Songwriter composer
Style	Musical theatre
Children	Richard Armitage Angela Armitage

Noel Gay (born Reginald Moxon Armitage, 15 July 1898 – 4 March 1954) was a super talented British composer. He wrote many popular songs in the 1930s and 1940s. He created music for 28 films and 26 London stage shows! Some people say he was like Britain's own Irving Berlin, a very famous American songwriter. Noel Gay is most famous for his musical, Me and My Girl. He also sometimes used the name Stanley Hill for his more emotional songs.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Reginald Moxon Armitage was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England. He went to Queen Elizabeth Grammar School. At just 15, he won a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music in London. He was a very gifted musician from a young age.

He helped the choirmaster at Wakefield Cathedral when he was only eight years old. By age twelve, he was the honorary deputy organist there. Before he was 18, he became the music director and organist at St. Anne's Church in London. After a short time serving in the military during the First World War, he studied at Christ's College, Cambridge.

A Career in Show Business

While at Cambridge, Reginald became less interested in religious music. Instead, he started loving musical comedies. He began writing popular songs and chose the stage name Noel Gay. This name came from a sign he saw on a London bus in 1924. It said "NOEL Coward and Maisie GAY in a new revue." He used the name Stanley Hill for some of his more gentle songs.

He first wrote music for shows like Stop Press. Then, in 1926, he wrote all the music and lyrics for André Charlot's show. His next big show was Clowns in Clover, which starred the famous husband-and-wife team, Cicely Courtneidge and Jack Hulbert. Noel Gay was great at writing catchy tunes. His music ranged from music hall style to operetta.

Me and My Girl

Noel Gay's most famous show was Me and My Girl. He wrote the music for it, but not the lyrics. It first opened in 1937 at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London. At first, it wasn't very popular. But then, the BBC broadcast it live on the radio in January 1938, and it became a huge hit!

The show starred Lupino Lane as a character named Bill Snibson. It ran for an amazing 1,646 performances. Even though two theatres were bombed during the war, the show kept going. The most famous song from Me and My Girl was "The Lambeth Walk". This song was so popular that it was even written about in The Times newspaper. In October 1938, an article said, "While dictators rage and statesmen talk, all Europe dances – to 'The Lambeth Walk'."

Me and My Girl was brought back to the stage in 1952. It was revived again in 1984, with some changes by Stephen Fry. This new version included some of Noel Gay's other songs. The 1984 production was a massive success. It ran for eight years in London and then toured all over Britain. It even went to Broadway in New York City!

Other Popular Works

Noel Gay also wrote songs for the comedy group The Crazy Gang. He wrote hits for famous singers like Gracie Fields, Flanagan and Allen, and George Formby. During World War II, he wrote popular songs such as "Run, Rabbit, Run" (with lyrics by Ralph Butler). He also wrote two songs for the 1938 comedy film Save a Little Sunshine.

After the war, Noel Gay wrote less music. He focused more on producing shows. This was partly because he was losing his hearing. Also, the cheerful Cockney-themed songs he was known for were becoming less popular.

Noel Gay's Legacy

In 1938, Noel Gay started his own business called Noel Gay Music. Today, this company is part of the Noel Gay Organisation. It includes divisions for television and theatre. It is a very important show business agency in Britain. His family still runs the company today.

His son, Richard Armitage, started the Noel Gay Artists agency. He became a very important talent agent, helping many performers.

Noel Gay passed away from cancer on 4 March 1954. His music continues to be enjoyed by many people.

Selected Shows and Songs

Noel Gay contributed to many musical comedies and revues. Here are some of his notable works:

• The Charlot Show of 1926 (1926)
• Clowns in Clover (1927)
• Hold My Hand (1931)
• That's A Pretty Thing (1933)
• Jack O'Diamonds (1935)
• Stop Press (1935)
• O-Kay for Sound (1936)
• Me and My Girl (1937)
• The Little Dog Laughed (1939)
• Lights Up (1940)
• Gangway (1942)
• The Love Racket (1943)
• Bob's Your Uncle (1948)

Some of his most famous songs include:

• "Tondeleyo" (1929)
• "The King's Horses and The King's Men" (1931)
• "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" (1931)
• "The Sun Has Got His Hat On" (1932)
• "I Took My Harp to a Party" (1933)
• "The Lambeth Walk" (1937)
• "Leaning on a Lamp-post" (1937)
• "Run, Rabbit, Run" (1939)
• "Let The People Sing" (1940)
• "Hey! Little Hen" (1941)
• "We Don't Know Where We're Going" (1944)

Some of his songs were also featured in the 1975 film Overlord.