Dennis Miller Wilson (1920–1989) was a British pianist, composer, arranger and conductor born 16 February 1920 in Leicester.

Biography

During his schooldays in his native town of Leicester, Wilson played the piano for the school orchestra before he was sixteen years old. After leaving school, he played in local bands and when the Army claimed him in 1939, he was eventually posted to India where until 1946, he directed the music at one of the garrison theatres. His next move was to join Harry Parry's Sextet for three years, after which he featured in several of the popular bands of the period, including those of Harry Hayes and Kenny Baker. From 1949 he was free-lance with recording, radio and television orchestras and has also had much to do with film music. He was with George Melachrino, Malcolm Lockyer, Peter Yorke and other well-known orchestra leaders, as well as having his own set-up for some popular radio series, such as “ Educating Archie" and "Pertwee's Progress". He later joined the B.B.C. Show Band and in addition played for commercial T.V. He was an outstandingly good pianist and made numerous recordings playing in combos as trio, quartet, quintet, octet and with his own orchestra. He was married in 1950, lived at Beckenham, Kent and had two children - Nicholas and Penelope. His principal hobbies were sailing and gardening. He died 15 July 1989 in Cambridge. He composed the theme music for a number of television series and sitcoms:- *''

Marriage Lines ''Marriage Lines'' is a British television sitcom first broadcast between 1963 and 1966. The series gave Richard Briers and Prunella Scales, its lead stars, a significant boost in their careers. At first titled ''The Marriage Lines'', the prog ...

'' (1961) *''

Steptoe and Son ''Steptoe and Son'' is a British sitcom written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson about a father-and-son rag-and-bone business in 26a Oil Drum Lane, a fictional street in Shepherd's Bush, London. Four series were broadcast by the BBC in black and ...

'' (1962) (music for some episodes, but not the theme music) *'' Meet the Wife'' (1963) *''

Till Death Us Do Part ''Till Death Us Do Part'' is a British television sitcom that aired on BBC1 from 1965 to 1975. The show was first broadcast in 1965 as a ''Comedy Playhouse'' pilot, then as seven series between 1966 and 1975. In 1981, ITV continued the sitco ...

'' (1965) * '' Birds on the Wing'' (1971) *''

My Wife Next Door ''My Wife Next Door'' is a British sitcom created by Brian Clemens and written by Richard Waring. It was shown on BBC1 in 1972, and ran for 13 episodes. The programme is about a couple, George Basset (John Alderton) and Suzie Basset (Hannah Gor ...

'' (1972) *''

Rising Damp Structural dampness is the presence of unwanted moisture in the structure of a building, either the result of intrusion from outside or condensation from within the structure. A high proportion of damp problems in buildings are caused by ambient ...

'' (1974) * ''

My Honourable Mrs ''My Honourable Mrs'' is a British comedy television series which originally aired on BBC 1 in summer 1975. Centred around a fictional female politician, it was broadcast a few months after Margaret Thatcher was elected leader of the Conservative ...

'' (1975) *''

Fawlty Towers ''Fawlty Towers'' is a British television sitcom written by John Cleese and Connie Booth, broadcast on BBC2 in 1975 and 1979. Two series of six episodes each were made. The show was ranked first on a list of the 100 Greatest British Television ...

'' (1975 - 1979)

References

External links

*
Dennis Wilson on BBC MusicFawlty Towers sheet music

Fawlty Towers, names of cast and team
1920 births 1989 deaths British television composers People from Leicester Musicians from Leicestershire 20th-century classical musicians 20th-century English composers {{UK-tv-bio-stub