Eric Rogers (born Eric Gaukroger, 25 September 1921 – 8 April 1981) was an English composer, conductor and arranger, best known for composing the scores for numerous Carry On films.

Eric Rogers' interest in music began at an early age. A regular churchgoer, he was taught to play the church organ at the age of 13. His musical apprenticeship was a largely untutored one. During the Second World War, Rogers found himself playing the piano in return for free beer!

Following the war, Rogers set up his own orchestra, playing in the Orchid Room at London's Trocadero. His reputation grew and he was gradually offered a series of jobs scripting incidental music for films. Later successes were writing the theme for the hugely popular Sunday Night at the Palladium, and transcribing Lionel Bart's notes for Oliver! (Bart himself couldn't read or write music).

Rogers' initial contact with the Carry On team came about by accident. A film he had scored for Rogers/Thomas, under the title "Call me a Cab" was retitled Carry On Cabby at the studio's request. If you listen to the title music for the film the original title is evident in the score.

Rogers left the Carry Ons prior to the making of Carry On England when the size of the orchestra working on the film was cut from 40 down to 20, returning briefly to the fold for Carry On Emmannuelle.

He died in 1981

Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
Artist biography from last.fm