Laurie Johnson obit

The Avengers theme song composer Laurie Johnson dies, aged 96

Composer also provided memorable theme songs for ‘The Professionals’, ‘Animal Magic’ and ‘This is Your Life’ 

He was not on the list.

Beloved British composer Laurie Johnson, who provided some of the most memorable theme songs for film and television, has died aged 96.

Johnson was perhaps best known for creating unforgettable tunes for classic British television, including the six-season series The Avengers, which ran from 1961 to 1969, The Professionals and Animal Magic.

He died in his sleep last Tuesday (16 January), his family confirmed in a statement to the BBC.

“Laurie’s music touched the lives of millions around the world. Throughout his illustrious career, he composed numerous iconic scores, themes and soundtracks that graced our lives across film, TV, theatre and radio,” they said.

“We remember Laurie as an extraordinary individual who embraced life with passion and brought joy to so many. His kindness, compassion and infectious sense of fun and laughter will be profoundly missed by all that knew him.”

They remembered him as “dearly loved by many” and “is sorely missed”.

Johnson is survived by his wife, daughter, son-in-law and grandson.

Born in Hampstead, England, in 1926, Johnson attended the Royal College of Music, where he was taught by several famous composers, including Herbert Howells and Ralph Vaughan Williams.

He first entered the UK singles charts in 1961 with “Sucu Sucu”, the theme music from the 1961 British spy series Top Secret. He remained a prolific theme song composer between the 1960s and 1980s.

Some of his film credits include Stanley Kubrick’s Dr Strangelove (1964), It Shouldn’t Happen to a Vet (1976) and Tiger Bay (1959).

 

List of works

Television themes

No Hiding Place (1959)

Echo Four Two (1961)

Top Secret (1961)

Animal Magic (1962)

Riviera Police (1965)

The Avengers (1965)

This Is Your Life (1969)

Red Gauntlet (1970)

Shirley's World (1971)

Jason King (1971)

Thriller (1973)

The New Avengers (1976)

The Professionals (1977)

W1A (2014)

Film music

The Good Companions (1957)

The Moonraker (1958)

Girls at Sea (1958)

No Trees in the Street (1959)

Tiger Bay (1959)

Operation Bullshine (1959)

I Aim at the Stars (1960)

Spare The Rod (1961)

What a Whopper (1961)

Siege of the Saxons (1963)

Bitter Harvest (1963)

Dr. Strangelove (1964)

First Men in the Moon (1964)

East of Sudan (1964)

The Beauty Jungle (1964)

You Must Be Joking! (1965)

Hot Millions (1968)

Mister Jerico (1970)

And Soon the Darkness (1970)

The Firechasers (1971)

Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter (1972)

The Belstone Fox (1973)

The Maids (1974)

Hedda (1975)

Diagnosis: Murder (1975)

It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet (1976)

A Hazard of Hearts (1987)

It's Alive III: Island of the Alive (1987)

The Lady and the Highwayman (1989)

A Ghost in Monte Carlo (1990)

Library music

"Blood in the Gutter" (from Two Cities Suite) KPM

"Fashion Centre", KPMLPB-0010 (1960)

"Fisticuffs" (fight music from "The Avengers") KPM

"Gala Performance" (theme from "This Is Your Life") KPM

"Happy Go Lively", KPM110 (1962)

"Lonely Stranger" (from "The Avengers", Episode: "Joker") KPM

"Paris Honeymoon", KPM086 (1961)

"Shopping Spree", KPM

Concert music

Concerto For Trumpet, Tenor Saxophone and Orchestra (1999)

Overture to Irma La Goose

Royal Tour Suite, for military band

Symphony (Synthesis) (1969)

Three Paintings by Lautrec, for military band

To the Few (1989), for military band

The Wind In Willows (Tone Poem) (1985)

Theatre music

Lock Up Your Daughters (1959)

Pieces of Eight (1959)

The Four Musketeers (1967)