James Bond composer, who won 5 Oscars, started career at east Hull's Astoria
HE was a legendary film composer, famous for his work on Born Free, Out of Africa and the James Bond films.
Tributes have this week poured in for John Barry, who has died from a heart attack in New York.
The 77-year-old won five Oscars and was best known for composing scores for 11 Bond films.
But few realise his career took off after performing on the stage of the Astoria cinema in Holderness Road, east Hull, which was owned by his father Jack Prendergast.
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Mr Prendergast owned cinemas in York and Hull and it was at the Astoria where his son cut his teeth as the leader of his own pop group the John Barry Seven in the late 1950s.
Tony Agnew, 77, of Ceylon Street, east Hull, was a regular at the Astoria at the time.
"I remember John's band like it was yesterday," he said.
"He played the trumpet and his band played there every Sunday night.
"It was early rock n' roll and it was always packed.
"The manager of the cinema was Ronald Adcock.
"His daughter won a national rock n' roll dance competition and she would dance on stage with her partner while John and his band were playing."
Mr Adcock said he was sad to hear of the legendary composer's death.
"Hearing the news has brought back a lot of memories," he said.
"I still go to the Astoria. It's a bingo club now but it hasn't changed much since those days," he added.
Born in York, Mr Barry changed his surname name when he formed his first pop group.
As well as composing Bond scores such as Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice, he wrote the soundtrack for Born Free and Out Of Africa as well as the theme tune for cult 1970s TV series The Persuaders.
Current Bond film composer David Arnold: "I am profoundly saddened by the news but profoundly thankful for everything he did for music and for me personally,"
In 2002 Mr Barry was named as Honorary Freeman of the City of York.
Comments
by winegumdaze, middlesbrough
Wednesday, February 02 2011, 10:28PM
“Emptyed his bins when he was living in St Johns Wood late 70s,got a load of his junk in my attic,Invites to every where,shopping lists,one for 12 loaves of Jewish black bread and a pound of swiss smoked cheese, cheese on toast night?”
by Eleanor, at home
Wednesday, February 02 2011, 6:49PM
“Paul Sutton, have you moved? You was Paul, Hull last week. Thanks for the compliment. My housework is done early each day as I am up by 5.30 am and as for the offside rule, why on earth would I want to know it? Football is for blokes who have no talent for a proper job, it only keeps them occupied for a few years and turns them into bed-hopping attention seekers. I take it you play football?”
by Elsa, Africa
Wednesday, February 02 2011, 5:40PM
“I never even got my royalties cheque before he died.”
by Robert, Hull
Wednesday, February 02 2011, 5:07PM
“The point is, ranter, that how much money his father had would have been irrelevant if he had been a talentless whinger like those moaning about him on here.
Whereas he had would have done great things even if his dad hadn't had a bit of money as talent will always out.”
by the chief, in a job centre giving away your money to scrounge
Wednesday, February 02 2011, 2:13PM
“Well he was born free,certainly had a goldfinger and thought he could only live twice,but at least he lived once”
by Serge Gainsbourg, Avenues
Wednesday, February 02 2011, 1:53PM
“If you like movie soundtracks the album "John Barry- Themeology" is a great collection of his work.”
by Serge Gainsbourg, Avenues
Wednesday, February 02 2011, 1:49PM
“He wrote the music for all the classic Bond movies up to Live & Let Die & he happened to come from this part of the country. Some of you are just being cynical t***ers as usual.”
by Pippa, EY
Wednesday, February 02 2011, 1:35PM
“And he was a great composer
And they can't take that away from him”
by Ranter, Hull.
Wednesday, February 02 2011, 12:42PM
“I think the point is that Mr Barry had a wealthy daddy who had a few "contacts" in the showbiz world, therefore enabling his son to fully concentrate on his great composing.”
by Stan, Anlaby Rd
Wednesday, February 02 2011, 10:04AM
“I'm failing to see the point of this story. Hardly news is it.”