Ronald Cass

Background

Cass was born in Llanelli, Wales to Saul and Rachel Cass, the second of five sons.

Career

He co-wrote the screenplays for the Cliff Richard films and Cass was studying economics at Aberystwyth University when World World War II began and he joined the Royal Air Force. When he and his squadron were posted into Burma, he insisted that they took a piano with them so that he could continue entertaining the troops. Cass returned to Wales after the war ended in 1945, but travelled to London in 1949 in search of musical opportunities.

lieutenant did not take much searching before Cecil Landeau hired him as musical director at Ciro"s night-club, and it was there that Cass met Peter Myers, who was preparing a new revue.

They soon put together an after-the-show-show called 10:15, which successfully took place at the Irving Theatre. In 1952, Cass attended a show performed by the students of the London School of Economics, and was so impressed by one of them, Ron Moody, that he and Myers decided to let him make a début performance in Intimacy at 8, a revue presented at the New Lindsay Theatre.

This show was retitled High Spirits when it reopened in the Hippodrome Theatre in 1953. Cass said that High Spirits had always been his favourite show.

Cass went on to write television plays, cantatas, and cabaret shows for cruise liners.

Having joined the theatre from the world of cabaret, Cass tried cabaret again in 1979, co-writing Blondes and Bombshells. He wrote two novels, and, and a book of theatrical humour called A Funny Thing Happened or an Anthology of Pro"son Ronald Cass married actress Valerie Carton in 1955, and had three children, Debbie, Stephen and Nicola, and four grand children, Joseph, Rachel, Leila and Benji.

He died in June 2006, at the age of 83.

Connections

teacher:

Warren Mitchell

Friend:

Tom Jones

associate:

Harry Secombe