Vivian Ellis (October 29, 1904 - 1996) was an English musical comedy composer.

Ellis was born in Hampstead, London. He studied the piano with Myra Hess and began a musical career as a concert pianist, but became a composer and lyricist. Initially he contributed pieces for several revues in the 1920s. He became well known in the London West End Theatres for providing the music and collaborating in the production of a large number of musical shows, spanning from 1925 to 1958. In fact he was to dominate the theatre of the 1930s having one to 3 shows run most years of this decade. However, in spite of his music being both pleasant & catchy, few of his compositions were recorded (with the exception of "I'm On A See-Saw" by Fats Waller), so his name became less well known after his last London production. He wrote some songs used in British films of the 1930s.

However, in the 1980s he was "rediscovered" when his 1929 musical "Mr. Cinders" (featuring the hit song, "Spread A Little Happiness") was revived at the King's Head Theatre in London. The song also charted again in a version by Sting, following its ironic use in the film "Brimstone And Treacle".

By now, he was the President of the Performing Right Society and in 1984 they instituted an annual event - the Vivian Ellis Prize - to encourage young composers and lyricists to write for the musical stage. Ellis gave all the writers the same advice: "Try and put at least one hit song in every musical you write." Several of the promising writers featured in the competition went on to success, including Charles Hart who wrote lyrics for Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical of "The Phantom of the Opera", and Philip Glassborow whose comedy musical "The Great Big Radio Show!" was a personal favourite of Mr Ellis's.

Ellis's composition "Alpine Pastures" was used as the theme song for the long-running BBC radio series "My Word" and another light music composition of his, "Coronation Scot," was the signature tune for the Paul Temple series.

He authored several humorous books (How to Enjoy your Operation, How to Bury yourself in the Country being two of them). His grandfather was the composer Julian Woolf. His autobiography, published in 1953, is entitled Ellis in Wonderland.

Productions Pre-World War II

• By-the-Way - 1925
• Mercenart Mary - 1925
• Still Dancing - 1925
• Kid Boots - 1926
• Blue Skies - 1927
• Clowns in Clover -1927
• Girl Friend - 1927
• Will o' the Whisper - 1928
• Mr. Cinders - 1929
• The House that Jack Built - 1929
• Follow a Star - 1930
• Little Tommy Tucker - 1930
• Blue Roses - 1931
• Stand Up & Sing - 1931
• Song of the Drum - 1931
• Out of the Bottle - 1932
• Please - 1933
• Jill Darling - 1933
• Streamline - 1934
• The Town Talks - 1936 (review)
• Going Places - 1936 (review)
• Floodlight - 1937 (review)
• Hide & Seek - 1937
• The Fleets Lit Up - 1938
• Running Riot - 1938

Productions - Post World War II

• Big Ben - 1946
• Bless the Bride - 1947
• Tough at the Top - 1949
• And so to Bed - 1951
• Over the Moon - 1953
• The Water Gypsies - 1955
• Half in Earnest - 1958

Songs (some that have recordings)

• Over my Shoulder
• I'm on a See Saw
• She's my Lovely
• Spread a Little Happiness
• This is my Lovely Day

References

• "Halliwell's Who's Who of the movies" ISBN 0-06-093507-3
• "Oxford Companion to Popular Music" ISBN 0-19-280004-3
• "Directory of Popular Music" by Leslie Lowe ISBN 0-904520-70-6