Reg Owen (3 February 1921 – 23 May 1978) was an English conductor and arran… Read Full Bio ↴Reg Owen (3 February 1921 – 23 May 1978) was an English conductor and arranger.
Owen was born George Owen Smith in Hackney, London, and began playing the saxophone at the age of 15. He played in local groups such as Teddy Joyce's Juveniles and the Royal Kiltie Juniors, before founding his own ensemble whilst still in his teens. He studied with Benny Glassman and then attended the Royal College of Music. During World War II he played in the Bomber Command Band of the RAF, then arranged for Ted Heath and Cyril Stapleton after 1945. In 1954, he had his name legally changed to Reginald Owen. He published a book, the Reg Owen Arranging Method, in 1956, and began writing film scores in 1957, including the scores to Date with Disaster (1957), Payroll (1961) and Very Important Person (1961). In 1959, he even scored a Top 40 hit in the U.S. with "Manhattan Spiritual", which peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100. The same track reached #20 in the UK Singles Chart in March 1959. A further track, "Obsession", peaked at #43 in the UK in October 1960.
In 1961 Owen moved to Brussels, working as a composer, conductor, and arranger throughout continental Europe. He moved to Spain in the 1970s, and died at the Clinica Limonar in Málaga, on 23 May 1978 at the age of 57.
Owen was born George Owen Smith in Hackney, London, and began playing the saxophone at the age of 15. He played in local groups such as Teddy Joyce's Juveniles and the Royal Kiltie Juniors, before founding his own ensemble whilst still in his teens. He studied with Benny Glassman and then attended the Royal College of Music. During World War II he played in the Bomber Command Band of the RAF, then arranged for Ted Heath and Cyril Stapleton after 1945. In 1954, he had his name legally changed to Reginald Owen. He published a book, the Reg Owen Arranging Method, in 1956, and began writing film scores in 1957, including the scores to Date with Disaster (1957), Payroll (1961) and Very Important Person (1961). In 1959, he even scored a Top 40 hit in the U.S. with "Manhattan Spiritual", which peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100. The same track reached #20 in the UK Singles Chart in March 1959. A further track, "Obsession", peaked at #43 in the UK in October 1960.
In 1961 Owen moved to Brussels, working as a composer, conductor, and arranger throughout continental Europe. He moved to Spain in the 1970s, and died at the Clinica Limonar in Málaga, on 23 May 1978 at the age of 57.
You Oughta Be in the Pictures
Reg Owen and His Orchestra Lyrics
You oughta be in pictures,
You're wonderful to see,
You oughta be in pictures,
Oh what a hit you would be!
Your voice would thrill a nation,
Your face would be adored,
You'd make a great sensation
with wealth and fame your reward;
And if you should kiss the way you kiss,
When we're alone,
You'd make ev'ry girl and man
A fan worshiping at your throne.
You oughta shine as brightly
As Jupiter and Mars;
You oughta be in pictures,
My star of stars.
You're wonderful to see,
You oughta be in pictures,
Oh what a hit you would be!
Your voice would thrill a nation,
Your face would be adored,
You'd make a great sensation
with wealth and fame your reward;
And if you should kiss the way you kiss,
When we're alone,
A fan worshiping at your throne.
You oughta shine as brightly
As Jupiter and Mars;
You oughta be in pictures,
My star of stars.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DANA SUESSE, EDWARD HEYMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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