Richard Armitage (agent)

Richard Noel Marshall Armitage (12 August 1928 – 17 November 1986)[1][2] was a talent agent, active in England in the 1950s–1980s.

For other people with the same name, see Richard Armitage.

Richard Armitage
Born(1928-08-12)12 August 1928
Wakefield
Died17 November 1986(1986-11-17) (aged 58)
Stebbing, Essex
OccupationTalent agent
Parent(s)Noel Gay (father)

Early life

Armitage was born on 12 August 1928 in Wakefield, West Riding of Yorkshire. He originally planned to become a barrister and attended Eton College and Kings College, Cambridge before leaving to work at the family's cake factory in Pontefract.[1]

Career

Armitage's father was songwriter and music publisher Noel Gay, (born Reginald Moxon Armitage),[2] Armitage joined his father's publishing business, and took charge when he died in 1954.[1] Among his clients were Rowan Atkinson, John Cleese, David Frost and Stephen Fry.[3]

In the late 1950s Richard set up Noel Gay Artists (NGA) in order to ensure a supply of performers for his father's compositions.[2] In the 1960s, NGA's clients included Russ Conway, Peter & Gordon, The Scaffold, Geoff Love, Paul Jones, David Frost, and John Cleese. Producer John Lloyd described him as "the most powerful agent in the country at that time [the late 1970s]".[3]

In the 1970s The King's Singers, The Swingle Singers, Tony Macaulay, Jake Thackray and Claude François were on the company's books.[2] His sons Charles and Alex joined the agency in 1972 and 1976 respectively.[2] Charles had previously worked as a record promotions executive in the United States.[4]

Armitage and his sons were producers for a revival of his father's popular musical, Me and My Girl which debuted in London in February 1985 and for which Stephen Fry (who was also a client of Armitage) wrote 'the Book'. The production went on to win the Olivier Award for Best Music in 1985.[5][6]

Personal life

Armitage married and divorced twice, to Caroline Hay and Gabrielle Lloyd. He had two sons with Hay, Charles & Alex.[1] Armitage died of a heart attack at his home in Stebbing in 1986.[7] After his death, his sons carried on managing the business.[2]

References
  1. "Mr Richard Armitage". The Times. London, England. 20 November 1986. p. 22. Retrieved 5 August 2014 – via The Times Digital Archive.
  2. "About Us". Noel Gay Artists. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  3. "Not Again: Not the Nine O'Clock News". Not the Nine O'Clock News. 3 August 2013. BBC Television. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  4. "Red Dwarf producer Charles Armitage dies". Chortle. 10 February 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  5. "Richard Armitage, 'Me and My Girl' Producer, Dies". Los Angeles Times. 19 November 1986. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  6. "Noel Gay and how he made his mark on musical theatre". Overtures. 6 November 2017. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  7. Gerard, Jeremy (19 November 1986). "Richard Armitage, producer and agent, dies". New York Times. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
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