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.

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 the 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 excecutive 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 starring Stephen Fry 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]

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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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