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The Way to Present the Classics |
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KEN BARNES
Writer, |
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Originally trained as a draughtsman,
Yorkshire born Ken Barnes came to London in the 1960s to work as marketing
executive for two major record companies (Polydor and Decca). Became
record producer (1966) producing albums for EMI and Decca. (1966 – 1969). European Marketing Director for Ampex Corporation of America. (1969-’71). 1972 returned to freelance
production (records, films, commercials), author and scriptwriter. As record producer, worked
internationally between London, Los Angeles, Nashville and New York
recording such legendary stars as Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee, Slim Whitman,
Frankie Laine, Connie Francis, Jack Jones, etc. selling over 5 million
records and earning a string of Silver and Gold discs and 1 Platinum. As producer and/or director worked on many commercials covering such products as Nike, Slumberland, Johnsons Baby Powder, etc. As scriptwriter (radio and TV): Wrote over 90 scripts for the BBC plus special material for the Parkinson Show and UK comedians such as Roy Hudd and Les Dawson. In the US wrote special material for Bing Crosby , Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly , Peter Sellers and others. His knowledge of cinema (from silents to the present day) has been described as “encyclopaedic.” As a film historian, has given lectures at numerous film societies both in the UK and the USA – including the Museum of the Moving Image and NFT (London) and the UCLA ( Los Angeles ) In 2001, foreseeing the impending
success of the DVD, formed Laureate Presentations Ltd, a company
specialising in the presentation of films on DVD. In 2003 when Universal announced that they would be doing a special DVD edition of Orson Welles’ “Citizen Kane” – often dubbed “The greatest film ever made,” it was Ken Barnes who was chosen to produce it. The result was both a critical and commercial success (and remained in Amazon UK’s top 100 for 18 months. Over the past two years, Ken Barnes
has acted as European representative for Sinatra Enterprises in Hollywood
whose recent combined CD/DVD – “THE RAT PACK – LIVE AND SWINGIN’ “ is now
nearing one million sales. |
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All text & Pictures © Laureate Company. Design © Karen Edwards 2005