Saw this little tidbit in my newspaper today.
LONDON (AP) - British jazz drummer Jack Parnell, who served as bandleader on "The Muppet Show" has died at age 87, his family said Monday. The family said Parnell died at his house in Southwold, England on Sunday following a yearlong battle with cancer.
Parnell was born in 1923, the son of a showbiz family. He began drumming professionally as a teenager.
As musical director at British broadcaster ATV from the late 1950's he oversaw music for the variety show "Sunday Night at the London Palladium," produced specials featuring Tom Jones and Barbara Streisand, composed theme tunes and served a musical director of "The Benny Hill Show."
In 1976, ATV began producing "The Muppet Show", a musical variety show with a cast of Jim Henson puppets and celebrity human guest stars. Parnell conducted the orchestra for the series' 5-year run, although the ostensible bandleader was the pop-eyed Muppet condcutor, Nigel.
LONDON (AP) - British jazz drummer Jack Parnell, who served as bandleader on "The Muppet Show" has died at age 87, his family said Monday. The family said Parnell died at his house in Southwold, England on Sunday following a yearlong battle with cancer.
Parnell was born in 1923, the son of a showbiz family. He began drumming professionally as a teenager.
As musical director at British broadcaster ATV from the late 1950's he oversaw music for the variety show "Sunday Night at the London Palladium," produced specials featuring Tom Jones and Barbara Streisand, composed theme tunes and served a musical director of "The Benny Hill Show."
In 1976, ATV began producing "The Muppet Show", a musical variety show with a cast of Jim Henson puppets and celebrity human guest stars. Parnell conducted the orchestra for the series' 5-year run, although the ostensible bandleader was the pop-eyed Muppet condcutor, Nigel.
