Luton's Mr Music – Happy Wanderer stalwart Harry Rappaport – celebrates his 80th birthday this week.

And he'll be hard at work as usual planning his next concert for the town's old folk.

The former United Friendly insurance salesman, who lives in Old Bedford Road, penned his first song when he was 11 and now has a suitcase crammed with more than 800 of his own compositions – including an operetta, Mardi Gras, and a children's musical comedy, A Song For Santa.
He could have been the Andrew Lloyd Webber of his day but admitted sadly: "I was never in the right place at the right time."

Many years ago he showed the original longhand version of Mardi Gras to Allan Jones – father of Jack and famous for his version of The Donkey Serenade.

Harry said: "He was playing the Finsbury Park Empire at the time and was very impressed. He said he wanted to take it back to America with him and a girl in my office typed it up. But he had a heart attack and went home."

He subsequently tried to give the score to Jack Jones but confessed: "I couldn't get past the stage door."

He also sent some of his music to comedienne Elaine Stritch.
Harry said: "She rang and said how impressed she was with my lyrics – I do take a lot of trouble with words. But she told me her programme was already set out and she couldn't include anything else."

There was yet more disappointment when Harry made an appointment to see Dorothy Squires' bandleader husband Billy Reid, who intended opening a British music publishing company on the back of his songwriting success with The Gypsy. Billy died the week before Harry was due to meet him.
But Harry's philosophical about his fate and channels all his energy into the numerous societies to which he belongs.

Being so busy has also helped him over the loss of his beloved wife Barbara eight years ago.

The couple were married for almost 50 years and shared an appreciation of all things musical.

She was far too shy to appear on stage but enjoyed seeing her husband star in numerous local productions, including Gigi, Carousel, The Pyjama Game, Oliver, The Wizard Of Oz (twice) and Oklahoma!

Harry is a member of Luton Amateur Operatic & Dramatic Society, Luton Light, Luton Male Voice Choir, the Bedford Marianettes and the Johann Strauss Society Of Great Britain.

He's also the founder and organiser of the Happy Wanderers whose slogan is: 'When music had melody and words had meaning', which came into being in 1991 as an offshoot of the Wigmore Players.

As its musical director he has won several talent competitions and has a host of amusing anecdotes. He recalled a cast member falling into the orchestra pit during a performance of Gigi – luckily no-one was hurt – and said the highlight of his career was a standing ovation for one of his songs in An Evening To Celebrate.

His spare bedroom is a veritable museum of old costumes, hats, programmes and props.

But Harry's not optimistic about Luton's musical future.
He said: "There are too many societies vying for a diminishing audience. People aren't interested in classical shows any more.

"At the recent Luton Light AGM many members said they didn't feel capable of carrying on. LAODS is on the verge of collapse – another couple of years and that will be that. Luton has a much bigger ethnic population nowadays and they aren't interested in this sort of musical."

According to retired professional singer Geraldine Buckett, 72, who's been in several of his shows, Harry hasn't had the recognition he deserves.

The former London Symphony chorister, from Sundon Park, said: "He's so dedicated. I think he pays for most of the rehearsal rooms himself. He's got this huge case full of music and words that he lugs around. He's got a song for everybody in there. And if it's not in the correct key, he'll go home and transpose it all by hand.

"He loves all the old songs, anything before 1960. He's got a very dry sense of humour and writes some brilliant comedy sketches. He did one celebrating the Queen's jubilee, a skit on I Remember It Well. It brought the house down."

In addition to his musical affiliations, the genial soon-to-be octogenarian is treasurer of Bedscarf – Bedfordshire's senior citizens' art and recreational forum – as well as being founder editor of Outlook, Bedfordshire's Progressive Synagogue magazine for which he has been asked to write a 40th anniversary resume.

He's also an ardent crossword and Sudoku fan.

"I can't go to sleep before I've completed a couple of puzzles," he said. "Sometimes I don't go to bed before 3am or 4am."

Not bad for a man about to enter his ninth decade.