Sir George Martin was also in tune with comedy legends

He was behind a string of humorous records and novelty hits which went on to enjoy a long shelf-life on light entertainment shows.

Sir George produced recordings by comic legends such as Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers as well as notable songs such as Right Said Fred by Bernard Cribbins.

After leaving music college, Sir George worked at the BBC music library before moving on to become assistant to Oscar Preuss, the head of Parlophone Records, an offshoot of EMI which specialised in classical works, jazz, light songs and comedy.

Five years later, in 1955, he became head of the label but continued with his A&R work and producing a wide range of sessions. He worked on an album with music hall duo Flanders & Swann, and did a recording of Beyond The Fringe, the revue which famously led to the success of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.

Further comedy recordings took place with Sellers, including his single Goodness Gracious Me, and a session with his radio troupe The Goons led to the album Bridge On The River Wye, from which a friendship with Milligan was formed.

Other offbeat recordings included The Hippopotamus Song with baritone and broadcaster Ian Wallace and Charlie Drake’s My Boomerang Won’t Come Back. He virtually cornered the market with his string of novelty tunes, many of which went on to become fixtures on weekly children’s radio series Junior Choice, with Nellie The Elephant by Mandy Miller and Terry Scott’s My Brother.

Aside from the mirth, Sir George also worked with many other stars of the era including jazz greats such as Cleo Lane, Johnny Dankworth and Stan Getz, as well as The Temperance Seven – featuring John Barry – and Matt Monro.

Different strands of Sir George’s career occasionally came together. He produced Sellers once again when the comedy actor recorded his spoof of Beatles hit Hard Day’s Night in a mock Richard III style.

He also worked on Cribbins’s cover of the Fab Four’s When I’m Sixty Four.