# Harry Bidgood

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English bandleader (1898–1957)

Harry Bidgood Also known as Primo Scala Born Henry James Barnard (1898-08-28)28 August 1898 West Ham, London, England Died 15 November 1957(1957-11-15) (aged 59) London, England Genres Jazz, British dance band Occupation Bandleader Instrument Accordion Labels Broadcast Records, Rex, Imperial, Decca

Musical artist

**Henry Bidgood** (28 August 1898 – 15 November 1957)[1] was an English composer, [dance band](/source/British_dance_band) [leader](/source/Bandleader) and [musical director](/source/Musical_director) for films.[2]

Born in [West Ham](/source/West_Ham),[3] [London](/source/London), England in 1898,[4] his father was music teacher and composer [Thomas Bidgood](/source/Thomas_Bidgood). The family moved to [Harringay](/source/Harringay) in North London when Thomas was about 10 years old.[3] He studied at the [Royal College of Music](/source/Royal_College_of_Music). In the 1920s Bidgood was the assistant organist at the [Electric Coliseum](/source/Former_cinemas_in_Harringay#The_Electric_Coliseum) in Harringay.[5]

Bidgood released dance band music under various names, mostly notably **Primo Scala** and his Accordion Band,[4] who issued over 200 sides on 78 rpm.[6][1] Over the course of 20 years, he would frequently broadcast on the BBC. In 1930, he and his band covered "Amy, Wonderful Amy", a song about [Amy Johnson](/source/Amy_Johnson).[7] Bidgood was also the musical director for numerous films, including several starring [George Formby](/source/George_Formby). Apart from the many recordings made under his own name, he also led accordion bands under the names Rossini and Don Porto. As Primo Scala, he broadcast regularly on *[Music While You Work](/source/Music_While_You_Work)*, until just before his death. Many of these sessions were directed by deputies, such as Ernest Penfold, owing to Bidgood being in and out of hospital.

He died in November 1957, at the age of 59, having been diagnosed with inoperable stomach cancer.[1]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-archivelink_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-archivelink_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-archivelink_1-2) Brown, Terry (18 September 2020). ["Harry Bidgood – From Vocalion to Primo Scala – 78rpm Collectors' Community"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200918202731/https://www.78rpmcommunity.com/2018/11/08/harry-bidgood-from-vocalion-to-primo-scala/). Archived from [the original](https://www.78rpmcommunity.com/2018/11/08/harry-bidgood-from-vocalion-to-primo-scala/) on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Huntley, John (1972). *British Film Music. Volume 2 of Literature of cinema*. p. 247. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-405-03897-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-405-03897-6).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CensuBIDG_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CensuBIDG_3-1) [1911 Census](/source/1911_United_Kingdom_census)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-LarkinGE_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-LarkinGE_4-1) [Colin Larkin](/source/Colin_Larkin_(writer)), ed. (1992). *[The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music](/source/Encyclopedia_of_Popular_Music)* (First ed.). [Guinness Publishing](/source/Guinness_Publishing). p. 2200. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-85112-939-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-85112-939-0)..

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Buck, Jeremy (2010). *Cinemas of Haringey*. London: Hornsey Historical Society. p. 31. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-905794-41-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-905794-41-9).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Primo Scala and his Accordion Band"](https://www.nme.com/nme-video/youtube/id/XexJLmUJgjM). *Nme.com*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["AMY - Lyrics - International Lyrics Playground"](https://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/a/amy.html). *Lyricsplayground.com*. Retrieved 9 October 2021.

## External links

- [Harry Bidgood](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1084946/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

- [Primo Scala](https://archive.org/details/PrimoScala-01-04) at [Archive.org](/source/Internet_Archive)

- [Harry Bidgood](https://archive.org/details/HarryBidgoodsBroadcasters-01-06) at Archive.org

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF National United States France BnF data Italy Belgium

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