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Ray Noble was a highly influential British bandleader, composer, arranger, actor, and radio personality, celebrated for his sophisticated dance music during the Swing Era and his popular radio shows in the 1930s and 1940s.Born in Brighton, England, Noble rose to fame in the UK leading the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra for HMV records. He achieved massive international success after moving to the US in 1934, forming the American Ray Noble Orchestra featuring vocalist Al Bowlly. He became a household name through his long-running, top-rated NBC radio program 'The Raleigh-Kool Program' (later 'The Ray Noble Show'). Noble also composed enduring jazz standards and popular songs, acted in Hollywood films, and worked extensively in television.

• Noble initially pursued a career in architecture before music took over. His move to the US was partly driven by the opportunity to appear on Rudy Vallée's popular radio show.
• His American orchestra, formed with star musicians recommended by Glenn Miller, became one of the most popular bands of the mid-1930s. Tragically, his iconic vocalist, Al Bowlly, was killed in a German Luftwaffe bombing raid on London in 1941 during the Blitz.
• Beyond music, Noble had a successful second career as a comic actor in radio, film, and television. He became a familiar face on US TV in the 1950s and 1960s, appearing regularly on shows like 'The Steve Allen Show' and 'I've Got a Secret', often in comedic roles.
• He became a naturalized US citizen in 1948 but maintained strong ties to the UK throughout his life.
• Noble died of heart failure in London in 1978.