Ralph Reader William Henry Ralph Reader CBE ( 25 May 1903 – 18 May 1982 ) , known as Ralph Reader , was a British actor , theatrical producer and songwriter , best known for staging the original Gang Show , a variety entertainment presented by members of the Scouting Movement , and for many years leading the community singing at FA Cup Finals . Childhood . Reader was born in Crewkerne , Somerset , England , the son of a Salvation Army bandmaster . He was orphaned by the age of eight , and brought up by aunts and uncles . Joining the Scout Movement at the age of eleven , he began his theatrical career by putting on Scout Shows as a Patrol Leader in the 2nd Newhaven , Denton and Heighton Troop in Newhaven , Sussex . His first job was as a delivery boy for a relative ' s greengrocer ' s shop in Seaford . He would be taken by his employer to Brighton to buy supplies , and then visit the Hippodrome theatre , where he saw many of the music hall stars of the day . At 14 he became a telegram messenger and at 15 , an office boy at a cement works . Early career . In 1920 he moved to the United States of America , working in various menial jobs , while acting in and directing off - Broadway shows . At the age of 21 he choreographed his first Broadway show and the " New York Times " wrote " Watch Ralph Reader " . Returning to England , he continued producing and choreographing several West End productions , notably variety performances at Drury Lane and at the Hippodrome . In 1932 , still active in Scouting , he anonymously staged his first all - Scout variety show at the Scala Theatre , London . Entitled " The Gang ' s All Here " , the production featured 150 Boy Scouts largely from London ' s East End , performing sketches , songs and dance numbers . The three performances were well received by both the public and the critics . The following year " The Gang Comes Back " at the Scala played to capacity houses , with hundreds turned away , and the public and press began referring to " The Gang Show " . In 1934 that became its official title . Reader acknowledged that he was the producer of the shows . Besides the Gang Shows , in 1936 , Reader wrote and directed a dramatic " pageant " called " The Boy Scout " with a cast of 1 , 500 Scouts at the Royal Albert Hall . In the same year , he wrote and played the lead in a feature film called " The Gang Show " which premiere d at the Lyceum Theatre , London in April 1937 . In November 1937 " a bunch of Boy Scouts " as one writer described them , became the first amateurs to appear at a Royal Variety Performance . They shared billing with Gracie Fields , George Formby and Max Miller . War service . Through the pre - war Gang Shows , Reader became friends with Air Commodore Archibald Boyle , the Deputy Director of RAF Intelligence . A performance of the 1938 London Gang Show was attended by the German Ambassador , Joachim von Ribbentrop , who invited Reader to visit the Hitler Youth Movement in Germany . Boyle persuaded Reader to become an Intelligence Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve with the rank of Flight Lieutenant , although the diplomatic situation had deteriorated before he could take up von Ribbontrop ' s invitation . On the outbreak of war , Boyle sent Reader to France for undercover work , in the guise of running a concert party , for which some former Gang Show members were specially recruited into the RAF . The show was entitled " Ralph Reader and Ten Blokes from the Gang Show " , and besides allowing Reader to complete his intelligence tasks , had a very positive effect on morale . On returning to England , Reader was ordered to expand the Gang Shows , while his visits to RAF stations allowed Reader to monitor " subversive propaganda " which was a particular concern of the RAF high command at the time . Reader eventually raised twenty - four RAF Gang Show units and two female WAAF units with a total establishment of nearly four hundred serving personnel . The RAF Gang Shows toured nearly every theatre of war , from Iceland to Burma . By 1944 , Gang Show units were estimated to have travelled 100 , 000 miles and entertained 3 , 500 , 000 servicemen . Some of those who served in the RAF Gang Shows would later become well known entertainers , such as Peter Sellers , Tony Hancock , Dick Emery and Cardew Robinson . For his services to the Royal Air Force he was awarded an MBE ( Military Division ) in 1943 . Post war . After the war Reader set up his own production company , Ralph Reader Limited , which revived many shows that he had produced prior to the outbreak of war in 1939 . The first post - war performance of the Gang Show ran for three weeks at the Blackpool Opera House and broke that theatre ' s box - office records . He also recommenced producing the London Gang Show in 1950 , and also went on to write more songs and musical plays for the Scout Association . He continued to produce the Gang Show annually until 1974 , and his association with it continued until his death . He published an autobiography , " It ' s Been Terrific " in 1953 , with a second volume , " Ralph Reader Remembers " , in 1974 . He was appointed Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire ( CBE ) in 1957 " for services to the Boy Scouts Association " . In the 1970s he was appointed to the post of Chief Scout ' s Commissioner , and in 1975 was awarded the Bronze Wolf , the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement , awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world Scouting . He died in 1982 , one week short of his 79th birthday . Legacy . Following his death , The Ralph Reader Memorial Fund was established with contributions from friends , colleagues and members of various Gang Shows . It continues to " assist deserving individual members of the Scout and Guide Movements under the age of 20 years . Grants may be given towards the costs of camp fees , Scout and Guide uniform , travel to Scout or Guide events , career training , convalescence after an illness , or any other purpose . ” In May 1984 , a stone bench was unveiled in his memory outside the Church of St Clement Danes in the Strand , London , by the Royal Air Force Gang Show Association , in commemoration of his wartime entertainment work . In 2000 , a blue plaque was placed on his birthplace at 12 Court Barton , Crewkerne , and on 8 October 2011 , a further blue plaque was unveiled on his childhood home in Heighton Road , Denton , Newhaven .