Born in
London, England, in 1930, he moved with his family in 1940 to
Painswick, Gloucestershire, where he spent his formative years, becoming a young member of the village dramatic society. He was educated at
Eton College and
Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was the first
Footlights Vice President. During his time at the Old Vic, Slade wrote incidental music for several productions including
Two Gentlemen of Verona and
The Duenna. - a record at the time. It was in London that a young
Cameron Mackintosh saw the show with his aunt and decided to become a
theatrical producer. Slade and Mackintosh stayed close friends throughout his life. Slade's second most successful musical was
Free as Air, written with Dorothy Reynolds, which opened at the Opera House in Manchester in 1957, before moving to the Savoy Theatre, London, where it ran for 417 performances. ==Personal life==