His musical apprenticeship was generally untutored and he found himself playing the piano during World War II for free beer.
After World War II, he set up his own orchestra, playing in the Orchid Room at the London Trocadero.
[1] He orchestrated the original stage production of Oliver!, first performed at the New Theatre, West End, London, on 30 June 1960.
By this point he had struck up an alliance with DePatie and Freleng productions, who were at the time making a number of animated series for children, such as Return to the Planet of the Apes and What's New, Mr. Magoo?.
[1] Eric's brother, Alan Rogers, was also a musician and songwriter and has a lyric credit on the 1965 film, Carry On Cowboy.