He studied law, but would become known for his musical achievements, after a song he co-wrote with Rodney Hobson was successfully interpolated in an early 1930s touring version of the show Lavender, which pointed him towards a new career.
Posford and Maschwitz then wrote The Great Hussar (1933), which, revised and with additional music by Bernard Grun, opened at London's Adelphi Theatre as Balalaika (1936), where it ran for 570 performances.
Posford also composed for the concert platform: these works included Transatlantic Rhapsody (commissioned by the BBC for the maiden voyage of the Queen Mary ocean liner in 1936) and Broadcasting House.
[1][2] Maschwitz, Posford and Grun also composed Paprika (1938), which flopped, but a revised version, Magyar Melody, ran at His Majesty's Theatre for 105 performances.
Posford and Harry Parr-Davies composed Full Swing (1940), starring Cicely Courtneidge and Jack Hulbert, which had 468 performances during the London blitz.
Starring George Formby, the show ran for 544 performances at the Palace Theatre, and the songs included the title song, "Ridin' Into Town", "The Thing About You", "It Takes No Time To Fall In Love", "Nothing Breaks But The Heart", "I Owe You", "Big Business", "Trouble With My Heart", "Thou Art For Me", "Ordinary People" and "I'm Saving Up For Sally".