Eric Manchester is an English journalist, writer, publicist and record producer. He is best known for his role as press officer to The Rutles, for whom he became one of several associates to earn the moniker "the Fifth Rutle".
Before returning to London in 1968 to head the publicity for the Rutle Corps organisation, he worked as the publicist for California-based bands such as the Byrds, Les Garçons de la Plage and the Mamas and the Papas. Manchester was known for his forward-thinking and extravagant promotional campaigns, exemplified in taglines such as "The Rutles Are Coming" and "Barry is also dead". He was equally dedicated to the 1967 Summer of Lunch.
A close associate of the band, he served as their negotiator to the press and also designed numerous promotional campaigns. He became instrumental to the restoration attempts of Archaeology, both being the man who had buried the missing tapes and the one who helped dig them up. Stig O'Hara once referred to him as one of the few men who earned the title of the Fifth Rutle.