Dickie Valentine
Encyclopedia
Dickie Valentine was an English
pop
singer in the 1950s.
, London
. He lived with his paternal grandmother Rose Maxwell for a period of time until his mother met and married Bryce. His father Dickie (Richard) in fact also worked in the entertainment/music business and although not a constant in the younger Dickie's life, the "musicality" genes were unmistakably Maxwell, along with his movie star looks—a strong family "look" that continues today with his children and grandchildren (on the male side especially).
His first acting job was at age three, when he appeared in the Jack Hulbert
/Cicely Courtneidge
film Jack's the Boy
.
He first trained as a singer during his work as a child actor
, and during that time developed a flexible vocal
style and skills as an impersonator
of famous singers. He was overheard singing by actor-singer Bill O'Connor while working as a call boy
at Her Majesty's Theatre
, and encouraged him to take lessons. Since he could not afford them, O'Connor paid for them.
He sang in clubs and learned stagecraft
to help gain confidence and experience. While he was in his late teens, he was singing at the Panama Club one night when music publisher Sid Green saw him and brought him to the attention of Ted Heath
.
and Denis Lotis. He was voted the Top UK Male Vocalist in 1952 while singing with the Ted Heath
Orchestra
, the most successful of all British
big band
s, and again after going solo
in 1954.
In November of 1954, Valentine was invited to sing at the Royal Command Performance
, and in February of 1955 he was top billed at the London Palladium
. Not only did he sing, he also did jokes and impersonated many people, including Johnnie Ray
, Frankie Laine
, Mario Lanza
, and Billy Daniels
. He recorded two number one hits, "Christmas Alphabet
" and "Finger of Suspicion
". His first chart-topper came only two months after his marriage
to Elizabeth Flynn at Caxton Hall, which caused scenes of hysteria and was widely expected to sound the death knell to his career. In fact, 1955 was by far his best chart
year, with two number ones and three other Top Ten hits.
While his second number one saw Valentine playing King Canute to Bill Haley
's incoming tide of rock and roll
, "Christmas Alphabet" marked the first time in the UK
that a song created for the Christmas
market hit number one. In April 1955, Valentine again topped the bill at the London Palladium
for two weeks, a month after winning the male vocalist category in the NME
poll. He went on to win this title consecutively from 1953 to 1957.
In 1961, he had a television series Calling Dickie Valentine. In 1966 Valentine partnered with Peter Sellers
on the ATV
sketch show The Dickie Valentine Show.
Although his fame began to wane during the 1960s, he remained a popular live performer until his death.
at the Double Diamond Club in Caerphilly
, Wales
, he was killed outright in a car
crash on a single lane bridge at Glangrwyney, near Crickhowell
, Wales on 6 May 1971, at the age of 41, together with pianist Sidney Boatman and drummer Dave Pearson, aged 42.
Contrary to a commonly held belief, no other vehicle was involved, neither were drink nor drugs. The Coroners Inquest revealed the car in which the three were traveling to have been driven in excess of 90 mph at time of impact, and that Valentine—who was driving his wife Wendy's Hillman Avenger
, with which he was unfamiliar, (he was awaiting delivery of his new customized car)—had lost control of the vehicle while attempting to take a (clearly marked) dangerous bend. Valentine had traveled on that stretch of road many times and was familiar with the hazards. It was thought Valentine's attention might have been distracted by conversation with his friends, in addition to tiredness (the crash having happened at 04.20am). It was also noted that there was heavy fog at that time.The Coroner returned a verdict of 'Death by misadventure'. He is interred at Slough Crematorium.
.
$ Dickie Valentine with The Stargazers
|- bgcolor="#B0C4DE" align="center"
! Year
! Film
! Role
! Notes and awards
|-
|rowspan="2"|1932
|Jack's the Boy
|
|
|-
|Lord Babs
| Minor Role (uncredited)
|
|-
|rowspan="1"|1954
|The Ed Sullivan Show
|
|
|-
|rowspan="1"|1955
|Sunday Night at the London Palladium
|
|
|-
|rowspan="1"|1956
|Val Parnell's Startime
|
|
|-
|rowspan="3"|1957
|Six-Five Special
|
|
|-
|Salute to Show Business
|
|
|-
|The World Our Stage
|
|
|-
|rowspan="1"|1958
|The 6.5 Special
|
|
|-
|rowspan="3"|1959
|The Anne Shelton Show
|
|
|-
|Oh Boy!
|
|
|-
|Drumbeat
|
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|1960
|Life with the Lyons
|
|
|-
|Spectacular
|
|
|-
|rowspan="4"|1961
|Alfred Marks Time
|
|
|-
|Calling Dickie Valentine
|
|
|-
|Showtime
|
|
|-
|Thank Your Lucky Stars
|
| also was featured in 1963, 1964, and 1965
|-
|rowspan="1"|1964
|The Ed Sullivan Show
|
|
|-
|rowspan="1"|1965
|The Ed Sullivan Show
|
|
|-
|rowspan="1"|1966
|The Ed Sullivan Show
|
|
|-
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
pop
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
singer in the 1950s.
Early life
Valentine was born Richard Maxwell (his birth father was Dickie Maxwell), though Valentine was known as Richard Bryce as his mother later married Bryce and gave her young son the same name. He was born in MaryleboneMarylebone
Marylebone is an affluent inner-city area of central London, located within the City of Westminster. It is sometimes written as St. Marylebone or Mary-le-bone....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He lived with his paternal grandmother Rose Maxwell for a period of time until his mother met and married Bryce. His father Dickie (Richard) in fact also worked in the entertainment/music business and although not a constant in the younger Dickie's life, the "musicality" genes were unmistakably Maxwell, along with his movie star looks—a strong family "look" that continues today with his children and grandchildren (on the male side especially).
His first acting job was at age three, when he appeared in the Jack Hulbert
Jack Hulbert
John Norman "Jack" Hulbert was a British actor, specialising primarily in comedy productions.-Biography:Born in Ely, Cambridgeshire, he was the elder and more successful brother of Claude. He was educated at Cambridge and appeared in many shows and revues, mainly with the Cambridge Footlights. He...
/Cicely Courtneidge
Cicely Courtneidge
Dame Esmerelda Cicely Courtneidge DBE was an English actress and comedienne. The daughter of the producer Robert Courtneidge, she was appearing in his productions in the West End, by the age of 16, and was quickly promoted from minor to major roles in his Edwardian musical comedies.After the...
film Jack's the Boy
Jack's the Boy
Jack's the Boy is a 1932 British comedy film directed by Walter Forde and starring Jack Hulbert, Cicely Courtneidge, Francis Lister and Peter Gawthorne. A policeman attempts to track down a gang responsible for a smash and grab raid, thereby proving his worth to his disaproving father...
.
He first trained as a singer during his work as a child actor
Child actor
The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting in motion pictures or television, but also to an adult who began his or her acting career as a child; to avoid confusion, the latter is also called a former child actor...
, and during that time developed a flexible vocal
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
style and skills as an impersonator
Impersonator
An impersonator is someone who imitates or copies the behavior or actions of another. There are many reasons for someone to be an impersonator, some common ones being as follows:...
of famous singers. He was overheard singing by actor-singer Bill O'Connor while working as a call boy
Call boy (theatre)
Call boy is the job title of a stagehand in the theatre. They are hired by either the director, producer or stage crew chief...
at Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre, in Haymarket, City of Westminster, London. The present building was designed by Charles J. Phipps and was constructed in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who established the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at the theatre...
, and encouraged him to take lessons. Since he could not afford them, O'Connor paid for them.
He sang in clubs and learned stagecraft
Stagecraft
Stagecraft is a generic term referring to the technical aspects of theatrical, film, and video production. It includes, but is not limited to, constructing and rigging scenery, hanging and focusing of lighting, design and procurement of costumes, makeup, procurement of props, stage management, and...
to help gain confidence and experience. While he was in his late teens, he was singing at the Panama Club one night when music publisher Sid Green saw him and brought him to the attention of Ted Heath
Ted Heath (bandleader)
Ted Heath, musician and big band leader, led Britain's greatest post-war big band recording more than 100 albums and selling over 20 million records...
.
Breakthrough
On February 14, 1949, Valentine, who at the time was relatively unknown, was signed by Ted Heath to join his band, Ted Heath and his Music, as a singer to work alongside Lita RozaLita Roza
Lita Roza was a British singer. Her 1953 number one hit record " That Doggie in the Window?" afforded Roza the privilege of being the first British female singer to top the UK Singles Chart, and the first Liverpudlian to do so.-Biography:Born Lilian Patricia Lita Roza in Liverpool, Lancashire,...
and Denis Lotis. He was voted the Top UK Male Vocalist in 1952 while singing with the Ted Heath
Ted Heath (bandleader)
Ted Heath, musician and big band leader, led Britain's greatest post-war big band recording more than 100 albums and selling over 20 million records...
Orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
, the most successful of all British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
s, and again after going solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
in 1954.
In November of 1954, Valentine was invited to sing at the Royal Command Performance
Royal Command Performance
For the annual Royal Variety Performance performed in Britain for the benefit of the Entertainment Artistes' Benevolent Fund, see Royal Variety Performance...
, and in February of 1955 he was top billed at the London Palladium
London Palladium
The London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. From the roster of stars who have played there and many televised performances, it is arguably the most famous theatre in London and the United Kingdom, especially for musical variety...
. Not only did he sing, he also did jokes and impersonated many people, including Johnnie Ray
Johnnie Ray
Johnnie Ray was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Popular for most of the 1950s, Ray has been cited by critics as a major precursor of what would become rock and roll, for his jazz and blues-influenced music and his animated stage personality.-Early life:John Alvin Ray was born in...
, Frankie Laine
Frankie Laine
Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio , was a successful American singer, songwriter, and actor whose career spanned 75 years, from his first concerts in 1930 with a marathon dance company to his final performance of "That's My Desire" in 2005...
, Mario Lanza
Mario Lanza
right|thumb|[[MGM]] still, circa 1949Mario Lanza was an American tenor and Hollywood movie star of the late 1940s and the 1950s. The son of Italian emigrants, he began studying to be a professional singer at the age of 16....
, and Billy Daniels
Billy Daniels
William Boone Daniels , better known as Billy Daniels, was a singer active in the United States and Europe from the mid-1930s to 1988, notable for his hit recording of "That Old Black Magic" and his pioneering performances on early 1950s television.Daniels was born in Jacksonville, Florida, where...
. He recorded two number one hits, "Christmas Alphabet
Christmas Alphabet
"Christmas Alphabet" is a 1955 Christmas song, which became a #1 hit in the United Kingdom for the singer Dickie Valentine.It was written by Buddy Kaye and Jules Loman, and produced by Dick Rowe. It first entered the UK charts on 25 November 1955, where it spent seven weeks. Three of those were at...
" and "Finger of Suspicion
The Finger of Suspicion (Points at You)
"The Finger of Suspicion " is a popular song written by Paul Mann and Al Lewis, and published in 1954.It was recorded by Dickie Valentine in the United Kingdom and by Jane Froman in the United States...
". His first chart-topper came only two months after his marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
to Elizabeth Flynn at Caxton Hall, which caused scenes of hysteria and was widely expected to sound the death knell to his career. In fact, 1955 was by far his best chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
year, with two number ones and three other Top Ten hits.
While his second number one saw Valentine playing King Canute to Bill Haley
Bill Haley
Bill Haley was one of the first American rock and roll musicians. He is credited by many with first popularizing this form of music in the early 1950s with his group Bill Haley & His Comets and their hit song "Rock Around the Clock".-Early life and career:...
's incoming tide of rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
, "Christmas Alphabet" marked the first time in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
that a song created for the Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
market hit number one. In April 1955, Valentine again topped the bill at the London Palladium
London Palladium
The London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. From the roster of stars who have played there and many televised performances, it is arguably the most famous theatre in London and the United Kingdom, especially for musical variety...
for two weeks, a month after winning the male vocalist category in the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
poll. He went on to win this title consecutively from 1953 to 1957.
In 1961, he had a television series Calling Dickie Valentine. In 1966 Valentine partnered with Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Richard Henry Sellers, CBE , known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor. Perhaps best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, he is also notable for playing three different characters in Dr...
on the ATV
Associated TeleVision
Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a British television company, holder of various licences to broadcast on the ITV network from 24 September 1955 until 00:34 on 1 January 1982...
sketch show The Dickie Valentine Show.
Although his fame began to wane during the 1960s, he remained a popular live performer until his death.
Death
Traveling to his next gigConcert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
at the Double Diamond Club in Caerphilly
Caerphilly
Caerphilly is a town in the county borough of Caerphilly, south Wales, located at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley, with a population of approximately 31,000. It is a commuter town of Cardiff and Newport, which are located some 7.5 miles and 12 miles away, respectively...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, he was killed outright in a car
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
crash on a single lane bridge at Glangrwyney, near Crickhowell
Crickhowell
Crickhowell is a small town in Powys, Mid Wales.-Location:The name Crickhowell is taken from that of the nearby Iron Age hill fort of Crug Hywel above the town, the Welsh language name being anglicised by map-makers and local English-speaking people...
, Wales on 6 May 1971, at the age of 41, together with pianist Sidney Boatman and drummer Dave Pearson, aged 42.
Contrary to a commonly held belief, no other vehicle was involved, neither were drink nor drugs. The Coroners Inquest revealed the car in which the three were traveling to have been driven in excess of 90 mph at time of impact, and that Valentine—who was driving his wife Wendy's Hillman Avenger
Hillman Avenger
The Hillman Avenger was a rear-wheel drive small family car originally manufactured under the Hillman marque by the Rootes Group from 1970–1976, and made by Chrysler Europe from 1976–1981 as the Chrysler Avenger and finally the Talbot Avenger...
, with which he was unfamiliar, (he was awaiting delivery of his new customized car)—had lost control of the vehicle while attempting to take a (clearly marked) dangerous bend. Valentine had traveled on that stretch of road many times and was familiar with the hazards. It was thought Valentine's attention might have been distracted by conversation with his friends, in addition to tiredness (the crash having happened at 04.20am). It was also noted that there was heavy fog at that time.The Coroner returned a verdict of 'Death by misadventure'. He is interred at Slough Crematorium.
Personal life
He married Elizabeth Flynn, a professional ice skater, in 1964. They had two children together: Richard and Kim. They would divorce in 1967. He married actress Wendy Wayne next in 1968. Had it not been for the tragic car accident, Wayne and Valentine would have done a 20-week Summer Season at the Water Splash in JerseyJersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
.
Discography
- "Broken WingsBroken Wings (1953 song)"Broken Wings" is a popular song, written by John Jerome and Bernard Gunn.Probably the best known version of the song was produced by Dick Rowe and recorded in the UK by The Stargazers in 1953...
" - (1953) - UK Singles ChartUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
No. 12 - "All The Time and Everywhere" - (1953) - No. 9
- "In a Golden Coach (There's a Heart of Gold)" - (1953) - No. 7
- "Endless" - (1954) - No. 19
- "Mister SandmanMr. Sandman"Mr. Sandman" is a popular song written by Pat Ballard which was published in 1954 and first recorded in that year by The Chordettes. The song's lyrics convey a request to "Mr...
" - (1954) - No. 5 - "Finger of SuspicionThe Finger of Suspicion (Points at You)"The Finger of Suspicion " is a popular song written by Paul Mann and Al Lewis, and published in 1954.It was recorded by Dickie Valentine in the United Kingdom and by Jane Froman in the United States...
" - (1954) - No. 1 $ - "A Blossom FellA Blossom Fell"A Blossom Fell" is a popular song.It was written by Howard Barnes, Harold Cornelius, and Dominic John and published in 1954.The best-known version was recorded by Nat King Cole. The recording was released by Capitol Records as catalog number 3095...
" - (1955) - No. 9 - "I Wonder" - (1955) - No. 4
- "Christmas AlphabetChristmas Alphabet"Christmas Alphabet" is a 1955 Christmas song, which became a #1 hit in the United Kingdom for the singer Dickie Valentine.It was written by Buddy Kaye and Jules Loman, and produced by Dick Rowe. It first entered the UK charts on 25 November 1955, where it spent seven weeks. Three of those were at...
" - (1955) - No. 1 - "The Old Pi-anna Rag" - (1955) - No. 15
- "Christmas Island" - (1956) - No. 8
- "Snowbound for Christmas" - (1957) - No. 28
- "VenusVenus (Frankie Avalon song)"Venus" is the name of a song written by Ed Marshall and Peter DeAngelis. The most successful and well-known recording of it was done by Frankie Avalon and released in 1959 . It became Avalon's first number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it spent five weeks atop the survey. The song...
" - (1959) - No. 20 - "One More Sunrise (Morgen)" - (1959) - No. 14
$ Dickie Valentine with The Stargazers
Filmography
{| border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 90%;"|- bgcolor="#B0C4DE" align="center"
! Year
! Film
! Role
! Notes and awards
|-
|rowspan="2"|1932
|Jack's the Boy
Jack's the Boy
Jack's the Boy is a 1932 British comedy film directed by Walter Forde and starring Jack Hulbert, Cicely Courtneidge, Francis Lister and Peter Gawthorne. A policeman attempts to track down a gang responsible for a smash and grab raid, thereby proving his worth to his disaproving father...
|
|
|-
|Lord Babs
Lord Babs
Lord Babs is a 1932 British comedy film directed by Walter Forde and starring Bobby Howes, Jean Colin and Pat Paterson. It was based on a play by Keble Howard...
| Minor Role (uncredited)
|
|-
|rowspan="1"|1954
|The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
|
|
|-
|rowspan="1"|1955
|Sunday Night at the London Palladium
Sunday Night at the London Palladium
Sunday Night at the London Palladium is a British television variety show produced by ATV for the ITV network, originally running from 1955 to 1967, with a brief revival in 1973 and 1974...
|
|
|-
|rowspan="1"|1956
|Val Parnell's Startime
|
|
|-
|rowspan="3"|1957
|Six-Five Special
Six-Five Special
The Six-Five Special is a British television programme launched in February 1957 when both television and rock and roll were in their infancy in Britain.-Description:...
|
|
|-
|Salute to Show Business
|
|
|-
|The World Our Stage
|
|
|-
|rowspan="1"|1958
|The 6.5 Special
|
|
|-
|rowspan="3"|1959
|The Anne Shelton Show
|
|
|-
|Oh Boy!
|
|
|-
|Drumbeat
Drumbeat (TV series)
Drumbeat was a BBC television series that aired every Saturday from 4 April to 29 August 1959. It was the BBC's answer and rival to ITV's TV series Oh Boy!, though as the latter finished on 30 May, for most of its run Drumbeat had no comparable competition.It launched the careers of singer Adam...
|
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|1960
|Life with the Lyons
Life With The Lyons
Life with The Lyons was a British radio and television domestic sitcom dating from the 1950s .-Overview:Life with The Lyons was unusual in that it featured a real-life American family...
|
|
|-
|Spectacular
|
|
|-
|rowspan="4"|1961
|Alfred Marks Time
|
|
|-
|Calling Dickie Valentine
|
|
|-
|Showtime
|
|
|-
|Thank Your Lucky Stars
|
| also was featured in 1963, 1964, and 1965
|-
|rowspan="1"|1964
|The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
|
|
|-
|rowspan="1"|1965
|The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
|
|
|-
|rowspan="1"|1966
|The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
|
|
|-
See also
- List of Christmas number one singles (UK)
- List of number-one singles from the 1950s (UK)
- List of artists under the Decca Records label
- List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
- List of stage names