Tommy Steele
Encyclopedia
Tommy Steele OBE
(born Thomas William Hicks, 17 December 1936, Bermondsey
, London), is an English entertainer. Steele is widely regarded as Britain's
first teen idol
and rock and roll
star.
, having failed the medical examination because, at eighteen years old, he was diagnosed as suffering with cardiomyopathy
. However, according to his autobiography, Bermondsey Boy: Memories of a Forgotten World, he failed the medical because he had flat feet
. While on leave or during dock
strike
s, he played guitar and banjo
and sang in The 2i's Coffee Bar and The Cat's Whisker where hand-jiving was devised, two coffee houses in Soho
, both as a solo performer and with Wally Whyton
's Vipers Skiffle Group. When a ship Steele was serving on docked in Norfolk, Virginia
, he heard Buddy Holly
and fell in love with rock and roll, turning his back on the British skiffle
craze. He was discovered by freelance photographer John Kennedy, who believed Steele could be Britain's answer to Elvis Presley
. Later co-manager Larry Parnes
was incorrectly credited with creating the stage name 'Tommy Steele.' It was Steele who adapted the surname of his Scandinavian paternal grandfather, Thomas Stil-Hicks , adding another E to the spelling.
Steele shot quickly to fame in the UK as the frontman for a rock and roll
band, the Steelmen, after their first single, "Rock With The Caveman," reached number 13 in the UK Singles Chart
in 1956. Steele and other British singers would pick known hit record
s from the United States, record their cover version
s of these songs, and release them in the UK before the American versions could enter the charts. Most of Steele's 1950s recordings were covers of American hits, such as "Singing the Blues
" and "Knee Deep in the Blues
". Although Steele never proved a serious threat to Presley's popularity in the UK, he did well on the 1950s UK chart and "Singing the Blues" got to Number 1 in the UK before Presley did so. Guy Mitchell
was number 1 with "Singing the Blues" on 4 January 1957 and Tommy Steele on 11 January 1957. Steele's 1957 album, The Tommy Steele Story, was the first by a UK-based act to reach #1 in the UK. Only four months after his first chart
presence, he was filming his life story. To do so, Steele and his songwriting collaborators, Lionel Bart
and Mike Pratt, wrote twelve songs in seven days. His first three single releases were issued at a rate of one every three weeks. in 1957 Steele bought a four-bedroomed house in South London
for his parents. In August 1959, Steele undertook a three-day concert visit to Moscow.
In late 2009 his greatest hits
collection, The Very Best of Tommy Steele, reached the Top 40 in the UK Albums Chart
. This was the first UK chart entry, of any kind, that Steele had enjoyed for over forty eight years.
he appeared in the title role of Hans Christian Andersen
. On film, he recreated his London and Broadway stage role in Half A Sixpence
, and played character roles in The Happiest Millionaire
and Finian's Rainbow
, although many critics found his personality to be somewhat overwhelming on screen. In this latter film, probably his best known appearance in the movies, he played Og, the leprechaun
turning human, and co-starred with Petula Clark
and Fred Astaire
. In April 1971, Steele starred in his own show Meet Me in London at London's Adelphi Theatre
.
In 1983, Steele directed and starred in the West End
stage production of Singin' in the Rain
at the London Palladium
. In 1991 he toured with Some Like It Hot
the stage version of the Jack Lemmon
and Marilyn Monroe
film. In 2003, after a decade-long hiatus, save his one man shows An Evening With Tommy Steele and What A Show!, he toured as Ebenezer Scrooge
in a production of Scrooge: The Musical, an adaptation of Scrooge. Following this return, he reprised his role at the Palace Theatre, Manchester
over Christmas 2004, and brought the production to the London Palladium for Christmas 2005. In 2008, at the age of 71, Steele toured in the lead role of the stage musical Doctor Dolittle
, and reprised his role as Scrooge during the Christmas season in 2009. He will play the part once again in Dublin in winter 2010. He also played Scrooge in the Sunderland Empire Theatre in October 2010, Hull New Theatre, His Majesty's Theatre
and Edinburgh Playhouse
in November 2010. He is again touring the UK in his starring role as Scrooge in 2011.
He also wrote a children's novel, entitled Quincy, about a reject toy trying to save himself and his fellow rejects in the basement of a toy store from the furnace the day after Christmas. This was turned into a film in 1979, in which Steele played Quincy and Mel Martin
played Quincy's girlfriend doll, Rebecca.
He is a respected sculptor and three of his major works have been on public display: Bermondsey Boy at the Rotherhithe
Civic Centre (which was subjected to an arson attack by local youths some years ago and no longer exists), and Eleanor Rigby which he sculpted and gave to the City of Liverpool
as a tribute to The Beatles
. The statue stands in Stanley Street, Liverpool
, not far from The Cavern Club
. Steele has another sculpture featuring two rugby
players on display at Twickenham Stadium
. He is also an artist of some note and has exhibited at the Royal Academy
.
Steele is mentioned briefly in Ian Fleming's James Bond novel, Thunderball. Fleming (as Bond) viewed Steele as a modern post-war youth, existing in a world with atomic bombs, space flight, and the Welfare State.
Steele's autobiography was published in September 2006 and is entitled Bermondsey Boy: Memories of a Forgotten World (London: Joseph) ISBN 0-7181-4972-6
Steele co-wrote many of his early songs with Lionel Bart and Mike Pratt, but he used the pseudonym of Jimmy Bennett from 1958 onwards.
had never set foot in England, and had only ever spent a few minutes on the tarmac
at Prestwick Airport in Scotland where his military plane, en route to the United States after completing his military service in West Germany, stopped to re-fuel. However, on 21 April 2008, in a BBC Radio 2
interview with theatre impresario Bill Kenwright
, it was claimed that Presley, then 23, had visited England for a day, after a phone conversation with Steele in London in 1958. According to Kenwright: "Elvis flew in for a day and Tommy showed him round London. He showed him the Houses of Parliament and spent the day with him". Kenwright admitted on 22 April 2008 that he was not sure whether he should have told the story. Tommy Steele said: “It was two young men sharing the same love of their music. I swore never to divulge publicly what took place and I regret that it has found some way of getting into the light. I only hope he can forgive me."
Press officers employed by Stagecoach
, the company that owns Prestwick Airport, rapidly issued a statement requesting proof, photographic or otherwise, of the said meeting. Until such proof is provided, they will continue to describe their property Prestwick Airport as being the only place in Britain where Elvis Presley ever set foot, and will not be removing the marker, photographs and special lounge at their airport which relate to their claim.
Lamar Fike, a former member of the Memphis Mafia
, who lived with Presley at the time, has posted a claim http://www.elvisinfonet.com that it was he, not Presley, who visited London and Tommy Steele for a day in 1958.
Solo
- September 1957
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born Thomas William Hicks, 17 December 1936, Bermondsey
Bermondsey
Bermondsey is an area in London on the south bank of the river Thames, and is part of the London Borough of Southwark. To the west lies Southwark, to the east Rotherhithe, and to the south, Walworth and Peckham.-Toponomy:...
, London), is an English entertainer. Steele is widely regarded as Britain's
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...
first teen idol
Teen idol
A teen idol is a celebrity who is widely idolized by teenagers; he or she is often young but not necessarily teenaged. Often teen idols are actors or pop singers, but some sports figures have an appeal to teenagers. Some teen idols began their careers as child actors...
and 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...
star.
Singer
Before landing a singing career, Steele tried his hand at a number of odd jobs and had a brief spell as a merchant seaman. Like many singers of his era he never did National ServiceNational service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
, having failed the medical examination because, at eighteen years old, he was diagnosed as suffering with cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy, which literally means "heart muscle disease," is the deterioration of the function of the myocardium for any reason. People with cardiomyopathy are often at risk of arrhythmia or sudden cardiac death or both. Cardiomyopathy can often go undetected, making it especially dangerous to...
. However, according to his autobiography, Bermondsey Boy: Memories of a Forgotten World, he failed the medical because he had flat feet
Flat feet
Flat feet is a formal reference to a medical condition in which the arch of the foot collapses, with the entire sole of the foot coming into complete or near-complete contact with the ground...
. While on leave or during dock
Dock (maritime)
A dock is a human-made structure or group of structures involved in the handling of boats or ships, usually on or close to a shore.However, the exact meaning varies among different variants of the English language...
strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
s, he played guitar and banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
and sang in The 2i's Coffee Bar and The Cat's Whisker where hand-jiving was devised, two coffee houses in Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
, both as a solo performer and with Wally Whyton
Wally Whyton
Wallace Victor "Wally" Whyton was a British musician, songwriter and radio and TV personality.Born in London, England, Whyton grew up listening to jazz, blues and folk music, and learned to play first the piano, then trombone, and finally guitar...
's Vipers Skiffle Group. When a ship Steele was serving on docked in Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, he heard Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
and fell in love with rock and roll, turning his back on the British skiffle
Skiffle
Skiffle is a type of popular music with jazz, blues, folk, roots and country influences, usually using homemade or improvised instruments. Originating as a term in the United States in the first half of the twentieth century, it became popular again in the UK in the 1950s, where it was mainly...
craze. He was discovered by freelance photographer John Kennedy, who believed Steele could be Britain's answer to Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
. Later co-manager Larry Parnes
Larry Parnes
Laurence Maurice "Larry" Parnes was an English pop manager and impresario. He has been described as "the first major British rock manager... Parnes' stable encompassed most of the most successful pre-Beatles British rock singers."...
was incorrectly credited with creating the stage name 'Tommy Steele.' It was Steele who adapted the surname of his Scandinavian paternal grandfather, Thomas Stil-Hicks , adding another E to the spelling.
Steele shot quickly to fame in the UK as the frontman for a 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...
band, the Steelmen, after their first single, "Rock With The Caveman," reached number 13 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The 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 ...
in 1956. Steele and other British singers would pick known hit record
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
s from the United States, record their cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s of these songs, and release them in the UK before the American versions could enter the charts. Most of Steele's 1950s recordings were covers of American hits, such as "Singing the Blues
Singing the Blues
"Singing the Blues" is a popular song written by Melvin Endsley and published in 1956. The best-known recording was released in October 1956 by Guy Mitchell and spent nine weeks at #1 on the U.S...
" and "Knee Deep in the Blues
Knee Deep in the Blues
"Knee Deep in the Blues" is a song written by Melvin Endsley and was recorded by Marty Robbins in 1957. The song reached #3 on the Country Singles charts.-Guy Mitchell version:...
". Although Steele never proved a serious threat to Presley's popularity in the UK, he did well on the 1950s UK chart and "Singing the Blues" got to Number 1 in the UK before Presley did so. Guy Mitchell
Guy Mitchell
Guy Mitchell, born Albert George Cernik, was an American pop singer, successful in his homeland, the U.K. and Australia...
was number 1 with "Singing the Blues" on 4 January 1957 and Tommy Steele on 11 January 1957. Steele's 1957 album, The Tommy Steele Story, was the first by a UK-based act to reach #1 in the UK. Only four months after his first 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....
presence, he was filming his life story. To do so, Steele and his songwriting collaborators, Lionel Bart
Lionel Bart
Lionel Bart was a writer and composer of British pop music and musicals, best known for creating the book, music and lyrics for Oliver!-Early life:...
and Mike Pratt, wrote twelve songs in seven days. His first three single releases were issued at a rate of one every three weeks. in 1957 Steele bought a four-bedroomed house in South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
for his parents. In August 1959, Steele undertook a three-day concert visit to Moscow.
In late 2009 his greatest hits
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
collection, The Very Best of Tommy Steele, reached the Top 40 in the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. This was the first UK chart entry, of any kind, that Steele had enjoyed for over forty eight years.
Actor
The increase in home-grown musical talent during the 1960s allowed Steele to progress to a career in stage and film musicals, leaving behind his pop idol identity. In the West EndWest End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
he appeared in the title role of Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...
. On film, he recreated his London and Broadway stage role in Half A Sixpence
Half a Sixpence
Half a Sixpence is a musical comedy written as a vehicle for British pop star Tommy Steele.It is based on H.G. Wells's novel Kipps: The Story of a Simple Soul...
, and played character roles in The Happiest Millionaire
The Happiest Millionaire
The Happiest Millionaire is a 1967 musical film starring Fred MacMurray and based upon the true story of Philadelphia millionaire Anthony J. Drexel Biddle. The film received an Academy Award nomination for Costume Design by Bill Thomas. The musical song score is by Robert and Richard Sherman...
and Finian's Rainbow
Finian's Rainbow (film)
Finian's Rainbow is a 1968 American musical film directed by Francis Ford Coppola that stars Fred Astaire and Petula Clark. The screenplay by E. Y. Harburg and Fred Saidy is based on their 1947 stage musical of the same name.-Plot:...
, although many critics found his personality to be somewhat overwhelming on screen. In this latter film, probably his best known appearance in the movies, he played Og, the leprechaun
Leprechaun
A leprechaun is a type of fairy in Irish folklore, usually taking the form of an old man, clad in a red or green coat, who enjoys partaking in mischief. Like other fairy creatures, leprechauns have been linked to the Tuatha Dé Danann of Irish mythology...
turning human, and co-starred with Petula Clark
Petula Clark
Petula Clark, CBE is an English singer, actress, and composer whose career has spanned seven decades.Clark's professional career began as an entertainer on BBC Radio during World War II...
and Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
. In April 1971, Steele starred in his own show Meet Me in London at London's Adelphi Theatre
Adelphi Theatre
The Adelphi Theatre is a 1500-seat West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiving house for a variety of productions, including many musicals...
.
In 1983, Steele directed and starred in the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
stage production of Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain (musical)
Singin' in the Rain is a musical with a book by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, lyrics by Arthur Freed, and music by Nacio Herb Brown.Adapted from the 1952 movie of the same name, the plot closely adheres to the original...
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...
. In 1991 he toured with Some Like It Hot
Sugar (musical)
Sugar is a musical with a book by Peter Stone, music by Jule Styne, and lyrics by Bob Merrill. It is based on the film Some Like It Hot, which was adapted by Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond from a story by Robert Thoeren and Michael Logan...
the stage version of the Jack Lemmon
Jack Lemmon
John Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III was an American actor and musician. He starred in more than 60 films including Some Like It Hot, The Apartment, Mister Roberts , Days of Wine and Roses, The Great Race, Irma la Douce, The Odd Couple, Save the Tiger John Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III (February 8, 1925June...
and Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
film. In 2003, after a decade-long hiatus, save his one man shows An Evening With Tommy Steele and What A Show!, he toured as Ebenezer Scrooge
Ebenezer Scrooge
Ebenezer Scrooge is the principal character in Charles Dickens's 1843 novel, A Christmas Carol. At the beginning of the novel, Scrooge is a cold-hearted, tight-fisted and greedy man, who despises Christmas and all things which give people happiness...
in a production of Scrooge: The Musical, an adaptation of Scrooge. Following this return, he reprised his role at the Palace Theatre, Manchester
Palace Theatre, Manchester
The Palace Theatre, Manchester, is one of the main theatres in Manchester, England. It is situated on Oxford Street, on the north-east corner of the intersection with Whitworth Street. The Palace and its 'sister' theatre the Manchester Opera House on Quay Street are operated by the same parent...
over Christmas 2004, and brought the production to the London Palladium for Christmas 2005. In 2008, at the age of 71, Steele toured in the lead role of the stage musical Doctor Dolittle
Doctor Dolittle (film)
Doctor Dolittle is a 1967 American musical film directed by Richard Fleischer and starring Rex Harrison, Samantha Eggar, Anthony Newley and Richard Attenborough. It's adapted by Leslie Bricusse from the novel series by Hugh Lofting, primarily The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, The Story of Doctor...
, and reprised his role as Scrooge during the Christmas season in 2009. He will play the part once again in Dublin in winter 2010. He also played Scrooge in the Sunderland Empire Theatre in October 2010, Hull New Theatre, His Majesty's Theatre
His Majesty's Theatre
His Majesty's Theatre in Aberdeen is the largest theatre in north-east Scotland, seating more than 1400. The theatre is sited on Rosemount Viaduct, opposite the city's Union Terrace Gardens. It was designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1906...
and Edinburgh Playhouse
Edinburgh Playhouse
The Edinburgh Playhouse is a former cinema in Edinburgh, Scotland which now hosts touring musicals and music concerts. Its capacity is 3,059, making it the UK's largest working theatre in terms of audience capacity....
in November 2010. He is again touring the UK in his starring role as Scrooge in 2011.
Author and other Talents
In the early 1980s, Steele wrote and published a book titled The Final Run, a novel about World War II and the evacuation of Dunkirk.He also wrote a children's novel, entitled Quincy, about a reject toy trying to save himself and his fellow rejects in the basement of a toy store from the furnace the day after Christmas. This was turned into a film in 1979, in which Steele played Quincy and Mel Martin
Mel Martin
Mel Martin is an English actor. She has appeared in such British television programmes and films as The Pallisers, Love for Lydia, Bergerac, Cover Her Face, Lovejoy, Inspector Morse, Cadfael, When the Boat Comes In, Midsomer Murders and "A Touch of Frost".She starred as Fiona Samson, the double...
played Quincy's girlfriend doll, Rebecca.
He is a respected sculptor and three of his major works have been on public display: Bermondsey Boy at the Rotherhithe
Rotherhithe
Rotherhithe is a residential district in inner southeast London, England and part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is located on a peninsula on the south bank of the Thames, facing Wapping and the Isle of Dogs on the north bank, and is a part of the Docklands area...
Civic Centre (which was subjected to an arson attack by local youths some years ago and no longer exists), and Eleanor Rigby which he sculpted and gave to the City of Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
as a tribute to The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
. The statue stands in Stanley Street, Liverpool
Stanley Street, Liverpool
Stanley Street, in Liverpool City Centre, runs south between Dale Street and Whitechapel. As well as being home to numerous businesses ranging from Estate agents to Solicitors, some residents live in apartments in upper floors of some of the buildings...
, not far from The Cavern Club
The Cavern Club
The Cavern Club is a rock and roll club in Liverpool, England. Opened on Wednesday 16 January 1957, the club had their first performance by The Beatles on 9 February 1961, and where Brian Epstein first saw The Beatles performing on 9 November 1961....
. Steele has another sculpture featuring two rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
players on display at Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
. He is also an artist of some note and has exhibited at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
.
Steele is mentioned briefly in Ian Fleming's James Bond novel, Thunderball. Fleming (as Bond) viewed Steele as a modern post-war youth, existing in a world with atomic bombs, space flight, and the Welfare State.
Steele's autobiography was published in September 2006 and is entitled Bermondsey Boy: Memories of a Forgotten World (London: Joseph) ISBN 0-7181-4972-6
Steele co-wrote many of his early songs with Lionel Bart and Mike Pratt, but he used the pseudonym of Jimmy Bennett from 1958 onwards.
Personal Life
Steele married Ann Donoghue at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Soho Square, London, in 1960. They have one daughter, Emma.Claimed meeting with Elvis Presley in England
For many years it was thought that Elvis PresleyElvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
had never set foot in England, and had only ever spent a few minutes on the tarmac
Tarmac
Tarmac is a type of road surface. Tarmac refers to a material patented by Edgar Purnell Hooley in 1901...
at Prestwick Airport in Scotland where his military plane, en route to the United States after completing his military service in West Germany, stopped to re-fuel. However, on 21 April 2008, in a BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
interview with theatre impresario Bill Kenwright
Bill Kenwright
Bill Kenwright CBE is a leading West End theatre producer and film producer.He is also the Chairman of Everton Football Club, an English professional football club from the city of Liverpool....
, it was claimed that Presley, then 23, had visited England for a day, after a phone conversation with Steele in London in 1958. According to Kenwright: "Elvis flew in for a day and Tommy showed him round London. He showed him the Houses of Parliament and spent the day with him". Kenwright admitted on 22 April 2008 that he was not sure whether he should have told the story. Tommy Steele said: “It was two young men sharing the same love of their music. I swore never to divulge publicly what took place and I regret that it has found some way of getting into the light. I only hope he can forgive me."
Press officers employed by Stagecoach
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
, the company that owns Prestwick Airport, rapidly issued a statement requesting proof, photographic or otherwise, of the said meeting. Until such proof is provided, they will continue to describe their property Prestwick Airport as being the only place in Britain where Elvis Presley ever set foot, and will not be removing the marker, photographs and special lounge at their airport which relate to their claim.
Lamar Fike, a former member of the Memphis Mafia
Memphis Mafia
The "Memphis Mafia" was the nickname for a group of friends, associates, employees and "yes-men" whose main function was to be around Elvis Presley from 1954 until he died. Several filled practical roles in the singer's life. For instance, they were employed to work for him as bodyguards or on tour...
, who lived with Presley at the time, has posted a claim http://www.elvisinfonet.com that it was he, not Presley, who visited London and Tommy Steele for a day in 1958.
Singles
With the Steelmen- "Rock With the Caveman" / "Rock Around the Town" - UKUK 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 ...
#13 (Decca 1956) - "Doomsday Rock" / "Elevator Rock" - (Decca 1956)
- "Singing the BluesSinging the Blues"Singing the Blues" is a popular song written by Melvin Endsley and published in 1956. The best-known recording was released in October 1956 by Guy Mitchell and spent nine weeks at #1 on the U.S...
" / "Rebel Rock" - UK #1 (Decca 1956) - "Knee Deep in the BluesKnee Deep in the Blues"Knee Deep in the Blues" is a song written by Melvin Endsley and was recorded by Marty Robbins in 1957. The song reached #3 on the Country Singles charts.-Guy Mitchell version:...
" / "Teenage Party" - UK #15 (Decca 1957) - "Butterfingers" / "Cannibal Pot" - UK #8 (Decca 1957)
- "Water, Water" / "A Handful of Songs" - UK #5 (Decca 1957) with lyrics partially based on The Rime of the Ancient MarinerThe Rime of the Ancient MarinerThe Rime of the Ancient Mariner is the longest major poem by the English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, written in 1797–98 and was published in 1798 in the first edition of Lyrical Ballads. Modern editions use a later revised version printed in 1817 that featured a gloss...
- "Shiralee" / "Grandad’s Rock" - UK #11 (Decca 1957)
- "Hey You!" / "Plant a Kiss" - UK #28 (Decca 1957)
- "Happy Guitar" / "Princess" - UK #20 (Decca 1958)
- "Nairobi" / "Neon Sign" - UK #3 (Decca 1958)
- "The Only Man on the Island" / "I Puts the Lightie On" - UK #16 (Decca 1958)
Solo
- "It’s All Happening" / "What Do You Do?" - (Decca 1958 )
- "Come On, Let’s Go" / "Put a Ring on Her Finger" - UK #10 (Decca 1958)
- "A Lovely Night" / "Marriage Type Love" - (Decca 1958)
- "Hiawatha" / "The Trial" - (Decca 1959)
- "Tallahassee Lassie" / "Give! Give! Give!" - UK #16 (Decca 1959)
- "Give! Give! Give!" - UK #28 (Decca 1959)
- "You Were Mine" / "Young Ideas" - (Decca 1959)
- "Little White Bull" / "Singing Time" - UK #6 (Decca 1959)
- "What a Mouth (What a North and South)" / "Kookaburra" - UK #5 (Decca 1960)
- "Happy Go Lucky Blues" / "Girl with the Long Black Hair" - (Decca 1960)
- "Must Be Santa" / "Boys and Girls" - UK #40 (Decca 1960)
- "My Big Best Shoes" / "The Dit Dit Song" - (Decca 1961)
- "The Writing on the Wall" / "Drunken Guitar" - UK #30 (Decca 1961)
- "Hit Record" / "What a Little Darling" - (Decca 1962)
- "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?Where Have All the Flowers Gone?"Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" is a folk song. The first three verses were written by Pete Seeger in 1955, and published in Sing Out! magazine...
" / "Butter Wouldn’t Melt in Your Mouth" - (Decca 1963) - "He’s Got Love" / "Green Eye" - (Decca 1963)
- "Flash Bang Wallop" / "She’s Too Far Above Me" - (Decca 1963)
- "Egg and Chips" / "The Dream Maker" - (Columbia 1963)
- "Half a SixpenceHalf a SixpenceHalf a Sixpence is a musical comedy written as a vehicle for British pop star Tommy Steele.It is based on H.G. Wells's novel Kipps: The Story of a Simple Soul...
" / "If the Rain’s Got to Fall" - (RCA 1965) - "Fortuosity" / "I’m a Brass Band" - (Vista 1967)
- "King’s New Clothes" / "Wonderful Copenhagen" - (Pye 1974)
- "Half a Sixpence" / "If the Rain’s Got to Fall" - (Safari 1984)
- "Singing the Blues" / "Come On, Let’s Go" - (Old Gold 1985)
Albums
- Tommy Steele Stage Show - UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#5 (Decca 1957) - The Tommy Steele Story - UK #1 (Decca 1957)
- The Duke Wore Jeans (Soundtrack) - UK #1 (Decca 1958)
Filmography
- The Tommy Steele Story (1957)
- The Duke Wore JeansThe Duke Wore JeansThe Duke Wore Jeans is a 1958 English film by producer Nat Cohen starring Tommy Steele and June Laverick. The songs from the film are mostly available on Tommy's many compilation CDs but no British CD has been pressed of the Original Soundtrack probably due to the fact of there being only 9 songs...
(1957) - Tommy the ToreadorTommy the ToreadorTommy the Toreador is a 1959 British musical comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Tommy Steele, Janet Munro, Sid James, Bernard Cribbins, Noell Purcell and Kenneth Williams...
(1959) - Light Up the Sky!Light Up the Sky! (film)Light Up the Sky! is a 1960 British comedy film directed by Lewis Gilbert and starring Ian Carmichael, Tommy Steele, Benny Hill and Dick Emery- Plot :...
(1960) known as Skywatch in the US - It's All HappeningIt's All Happening (film)It's All Happening is a 1963 British musical film directed by Don Sharp and starring Tommy Steele, Michael Medwin and Angela Douglas. A talent scout for a record company is frustrated by his lack of progress with his career...
(1963) known as The Dream Maker in the US - Half a SixpenceHalf a Sixpence (film)Half a Sixpence is a 1967 British musical film directed by George Sidney and choreographed by Gillian Lynne. The screenplay by Beverley Cross is adapted from his book for the stage musical of the same name, which was based on Kipps: The Story of a Simple Soul, a 1905 novel by H.G. Wells...
(1967) - The Happiest MillionaireThe Happiest MillionaireThe Happiest Millionaire is a 1967 musical film starring Fred MacMurray and based upon the true story of Philadelphia millionaire Anthony J. Drexel Biddle. The film received an Academy Award nomination for Costume Design by Bill Thomas. The musical song score is by Robert and Richard Sherman...
(1967) - Finian's RainbowFinian's Rainbow (film)Finian's Rainbow is a 1968 American musical film directed by Francis Ford Coppola that stars Fred Astaire and Petula Clark. The screenplay by E. Y. Harburg and Fred Saidy is based on their 1947 stage musical of the same name.-Plot:...
(1968) - Twelfth Night (1969) (made for TV)
- Where's Jack?Where's Jack?Where's Jack? is a 1969 film based around the exploits of notorious 18th century criminal Jack Sheppard and London "thieftaker" Jonathan Wild....
(1969) - The Yeomen of the GuardThe Yeomen of the GuardThe Yeomen of the Guard; or, The Merryman and His Maid, is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 3 October 1888, and ran for 423 performances...
(1978) - Quincy's QuestQuincy's QuestQuincy's Quest is a 1979 British family film directed by Robert Reed and starring Tommy Steele, Mel Martin and Charles Morgan. In a department store the unwanted toys are set to be destroyed. One of the rejects, a doll named Quincy, goes on a quest to find the store Santa Claus who is the only...
(1979)
Quotations
NMENME
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...
- September 1957