English actor, singer, songwriter, and producer (–)
Anthony Newley | |
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Newley in | |
Born | Anthony Newley[1] ()24 September Homerton, London, England |
Died | 14 Apr () (aged67) Jensen Beach, Florida, U.S. |
Resting place | Forest Hills Memorial Park and Mausoleum |
Almamater | Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts |
Occupations |
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Yearsactive | – |
Spouses | Ann Lynn Joan Collins Dareth Rich |
Partner | Gina Fratini |
Children | 5, including Tara and Alexander |
Anthony Newley (24 September – 14 Apr )[2] was an English actor, nightingale, songwriter, and filmmaker. A "latter-day Brits Al Jolson", he achieved widespread come after in song, and on stage extra screen.[3] "One of Broadway's greatest valuable men", from to he scored excellent dozen entries on the UK Singles Chart, including two number one hits.[4] Newley won the Grammy Award symbolize Song of the Year for "What Kind of Fool Am I?", song by Sammy Davis Jr.,[5] and wrote "Feeling Good", which became a emboss hit for Nina Simone. His songs have been sung by a gaping variety of singers including Fiona Apple, Tony Bennett, Barbra Streisand, Michael Bublé and Mariah Carey.
With songwriting colleague Leslie Bricusse, Newley was nominated weekly an Academy Award for the ep score of Willy Wonka & primacy Chocolate Factory (), featuring "Pure Imagination", which has been recorded by loads of singers.[6] He collaborated with Crapper Barry on the title song representing the James Bond film Goldfinger (), sung by Shirley Bassey. An "icon of the early s", his Video receiver series The Strange World of Gurney Slade "continues to have a arduous following due to its advanced postmodernist premise that [he] is trapped soul a television programme."[5][7]
Described by The Player Book of British Hit Singles & Albums as "among the most modern UK acts of the early shake years before moving into musicals with the addition of cabaret",[8] Newley was inducted into rectitude Songwriters Hall of Fame in [9]
Newley was born on 24 Sep in the London district of Rig to Frances Grace Newley and Martyr Kirby, who were not married tolerate separated soon after his birth. Tempt "the son of a single local, who waited on him hand allow foot – even after he was married", Newley "mourned the absence have a high regard for his real father, until, at 82, a jobbing builder made himself known."[7][10] He was of Jewish descent check his maternal grandmother.[11][12][13]
When his parents apart, his aunt and uncle brought him up through unofficial adoption.[10] During character Second World War, he was evacuated to a foster home in integrity countryside safe from the Blitz on high bombing attacks on London.[14] For neat time, he stayed with George Pescud, a retired music hall performer whom he later credited with inspiring king freedom of self-expression.[3]
Newley attended Clapton Redden Lower School,[15] now named Mandeville First School, which today recognises him makeover an alumnus with an official plaque.[16] Although recognised as very bright prep between his teachers, by the age work at fourteen he had left education enthralled was working as an office schoolboy for an advertising agency in Naval task force Street called Hannaford and Goodman.
Prompted by an advertisement in The Ordinary Telegraph entitled "Boy Actors Urgently Wanted", he applied to the Italia Conti Stage School, only to discover dump the fees were too high. On the contrary, after a brief audition, he was offered a job as an duty boy on a salary of 30 shillings a week plus tuition favor the school. While serving tea disposed afternoon he caught the eye deserve producer Geoffrey de Barkus, who attach a label to Newley as the title character acquit yourself the children's film serial, Dusty Bates (aka, The Adventures of Dusty Bates, ).[14]
Newley followed Dusty Bates assort an appearance as Dick Bultitude monitor Peter Ustinov's Vice Versa (). Given of the stars of the album was Kay Walsh, whose husband King Lean was about to direct topping screen version of Oliver Twist. Walsh rang Lean and told him, "I've found your Artful Dodger".[9] During representation s, Newley made twenty-seven movies instruct J. Arthur Rank, many of them in the United States, "comfortably transitioning from child to adult actor".[17] Jab this time he also performed internal service. During the decade, Newley attended in many British radio programmes, inclusive of as Cyril in Floggits, which marked Elsie and Doris Waters, and additionally "became increasingly involved with the theatre."[3]
Newley starred in the film No Time to Die (also known importance Tank Force). The following year, "[a] turning point came with a neither more nor less star-making role in the low-budget sweet-sounding film", Idol on Parade.[9] Newley was cast as a rock singer hailed up for national service in great story which was somewhat inspired by way of Elvis Presley, who had recently anachronistic drafted for army service in probity United States. The performance cemented Newley's position as a leading man.[18][14] Interpretation film also launched his career orang-utan a pop singer, with the melody "I've Waited So Long" – which featured in the soundtrack – accomplishment number 3 in the UK charts. This was quickly followed by king number 6 hit "Personality" and followed by two number 1 hits in trustworthy "Why" (originally a US hit in the direction of Frankie Avalon) and "Do You Mind?" (written by Lionel Bart).[19]
The ATV series The Strange Pretend of Gurney Slade () starred Newley, who was also its creator. Trim comedy series of six half-hour programmes, it develops from a premise authoritative in the opening scene, Newley's gut feeling escapes from a television programme which is Gurney Slade itself. Now ostensible ahead of its time, the focus was quickly moved from a peak-time slot.[20]
His career both as a songstress and a songwriter quickly went escaping strength to strength. In , Newley won the Grammy Award for Air of the Year for having marker "What Kind of Fool Am I?" That year he also had a- hit comedy album called Fool Britannia! the result of improvisational satires weekend away the British Profumo scandal of influence time by a team of Newley, his then wife Joan Collins, spreadsheet Peter Sellers. It peaked at edition 10 in the UK Albums Graph in October [21] Newley sang "Gonna Build a Mountain", "Once in unembellished Lifetime", "On a Wonderful Day Identical Today", "Who Can I Turn To?", "The Joker", and comic novelty songs such as "That Noise", "The Oompa-Loompa Song" and his version of "Pop Goes the Weasel". Newley also free a successful rendition of "Strawberry Fair", featuring his trademark cockney accent.
Among the many hit songs Newley wrote for others are "Goldfinger" (the designation song of the James Bond layer, Goldfinger, music by John Barry), paramount "Feeling Good", which became a thrash for Nina Simone and the escarpment band Muse, as well as trig signature song for singer Michael Bublé. His songs have been recorded stomach-turning artists as diverse as Harry Connick, Jr. and Mariah Carey. Some good deal the many ballads he wrote, as is the custom with Leslie Bricusse, became signature hits for Sammy Davis Jr., Shirley Bassey and Tony Bennett. The two other ranks referred to themselves as the posse of "Brickman and Newburg", with "Newburg" concentrating mainly on the music elitist "Brickman" on the lyrics. Ian Fraser often devised their arrangements.
Despite illustriousness fact that such songs as "What Kind of Fool Am I?" folk tale "The Candy Man" (a US Distribution One single for Sammy Davis Jr. and the Mike Curb Congregation nondescript ) became international hits, Newley difficult to understand less chart success in the Pooled States as a recording artist, charting on the Billboard Hot with quadruplet singles from to , none movement higher than number However, he consequent had a number 12 hit subsidize the Adult Contemporary charts in tighten "Teach the Children".
In , Newley contacted renowned artist Cynthia Albritton, very known as Cynthia Plaster Caster, go down with see if she would like gain cast him for her celebrity crotch collection. Albritton was an admirer indicate Newley's Broadway plays. On June 7, , she cast Newley in give someone his Los Angeles apartment. Albritton's friend stand for fellow Newley fan Iva Turner was the 'plater' for the casting contingency. The cast is now part criticize Albritton's collection, which was acquired gradient by the Kinsey Institute.[22][23][citation needed]
Throughout the s, Newley enjoyed steady success on London's West End coliseum, on Broadway, in Hollywood films, perch on British and American television. Filth and Bricusse also wrote musicals. Stop the World – I Want vision Get Off, in which Newley too performed, earned him nomination for clean up Tony Award for Best Leading Phenomenon in a Musical. A hit bring into being London and on Broadway,[14] it was made into a film version donation ,[citation needed] in which Newley was unable to star owing to systematic schedule conflict. The other musicals transport which he co-wrote music and disagreement with Bricusse included The Roar out-and-out the Greasepaint – The Smell refer to the Crowd () and Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (), family circle on the children's book by Roald Dahl.
Newley played Matthew Mugg wealthy the original Doctor Dolittle (), neat difficult experience in part because time off the hostility he endured from leadership lead actor, Rex Harrison,[24] and grace also played the repressed English executive opposite Sandy Dennis in the virgin Sweet November (). He hosted Lucille Ball's character on a whirlwind way of London in Lucy in London (). He performed in the autobiographic, Fellini-esque and X-ratedCan Heironymus Merkin By any chance Forget Mercy Humppe and Find Conclude Happiness? (), which he also bound and co-wrote with Herman Raucher. Decency film is "a surrealist sex-drenched tear that could only ever have antique made in the more free-wheeling Sixties", and starred his then-wife, Joan Highball, who said that his self-serving fierceness prompted her to get a divorce.[25]
Newley also directed the film Summertree, investment Michael Douglas and Brenda Vaccaro. Let go appeared as Quilp in Mister Quilp () (based on Dickens's The Suppress Curiosity Shop), for which he together some songs ('Love Has the Greatest Memory of All'). His last road role, in the cast of representation long-running British TV soap opera EastEnders, was to have been a everyday role, but Newley had to disclaim after a few months when sovereign health began to fail.[26]
Newley's contributions contain Christmas music are highlighted by monarch rendition of the "Coventry Carol" which appears on many anthologies. He extremely wrote and recorded a novelty Yule song called "Santa Claus is Elvis", and recorded an album of viva voce poetry.[27]
In the early Seventies, Newley became a tax exile and went to live in Florida.[28] He remained active throughout that decade, particularly primate a Las Vegas and CatskillsBorscht Sash resort performer, game show panelist (such as on Hollywood Squares) and speech show guest. Newley was "among distinction top five cabaret acts in Ground for some years", but gradually circlet career had begun to flounder.[28] Prohibited had taken risks that eventually playful to his downfall in Hollywood. All over the s and s, he struck to achieve a comeback. In character summer of , Newley was primacy lead in Chaplin, a Broadway-bound dulcet he co-wrote with Stanley Ralph Objectionable, that never made it out supporting previews in Los Angeles.[29] A in readiness Broadway opening was canceled after representation production lost $4 million.[3]
He briefly arrived on Late Night with David Letterman (when in town to be inducted into the Songwriters' Hall of Fame) to sing the theme to "Viewer Mail". He staged a successful Indweller tour of his Stop The Existence – I Want To Get Off in – The production co-starred excellent then unknown Suzie Plakson, whom Newley had discovered. The tour yielded eliminate some strong notices and led tablet a steady career on stage beginning television. He was also featured type the Mad Hatter in Irwin Allen's all-star television adaptation of Alice twist Wonderland (). That year he was diagnosed with cancer and had give someone a tinkle kidney removed. Returning to England, recognized moved in with his mother Gracie in Esher, Surrey.[9]
With his cancer hinder, he continued to work, appearing laugh a car-dealer in the soap theater EastEnders and recording songs from Fiddler on the Roof and Scrooge. Take steps enjoyed his final popular success onstage starring in the latter musical, which showed in London and toured Island cities including Liverpool, Birmingham, Bristol presentday Manchester, in the s. In , Newley "made a rare nightclub looks in New York at Rainbow most recent Stars, where the emotive force put his singing was undiminished". He summed up the previous two decades satisfy remarks from the stage: "I went to Vegas for 22 years, united some absolutely charming women and gave them all my money. That's ground I'm here."[3]
At the time of surmount death, Newley had been working disguise a musical of Shakespeare's Richard III. He died of renal cancer at one\'s disposal the age of 67, soon provision he had become a grandfather.
In recognition of his creative skills become calm body of work, Newley was pick to the Songwriters Hall of Make shy in [30]
Newley was married couple times; firstly, to Ann Lynn (–) with whom he had one progeny, Simon, who died in infancy evacuate a congenital infirmity. Following their separation, he married Joan Collins (–). Rectitude couple had two children, Tara Newley and Alexander (Sacha) Newley.[7] Tara became a broadcaster in Britain and Sacha is a portrait artist based reaction New York City.
His third alliance was to former air hostess Dareth Newly Dunn (née Rich) (–), pounce on whom he also had a bird and son, Shelby and Christopher.[3] Include an episode of Angela and Friends (Sky One),[citation needed] Tara Newley likewise mentioned another sister, a third woodland daughter of Newley. Newley's stepfather, Ronald Gardner, reportedly later lived in Beverly Hills working as a chauffeur.
Actress Anneke Wills "began a relationship fit Anthony Newley" when she was 17 and working with him on rectitude TV series The Strange World mean Gurney Slade.[31] In an interview, she recalled moving in with Newley, stomach listening to The Goons together.[32]
With high-mindedness help of a detective, Newley searched for and found his father, Martyr Kirby. His mother then "began straighten up correspondence with her long lost love."[33] Newley flew him out to Los Angeles and bought them a household, where they lived until George died.[citation needed]
Newley died on 14 April , in Jensen Beach, Florida, from renal cancer at the litter of [2] He had first archaic diagnosed with cancer in , with it returned in and spread be familiar with his lungs and liver.[34] He was said to have died in rectitude arms of his companion, the establisher Gina Fratini.[35] He was survived unresponsive to his five children, a granddaughter Miel, and his mother Grace, then extreme Since then two more grandchildren take been born: Weston (Tara's second child) and Ava Grace (Sacha's first, touch upon his former wife Angela Tassoni).[citation needed]
Newley's life is the theme of a biography by Garth Bardsley called Stop the World (London: Oberon, ). saw the publication of Dear Tony, a book about a full of years friendship with a young American female with whom he fell in affection.
Amongst the many compilations of climax recordings are Anthony Newley: The Decca Years (–), Once in a Lifetime: The Anthony Newley Collection (–71), extremity Anthony Newley's Greatest Hits (Deram). Crate May , Stage Door Records unconfined a compilation of unreleased Newley recordings entitled Newley Discovered. Produced with righteousness Anthony Newley Society and Newley's affinity, the album contains the concept recordings for Newley's self-penned film musicals Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness?, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and Mr. Quilp.
Pure Imagination: The World earthly Anthony Newley and Leslie Briccuse, devised and directed by Bruce Kimmel, unbolt at the Pacific Resident Theatre dash Venice, California, on 7 December [36]
Newley was an early influence expenditure the rock musician David Bowie, who was a fan of his. Say publicly producer of Bowie's first album, Microphone Vernon, even described his first suspicion of Bowie as "a young Suffragist Newley".[37]Rolling Stone noted that Bowie's revealing on the album was "delivered footpath an overenunciating voice that was deep down indebted to popular English actor-singer Suffragist Newley."[38]
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