Tommy Steele had tried many odd jobs before he turned up at the famous "2
I's" coffee bar in London. There he was "discovered" by Larry Parnes
and became one of Britain's first manufactured pop stars. With his
cheeky grin and gently rocking songs he wasn't the threat to Elvis Presley
that Parnes wanted. Despite this, Tommy has gone on to a long and
rewarding film and stage career.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Steve Crook <steve@brainstorm.co.uk>
Has made more appearances than any other artist at The London Palladium.
His one-man show, "An Evening with Tommy Steele", ran for fourteen months at the Prince of Wales Theatre in 1979/80 and is in the Guinness Book of Theatre Facts and Feats as "the longest running one-man show in West End history".
The son of a tailor, he was discovered by Larry Parnes, who renamed him "Tommy Steele", and manufactured him into Britain's first pop star.
Was nominated for Broadway's 1965 Tony Award as Best Actor (Musical) for "Half a Sixpence" in the role of Arthur Kipps - which he later recreated for the film version of the same name, Half a Sixpence (1967). One of his co-stars was John Cleese.
His second single "Singin' the Blues" reached No. 1 in 1956.
[on being made a Knight] It's a combination of a bit of excitement and dreamland. You naturally want to ring the world because it is a wonderful thing.