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It's All Happening (film)
''It's All Happening'' (also known as ''The Dream Maker'') is a 1963 British musical film directed by Don Sharp and starring Tommy Steele, Michael Medwin and Angela Douglas. It was written by Leigh Vance. Premise A talent scout for a record company is frustrated by his lack of progress with his career. When the orphanage where he was brought up is threatened with closing, he decides to organize a concert featuring all the most up-to-date singers and bands. Selected cast * Tommy Steele as Billy Bowles * Michael Medwin as Max Catlin * Angela Douglas as Julie Singleton * Jean Harvey as Delia * Bernard Bresslaw as Parsons * Walter Hudd as J.B. Magdeburg * John Tate as Julian Singleton * Janet Henfrey as April * Richard Goolden as Lord Sweatstone * Keith Faulkner as Mick * Edward Cast as Hugh * Anthony Dawes as Cyril Bong Production Produced for $430,000, the film was shot and ready for release in cinemas in only six weeks. Director Don Sharp had made a similar musical ''The G ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Don Sharp
Donald Herman Sharp (19 April 192114 December 2011) was an Australian film director. His best known films were made for Hammer Film Productions, Hammer in the 1960s, and included ''Kiss of the Vampire (film), Kiss of the Vampire'' (1963) and ''Rasputin, the Mad Monk'' (1966). In 1965 he directed ''The Face of Fu Manchu'', based on the character created by Sax Rohmer, and starring Christopher Lee. Sharp also directed the sequel ''The Brides of Fu Manchu'' (1966). In the 1980s he was also responsible for several hugely popular miniseries adapted from the novels of Barbara Taylor Bradford. Early career Early life Sharp was born in Hobart, Tasmania, in 1921, according to official military records and his own account (some sources still give 1922 as his year of birth). He was the second of four children. He attended St Virgil's College and began appearing regularly in theatre productions at the Playhouse Theatre in Hobart, where he trained under a young Stanley Burbury. He later sa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Golden Disc
''The Golden Disc'' (also known as ''The In-Between Age'') is a 1958 British pop musical film directed by Don Sharp, starring Terry Dene and Mary Steele. It was written by Sharp and Don Nicholl based on a story by Gee Nicholl. A young man and a young woman open a trendy coffee bar and discover a singing star. Plot Joan Farmer, with the help of her friend Harry Blair, persuades her aunt to turn her worn-out cafe into a trendy espresso bar for teenagers. The opening of the bar allowed the discovery of a singing star, Terry Dene. Later on, the coffee bar was transformed into a recording company. After various adventures, Terry sells a million records in America, and Joan and Harry fall in love. Cast * Lee Patterson as Harry Blair * Mary Steele as Joan Farmer * Terry Dene as himself * Linda Gray as Aunt Sarah * Ronald Adam (actor), Ronald Adam as Mr. Dryden * Peter Dyneley as Mr. Washington * David Jacobs (broadcaster), David Jacobs as himself * Richard Turner as morose man * Mar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Variety (magazine)
''Variety'' is an American trade magazine owned by Penske Media Corporation. It was founded by Sime Silverman in New York City in 1905 as a weekly newspaper reporting on theater and vaudeville. In 1933, ''Daily Variety'' was launched, based in Los Angeles, to cover the film industry, motion-picture industry. ''Variety'' website features entertainment news, reviews, box office results, plus a credits database, production charts and film calendar. History Founding ''Variety'' has been published since December 16, 1905, when it was launched by Sime Silverman as a weekly periodical covering theater and vaudeville, with its headquarters in New York City. Silverman had been fired by ''The Morning Telegraph'' in 1905 for panning an act which had taken out an advert for $50. He subsequently decided to start his own publication that, he said, would "not be influenced by advertising." With a loan of $1,500 from his father-in-law, he launched ''Variety'' as publisher and editor. In additi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Monthly Film Bulletin
The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 until April 1991, when it merged with '' Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those with a narrow arthouse release. History The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was edited in the mid-1950s by David Robinson, in the late 1950s and early 1960s by Peter John Dyer, and then by Tom Milne. By the end of the 1960s, when the character and tone of its reviews changed considerably with the arrival of a new generation of critics influenced by the student culture and intellectual tumult of the time (not least the overthrow of old ideas of "taste" and quality), David Wilson was the editor. It was then edited by Jan Dawson (1938 – 1980), for two years from 1971, and from 1973 until its demise by the New Zealand-born critic Richard Combs. In 1991, the ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was merged with '' Sight & Sound'', which had until then be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carol Deene
Carol Deene (born Carole Carver; 3 August 1944) is an English pop singer and radio host who achieved success in the early 1960s. Biography Early career After appearing on Joan Regan's BBC TV programme ''Be My Guest'' in 1961,Larkin C., ''Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music'', (Muze UK Ltd, 1997), , p. 148 at the age of 16, Deene was signed to the His Master's Voice label. She scored her first chart hit in late 1961, and three Top 40 hits on the UK Singles Chart in 1962. Recordings Deene's first hit was " Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)", a number 44 entry on the UK chart in October 1961. The song was a cover of a US hit written by John D. Loudermilk and originally performed by pop/country singer Sue Thompson; this was a formula repeated for Deene's second hit, " Norman", which reached number 24 in January 1962. In a different mould, Deene covered Joanie Somers' US chart hit " Johnny Get Angry" for her third single, and saw it reach number 32 in July that year. Deene's fourth ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dai Francis (singer)
Dai Francis (23 February 1928 – 27 November 2003) was a Welsh singer, best known for his performances with the Black and White Minstrels. Francis was born in Glynneath, Glamorgan, the son of a music hall entertainer. Dai himself began performing at the age of ten, "blacking up" to sing Dixieland-style numbers. He left school at fourteen to work for the National Coal Board. Retrieved 24 December 2015 During National Service with the RAF in 1946-49, where he served alongside Barry Took, Francis played in a forces band. He later began touring as an entertainer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Boulter
John Boulter is a British tenor best known for his appearances as a soloist in the BBC's long-running variety series ''The Black and White Minstrel Show''. Along with bass Tony Mercer and baritone Dai Francis, Boulter was one of the show's three front men. Early life Boulter was born in Gillingham, Kent, and was educated at Gillingham Grammar School and later at Number One School of Technical Training in the Royal Air Force. From there he entered the Royal Academy of Music where he won Gold, Silver and Bronze medals for his singing, and was awarded an Associateship of the Academy in recognition of his work. He was an "apprentice Airframe Fitter" in the RAF before becoming a professional singer. Career In 1960 he appeared in a South African production of '' Lock Up Your Daughters'', and joined George Mitchell's Minstrels during the 1950s. He went on to appear in the stage and television versions of ''The Black and White Minstrel Show'' and on recordings made by the troupe. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Norman Newell
Norman Newell (25 January 1919 – 1 December 2004) was an English record producer and lyricist, who was mainly active in the 1950s and 1960s. He was also the co-writer of many notable songs. As an A&R manager for EMI, he worked with musicians such as Shirley Bassey, Dalida, Claude François, Vera Lynn, Russ Conway, Bette Midler, Judy Garland, Petula Clark, Jake Thackray, Malcolm Roberts, Bobby Crush and Peter and Gordon. Newell was particularly known for his recorded productions of West End musicals. His songs have been covered by Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Celine Dion and Aretha Franklin. In 1999, Newell's song, " Portrait of My Love", originally recorded by Matt Monro in 1960, was honoured at the BMI Awards in London for having two million radio plays. Early life Newell was born in Plaistow, Essex (now part of Greater London) to a poor family. He aspired to be an actor, but expected to work for London Transport. During the Second World War, Newell befriended th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Russ Conway
Russ Conway, DSM (born Trevor Herbert Stanford; 2 September 1925 – 16 November 2000) was an English popular music pianist and composer. Conway had 20 piano instrumentals in the UK Singles Chart between 1957 and 1963, including two number one hits. Early life Trevor Herbert Stanford was born on 2 September 1925 in Bristol, England.Larkin C (1997) ''Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music'', Muze UK Ltd, p. 125 His mother, Patara Mallia (née Green) was an amateur pianist and contralto, and his father, Herbert Stanford, a clerical worker. Stanford won a scholarship to Bristol Cathedral Choir School. After leaving school, aged 14, he attended secretarial college before working as a solicitor's clerk. The employment ended when, on his fifteen birthday, Stanford was sent to a Borstal detention centre for a three-year term after stealing some money he found in a packet. It was in borstal that he taught himself the piano. A few months later, in January 1941, his mother died. F ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Danny Williams (singer)
Danny Williams (7 January 1942 – 6 December 2005) was a South African-born British pop singer who earned the nickname "Britain's Johnny Mathis", for his smooth and stylish way with a ballad. He is best known for his 1961 UK number one version of "Moon River" and his 1964 U.S. top ten hit, "White on White". Career Born in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa, Williams won a talent contest at the age of 14 and joined a touring show called Golden City Dixies that played throughout South Africa. In 1959, the show came to London where Williams impressed EMI's Norman Newell, who signed the young singer to a recording contract. He was to spend most of his life in the United Kingdom, where at first he made a few moderately successful singles, mainly popular ballads, before scoring a number-one hit with his cover version of "Moon River" in 1961. To this day, it remains his most famous record; he also scored a No. 8 chart hit with " The Wonderful World of the Young" in April ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marion Ryan
Marion Ryan (4 February 1931 – 15 January 1999) was a British singer in the 1950s in the early years of British Independent Television. She was once called "the Marilyn Monroe of popular song". Early life Born in Middlesbrough, North Riding of Yorkshire, England, she attended Notre Dame Collegiate School for Girls in Leeds, now Notre Dame Catholic Sixth Form College. Career Marion Ryan was working in a hosiery shop in Leeds and she broke into show business when she approached Ray Ellington who was performing at the Locarno in Liverpool in July 1953 and asked to sing with his quartet. He allowed her to do so and the audience reaction was so good he signed her up to work with the quartet. She made her debut with them at the Locarno, Glasgow in September 1953. Her first radio appearance took place on the show "Stepping Out at Radio Roadhouse" on the Light Programme on 27 October 1953 when the Ellington quartet were the guest band. She continued to tour with Ellington until 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shane Fenton
Bernard William Jewry (27 September 1942 – 23 October 2014), known professionally as Shane Fenton and later as Alvin Stardust, was an English rock singer and stage actor. Performing first as Shane Fenton in the 1960s, Jewry had a moderately successful career in the pre-Beatles era, hitting the UK top 40 with four singles in 1961–62. However, he became better known for singles released in the 1970s and 1980s as Alvin Stardust, a character he began in the glam rock era, with hits including the UK Singles Chart-topper " Jealous Mind", as well as later hits such as "Pretend" and " I Feel Like Buddy Holly". Early life and career Bernard William Jewry was born 27 September 1942 in Muswell Hill, then in Middlesex (now in the London Borough of Haringey). Having moved at a young age to Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, where his mother ran a boarding house frequented by musicians and entertainers appearing locally, Jewry attended the Southwell Minster Collegiate Grammar School (now Sou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
