Petula Clark
Petula Clark, CBE (* November 15, 1932 in Epsom, Surrey in the UK as Petula Sally Olwen Clark) is a British actress and pop singer.
Life
Petula Clark was already seven years old with song contributions on the stage, with eleven she had her own radio show "Pet 's Parlour " and got her first film role in 1944 in "A Medal for the General ." By 1950, she had already appeared in 20 films. Thus, they had become the child star in the UK. From 1949 she began to publish records. Their first record came out in Australia with the cover of Teresa Brewer's title " Music, Music, Music". In 1950 she was awarded by the British record company Polygon Records, which later became the Pye label, was a recording contract. With " Where Did My Snowman Go? " (Polygon P1056 ) she came first time in 1953 in the British charts ( # 19 ). By 1957, they had already placed there seven titles. During these years she was also present on the stage, in radio and television and in film.
In the British media, Clark was still marketed as a star with the youthful image. The now 25 -year-old could not escape in her home this definition and therefore could be from 1957 in France, where she had already become known through French-language record release and a successful concert at the Paris Olympia. She closed with the French record label Vogue from a contract that ensured that Clark in the next few years in France had more hits than in their homeland. In 1961 she married the French journalist Claude Wolff and got him with two daughters and a son in 1972.
From 1960 Petula Clark began to publish in foreign languages plates. The beginning made them in Germany, where their records were also released by Vogue. The first German single, " You are my initial " / " St. Tropez "was produced in London's Pye Studios in 1960. However, it was not published until two years later in the fall of 1962 by Vogue under No. 14027 DV, but was unsuccessful. A few weeks earlier Petula Clark had been with the German title " Monsieur " (DV 14 006 ) conquered the German hit parade, which advanced all the 1st place and was awarded a gold record. Clark published until 1971, a total of 22 singles in the German language, five of which came in the Top Ten. She also sang as successful records in Italian and Spanish.
In 1961, Clark also reported back to the British charts. With the English cover version "Sailor" of the successful German title "sailor" ( Lolita, Polydor 24177 ) it reached number 1 in the UK. 1964 began her collaboration with British producer and songwriter Tony Hatch and thus the most successful period of her career. Coinciding with the first joint song "Downtown" Petula Clark gained worldwide success in 1964. In the UK, she landed Thus, although only in second place, but could not conquer with this song also the U.S. market, where "Downtown" 16 weeks held in the charts and became a number -one hit. He was awarded the Grammy for best rock and roll single. In Germany, both the English and a German version landed at # 1 on the charts. After the successful debut in the U.S., where Clarks plates of Warner Bros. were released, they came to 1982 with a 22 tracks in the Top 100 and was often more successful than in their native England with her songs. With " My Love" in 1966 she managed a second time the jump to the chart peak in the United States. Clark's biggest international success was composed by Charlie Chaplin theme song from Chaplin's last film, " The Countess of Hong Kong". The first published in 1967 entitled "This Is My Song" ( German cover version "Love - this is my song ," DV 14605 ) was listed in the charts worldwide. He was taken in January 1967 in Los Angeles, first in German, French and Italian, followed by the last English version, which should have the most success. In the UK, it was the second number-one placement.
Under the pseudonym Al Grant Petula Clark also worked as Songkomponistin. Some wrote of her titles published as German cover versions, such as " Darling pardon " (DV 14 345, Now That You've Gone ), "Beautiful as today " (DV 14561, Where Did We Go Wrong ) and " Come dance with me " (DV 14596, Dance with Me).
In addition to her recordings Clark toured Europe, Africa, and finally through North America. In the U.S., she performed in nightclubs and television shows. From 1968 she devoted herself again to the movie business and took over roles among others in the movie " Finian's Rainbow" (1968) and "Good Bye, Mr. Chips " (1969). In 1993 she was in the musical " Blood Brothers " in New York made her Broadway debut. In London's West End in 1995, she took over the role of Norma in Webber's " Sunset Boulevard ". In 1998 she was appointed by the British Queen Elizabeth II as a Commander of the British Empire.
Discography
→ Main article: Petula Clark / Discography
Known songs:
- Sailor (1961 )
- Romeo (1961)
- Monsieur (1962 )
- Baciami Casanova (1963 )
- Downtown (1964 )
- I Know a Place (1965 )
- My Love (1965 )
- This Is My Song (1967 )