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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZCLARK, Petula(b 15 November 1932, Epsom, Surrey) Singer, actress. She made a radio debut at age nine, film A Medal For The General age twelve. Other films included London Town '46, Dance Hall '50, The Card '52, Finian's Rainbow '68 (she was Fred Astaire's last big-screen dancing partner), Goodbye Mr Chips '69 (opposite Peter O'Toole), Never Never Land '81. Her first UK hit was 'The Little Shoemaker' '54; she became an international star in the 1960s: with 'Downtown' the clear accuracy and warm colour of her voice hit the USA charts like a blast of fresh air; it was no. 1 and 'I Know A Place' no. 3 in '65; both won Grammys. 'My Love' was no. 1 '66; altogether 15 chart entries in USA '65-8, 27 in UK '54-72 not counting re- entries. 'Sailor' '61 and 'This Is My Song' '67 were no. 1 in the UK. One of her best-known fans was quirky Canadian classical pianist Glenn Gould, who wrote an essay about her. She got an ovation at the Academy Awards show '71 singing 'All We Know'. There were scores of TV appearances, and she played Maria in a London revival of Sound Of Music. She has lived in Switzerland for many years, married to record company executive Claude Wolff. She wrote songs using the name Al Grant. She was still recording in 2013, releasing a new album, Lost In You. One of nature's singers, when asked what her favorite song is, she says 'the new one.' 'A new song feels like a love affair--because it's fresh to you, you're still finding out things about it.' (Interview with Bob Greene in the Wall Street Journal) |