Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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COGAN, Alma

(b 19 May '32, London; d there 26 Oct. '66) Singer. Started in chorus of West End musical High Button Shoes with another young hopeful, Audrey Hepburn. First record 'To Be Worthy Of You' '52; featured in radio series Take It From Here '53--4; UK chart hits each year '59--61. Ed Sullivan show in USA '56 led to cabaret at Waldorf Astoria, minor USA hit 'You, Me And Us'. First female singer to have her own major TV series in UK ('59--61). Her popularity was wide; 'Just Couldn't Resist Her With Her Pocket Transistor' was no. 1 in Japan, 'Never Do A Tango With An Eskimo' a hit in Iceland. Best known for bright, up-tempo numbers, but she also did ballads: LP How About Love '62 incl. 'If Love Were All', said to be No‰l Coward's favourite version of his song; on TV she was famous for a large wardrobe of gowns. Novel Alma Cogan '91 by Gordon Burn was highly praised, using Cogan's image as a paradigm, but did not pretend to be a biography.