Tommy Steele (born Decemter 17th, 1936) is a British entertainer.
Steele was regarded as Britain's first pop star. Born Thomas Hicks in London, his cheeky Cockney image, combined with boy-next-door looks, won him success as a singer after starting out as an actor and variety entertainer.
Missing imageTommySteele.jpg With Petula Clark in Finian's Rainbow
Most of Steele's
1950s recordings were covers of American hits, such as "Singin' the Blues". The increase in home-grown musical talent during the
1960s allowed him to progress to a career in stage and film musicals. In the
West End he appeared as
Hans Christian Andersen. On film, he recreated his stage role in
Half A Sixpence, and played character roles in
Disney's
The Happiest Millionaire and
Finian's Rainbow with
Petula Clark and
Fred Astaire, although many critics found his manic personality to be somewhat overwhelming for the screen. He also starred in the movie musical
Tommy the Toreador, which yielded the hit single "Little White Bull".
In 1983 he directed and starred in the West End stage production of Singin' in the Rain at the famed London Palladium.
In 2003, he toured in a production of the musical Scrooge, an adaption of A Christmas Carol.
He has one daughter, Emma.