(1936-12-17) 17 December 1936 (age 87) London, England
Genres
Rock and roll, skiffle
Occupation(s)
Singer, actor
Instrument(s)
Vocals, guitar, banjo
Years active
1956–present
Labels
Decca, Columbia, RCA Victor
Spouse(s)
Ann Donoghue
(m. 1960)
Musical artist
Sir Thomas HicksOBE (born 17 December 1936), known professionally as Tommy Steele, is an English entertainer, regarded as Britain's first teen idol and rock and roll star.[1][2]
After being discovered at the 2i's Coffee Bar in Soho, London, Steele recorded a string of hit singles including "Rock with the Caveman" (1956) and the chart-topper "Singing the Blues" (1957). Steele's rise to fame was dramatised in The Tommy Steele Story (1957), the soundtrack of which was the first British album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart. With collaborators Lionel Bart and Mike Pratt, Steele received the 1958 Ivor Novello Award for Most Outstanding Song of the Year for "A Handful of Songs". He starred in further musical films including The Duke Wore Jeans (1958) and Tommy the Toreador (1959), the latter spawning the hit "Little White Bull".
Steele shifted away from rock and roll in the 1960s, becoming an all-round entertainer. He originated the part of Kipps in Half a Sixpence in the West End and on Broadway, reprising his role in the 1967 film version. As an actor, he notably appeared in the films The Happiest Millionaire (1967) and Finian's Rainbow (1968) and as the lead in several West End productions of Singin' in the Rain. Also an author and sculptor, Steele remains active. He was knighted in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to entertainment and charity and was awarded the Freedom of the City of London in 2021.
Sir Thomas Hicks OBE (born 17 December 1936), known professionally as TommySteele, is an English entertainer, regarded as Britain's first teen idol and...
This is the discography of English rock and roll singer TommySteele, both with the Steelmen and as a solo artist. This is a list of EPs released in the...
The TommySteele Story is a 1957 British film directed by Gerard Bryant and starring TommySteele, dramatising Steele's rise to fame as a teen idol. Along...
TommySteele in Search of Charlie Chaplin is a 1971 British TV special starring TommySteele about the origins of Charlie Chaplin. Steele visits south-east...
Pornick in the original London production of Half a Sixpence opposite TommySteele, citing her first leading role as a career highlight. The playwright...
Tommy the Toreador is a 1959 British musical comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring TommySteele, Janet Munro, Sid James, Bernard Cribbins...
vehicle for British pop star TommySteele. The show is based on H.G. Wells's 1905 novel Kipps: The Story of a Simple Soul. Steele played Arthur Kipps, an orphan...
December 15, 1966. In autumn of 1916, Irish immigrant John Lawless (TommySteele) has applied for a butler position with eccentric Philadelphia millionaire...
was a British writer and composer of pop music and musicals. He wrote TommySteele's "Rock with the Caveman" and was the sole creator of the musical Oliver...
singer TommySteele (with the Steelmen) and the other (recorded before Mitchell covered it) by US country singer Marty Robbins. TommySteele's version...
starred in the national tour of Singin' in the Rain, which was directed by TommySteele. In June 1996, Nicholas played the role of King Arthur in the Covent...
original production of Half a Sixpence (Cambridge Theatre, 1963, with TommySteele); and The Platinum Cat (Wyndham's Theatre, London, 1965, with Kenneth...
anglicised the name of his Swedish grandfather to become known as TommySteele. Steele achieved popular success, some of his songs being co-written by Parnes'...
rock and rollers soon began to appear, including Wee Willie Harris and TommySteele. During this period American Rock and Roll remained dominant but in 1958...
TommySteele Stage Show is a live album by English entertainer TommySteele, released as a 10-inch LP by Decca in March 1957. A concert recording of Steele...
A version ran in 1958 at the London Coliseum with a cast including TommySteele, Yana, Jimmy Edwards, Kenneth Williams and Betty Marsden. This version...
ushering in the sound of British rock. Several artists, most prominently TommySteele from the UK, found success with covers of major American rock and roll...
singer TommySteele, released as a single in November 1959. It was included on the EP Tommy the Toreador from the film of the same name in which Steele also...
roll scene was starting to take off, producing home-grown stars like TommySteele, Marty Wilde and Cliff Richard and the Shadows (themselves originally...
1958 British comedy musical film directed by Gerald Thomas and starring TommySteele, June Laverick and Michael Medwin. The songs for the film were released...
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