Anthony Newley (24 September 1931 – 14 April 1999) was an English actor, director, comedian, singer, and composer. A "latter-day British Al Jolson", he achieved widespread success in song, and on stage and screen. Newley won the 1963 Grammy Award for Song of the Year for "What Kind of Fool Am I?", sung by Sammy Davis Jr., and wrote "Feeling Good", which became a signature hit for Nina Simone. His songs have been sung by a wide variety of singers including Fiona Apple, Tony Bennett, Barbra Streisand, Michael Bublé, and Mariah Carey.
With songwriting partner Leslie Bricusse, Newley was nominated for an Academy Award for the film score of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), featuring "Pure Imagination", which has been recorded by dozens of singers. He collaborated with John Barry on the title song for the James Bond film Goldfinger (1964), sung by Shirley Bassey. An "icon of the early 1960s", his TV series The Strange World of Gurney Slade "continues to have a cult following due to its advanced postmodern premise that [he] is trapped inside a television programme."
Described by The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums as "among the most innovative UK acts of the early rock years before moving into musicals and cabaret", Newley was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1989. He was of Jewish descent through his maternal grandmother.
When his parents separated, his aunt and uncle brought him up through unofficial adoption.
Newley attended Clapton Park Lower School, now named Mandeville Primary School, which today recognises him as an alumnus with an official plaque. Although recognised as very bright by his teachers, by the age of fourteen he had left education and was working as an office boy for an advertising agency in Fleet Street called Hannaford and Goodman.
Prompted by an advertisement in The Daily Telegraph entitled "Boy Actors Urgently Wanted", he applied to the Italia Conti Stage School, only to discover that the fees were too high. Nevertheless, after a brief audition, he was offered a job as an office boy on a salary of 30 shillings a week plus tuition at the school. While serving tea one afternoon he caught the eye of producer Geoffrey de Barkus, who cast Newley as the title character in the children's film serial Dusty Bates (a.k.a. The Adventures of Dusty Bates, 1947).
During the 1950s, Newley made twenty-seven movies for J. Arthur Rank, many of them in the United States, "comfortably transitioning from child to adult actor". He was under contract for many years to Warwick Productions who built him into a star.
He also had to spend two years in the UK military in what was then called "national service".
During the decade, Newley appeared in many British radio programmes, including as Cyril in Floggits, which starred Elsie and Doris Waters, and also "became increasingly involved with the theatre." His 1961 version of the traditional "Pop Goes the Weasel" hit #12 on the UK charts.
TV work, music stardom
The ATV series The Strange World of Gurney Slade (1960) starred Newley, who was also its creator. A comedy series of six half-hour programmes, it develops from a premise established in the opening scene: Newley's character escapes from a television programme which is Gurney Slade itself. Now considered ahead of its time, the series was quickly moved from a peak-time slot.
His career as both a singer and a songwriter quickly went from strength to strength. In 1963, Newley won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year for having penned "What Kind of Fool Am I?" That year he also had a hit comedy album called Fool Britannia!, the result of improvisational satires of the British Profumo scandal of the time by a team of Newley, his then wife Joan Collins, and Peter Sellers. It peaked at number 10 in the UK Albums Chart in October 1963.
Stage and screen
Throughout the 1960s, Newley enjoyed sustained success on London's West End theatre, on Broadway, in Hollywood films, and on British and American television. He and Bricusse also wrote musicals. Stop the World – I Want to Get Off, in which Newley also performed, earned him nomination for a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. A hit in London and on Broadway, and he also played the repressed English businessman opposite Sandy Dennis in the original Sweet November (1968). He hosted Lucille Ball's character on a whirlwind tour of London in Lucy in London (1966). He performed in the autobiographical, Fellini-esque and X-rated Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? (1969), which he also directed and co-wrote with Herman Raucher. The film is "a surrealist sex-drenched disaster that could only ever have been made in the more free-wheeling Sixties", and starred his then-wife, Joan Collins, who said that his self-serving behaviour prompted her to get a divorce.
Newley also directed the 1971 film Summertree, starring Michael Douglas and Brenda Vaccaro. He appeared as Quilp in Mister Quilp (1975) (based on Dickens's The Old Curiosity Shop), for which he composed the songs (including 'Love Has the Longest Memory of All'). His last feature role, as Vince Watson in the cast of the long-running British TV soap opera EastEnders, was to have been a regular role, but Newley had to withdraw after a few months when his health began to fail.
Newley's contributions to Christmas music are highlighted by his rendition of the "Coventry Carol" which appears on many anthologies. He also wrote and recorded a novelty Christmas song called "Santa Claus is Elvis", and recorded an album of spoken poetry.
Later life
In the early 1970s, Newley became a tax exile and went to live in Florida. He remained active throughout that decade, particularly as a Las Vegas and Catskills Borscht Belt resort performer, game show panelist (such as on Hollywood Squares) and talk show guest. Newley was "among the top five cabaret acts in America for some years", but gradually his career floundered. A planned Broadway opening was canceled after the production lost $4 million.
Personal life
Newley was married three times; firstly, to Ann Lynn (1956–1963) with whom he had one son, Simon, who died in infancy from a congenital infirmity. Following their divorce, he married Joan Collins (1963–1970). The couple had two children, Tara Newley and Alexander (Sacha) Newley. In an interview, she recalled moving in with Newley, and listening to The Goons together.
With the help of a detective, Newley searched for and found his father, George Kirby. His mother then "began a correspondence with her long lost love." Newley flew him out to Los Angeles and bought them a house, where they lived until George died.
Death and legacy
Newley died on 14 April 1999, in Jensen Beach, Florida, from renal cancer at the age of 67. He was said to have died in the arms of his companion, the designer Gina Fratini.
Books, recordings tributes
Newley's life is the subject of a biography by Garth Bardsley called Stop the World (London: Oberon, 2003). 2013 saw the publication of Dear Tony, a book about a long-lasting friendship with a young American woman with whom he fell in love.
Amongst the many compilations of his recordings are Anthony Newley: The Decca Years (1959–1964), Once in a Lifetime: The Anthony Newley Collection (1960–71), and Anthony Newley's Greatest Hits (Deram). In May 2010, Stage Door Records released a compilation of unreleased Newley recordings entitled Newley Discovered. Produced with the Anthony Newley Society and Newley's family, the album contains the concept recordings for Newley's self-penned film musicals Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness?, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and Mr. Quilp.
Pure Imagination: The World of Anthony Newley and Leslie Briccuse, devised and directed by Bruce Kimmel, opened at the Pacific Resident Theatre in Venice, California, on 7 December 2013.
David Bowie
Newley was an early influence on the rock musician David Bowie, who was a fan of his. The producer of Bowie's first album, Mike Vernon, even described his first impression of Bowie as "a young Anthony Newley". Rolling Stone noted that Bowie's singing on the album was "delivered in an overenunciating voice that was deeply indebted to popular English actor-singer Anthony Newley."
Discography
Source:
Albums
Sources:
Studio albums
{| class="wikitable"
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! Date !! Title !! Label !! Cat. No. !! UK
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
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! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Date
! scope="col" rowspan="2" | A-Side
! scope="col" rowspan="2" | B-Side
! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Record Label
! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Cat. No.
! scope="col" colspan="3" | Peak chart positions
! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Album
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! scope="col" | UK
! scope="col" | US
! scope="col" | US AC
|-
| Apr 1959 || "I've Waited So Long" || "Sat'day Night Rock-a-Boogie" || UK: Decca <br> US: London || UK: F11127 <br> US: 1871 || 3 || || || rowspan="9", style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | Non-album Single
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| May 1959 || "Idle on Parade" || "Idle Rock-A-Boogie" || Decca || F11137 || || ||
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| Jun 1959 || "Personality" || "My Blue Angel" || Decca || F11142 || 6 || ||
|-
| Sep 1959 || "Someone to Love" || "It's All Over" || Decca || F11163 || || ||
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| Jan 1960 || "Why" || "Anything You Wanna Do" || Decca || F11194 || 1 || ||
|-
| Mar 1960 || "Do You Mind?" || "Girls Were Made to Love And Kiss" || UK: Decca <br> US: London || UK: F11220 <br> US: 1918 || 1 || 91 ||
|-
| Jul 1960 || "If She Should Come to You" || "Lifetime of Happiness" || UK: Decca <br> US: London || UK: F11254 <br> US: 1929 || 4 || 67 ||
|-
| Nov 1960 || "Strawberry Fair" || "A Boy Without a Girl" || Decca || F11295 || 3 || ||
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| Mar 1961 || "And the Heavens Cried" || "Lonely Boy and Pretty Girl" || Decca || F11331 || 6 || ||
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| Jun 1961 || "Pop Goes the Weasel" || "Bee Bom" || Decca || F11362 || 12 || || || rowspan="2" | Tony
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| Oct 1961 || "Pop Goes the Weasel" || "Gone With the Wind" || London || 9501 || || 85 ||
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| Jul 1961 || "What Kind of Fool Am I?" || "Once in a Lifetime" || Decca || F11376 || 36 || || || rowspan="2" | Stop The World - I Want To Get Off
|-
| Jul 1962 || "What Kind of Fool Am I" || "Gonna Build A Mountain" || London Records || 45-LON 9546 || || 85 ||
|-
| Jan 1962 || "D-Darling" || "I'll Walk Beside You" || Decca || F11419 || 25 || || || rowspan="9", style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | Non-album Single
|-
| Feb 1962 || "Yes! We Have No Bananas" || "When Your Lover Has Gone" || London Records || 45-9512 || || ||
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| Apr 1962 || "Why" || "What Now My Love" || London Records || 45-LON 9518 || || ||
|-
| Jun 1962 || "Deep River" || "Letters To My Love" || London Records || 45-9531 || || ||
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| Jul 1962 || "That Noise" || "The Little Golden Clown" || Decca || F11486 || 34 || ||
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| Apr 1963 || "There's No Such Thing As Love" || "She's Just Another Girl" || Decca || F11636 || || ||
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| Oct 1963 || "I Saw Her Standing There" || "I Love Everything About You" || London Records || XAM 5202 || || ||
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| Nov 1963 || "The Father of Girls" || "I Love Everything About You" || Decca || F11767 || || ||
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| Jan 1964 || "Tribute" || "Lament to a Hero" || Decca || F11818 || || ||
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| Jan 1964 || "Young Only Yesterday" || "The Father Of Girls" || London Records || 45-LON XAM 5205-V || || || || style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | Non-album Promo Single
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| Apr 1964 || "Solitude" || "I'll Teach You How to Cry" || Decca || F11883 || || || || In My Solitude
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| Nov 1964 || "Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)" || "The Joker" || RCA Victor || 47-8485 || || || || Who Can I Turn To And Other Songs From "The Roar Of The Greasepaint"
|-
| Mar 1966 || "Why Can't You Try to Didgeridoo" || "Is There a Way Back to Your Arms" || RCA Victor || RCA 1518 <br> US: RCA 47-8785 || || || || style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | Non-album Single
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| Sep 1967 || "Something in Your Smile" || "I Think I Like You" || RCA Victor || RCA1637 || || || || Anthony Newley Sings The Songs From Doctor Dolittle
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| Feb 1968 || "Sweet November" || "Sara's Theme" (Michael Legrand) || Warner Bros. Records || 7174 || || || || style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | Non-album Single
|-
| Jun 1969 || "I'm All I Need" || "When You Gotta Go" || MCA Records || MU 1061 || || || || Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness
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| 1969 || "Chalk And Cheese" || — || Duchess Music Corp. || UD-101 || || || || style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | Non-album Demo Single
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| May 1971 || "The Candy Man" || "Pure Imagination" || MGM Records || K-14252 || || || || Pure Imagination
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| Jan 1971 || "(Where Do I Begin) Love Story" || "(Where Do I Begin) Love Story" || MGM Records || K14220 || || || || style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | Non-album Promo Single
|-
| Sep 1972 || "The Good Old Bad Old Days" || "Mister Sniffles" || Columbia || DB 8933 || || || || Ain't It Funny
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| Jun 1974 || "Long Live Love" || "Long Live Love" || MGM Records || M 14724 || || || || style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | Non-album Promo Single
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| 1976 || "Teach the Children" || "Shelby" || United Artists || UA-XW825-Y || || || 12 || The Singer And His Songs
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| 1977 || "Hollywood Seven" || "Lunch With A Friend" || United Artists || UA-XW1012 || || || || style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | Non-album Single
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|}
- 1966 "Moogies Bloogies" (recorded with Delia Derbyshire) [unreleased demo]
EPs
{| class="wikitable"
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! Date !! Title !! A-Side !! B-Side !! Record Label !! Cat. No. !! UK