Tommy Steele

Vocation

Notable

British entertainer, one of Britain's first real rock 'n' roll idols in the mid-50s. Starting initially as a merchant seaman, Steele was discovered in July 1956 and released his first hit that November. He topped the charts in January 1957 with "Singing the Blues." A sensation, his appearances created teenage hysteria. Steele quickly abandoned rock and became an all-around family entertainer by the next year. His best known films include "Half A Sixpence" and "Finian's Rainbow" while his last musical hit was in 1961. He also has worked with Disney. He married in June 1960 after a two-year engagement. He played in a long-running one-man show in the West End during 1979-80, when the Variety Club named him Entertainer of the Year. He published a novel, a thriller, in the '80s, and in 1992 he returned to the stage with "Some Like it Hot," which was not well reviewed. Link to Wikipedia biography