Steve Forbert
American singer-songwriter
Petula Clark is a British singer, actress, and songwriter who has had an incredibly long and successful career spanning over 85 years. She started as a child performer on BBC Radio during World War II and went on to have numerous hit songs, including the iconic ‘Downtown’, in the US and UK. Clark has also enjoyed success in musical films and stage productions.
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About the Petula Clark
Petula Clark CBEis a British singer, actress, and songwriter. She started her professional career as a child performer and has had the longest career of any British entertainer, spanning more than 85 years.
Clark’s professional career began during the Second World War as a child entertainer on BBC Radio. In 1954, she charted with “The Little Shoemaker”, the first of her big UK hits, and within two years she began recording in French. Her international successes have included “Prends mon coeur”, “Sailor” (a UK number one), “Romeo”, and “Chariot”. Hits in German, Italian and Spanish followed. In late 1964, Clark’s success extended to the United States with a four-year run of career-defining, often upbeat singles, many written or co-written by Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent. These include her signature song “Downtown” (US number one), “I Know a Place”, “My Love” (US number one), “A Sign of the Times”, “I Couldn’t Live Without Your Love”, “Who Am I”, “Colour My World”, “This Is My Song” (by Charlie Chaplin; a UK number one), “Don’t Sleep in the Subway”, “The Other Man’s Grass Is Always Greener” and “Kiss Me Goodbye”. Between January 1965 and April 1968, Clark charted with nine US top 20 hits in the US, where she was sometimes called “the First Lady of the British Invasion”.
Clark has sold more than 68 million records. She has also enjoyed success in the musical film Finian’s Rainbow, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination for best actress in a musical, and in the stage musicals The Sound of Music, Blood Brothers, Sunset Boulevard and Mary Poppins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Petula Clark is a British singer, actress, and songwriter who has had a career spanning over 85 years, making her the longest-serving British entertainer.
Petula Clark is known for her many hit songs, including ‘Downtown’, ‘Sailor’, and ‘My Love’, as well as her success in musical films and stage productions like Finian’s Rainbow and The Sound of Music.
Petula Clark started her professional career as a child performer on BBC Radio during World War II, before going on to have her first big UK hit with ‘The Little Shoemaker’ in 1954.
Petula Clark’s most famous song is ‘Downtown’, which was a number one hit in the United States in 1964 and helped establish her as a major international star.
Petula Clark has sold over 68 million records throughout her long and successful career as a singer, actress, and songwriter.
Petula Clark was awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for her contributions to music and entertainment, and she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in the film Finian’s Rainbow.
Petula Clark’s professional career has spanned more than 85 years, making her the longest-serving British entertainer.
2 Quotes by Petula Clark
- 1.
In some ways, I’ve always approached singing as acting, and the voice is just like a way of carrying the song.
Petula ClarkBritish actress and singer (born 1932)
- 2.
There are definitely people who are stuck in the ’60s and there are definitely people who think I am and it’s just not true. I was performing for a long time before the ’60s and I’ll be doing exciting interesting things for along time to come.
Petula ClarkBritish actress and singer (born 1932)