A wonderful showman. I saw him in Jack & The Beanstalk at the Palladium in the early 70s when i was a kid. His energy and likability was infectious. A magical experience. A knighthood is long overdue.
2020 and I've just found this interview! I'm 51 now and I still LOVE Tommy Steele, ever since I was a little girl, never got to see him live, which is a shame, but just look at him...what a picture!! ;)
I had the honour of performing with this great gentleman when I was 10 years old in Dr. Doolittle in the Mayflower of Southampton (he won't remember me I know that for sure) ... he looks a hell of a lot younger in this, nearly 6 years later I'm still proud to say I performed in a show he was in!
What a lovely interview. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I got to know about Tommy Steel through my mum who used to love "Little White Bull." And to this day it's become one of my favourite songs.
Dec 2019.. my 10 month old granddaughter loves to watch ‘dream maker’ on you tube every time i see her. It melts my heart seeing her enjoy it as much as i still do and i am 54 😀
Tommy is so talented and funny. He always makes me laugh. ❤ I just recently started rewatching his movies with my younger siblings. Finian's Rainbow is their favorite. 😊
Woow the living legend and father of British Rock and Roll > Rock music. Besides, British rock music is absolutely matchless and greatest on our planet.
Am I mistaking by citing Tommy in DICK WHITTINGTON (?) with his cat, at the Palladium around 1970? So natural and funny! 👵😺 Never forgot that show, my first panto in London.
He wasn't drafted like most of the entertainers of the day, he gave the reason as being flat feet, quite funny when he made a career out of dancing. Yet was medically unfit for national service. Marty Wilde got his surgeon to say he had fallen arches or something so he avoided conscription as well. Its nigh on impossible to find any major british entertainer born from the early 30s through to early 40s that actually served. The only ones seem to be lesser known comedy writers and minor radio celebrities at the time
He allegedly left his family when he became famous?? A friend of was involved in Singing in the Rain and said that Tommy was vile to Roy Castle and was hated by the cast in fact many of the men used to take pee in the water tank he danced in the the big number I'm singing in the rain. jxxx
You’re dead right. I’m in the business and I know some of those who worked with him in Singin in the Rain. They’ve told me the same anecdote. He’s not popular in the industry as he’s horrid to those with whom he works.
But he 'spit the dummy' when he was expected to do his two years National Service, Other youngsters were serving all over the world whilst this 'true gent' cried and ran away from his duty. People have short memories or were not around at the time, but many know the truth, and a reference to the news paper records at that time will show what really happened.
Dr Raymond Edwards this is from wiki.......Before landing a singing career, Steele tried his hand at a number of odd jobs and had a brief spell as a merchant seaman. Unlike many singers of his age, he never did national service because, at eighteen years old, he was diagnosed as suffering with cardiomyopathy. However, according to his autobiography, Bermondsey Boy: Memories of a Forgotten World, he failed the medical because he had flat feet. While on leave or during dock strikes, he played guitar and banjo and sang in two coffee houses in Soho (the 2i's Coffee Bar and the Cat's Whisker where hand-jiving was devised), both as a solo performer and with Wally Whyton's Vipers Skiffle Group.
+Dr Raymond Edwards Ive never heard this before. However, wat I will say, is that he served "time" as a steward, (the lowest of the low, in some eyes) in the Merchant navy. I love and adore Tommy Steele. He is a legend in entertainment. With that said, if what you say is true, then that is an issue, but my gut response is this; How many men found a way out of doing their national service, by fair means or foul? would YOU have served for two years, getting your ass shot at by insurgent forces, if you had had a way of getting out of it? Im an ex-serviceman, of 6 years. I volunteered, but if I had been made to go, I am not sure how I would have reacted. The only reason that his (alleged, by you) efforts to avoid it is such an issue, is because he is famous. If "Fred Bloggs" did the same, would you feel the need to publish it on the internet and on a forum that you KNOW will be read by his fans? I think you know the answer to that. Tommy is a good guy and has brought joy to millions. how much "joy" does this bit of "scandal" bring to you, or his fans? Again, no answer required. Thank you for your input. Take care and consider the things that others have been dishonest/reluctant to do. QED
+showaddywaddylady, I adore Tommy Steele, but not for one minute do I believe that he has cardiomyopathy nor flat feet. It's a fact that most people with cardiomyopathy could not even begin to do the physically grueling dance numbers that he did for many years. If they even tried they would be short of breath in no time, and I've talked to people who worked with him and they all said that they never saw him short of breath, ever. In fact most folks who have cardiomyopathy don't live anywhere near as long as Steele has. I also don't believe for a minute that he has flat feet because the complicated, difficult dance numbers he performed to perfection for many years would again be almost impossible to perform if he had flat feet. I agree with Dr. Edwards.
No one really gives a shit . . . Good on him I say . Why should he have to be conscripted into an army of some tinpot failing empire who had no business to be in a lot of places lording it over the indigenous people. Far better for him to spread joy and happiness to people
A proper "Star" in the true sense of the word. Hard work and talent and we hardly ever seen or heard about him on TV
A wonderful showman. I saw him in Jack & The Beanstalk at the Palladium in the early 70s when i was a kid. His energy and likability was infectious. A magical experience. A knighthood is long overdue.
He has an OBE & a Knighthood.
2020 and I've just found this interview! I'm 51 now and I still LOVE Tommy Steele, ever since I was a little girl, never got to see him live, which is a shame, but just look at him...what a picture!! ;)
What a picture - rum tiddly up up rum pum pum stick it in your family album😄 ( half a sixpence )
I had the honour of performing with this great gentleman when I was 10 years old in Dr. Doolittle in the Mayflower of Southampton (he won't remember me I know that for sure) ... he looks a hell of a lot younger in this, nearly 6 years later I'm still proud to say I performed in a show he was in!
The gorgeous Tommy Steele, I always adored him.
Loved to have seen tommy steele on stage, Always loved his films , loved his voice ❤️
Doesn't look 77. Incredible for his age. Looks 15 years younger. Thanks for posting.
He was born in 1949
Oh lovely to see him, always wondered what happened to him, a great performer and wonderful person.
I signed on the R M S Mauratania and Tommy Steele had just paid of ,not many know that Tommy was steward in the Merchant Navy.
Lovely fella, its Sir Tommy now..and well deserved.
What a lovely interview. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I got to know about Tommy Steel through my mum who used to love "Little White Bull." And to this day it's become one of my favourite songs.
Thanks Seb for taking time to upload this for us.
Wow! Tommy Steele is is so charismatic. Always loved him!
Dec 2019.. my 10 month old granddaughter loves to watch ‘dream maker’ on you tube every time i see her. It melts my heart seeing her enjoy it as much as i still do and i am 54 😀
Lovely man, always makes me smile
Tommy is so talented and funny. He always makes me laugh. ❤ I just recently started rewatching his movies with my younger siblings. Finian's Rainbow is their favorite. 😊
Love this lovely Cockney Sparrow.
He looks so youthful. Most likely clean living. Not boozing and drugging like many pop stars do
Wonderful man
Just finished finian's rainbow, he was a staple in my teens, my mom taught me well
Good old Tommy, I remember the first time I saw him live was at the winter gardens Blackpool in the 50s, thanks Seb for this.
Legend.
You said it! ;)
Great memories of a truly great showman
what a guy !!!
Went to the same primary and secondary school as Tommy Steele. My dad also went out with his sister
Legend 🌷
I love him
He looks lovely! ❤️
Saw him at Opera house Blackpool 1960, great.
Great artist.He even has sung in Gilbert and Sullivan opera and did a good job.
I remember that! He played Jack Point in "Yeomen of the Guard". He wasn't bad. There's a version of it floating around the internet someplace.
Top lad Tommy..
Woow the living legend and father of British Rock and Roll > Rock music. Besides, British rock music is absolutely matchless and greatest on our planet.
Tommy Steele your the best
I was totally in love with him as a child
drop the dead donkey lol. Us crazy kids! I have to google Max Bygraves
A true star
amazing...and Im dead
Is that what he looks like now! In the US, we haven't seen him since the late 60s.
Looks well for his age good on you
Seen him on stage
he's my grandmother's 2nd cousin!
I love watching him in half a sixpence
Am I mistaking by citing Tommy in DICK WHITTINGTON (?) with his cat, at the Palladium around 1970? So natural and funny! 👵😺 Never forgot that show, my first panto in London.
We saw him in hand Anderson
A Knighthood is long overdue.
He's my uncle's second cousin!
We've liked tommy steel's silly song little white bull
Tommy is my 2nd cousins half brother 😎😎
Any relation to british steele
isnt he lovely.
He wasn't drafted like most of the entertainers of the day, he gave the reason as being flat feet, quite funny when he made a career out of dancing.
Yet was medically unfit for national service.
Marty Wilde got his surgeon to say he had fallen arches or something so he avoided conscription as well.
Its nigh on impossible to find any major british entertainer born from the early 30s through to early 40s that actually served.
The only ones seem to be lesser known comedy writers and minor radio celebrities at the time
L
6:34 I couldn't understand what Alan what saying so I put the subtitles on and shock horror I see the f*** word! :-o
great man great singer still dr;edwards hould become a doc in thick sence
He sounded almost the same as when he was in Finian's Rainbow... I guess I expected his voice to age more but he still sounds like a leprechaun, lol.
Why is Tommy blinking so much?
Seaventeares probably contact lens.
✨🥰✨
Tommy's my 2nd cousin twice removed ;)
+geoffrey fury Ahhh so he is basically your Brother :-)
Lindsay Horne my late uncle once told me that tommy steele was his cousin. My uncle did look like him. When he was young.
I like Tommy steel. But he likes a story. He said once that he showed elvis presley around London. And that would be totally impossible.
I wonder if he still makes out that he showed Elvis around London. A fantasy created by him and Bill Kenright. What a load of cobblers!
Tommy showed immediately he was not a comedian
Check out WarMysteries for an interesting and fresh new look at the Mysteries of War - th-cam.com/users/WarMysteries
He allegedly left his family when he became famous?? A friend of was involved in Singing in the Rain and said that Tommy was vile to Roy Castle and was hated by the cast in fact many of the men used to take pee in the water tank he danced in the the big number I'm singing in the rain. jxxx
Sounds like you have some disgusting friends.
You’re dead right. I’m in the business and I know some of those who worked with him in Singin in the Rain. They’ve told me the same anecdote. He’s not popular in the industry as he’s horrid to those with whom he works.
Sour grapes professional jealousy I don't believe it Tommy is loved by the many and that's the truth
But he 'spit the dummy' when he was expected to do his two years National Service, Other youngsters were serving all over the world whilst this 'true gent' cried and ran away from his duty. People have short memories or were not around at the time, but many know the truth, and a reference to the news paper records at that time will show what really happened.
Dr Raymond Edwards this is from wiki.......Before landing a singing career, Steele tried his hand at a number of odd jobs and had a brief spell as a merchant seaman. Unlike many singers of his age, he never did national service because, at eighteen years old, he was diagnosed as suffering with cardiomyopathy. However, according to his autobiography, Bermondsey Boy: Memories of a Forgotten World, he failed the medical because he had flat feet. While on leave or during dock strikes, he played guitar and banjo and sang in two coffee houses in Soho (the 2i's Coffee Bar and the Cat's Whisker where hand-jiving was devised), both as a solo performer and with Wally Whyton's Vipers Skiffle Group.
+Dr Raymond Edwards Ive never heard this before. However, wat I will say, is that he served "time" as a steward, (the lowest of the low, in some eyes) in the Merchant navy. I love and adore Tommy Steele. He is a legend in entertainment. With that said, if what you say is true, then that is an issue, but my gut response is this; How many men found a way out of doing their national service, by fair means or foul? would YOU have served for two years, getting your ass shot at by insurgent forces, if you had had a way of getting out of it? Im an ex-serviceman, of 6 years. I volunteered, but if I had been made to go, I am not sure how I would have reacted. The only reason that his (alleged, by you) efforts to avoid it is such an issue, is because he is famous. If "Fred Bloggs" did the same, would you feel the need to publish it on the internet and on a forum that you KNOW will be read by his fans? I think you know the answer to that. Tommy is a good guy and has brought joy to millions. how much "joy" does this bit of "scandal" bring to you, or his fans? Again, no answer required. Thank you for your input. Take care and consider the things that others have been dishonest/reluctant to do. QED
+showaddywaddylady,
I adore Tommy Steele, but not for one minute do I believe that he has cardiomyopathy nor flat feet. It's a fact that most people with cardiomyopathy could not even begin to do the physically grueling
dance numbers that he did for many years. If they even tried they would be short of breath in no time, and I've talked to people who worked with him and they all said that they never saw him short of breath, ever. In fact most folks who have cardiomyopathy don't live anywhere near as long as Steele has. I also don't believe for a minute that he has flat feet because the complicated, difficult dance numbers he performed to perfection for many years would again be almost impossible to perform if he had flat feet. I agree with Dr. Edwards.
Quite right.
No one really gives a shit . . . Good on him I say . Why should he have to be conscripted into an army of some tinpot failing empire who had no business to be in a lot of places lording it over the indigenous people. Far better for him to spread joy and happiness to people