Web Page No 2482
9th June 2018
1st Picture: The sheet music to Johnny Remember Me
3rd Picture: John in 2013
Remember John Leyton?
John Dudley Leyton was born 17th February
1936 in Frinton-on-Sea and was best known as a singer
for his hit song "Johnny Remember Me" which
reached Number 1 in August 1961 despite being
banned by the BBC for its death references. His father owned cinemas and theatres, and his mother was
the actress Babs Walters, but they split when he was six.
Alongside singing, he also had an
acting career which saw him appearing in television and films throughout the
1960s. His films included The Great Escape, Guns at Batasi,
"Von Ryan's Express"
and Krakatoa, East of Java. In 2009
he also had a small part in the film Telstar, a biopic based on
Joe Meek's life in which he himself was portrayed by Callum Dixon.
He was educated at Highgate School and after
completing his national service,
he studied drama,
paying his way through drama school with bit-part roles in films and
on television. His first major acting role was his
portrayal of Ginger in a 1960 Granada TV adaptation
of Biggles,
which earned him a large following of young female fans and
led to the formation of a John Leyton fan club.
Following the success of Biggles, he was persuaded by his
manager, to audition as a singer for Joe Meek,
and subsequently recorded a cover version of "Tell Laura I Love Her",
which was released on the Top Rank label. In 1961
the Top Rank label was taken over by EMI who then issued his records on
their HMV label. EMI had already released Ricky Valance's version of the same song so John
Leyton's recording was withdrawn from sale, whilst Ricky Valance's version
reached Number 1.
His second single - "The Girl on
the Floor Above" - was released on the HMV label, but was not a success.
However, his first big hit, "Johnny Remember Me",
coincided with his appearance as an actor in the popular ATV television series Harpers West One, in which he played
a singer named Johnny Saint Cyr and he performed "Johnny Remember Me"
during the show (backed by the Outlaws), and the single
subsequently charted at Number 1 His next single, "Wild Wind",
reached number 2 in the Charts
but later singles only achieved lower chart positions. On 15th April 1962,
he performed at the NME Poll-Winners
Concert at London's Wembley Pool. But in 1963
his association with Joe Meek ended and that, combined with the British beat boom,
cast him adrift, although he found a lot of acting work in television and film
to keep him busy. Despite trying to give his music more of a 'group' sound by giving him
a backing group, 'The LeRoys', his chart career
faded out by the beginning of 1964.
By this time he had become a familiar
face in film and television. He played himself in the 1962 Dick Lester film It's Trad, Dad!, performing
his latest single "Lonely City" in a radio studio. In The Great Escape (1963)
he played tunnel designer Willie Dickes, one of the only three characters who
successfully make it to freedom.
From 1966 to 1967, he played the lead
role as SOE Royal Navy Lieutenant
Nicholas Gage, an expert in demolitions, in Jericho, an American TV series
about espionage in the Second World War.
He returned to Britain in the early
1970s and unsuccessfully attempted to re-launch his singing career in
1973. In the mid 1970s, more acting as he starred in the ITV television series, The Nearly Man.
Acting roles became fewer during the 1970s, and by the early 1980s, he was no
longer active in show business.
In the 1990s he began performing in the
'Solid Gold Rock 'n' Roll Show', appearing with artists such as Marty Wilde and Joe Brown. The autumn 2004 tour
featured John Leyton, Showaddywaddy, Freddy Canon and Craig Douglas.
He also returned to acting, with a cameo appearance in
the 2005 film, Colour Me Kubrick.
In May 2006, it was back to the
recording studio and he released "Hi Ho, Come On England", a
re-working of "Hi Ho Silver Lining", to
coincide with the World Cup in Germany.
During the summer of 2007 he filmed a cameo appearance for the film, Telstar and he also topped the bill at
the Theatre Royal, Windsor, along with 1960s
stars Jess Conrad and Craig Douglas at a concert named "'60s Icons".
He continues to tour the UK and Scandinavia performing
his hits and can boast an internet following
with his official website. He is now 82and
lives with his wife, Diana, in Suffolk
Keep in
touch
Yours
Peter
gsseditor@gmail.com
You Write:
News and Views:
On this day 9th June 1960-1965.
On 09/06/1960 the number one single was Cathy's Clown -
Everly Brothers and the number one album was South Pacific
Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Wagon Train (ITV) and the box office smash was Psycho.
A pound of today's money was worth £13.68
and Burnley were on the way to
becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.
On 09/06/1961 the number one single was Surrender - Elvis
Presley and the number one album was GI Blues - Elvis Presley. The top rated TV show was No Hiding Place (AR) and the box
office smash was One Hundred and
One Dalmations. A pound of today's money was worth £13.25 and Tottenham Hotspur were on the way to becoming the Season's
Division 1 champions.
On 09/06/1962 the number one single was Good Luck Charm -
Elvis Presley and the number one album was Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley. The top
rated TV show was Coronation Street
(Granada) and the box office smash was Lawrence of Arabia.
A pound of today's money was worth £12.89
and Ipswich Town were on the way
to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.
On 09/06/1963 the number one single was From Me To You -
The Beatles and the number one album was Please Please Me - The Beatles. The
top rated TV show was Coronation Street
(Granada) and the box office smash was The Great Escape. A pound of today's
money was worth £12.64 and Everton were on the way to becoming
the Season's Division 1 champions.
On 09/06/1964 the number one single was You're My World - Cilla Black and the
number one album was Rolling Stones -
The Rolling Stones. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street
(Granada) and the box office smash was Dr Strangelove.
A pound of today's money was worth £12.24
and Liverpool were on the way to
becoming the Season's Division 1 champions
On 09/06/1965 the number one single was Long Live Love -
Sandie Shaw and the number one album was Bringing It All Back Home - Bob Dylan.
The top rated TV show was Coronation Street
(Granada) and the box office smash was The Sound of Music. A pound of today's
money was worth £11.69 and Manchester United were on the way to
becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.
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