Paul Anka facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Paul Anka OC
Anka performing in 2024
Born	Paul Albert Anka (1941-07-30) July 30, 1941 (age 83) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Citizenship	Canada United States
Education	Fisher Park High School
Occupation	Singer songwriter actor
Years active	1955–present
Spouse(s)	Anne de Zogheb ​ ​ (m. 1963; div. 2001)​ Anna Åberg ​ ​ (m. 2008; div. 2010)​ Lisa Pemberton ​ ​ (m. 2016; div. 2020)​
Children	6
Relatives	Jason Bateman (son-in-law)
Musical career
Genres	Pop soft rock jazz doo-wop rock and roll swing
Labels	ABC-Paramount EMI Columbia Artone RCA Victor United Artists Columbia Buddah Warner Bros.

Paul Albert Anka (born July 30, 1941) is a famous Canadian and American singer, songwriter, and actor. He has written many popular songs. Some of his biggest hits include "Diana", “You Are My Destiny", "Lonely Boy", "Put Your Head on My Shoulder", and "(You're) Having My Baby".

Anka also wrote the famous theme song for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He wrote "She's a Lady", one of Tom Jones' biggest hits. He also wrote the English words for Frank Sinatra's signature song "My Way". Many other artists, like Elvis Presley, have recorded "My Way." Anka even worked with Michael Jackson on three songs: "This Is It", "Love Never Felt So Good", and "Don't Matter to Me". These songs became hits after Jackson's passing.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Paul Albert Anka was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. His parents, Camelia and Andrew, owned a restaurant. Anka's family background is Lebanese Christian. His father came from Damascus, Syria, and his mother was from Lebanon. Paul's mother passed away when he was 18 years old.

Anka loved music from a young age. He sang in the St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral choir. He also studied music theory there. When he attended Fisher Park High School, he was part of a singing group called the Bobby Soxers.

Paul Anka's Career Highlights

Early Success as a Teen Idol

Anka performing in Stockholm, 1959

Paul Anka recorded his very first song, "I Confess," when he was just 14 years old. In 1956, his uncle gave him $100. Anka used this money to travel to New York City. There, he auditioned for Don Costa at ABC Records. He sang a song he had written called "Diana." This song quickly became a huge hit, reaching number 1 in Canada and the US. "Diana" is still one of the best-selling songs by a Canadian artist.

After "Diana," Anka had four more songs that reached the Top 20 in 1958. These included "It's Time to Cry" and "(All of a Sudden) My Heart Sings." By age 17, he was one of the biggest "teen idols." He toured in Britain and Australia with Buddy Holly. Anka also wrote "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" for Buddy Holly. Holly recorded it just before he passed away in 1959. Anka decided to give his songwriting earnings from that song to Holly's family.

Anka in 1961

Anka wrote the famous theme song for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He also wrote "Teddy" for Connie Francis, which was a Top 20 hit in 1960. He wrote the English words for "My Way", which became Frank Sinatra's signature song. In the 1960s, Anka started acting in movies. He also wrote songs for films, like the theme for The Longest Day. He even had a small role in that movie. For his film work, he wrote and recorded another big hit, "Lonely Boy." He also recorded "My Home Town," which was a Top 10 pop hit. Anka became one of the first pop singers to perform in Las Vegas casinos. In 1963, he bought the rights to his earlier songs and re-recorded them.

Chart Comeback in the 1970s

Paul Anka with friends Bill Porter and Elvis Presley backstage at the Las Vegas Hilton on August 5, 1972

After more than ten years without a Top 25 hit, Anka changed record labels. This was a big moment in his career. In 1974, he joined United Artists. He teamed up with singer Odia Coates to record the number 1 hit, "(You're) Having My Baby." This song introduced Anka to a new generation of fans. It also showed his original fans that he was still a strong artist.

Anka and Coates recorded three more popular duets together. These included "One Man Woman/One Woman Man" and "I Don't Like to Sleep Alone." In 1975, Anka recorded a jingle for Kodak called "Times of Your Life." It became so popular that Anka recorded it as a full song. It reached number 7 on the US pop chart in 1976. Anka's last Top 40 hit in the US was in 1983. It was called "Hold Me 'Til the Mornin' Comes."

Later Career and Collaborations

Anka's 1998 album A Body of Work was his first new album in the US since 1983. It featured famous singers like Celine Dion and Kenny G. In 2005, Anka released Rock Swings. This album featured big-band versions of popular rock songs. It helped him make a comeback and earned him a star on Canada's Walk of Fame.

In 2009, Anka announced that Michael Jackson's new song "This Is It" was a song they had worked on together in 1980. After Anka said he would sue for credit, Jackson's estate gave Anka 50% of the song's copyright. Another song they wrote together in 1980, "Love Never Felt So Good," was also found later.

International Success

Anka has worked with many musicians in Italy. These include composer Ennio Morricone and singer Lucio Battisti. He released several singles in Italian. His song "Ogni giorno" was number 1 in 1962. "Ogni volta" sold over one million copies in Italy in 1964. He performed "Ogni volta" at the famous Festival di Sanremo. In 2006, he recorded a new version of "Diana" with Italian singer Adriano Celentano.

Paul Anka posing for a camera at Linnanmäki amusement park in Helsinki, Finland, 1959

Paul Anka has also been very popular in Finland since the start of his career. He performed in Helsinki in 1959. He has returned to Finland many times for concerts. He even appeared in a Finnish film in 1991. Anka also tried the French music market. He released an album called Paul Anka à Paris with some songs sung in French. He also recorded a duet with Filipino singer Regine Velasquez called "It's Hard to Say Goodbye." He later re-recorded this song with Celine Dion.

Acting Roles

Anka's first acting role in a major film was a small part as an army private in The Longest Day (1962). He also wrote the movie's title song. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he starred in teen movies like Girls Town (1959). He later played a casino manager in 3000 Miles to Graceland (2001). He also appeared in TV shows. He was a murder suspect in a Perry Mason TV movie. He played himself in an episode of That '70s Show and in "The Real Paul Anka" episode of Gilmore Girls. He also appeared several times on the TV series Las Vegas.

Other Film and TV Appearances

In 1962, a documentary about Anka called Lonely Boy was made. He wrote and performed songs for a Canadian Christmas cartoon in 1985. He appeared on The Simpsons in 1995, singing with Lisa. On American Idol, he sang a funny version of "My Way" that made fun of the show. This performance was very popular. He also played a character named Buddy Maus in the TV show Kojak.

On the TV show Gilmore Girls, a character named her dog after Paul Anka. Both the real Paul Anka and the dog named Paul Anka appeared in a dream scene on the show. In 2020, Anka competed on The Masked Singer as "Broccoli." He finished in 7th place.

Personal Life

Anka, 2007

Paul Anka was married to Anne de Zogheb from 1963 to 2001. They met in Puerto Rico in 1962. Anne was a fashion model. They got married in Paris. Through his daughter Amanda, Paul Anka is the father-in-law of actor Jason Bateman.

In 1990, Paul Anka became a citizen of the United States.

In 2008, Anka married Anna Åberg in Italy. They divorced in 2010. Paul has full custody of their son. Anna was featured in a Swedish TV show called Svenska Hollywoodfruar (Swedish Hollywood Wives).

Anka's autobiography, My Way, was published in 2013. He wrote it with David Dalton.

Anka in a cameo role for the crime drama television show Dan Raven, 1960

In 2016, Anka married Lisa Pemberton. They divorced in 2020.

Awards and Recognition

Anka's star on Canada's Walk of Fame

In 1972, a street in Ottawa, Canada, was named Paul Anka Drive. In 1981, the Ottawa City Council declared August 26 as "Paul Anka Day." This was to celebrate his 25 years in show business.

Business Ventures

In 2012, Anka helped start a technology company called ARHT Media. This company works with holographic technology. He is currently an advisor for the company.

Discography

Albums

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Paul Anka para niños