Petula Clark facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Petula Clark CBE
Clark in 2010
Background information
Birth name	Sally Clark
Born	(1932-11-15) 15 November 1932 (age 92) Ewell, Surrey, England
Genres	Pop, schlager, theatre, film
Occupation(s)	Actress songwriter vocalist
Years active	1939–present
Labels	Polygon Vogue Pye Imperial Decca EMI Warner Bros. MGM Columbia
Children	3

Sally "Petula" Clark (born 15 November 1932) is a famous British singer, actress, and songwriter. She started her career as a child performer during World War II. Petula Clark has had one of the longest careers of any British entertainer, lasting more than 85 years!

She became well-known in the UK in 1954 with her hit song "The Little Shoemaker". Soon after, she began recording songs in French. Her international hits include "Sailor" (which was a number one hit in the UK) and "Chariot". She also had success singing in German, Italian, and Spanish.

In the mid-1960s, Petula Clark became a huge star in the United States. Many of her popular songs were written by Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent. Her most famous song, "Downtown", reached number one in the US. Other big hits included "I Know a Place" and "My Love". She was even called "the First Lady of the British Invasion" because of her success in America.

Petula Clark has sold over 70 million records worldwide. She also starred in musical films like Finian's Rainbow and stage musicals such as The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins. She has received many awards and nominations for her acting and singing.

Petula Clark's Life Story

Early Years and First Performances

Petula Clark was born Sally Clark on November 15, 1932, in Ewell, England. Her parents, Doris and Leslie Clark, were both nurses. Her father created her stage name, Petula, by combining parts of two names.

She grew up in Abercanaid, Wales, in a home without electricity or running water. Her first audience was in 1939 at a local pub. During The Blitz, when London was bombed, she recorded messages for the BBC to send to soldiers. One day, during an air raid, she sang "Mighty Like a Rose" to calm other children. The BBC liked her voice so much they recorded her!

As a child, Petula sang in her chapel choir. She was also good at imitating famous singers like Vera Lynn. When she was 12, she decided she wanted to be an actress after seeing a play. Her first public performance was singing at a department store for a tin of toffee and a gold watch.

Starting Her Career

Petula Clark arriving in the Netherlands in 1960.

Petula Clark began her professional career at age seven. She appeared on radio, in films, and on TV. In 1942, at nine years old, she made her radio debut. She was trying to send a message to her uncle overseas when an air raid delayed the broadcast. She volunteered to sing to calm the audience, and her performance launched her career. She made about 500 appearances on shows for troops.

She often toured the UK with another child performer, Julie Andrews. Petula was known as the "Singing Sweetheart" and even performed for George VI and Winston Churchill. Soldiers called her "Britain's Shirley Temple" and put her photos on their tanks for good luck.

In 1944, film director Maurice Elvey discovered her. He cast her in the war drama Medal for the General. She then appeared in many other films, including I Know Where I'm Going! and films from the Huggett Family series. She also worked with famous actors like Anthony Newley and Alec Guinness.

In 1946, Petula started her TV career with a BBC show called Cabaret Cartoons. This led to her own series, Petula Clark, and later Pet's Parlour.

In 1949, she recorded her first song, "Put Your Shoes On, Lucy". She also helped form Polygon Records with her father. She had several big hits in the UK in the 1950s, such as "The Little Shoemaker" and "With All My Heart". "The Little Shoemaker" was a number one hit in Australia, her first international chart-topper.

Becoming Famous in Europe

Petula Clark in Zurich in 1966.

In 1957, Petula Clark was invited to perform in Paris, France. She was a big success there. The next day, she met Claude Wolff at Vogue Records, who would later become her husband and manager. She signed a contract with Vogue.

She toured France and Belgium with Sacha Distel in 1960. She started recording songs in German, French, Italian, and Spanish.

While focusing on her career in France, she continued to have hits in the UK. Her song "Sailor" became her first UK number one hit in 1961. "Romeo" and "My Friend the Sea" also reached the top 10. "Romeo" sold over a million copies worldwide. In France, "Ya Ya Twist" and "Chariot" (which became "I Will Follow Him") were huge hits in 1962.

She also wrote music for French films, adding "film composer" to her talents. She was honored three times on the British TV show This Is Your Life.

Global Stardom: The "Downtown" Era

Petula Clark on the cover of Cash Box magazine in 1966.

By 1964, Petula's UK music career was slowing down. Composer Tony Hatch came to her with a new song idea inspired by New York City. Petula loved the melody and said she would record it if he wrote good lyrics. That song became "Downtown".

"Downtown" was a huge hit worldwide. It was released in four languages and became a success in the UK, France, Germany, Australia, and many other countries. When a Warner Bros. executive heard it, he brought it to the United States. "Downtown" reached number one in the US in January 1965 and sold 3 million copies there.

This song started a streak of 15 Top-40 hits for her in the US. These included "I Know a Place" and "My Love" (her second US number one). She won two Grammy Awards for "Downtown" and "I Know a Place". In 2004, "Downtown" was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Her success led to many appearances on American TV shows like The Ed Sullivan Show.

An advertisement for Petula Clark's 1968 NBC-TV special.

In 1968, NBC asked Petula to host her own TV special. During a duet with Harry Belafonte, she held his arm. The show's sponsor worried about how this would be seen in the Southern US, but Petula and her husband refused to change it. The show aired with the touch intact and was very popular. This moment is remembered as a step forward for racial representation on TV.

Petula Clark holding Belafonte's arm during their duet in 1968.

She also starred in two big musical films: Finian's Rainbow with Fred Astaire and Goodbye, Mr. Chips with Peter O'Toole. She was nominated for a Golden Globe for Finian's Rainbow.

Petula Clark also helped new artists. She introduced Michel Colombier to Herb Alpert, and later helped The Carpenters get noticed. She even sang backing vocals on John Lennon's famous song "Give Peace a Chance" in 1969.

From 1970 to 2000

In the early 1970s, Petula continued to have hit songs like "Melody Man" and "The Wedding Song (There Is Love)". She kept touring in the US and Europe. She also appeared in commercials for big companies like Coca-Cola.

In the mid-1970s, she slowed down her career to spend more time with her family. She performed "Downtown" for Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee in 1976. She also hosted TV series and made guest appearances on shows like The Muppet Show.

Petula returned to the stage in 1981, starring as Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music in London. She received great reviews and a nomination for a Laurence Olivier Award. She also performed in Blood Brothers on Broadway in 1993 and in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard from 1995 to 2000. She played the role of Norma Desmond more than any other actress.

In 1988, a new dance remix of "Downtown" called "Downtown '88" became a Top 10 hit in the UK. Petula continued to record new music throughout the 1970s, 80s, and 90s.

In 1998, Queen Elizabeth II made her a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). In 2012, she also received a high honor from the French Minister of Culture.

From 2000 to Today

Since 2000, Petula Clark has continued to tour and perform around the world. In 2000, she performed a one-woman show about her life in Montreal. She released new albums like Duets (2007) and Solitude and Sunshine (2007).

In 2006, a BBC Four documentary called Petula Clark: Blue Lady was made about her. She also hosted a PBS special about the British Invasion of the 1960s.

Her album Then & Now entered the UK Albums Chart in 2008. In 2009, she released Open Your Heart: A Love Song Collection and a Christmas album.

In 2010, she toured Australia, New Zealand, and Quebec to sold-out crowds. In 2011, at age 78, she performed in Paris and introduced five new songs. She also recorded a version of "Downtown" with the Saw Doctors, which reached number two on the Irish chart.

In 2013, she released a new album called Lost in You, which included a new version of "Downtown" and a cover of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy". The album reached number 24 on the UK charts.

Petula Clark released another English album, From Now On, in 2016. She made a cameo in a Heathrow Airport Christmas commercial in 2017, featuring her song "I Couldn't Live without Your Love". In 2019, she returned to the West End stage in London to play The Bird Woman in Mary Poppins.

In 2023, she performed "I'm Still Here" from Follies at the Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends concert, which aired on the BBC.

Petula Clark's Personal Life

In the 1950s, Petula Clark was romantically linked to musician Joe "Mr Piano" Henderson. However, they ended their relationship because her fame was growing, and he didn't want to be known as "Mr. Petula Clark." They remained friends.

In 1957, she met Claude Wolff in Paris, who became her publicist and later her husband. They married in June 1961 and had two daughters, Barbara and Kate, and a son, Patrick. They also have two grandchildren. Petula has said she regrets not being closer to her children when they were younger because of her busy career. Claude Wolff passed away in March 2024.

Petula Clark has lived in Geneva, Switzerland, since the 1960s. She also has a holiday home in the French Alps where she enjoys skiing, and a small apartment in London.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Petula Clark para niños

• List of best-selling music artists

Images for kids

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  Clark performing in the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut, US, on 11 October 2008