Arthur Haynes

Born in Hammersmith in May 1914, Arthur Haynes was the only son of a baker.   Although remembered today only by Nissan Micra drivers, Haynes was an immensely popular television comedian throughout the middle of the last century, winning awards and acclaim from all quarters.  His eponymous show, The Arthur Haynes Show regularly topped the… Continue reading Arthur Haynes

Matt Monro

Britain’s answer to Frank Sinatra.  Okay, Matt was no Ol’ Blue Eyes but he carved out a successful career as a romantic ballad singer both in Britain and America in an age dominated by raucous pop singers.  His rise to fame against the Elvis Presley tide was a singular achievement for a small man with… Continue reading Matt Monro

Ronnie Laine

Ronnie Laine, bassist and founder member of The Small Faces, was born in Plaistow, East London, on April 1, 1946, son of a lorry driver.  At 16 he left school and began working as a plumber’s mate then, aged 17, he bought his first guitar and began playing in a band called The Outcasts with… Continue reading Ronnie Laine

Russ Conway

He was the pianist who brought joy with his tinkling fingers and his twinkling smile.  This attractive combination brought Russ Conway huge success in live concert and on record, and made him one of Britain’s biggest-selling artists of the 1950s and 1960s.  From his first chart success in 1957 with a medley of other artists’… Continue reading Russ Conway

Joe Cocker

One of rock and roll’s enduring performers, Cocker has survived the sixties, a low period in the seventies, made a comeback in the eighties, and continues to be a solid and consistent performer in the nineties and on into the 21st century.  Known for his gutsy, gravelly, vocal style, Joe started out in Sheffield in… Continue reading Joe Cocker

Ozzie Osbourne

Born in 1948 in Aston, Birmingham as John Michael Osbourne, the fourth of six children.  The Osbourne family lived in poverty and a crowded house. Ozzy was beaten regularly by his father, mainly for behavior such as trying to kill his siblings.  Constant fighting and arguing between Ozzy’s parents about their financial situation finally prompted… Continue reading Ozzie Osbourne

Lon Chaney Jr.

The son of actors Lon Chaney and Cleva Creighton, the man destined to star in classic horror movies was born Creighton Tull Chaney.  Old man Chaney raised his son in an atmosphere of Spartan strictness and absolutely forbade young Creighton to enter show business, wanting his son to prepare for a more "practical" profession.  This… Continue reading Lon Chaney Jr.

Mack Sennett

 While not the first producer of Hollywood comedies, Canadian-born Mack Sennett was one of the best organized and most successful and the man who made them into real box office.  He was known throughout Hollywood as the King of Comedy.  His lesser-known, but nonetheless apposite, soubriquet was the King of Plumbers.  Growing up in Canada,… Continue reading Mack Sennett