Anthony Newley

Anthony Newley (24 September 1931 – 14 April 1999) was an extremely talented English actor, singer, songwriter, and filmmaker. Often seen as a British version of the legendary Al Jolson, Newley achieved remarkable success across a variety of artistic mediums, from stage to screen and everything in between. He was a prominent figure in theatre, earning a place among the greatest leading men of Broadway between 1959 to 1962. He scored a dozen entries on the UK Top 40 chart, including two number one hits. Newley won the 1963 Grammy Award for Song of the Year for 'What Kind of Fool Am I?', a song later performed by Sammy Davis Jr., and wrote 'Feeling Good', which became a signature hit for Nina Simone. His songs have been performed by a plethora of well-known singers, including Fiona Apple, Tony Bennett, Barbra Streisand, Michael Bublé and Mariah Carey. Collaborating with his songwriting partner Leslie Bricusse, Newley was nominated for an Academy Award for the film score of 'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory' (1971). He also collaborated with John Barry on the title song for the James Bond film 'Goldfinger' (1964), sung by Shirley Bassey. Known as an 'icon of the early 1960s', his TV series 'The Strange World of Gurney Slade' continues to have a cult following due to its advanced postmodern premise. Newley's significant contributions to the entertainment industry culminated in his induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1989.