billy bentley

Anybody seen this ? Jack Shepprad's story is one of London's great true crime stories and it was directed by Clavell and has Stanley Baker, but as one review I read stated "some bright spark decided to cast Tommy Steele in the leading roll". Now I own a copy of a Tommy Steele and The Steelmen LP with I think Lionel Bart on drums, so dont accuse me of being Anti-Steeleist.

Steve Crook

I didn't know that Lionel Bart ever played with them, but Dennis Price usually played piano for the Steelmen.































No, not the actor. Someone else with the same name

Steve

batman

I saw it at the cinema and taped it off the TV when it was last on. I think it's a good film, Steele isn't too bad as Jack but Stanley Baker is fine as thief-taker Jonathan Wild and walks away with the film. The production values are high and Fiona Lewis looks great in her 17th wench's costume.

You can pick up dvdr's of the film via ebay.

Mr Cosmo

I got this recently and so watched it with fresh eyes. I thought it wasn't bad but seemed to fall apart at the end. Fional Lewis and Stanley Baker were good and it was well staged with a full supporting cast. I am old enough to remember my big sister bringing home Tommy Steele records like Butterfingers / Canninbal Pot and Singin' The Blues.
At the time I didn't go and see it as I wasn't sure how Tommy would be as an actor - but he was (and I am sure still is) pretty good.

Tony Pendrey

This sticks in my mind because it was heavily promoted on TV at the time of it's release, and Tommy appeared all over the place to talk about it. But I think it failed to live up to the hype.

Still haven't seen it.

Ah Yes, the Soviet Union. All them wheatfields and ballet in the evenings

billy bentley

Mr Crook, i can't find the LP right now (too many to look through). Bart was definitely in The Cavemen with Steele and according to the liner notes played on at least some of the recordings. He wrote some of the songs too I think.

Mr Cosmo

Taken from IWASATEENAGECHARTFREAK and reproduced with permission of the owner (me!)

LIONEL BART
Born Lionel Begleiter on 1st August 1933, Lionel was the youngest in a family of Jewish refugees who lived in London’s East End. Taking the name Bart from St Bart's Hospital, his musical career started as a skiffler when as one of The Cavemen he co-wrote many of Tommy Steele’s early successes (together with Steele and actor Mike Pratt who went on to star in the 60s TV show “Randall And Hopkirk Deceased”). He also wrote the # 1, “Livin’ Doll” for Cliff Richard and his major achievement was the musical “Oliver” in 1960. Although subsequent musicals were less successful, they still yielded a number of very popular songs.
His one and only 60s NME UK hit was a Christmas novelty which failed to make many other charts, but in 1989 he scored a minor hit with “Happy Endings” which was based on a TV jingle for a building society. Not bad for a man who couldn't actually write music! He died of cancer in 1999.

1 Writer (with JIMMY BENNETT AND MICHAEL PRATT)
TOMMY STEELE - LITTLE WHITE BULL (from TOMMY THE TOREADOR)
Entered 02 December 1959 for 12 weeks – 7 of those weeks were in the 60s. Chart Action ; 18 – 11 – 12 – 10 – 10 - 6 - 7 - 8 – 11 – 10 – 17 - 19

2 Writer
MAX BYGRAVES - FINGS AIN’T WOT THEY USED T’BE (from FINGS AIN’T WOT THEY USED T’BE)
Entered 09 March 1960 for 11 weeks. Chart Action ;
23 – 11 - 8 - 2 - 5 - 6 - 9 – 10 – 15 – 15 – 15

3 Writer
ANTHONY NEWLEY - DO YOU MIND (from LET'S GET MARRIED)
Entered 23 March 1960 for 13 weeks. Chart Action ;
14 – 11 - 8 - 5 - <b>1</b> - 2 - 3 - 3 - 5 - 8 – 10 – 19 – 25

4 Writer
ADAM FAITH - BIG TIME (from FINGS AIN’T WOT THEY USED T’BE)
Entered 18 May 1960 for 1 week. Chart Action ;
<b> 27</b>

5 Writer
SHIRLEY BASSEY - AS LONG AS HE NEEDS ME (from OLIVER)
Entered 03 August 1960 for 23 weeks. Chart Action ;
23 – 17 – 14 – 14 – 10 - 7 - 8 - 8 - 8 - 7 - 3 - 2 - 2 - 3 - 2 - 2 - 4 – 10 – 12 – 19 – 14 – 13 – 20

6 Writer
ADAM FAITH - EASY GOING ME
Entered 26 April 1961 for 7 weeks. Chart Action ;
22 – 16 – <b>11</b> – 12 – 12 – 14 – 24

7 Writer / Performer
GIVE US A KISS FOR CHRISTMAS 2.40 / How Now Brown Cow (DECCA)
Writer : Lionel Bart
Entered 20 December 1961 for 1 week. Chart Action ;
27

8 Writer
SHIRLEY BASSEY - FARAWAY (from BLITZ)
Entered 10 June 1962 for 3 weeks. Chart Action ;
<b>28</b> – 30 – o – o – <b>28</b>

9 Writer (with RUSS CONWAY)
RUSS CONWAY - ALWAYS YOU AND ME
Entered 05 December 1962 for 1 week. Chart Action ;
<b>28</b>

10 Writer
MATT MONRO - FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (from FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE)
Entered 06 November 1963 for 4 weeks (non-consecutive). Chart Action ;
28 – 23 – o – 27 – o – 30

Steve Crook

I wasn't disbelieving you, just a bit surprised
Lionel Bart wrote (or co-wrote) quite a few of their early hits like Rock with the Cavemen, Handful of Songs, Butterfingers and Little White Bull and the Steelmen did have a regular drummer. But maybe he was off sick and Lionel sat in

Steve