Person    | Male  Born 17/12/1936 

Tommy Steele

Categories: Cinema, Music / songs, Theatre

Musician and actor. Born Thomas William Hicks in Bermondsey. He was promoted as the British Elvis Presley and had his first chart success with 'Singin' the Blues'. Many hits followed and in time, he became a 'family entertainer'. His life story was filmed when he was only twenty, and he turned to acting, both on stage and in film, particularly in 'Half a Sixpence'. He was however not universally adored. There is a theatrical legend, that when he was appearing in the stage version of 'Singin' in the Rain', he so antagonised the backstage crew, that they wreaked revenge by regularly urinating into the water tanks that were to rain down on his head during the show’s title number.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Tommy Steele

Commemorated ati

Tommy Steele

Tommy Steele OBE, entertainer, born Bermondsey, 17th December 1936. London Bo...

Read More

Tommy Steele - London Palladium

We found this photo of the plaque at Blue Plaque Places, which doesn't seem t...

Read More

Other Subjects

Diana Dors

Diana Dors

Actor and singer. Born Diana Mary Fluck in Swindon. She was promoted as the English Marilyn Monroe, and at the age of 16, joined J. Arthur Rank's charm school appearing in many of his films. She at...

Person, Cinema, Music / songs, Theatre, USA

1 memorial
Lord Bernard Miles

Lord Bernard Miles

Actor and theatre manager. Born Bernard James Miles at 1 Poplar Terrace, New Road, Hillingdon. He started acting in the 1930s appearing in many of the patriotic films of WW2, and specialising in pe...

Person, Cinema, Theatre

1 memorial
Charlie Chaplin

Charlie Chaplin

Born Charles Spencer Chaplin in East Street, Walworth (possibly, see Londonist). Comic actor, composer, director and producer.  Born into a music hall family. He joined a troupe of child dancers, '...

Person, Cinema, Seriously Famous, Switzerland, USA

12 memorials
Harry Secombe

Harry Secombe

Actor, comedian and singer. Born Harry Donald Secombe in St Thomas, Swansea where he grew up. In WW2 he served in the Royal Artillery, and whilst in North Africa he first met Spike Milligan. After ...

Person, Cinema, Music / songs, Seriously Famous, Theatre, TV & Radio, Africa, Wales

3 memorials
Gainsborough Film Studios

Gainsborough Film Studios

Gainsborough Pictures was founded in 1924 by Michael Balcon. These Islington studios were closely related to those at Lime Grove, used by Gaumont-British, with Balcon as Director of Production for ...

Building, Cinema

2 memorials

Previously viewed

Edmund M. Shemeld

Edmund M. Shemeld

Trustee of the Lambeth Hayles Estate development in 1894.

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Chelsea Temperance Society - Brass

Chelsea Temperance Society - Brass

SW3, Pond Place, 23

There are two stone plaques either side of the entrance, low on the wall, and two, rather classier, plaques in the entrance lobby. Readi...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Sir Albert Richardson

Sir Albert Richardson

Architect. Born London. Our picture shows him as 'professor' in 1956.  Apart from post-war restorations his main work in London is Bracken House, the first post-war listed building.

Person, Architecture

3 memorials
Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee fountain - Blackheath

Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee fountain - Blackheath

SE3, Tranquil Vale

The rear of the fountain has a little door with a keyhole, presumably to provide access to the water-delivering mechanism - so long unused.

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator