Friday 17 February 2017

John Leyton born 17 February 1936

 
John Dudley Leyton (born 17 February 1936 in Frinton-on-Sea, Essex) is an English actor and singer.
 
Leyton went to Highgate School and after completing his national service, he studied drama, paying his way through drama school with bit-part roles in films and on television. His first major acting role was his portrayal of Ginger in a 1960 Granada TV adaptation of Biggles, which earned him a large following of young female fans and led to the formation of a John Leyton fan club. 

Following the success of Biggles, Leyton was persuaded by his manager, Robert Stigwood, to audition as a singer for record producer Joe Meek, and subsequently recorded a cover version of "Tell Laura I Love Her", which was released on the Top Rank label. In 1961 though, the Top Rank label was taken over by EMI who then issued Leyton's records on their HMV label. EMI had already released Ricky Valance's version of the same song. Leyton's recording was withdrawn from sale, whilst Valance's version reached Number 1 in the UK chart. 

A second single - "The Girl on the Floor Above" - was released on the HMV label, but was not a success. His first big hit, "Johnny Remember Me", coincided with his appearance as an actor in the popular ATV television series Harpers West One, in which he played a singer named Johnny Saint Cyr. Leyton performed "Johnny Remember Me" during the show (backed by the Outlaws), and the single subsequently charted at Number 1. His next single, "Wild Wind", reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart, and later singles also achieved lower chart positions.
 
 
                          

On 15 April 1962, Leyton performed at the NME Poll-Winners Concert at London's Wembley Pool. But in 1963, Meek and Goddard's association with Leyton ended; that circumstance, combined with the British beat boom, cast Leyton adrift immediately, although he found a lot of acting work in television and film to keep him busy. Despite trying to give Leyton's music more of a 'group' sound by giving him a backing group, 'The LeRoys', his chart career faded out by the beginning of 1964. 

Leyton was a familiar face in film and television during the 1960s. He played himself in the 1962 Dick Lester film It's Trad, Dad!, performing his latest single "Lonely City" in a radio studio. In The Great Escape (1963) he played tunnel designer Willie Dickes, one of the only three characters who successfully make it to freedom. He also appeared in Guns at Batasi in 1964; Every Day's a Holiday (aka Seaside Swingers in the United States) and Von Ryan's Express starring Frank Sinatra and Trevor Howard in 1965. In Krakatoa, East of Java, in 1969 he played the designer of a diving bell. 

From 1966 to 1967, Leyton played the lead role as SOE Royal Navy Lieutenant Nicholas Gage, an expert in demolitions, in Jericho, an American TV series about espionage in the Second World War.

He returned to Britain in the early 1970s and unsuccessfully attempted to re-launch his singing career, signing to the York record label in the UK but without success. In the mid 1970s, Leyton starred in the ITV television series, The Nearly Man. Acting roles became fewer and farther between during the 1970s, and by the early 1980s, he was no longer active in show business. 

In the 1990s, however, he began performing in the 'Solid Gold Rock 'n' Roll Show', appearing with artists such as Marty Wilde and Joe Brown. The autumn 2004 tour featured Leyton, Showaddywaddy, Freddy Cannon and Craig Douglas. Leyton has also returned to acting, with a cameo appearance in the 2005 film, Colour Me Kubrick starring John Malkovich.
 
In May 2006, Leyton released "Hi Ho, Come On England", a re-working of Jeff Beck's "Hi Ho Silver Lining", to coincide with the World Cup in Germany. During the summer of 2007 he filmed a cameo appearance for the Nick Moran film, Telstar. Leyton also topped the bill at the Theatre Royal, Windsor, along with 1960s stars Jess Conrad and Craig Douglas at a concert named "'60s Icons".
 
Leyton continues to tour the UK and Scandinavia performing his hits (sometimes backed by the Rapiers) and can boast an internet following with his official website. In 2014 John continues to tour with his band the Flames, featuring John James on guitar, Ray Royal on drums and Dale Corcoran on bass guitar.
 
(Info edited from Wikipedia)

Here's John Leyton's sixth single released in 1962 and was featured in the film It's Trad Dad.
 

3 comments:

boppinbob said...

For “John Leyton - The Best Of….Plus” go here:

http://www22.zippyshare.com/v/3995719/file.html

01 Johnny Remember Me
02 Wild Wind
03 Six White Horses
04 Son This Is She
05 Lone Rider
06 Lonely City
07 I Think I'm Falling In Love
08 Lonely Johnny
09 Oh Lover
10 I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine
11 You Took My Love For Granted
12 I Guess You Are Always On My Mind
13 Funny Man
14 A Man Is Not Supposed To Cry
15 The Girl On The Floor Above
16 Tell Laura I Love Her
17 On Lovers Hill
18 Too Many Late Nights
19 Lover's Lane
20 I'm Gonna Let My Hair Down
21 Don't Let Her Go Away
22 All I Want Is You
23 I Want A Love I Can See
24 (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons
25 That's How To Make Love
26 I'll Cut Your Tail Off
27 Land Of Love
28 Cupboard Love
29 How Will It End
30 It Would Be Easy
31 Beautiful Dreamer
32 Another Man
33 Make Love To Me

A big thank you to Jake @ Jukebox City for working link.

D said...

Hi BB, can I also get a copy of John Leyton?
Thanks mate

boppinbob said...

Sorry Denis, Just couldn’t find this one …..but I have a better one.

For"Remembering John Leyton (The Anthology) (2CD) (Sanctuary 2002)" go here:

https://workupload.com/file/LcwCVNp5k4Q

1-1 Three Cute Chicks 2:12
1-2 Tell Laure I Love Her 2:44
1-3 Goodbye To Teenage Love 1:58
1-4 The Girl On The Floor Above 2:16
1-5 Terry Brown's In Love With Mary Dee 3:13
1-6 Johnny Remember Me 2:40
1-7 There Must Be 2:36
1-8 Wild Wind 2:14
1-9 You Took My Love For Granted 1:59
1-10 Voodoo Woman 2:03
1-11 Can't You Hear The Beat Of A Broken Heart 1:51
1-12 Fabulous 2:08
1-13 Thunder And Lightning 2:07
1-14 Oh Lover 2:08
1-15 I Don't Care If The Sun Dont Shine 2:13
1-16 (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons 3:05
1-17 That's A Woman 2:36
1-18 Walk With Me My Angel 3:18
1-19 That's How To Make Love 2:04
1-20 The Magic Of True Love 2:42
1-21 It's Goodbye Then 3:08
1-22 Son This Is She 2:25
1-23 Six White Horses 1:51
1-24 Lone Rider 2:01
1-25 Heart Of Stone 2:09
1-26 Who Wants Johnny 2:29
1-27 I'm Thankful 3:18
1-28 Now And Always 2:18
1-29 A Girl To Love 2:21
1-30 Radio Luxembourg Interview 1:24
2-1 Lonely City 2:12
2-2 It Would Be Easy 2:13
2-3 Down The River Nile 3:02
2-4 I Think Im Falling In Love 1:49
2-5 Lonely Johnny 2:08
2-6 Keep On Loving You 2:07
2-7 Cupboard Love 2:05
2-8 Land Of Love 2:27
2-9 I'll Cut Your Tail Off 2:20
2-10 The Great Escape 2:32
2-11 I'm Gonna Let My Hair Down 2:06
2-12 On Lovers Hill 2:21
2-13 Sweet And Tender Romance 2:12
2-14 Johnny My Johnny 2:39
2-15 That's The Way It Is 2:02
2-16 Too Many Late Nights 1:49
2-17 Lovers' Lane 1:54
2-18 Funny Man 1:44
2-19 Another Man 2:05
2-20 Buona Sera 2:50
2-21 A Man Is Not Supposed To Cry 3:04
2-22 How Will It End 2:00
2-23 Beautiful Dreamer 2:27
2-24 I Guess You Are Always On My Mind 2:16
2-25 Make Love To Me 2:49
2-26 Missing You 2:24
2-27 I Want A Love I Can See 2:30
2-28 Don't Let Her Go Away 2:27
2-29 All I Want Is You 2:35