The '50s: Not All Rock 'n' Roll Vol.1 Quiz

Answer: Rosemary Clooney

"Hey There" written by Richard Adler/Jerry Ross was number one for six weeks on the Billboard Best Sellers chart for Rosemary Clooney in 1954. It peaked at number four on the UK singles chart in 1955.

Rosemary Clooney was born in Maysville, Kentucky, USA, in 1928. She made her first recordings for Columbia records in 1946, where she sang with Tony Pastor's big band until 1949. She had her first hit on the Billboard chart in 1948 with "You Started Something" which peaked at number 16.

Between 1951 and 1957 she had eight Top Ten hits on the Billboard Top 100, which included the four number one hits, "Come On-a My House" (1951), "Half As Much" (1952), "Hey There" (1954) and "This Ole House" (1954). In the UK between 1952 and 1957 she had seven Top 20 hits which included six Top Ten hits of which two were number one hits, "This Ole House" (number one for one week in 1954) and "Mambo Italiano" (number one for three weeks in 1955). She was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2001 and died in Beverly Hills, California, USA, in 2002 aged 74.

Answer: Dickie Valentine

"The Finger Of Suspicion" was written by Paul Mann/Al Lewis. It was number one for three weeks on the UK singles chart for Dickie Valentine in 1955. It did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100 but was a regional hit in Philadelphia.

Dickie Valentine was born Richard Maxwell in Marylebone, London, UK, in 1929. He was also known as Richard Bryce and worked as a call boy at Her Majesty's Theatre London, UK. In 1952 while singing with the Ted Heath Orchestra he was voted the Top UK Male Vocalist. In November 1954 he performed at the Royal Command Performance and in February 1955 he was top of the bill at the London Palladium.

Between 1953 and 1956 he had eight Top Ten hits on the UK singles chart which included the two number one hits "The Finger Of Suspicion" and "Christmas Alphabet". He was killed in a car crash near Crickhowell, Wales, in 1971 aged 41.

Answer: Alma Cogan

"Dreamboat" was written by Jack Hoffman. It was number one for two weeks on the UK singles chart for Alma Cogan in 1955. It did not chart in the US.

Alma Cogan was born Alma Angela Cohen in Whitechapel, London, in 1932. Her first record release (recorded on her 20th birthday) was "To Be Worthy of You"/"Would You" (1952). She then appeared regularly on UK radio shows in the '50s. Between 1954 and 1961 she had many entries on the UK singles chart. They included four Top Ten hits: "Bell Bottom Blues" (number four in 1954), "I Can't Tell A Waltz From A Tango" (number six in 1954), Dreamboat" (number one in 1955) and "Never Do A Tango With An Eskimo" (number six in 1955).

She appeared on UK TV frequently in the '50s & '60s and was known for her parties and entertained such people as Princess Margret, Noel Coward, Audrey Hepburn, Michael Caine, Cary Grant and The Beatles at her home in Kensington, London, UK. In early 1966 she was treated for stomach cancer but died of ovarian cancer at London's Middlesex Hospital in 1966 aged 34.

Answer: Dean Martin

"Memories Are Made Of This" written by Richard Dehr/Terry Gilkyson/Frank Miller, was number one for six weeks on the Billboard Top 100 for Dean Martin in 1956. It was number one for four weeks on the UK singles chart the same year.

Dean Martin, born Dino Paul Crocetti in Steubenville, Ohio, USA, in 1917, was part of a double act with comedian Jerry Lewis born Joseph Levitch in Newark, New Jersey, USA, in 1926, for ten years from 1946 to 1956.

They had a series on NBC radio which ran from 1949 until 1953, also in 1949 they took part in a movie called "My Friend Irma", starring John Lund and Marie Wilson. After a sequel "My Friend Irma Goes West" in 1950 they starred in 15 movies between 1950 and 1956. The act split somewhat acrimoniously and Martin went on to have a very successful singing, movie and TV career. He died of acute respiratory failure resulting from emphysema in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA, in 1995 aged 78.

Answer: Frankie Laine

"Moonlight Gambler" was written by Bob Hilliard/Philip Springer. It peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 for Frankie Laine in 1957. It peaked at number 13 on the UK singles chart the same year.

Frankie Laine was born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio in Chicago, Illinois, USA, in 1913. He made his first recordings in 1944 with "In the Wee Small Hours Of The Morning" and "That's Liberty". He had many hits in the US, 44 chart hits between 1947 and 1954. His last Top Ten hit on the Billboard Top 100 was "Love Is AGolden Ring" which peaked at number ten in 1957. In the UK he had 19 Top Ten hits between 1952 and 1959, four of which were number one hits. One of those number one hits was "I Believe", it spent 18 non-consecutive weeks at number one.

He will be remembered for his many western movie and TV songs including "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" (1957), "The 3:10 to Yuma" (1957) and "Blazing Saddles" (1974) He also had a hit with the theme song from "High Noon" but Tex Ritter sang the song in the 1952 movie of the same name. From 1959 to 1965 he could be heard singing over the opening and closing titles of the TV series "Rawhide" starring Clint Eastwood, on re-run in the UK in 2017. Frankie Laine died of heart failure at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego, California, USA, in 2007 aged 93.

Answer: Tammy

"Tammy" written by Jay Livingston/Ray Evans, was number one for five weeks on the Billboard Top 100 for Debbie Reynolds in 1957. It peaked at number two on the UK singles chart the same year.

Debbie Reynolds was born Mary Frances Reynolds in El Paso, Texas, USA, in 1932. Her first leading role was as Kathy Selden in the 1952 movie "Singin' in the Rain", starring Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor. Other movies that followed were "The Affairs of Dobie Gillis" (1953),"Susan Slept Here" (1954),"Bundle of Joy" (1956) and "The Catered Affair" (1956). In 1959 she played the part of Tambrey Tyree in "Tammy and the Bachelor" (1957) in which she sang "Tammy". The movie was the first of four "Tammy" movies.

She was married three times, the first time to singer Eddie Fisher in 1955. Their daughter was actress Carrie Fisher who died of cardiac arrest in Los Angeles, California, USA, in 2016 aged 60. Debbie Reynolds died of intracerebral haemorrhage, in Los Angeles, California, USA, the day after her daughter in 2016 aged 84.

Answer: An Island

"In The Middle Of An Island" was written by Nick Acquaviva/Ted Varnick. It peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 for Tony Bennett in 1957. It did not chart in the UK.

Tony Bennett was born Anthony Dominick Benedetto in Queens, New York, USA, in 1926. He began singing at 13 and became a singing waiter in Italian restaurants around Queens. After a successful engagement at a New Jersey nightclub he was drafted and fought in France and Germany, sometimes from street to street and house to house. He got his big showbiz break in 1949 when Pearl Bailey asked him to open for her in Greenwich Village. Bob Hope was in the audience and took Bennett on the road with him.

In 1950 Bennett made a demo of "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and was signed up by Mitch Miller to the Columbia record label. He had the first of three number one hits on the Billboard chart with "Because Of You" in 1951. "Cold Cold Heart" also number one in 1951 was followed by "Rags To Riches" in 1953. Between 1951 and 1958 he had 17 Top 20 hits on the Billboard chart, seven of which made the Top Ten. His signature tune is "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" which was first offered to Tennessee Ernie Ford who turned it down. Even when released by Tony Bennett it was only the B-Side of "Once Upon A Time".

Answer: Michael Holliday

"The Story Of My Life" written by Bert Bacharach/Hal David was number one for two weeks on the UK singles chart for Michael Holliday in 1958. It did not chart in the US.

Michael Holliday was born Norman Alexander Milne in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, in 1928. He became a merchant seaman in the '40s but wanted to be in show business. He won two talent contests, one in Liverpool, England and the other in New York, USA. In the early '50s he spent some time as the vocalist with The Dick Denny band and The Eric Winstone Band. He was then signed up to Columbia records by producer Norrie Paramor.

Michael Holliday had always suffered from severe stage fright. In 1963, thinking his career was over (ironically brought about by The Beatles and other Liverpool groups) and having marriage and tax problems Michael Holliday was found dead of a suspected drug overdose in his London home in Croydon, Surrey, England, aged 34. Two days later on the 31 October fellow Liverpudlians Gerry & The Pacemakers achieved their third UK number one hit with "You'll Never Walk Alone".

Answer: Andy Williams

"The Hawaiian Wedding Song" written by Charles E. King/Al Hoffman/Dick Manning, peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 for Andy Williams in 1959. It did not chart in the UK.

Andy Williams was born Howard Andrew Williams in Wall Lake, Iowa, USA, in 1927. In the late '30s he and his brothers Bob, Dick and Don, formed the Williams Brothers and sang on various radio stations. In 1944 they sang backing vocals on the Bing Crosby song "Swinging On A Star". Kay Thompson (the creator of the "Eloise" children's books) was the top vocal arranger, vocal coach, and choral director at MGM. In the late '40s she formed a nightclub act called Kay Thompson and the Williams Brothers. They became an overnight sensation and later were the highest paid nightclub act in the world.

Andy Williams went solo in 1953 and his third single for the Cadence record label "Canadian Sunset" peaked at number seven on the Billboard Top 100 in 1956. Despite a number of Top Ten hits in the '50, '60s and '70s, his only number one hit on the Billboard chart was "Butterfly" which was number one for three weeks in 1957. Andy Williams died of bladder cancer at his home in Branson, Missouri, USA, in 2012 aged 84.

Answer: Shirley Bassey

"As I Love You" written by Raymond B Evans/Jay Livingston was number one for four weeks on the UK singles chart for Shirley Bassey in 1959. It did not chart in the US. Seven months after The Beatles had a number four hit on the UK singles chart with "Something" in 1969, Shirley Bassey took the song to number four again. Her version was on the chart for 21 weeks, nine weeks longer than The Beatles original.

Dame Shirley Bassey was born Shirley Veronica Bassey in Tiger Bay, Cardiff, Wales, in 1937. After leaving school aged 14 she worked at Curran Steels in Cardiff, packing chamber pots in 1951. She sang in local pubs and clubs in the evenings and at weekends. In 1953 she was in the touring variety show "Memories of Jolson", a musical based on the life of Al Jolson. Pregnant at 16 she returned to Cardiff and waited on tables.

She was signed to the Philips record label by producer Johnny Franz and released her first record "Burn My Candle" in 1956. It was promptly banned by the BBC owing to the suggestive lyrics and did not chart. Her first UK hit came in 1957 when "The Banana Boat Song" peaked at number eight. She has had two number one hits on the UK singles chart but none of her three James Bond themes "Goldfinger" (1964) (her only US Top Ten hit), "Diamonds Are Forever" (1971) and "Moonraker" (1979), have made the UK Top 20.