UK Chart Hits: Believe It or Not Quiz

Answer: Lonnie Donegan

"My Old Man's A Dustman" written by Lonnie Donegan/Peter Buchanan/Beverly Thorn (Leslie Bricusse), was number one for four weeks on the UK Singles Chart for Lonnie Donegan in 1960.

"The Skiffle King" Lonnie Donegan played with Ken Colyer's Jazzmen in the '50s. During breaks he and two other members played a washboard, tea-chest bass and a cheap guitar. It was named skiffle after Dan Burley & His Skiffle Boys of the '40s, by Ken Colyer's brother Bill. Between 1956 and 1962 Lonnie Donegan had 28 successive UK Top 30 entries which included three number one hits. He was the first British male singer to have two Top Ten hits on the Billboard chart. His influence on British groups of the '60s & '70s was immeasurable.

Answer: Peter Sellers and Sophia Loren

"Goodness Gracious Me" written by David Lee/Herbert Kretzmer peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart for Peter Sellers and Sophia Loren in 1960.

Future Beatles' producer George Martin conceived and produced "Goodness Gracious Me" to be included in the soundtrack for the 1960 movie "The Millionairess" starring Peter Sellers and Sophia Loren. In the end it wasn't included on the soundtrack of the movie but when released as a single it became Peter Sellers' biggest chart hit in the UK. Peter Sellers and Sophia Loren released a follow up single called "Bangers And Mash" but it did not achieve the same success, only reaching number 22 on the UK Singles Chart in 1961.

Answer: The Temperance Seven

"You're Driving Me Crazy" written by Walter Donaldson in 1930, was number one for one week on the UK Singles Chart for The Temperance Seven in 1961.

Although portrayed as dating from 1904 at the fictitious Pasadena Cocoa Rooms, Balls Pond Road, North London, The Temperance Seven were formed at the Chelsea School of Art in 1955. The three founder members were Philip Harrison, Brian Innes and Paul McDowell. In 1960 they recorded "Ukulele Lady" with vocals by Peter Sellers complete with hisses and pops to sound like an old 78rpm record. It was produced by George Martin and featured on the album "Peter and Sophia". The Temperance Seven's other UK Top Ten hit was "Pasadena" in 1961.

Answer: Bernard Cribbins

"The Hole In The Ground" written by Myles Rudge/Ted Dicks peaked at number nine on the UK Singles Chart for Bernard Cribbins in 1962.

On the BBC Radio 4 programme "Desert Island Discs", a celebrity is allowed to choose eight recordings to have on their desert island. No less a star than Noel Coward chose "The Hole In The Ground" as one of his eight recordings. It was actor Bernard Cribbins' biggest hit of his only three UK hits, (1962). He appeared in the movies "Two-Way Stretch" (1960), "Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D." (1966) and "The Railway Children" (1970). On TV he narrated "The Wombles", (1973-1975) and appeared in "Faulty Towers" (1975) and "Doctor Who" (2007).

Answer: Jimmie Rodgers

"English Country Garden" written by Trad: adapted by Jimmie Rodgers, peaked at number five on the UK Singles Chart for Jimmie Rodgers in 1962. It did not chart in the USA.

Most of Rodger's chart success came in the '50s, with six Top Ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including the number one hit "Honeycomb". His only Top Ten hit in the UK was "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" which peaked at number three. In 1973 Rodgers accepted $200,000 for an alleged police attack in 1967. "Country Gardens" was collected by founding father of the English folk-song revival Cecil Sharp and arranged for piano by Australian Percy Grainger in 1918. An older version of "Country Gardens" appears in the "Quaker's Opera" of 1728.

Answer: Peter Cook and Dudley Moore

"Goodbyeee" written by D. Moore, peaked at number 18 on the UK Singles Chart for Peter Cook and Dudley Moore in 1965.

"Goodbyeee" was used as the closing song to Peter Cook & Dudley More's 1960s BBC TV sketch show "Not Only But Also". When Peter Sellers was a guest on the show he joined them on a snare drum. It was the only UK chart entry for the comic duo but Peter Cook did have a number 34 hit with "The Ballad Of Spotty Muldoon" also in 1965. They split up in the '70s but occasionally performed together. They both had movie careers, with Dudley Moore living and working mainly in the USA and Peter Cook in the UK.

Answer: Peter Sellers

"A Hard Day's Night" written by Lennon/McCartney, peaked at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart for Peter Sellers in 1965.

No this is not our winter of discontent nor Laurence Olivier in the 1955 movie "Richard III". It is Peter Sellers reciting Lennon/McCartney's "A Hard Day's Night" in the style of Laurence Olivier playing Richard III. There was an E.P. by Peter Sellers released in 1993 containing "A Hard Day's Night", "She Loves You (Twits Version)", "Can't Buy Me Love" and "Help!". The Peter Sellers Lennon/McCartney sessions were recorded at the Abbey Road studios in 1965 and produced by George Martin.

Answer: Lee Marvin

"Wand'rin' Star" written by Alan J. Lerner/Frederick Loewe, was number one for three weeks on the UK Singles Chart for Lee Marvin in 1970.

Yes, the star of "The Dirty Dozen", "Cat Balolu" and "Paint Your Wagon" had a number one hit on the UK Singles Chart. The B-Side was "I Talk To The Trees" by Clint Eastwood, both songs were from the 1969 movie "Paint Your Wagon". If Lee Marvin had not accepted the $1,000,000 to appear in "Paint Your Wagon" instead of "The Wild Bunch" we may never have heard his 'singing' voice. Clint Eastwood only got $750,000 for his appearance and thankfully only appeared on the B-Side of the record.

Answer: Benny Hill

"Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West)" written by Benny Hill, was number one for four weeks on the UK Singles Chart for Benny Hill in 1971/72.

British comedian Benny Hill did have some earlier hits on the UK Singles Chart with "Gather In The Mushrooms" (number 12 in 1961), "Transistor Radio" (number 24 in 1961) and "Harvest Of Love" (number 20 in 1963. He did actually work as a milkman before making his BBC Radio debut on "Variety Bandbox" in 1947 and his first appearance on TV came in 1950. He acted in movies in the '50s & '60s, appearing in "Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines" (1965), "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" (1968) and "The Italian Job" (1969).

Answer: Telly Savalas

"If" written by David Gates, was number one for two weeks on the UK Singles Chart for Telly Savalas in 1975.

When Telly Savalas was making the movie "The Dirty Dozen" with Lee Marvin back in 1967, they would not have had an inkling that they would both have number one hits on the UK Singles Chart in the '70s. At least we were spared the warblings of another actor on the B-Side, as with the Lee Marvin hit. It was Telly again with Helen Reddy's 1974 hit song, "You And Me Against The World". "If" was a number four hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for Bread in 1971, it did not chart in the UK.