Whose Line Was It Anyway? UK Number One Hits 1957 Quiz

Answer: Guy Mitchell

Guy Mitchell had his third UK number one hit of the '50s with "Singing The Blues" for three non-consecutive weeks in 1957. It was number one for ten weeks on the US pop chart in 1956.

Johnnie Ray was busy "Just Walkin' In The Rain" a number one hit on the UK chart at the end of 1956, which reached number two on the US pop chart in 1956. Frankie Laine also had a UK number one hit in 1956 with "A Woman In Love"; it reached number 19 on the US pop chart in 1955. Dean Martin completes the set with a UK number one hit "Memories Are Made Of This" in 1956. It also reached number one on the US pop chart in 1956.

Answer: Tommy Steele

Tommy Steele (Britain's answer to Elvis, as the British papers had it at the time) backed by The Steelmen, had his only UK number one hit with "Singing The Blues" for one week in 1957. It failed to chart (like most UK singers pre-Beatles) in the US. At Parlophone records George Martin turned down the opportunity to produce Tommy and he went to UK Decca records instead, what does George Martin know anyway. Go to YouTube and watch "Elevator Rock" but never mind the weird movements of Tommy Steele, watch the faces of the guys at the control panels; they look like they drew the short straws and do not want to be there.

Cliff Richard backed by The Drifters (they changed their name to The Shadows later) had not started on his never ending journey yet. His first UK hit was yet to come with a number two hit "Move It" in 1958. It failed to chart in the US. Johnny Kidd backed by The Pirates started even later with a UK number 25 hit "Please Don't Touch" in 1959, which did not bother the US chart. Likewise, Emile Ford backed by The Checkmates had a UK number one hit with "What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For" in 1959; it never bothered the US chart either.

Answer: Frankie Vaughan

Frankie Vaughan had his only UK number one hit of the '50s for four weeks with "The Garden Of Eden" in 1957. In its second week at the top the record was joint top with Guy Mitchell's "Singing The Blues" which was in its third week at the top. After all that it failed to chart in the US.

Matt Monro would not be in the UK chart until "Portrait Of My Love" reached number three in 1960; it failed to chart in the US. Malcolm Vaughan had a number three hit with "My Special Angel" on the UK chart in 1957; it failed to chart in the US. Vaughn Monroe had a number 11 hit with "In The Middle Of The House" on the US pop chart in 1956; it failed to chart in the UK.

Answer: Lonnie Donegan

It was the UK's own "King of Skiffle" Lonnie Donegan who had his second number one hit of the year for two weeks with "Puttin' On The Style" a double A-side with "Gamblin' Man". It was the first double A-side number one hit in the UK but it never troubled the US chart. Lonnie, who did a lot of traditional American songs as well as comedy and pop songs in his act, had 28 consecutive UK chart entries between 1956 and 1962 including three number one hits. He was the first UK male singer to have two US top ten hits on the Billboard chart. The album "The Skiffle Sessions-Live In Belfast" with Lonnie Donegan, Van Morrison and Chris Barber reached number 14 on the UK album chart in 2000.

The Goons (Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers, Harry Seacombe and Michael Bentine) had a number three hit with the double A-side "Bloodnok's Rock'n'Roll Call/Ying Tong Song" on the UK chart in 1956; unbelievably it failed to chart in the US. Stan Freberg had a number 25 hit with "Banana Boat(Day-O)" on the US pop chart in 1957; amazingly it failed to chart in the UK. UK comedian Charlie Drake had a number 14 hit with "My Boomerang Won't Come Back" on the UK chart in 1961; it reached number 21 on the US pop chart in 1962.

Answer: Butterfly

"Butterfly" was number one for two weeks on the UK chart and number one for three weeks on the US pop chart in 1957. It sounds incredible but it is the only number one hit Andy Williams has had on either chart. He had a UK chart revival in 1999 after a 23 year gap when his 1967 number 33 hit "Music To Watch Girls By" was re-released after it had been used in a TV ad and reached number nine on the UK chart.

"Canadian Sunset" never charted in the UK but was a number seven hit on the US pop chart in 1956. "I Like Your Kind Of Love" was a number 16 hit on the UK chart and a number eight hit on the US pop chart in 1957. "Are You Sincere" never charted in the UK but reached number three on the US pop chart in 1958. All of the alternate titles are Andy Williams hits.

Answer: Diana

"Diana" was the song Paul Anka took to number one for nine weeks on the UK chart in 1957. It reached number one for one week on the US pop chart in 1957. "Diana" which was named for the Anka family's babysitter, was written by Paul Anka and recorded in one take.

"Claudette" written by Roy Orbison about his wife, was a double A-sided number one with "All I Have To Do Is Dream" for The Everly Brothers on the UK chart in 1958. It reached number 30 on the US pop chart in 1958. "Tell Laura I Love Her" was a number one hit on the UK chart for Ricky Valance in 1960. It was his only UK chart hit and it failed to chart in the US. Ray Peterson had a number seven hit with the song on the US pop chart in 1960 but it failed to chart in the UK. "Yes Tonight, Josephine" was a number one hit for three weeks on the UK chart in 1957 for Johnnie Ray, it reached number 12 on the US pop chart in 1957.

Answer: Tab Hunter

The actor Tab Hunter took "Young Love" to number one for seven weeks on the UK chart in 1957. It reached number one for six weeks on the US pop chart in 1957. Sonny James's version reached number one first, a week earlier but was only number one for one week on the US pop chart in 1957. It only reached number 11 on the UK chart in 1957. Tab Hunter starred in many movies including "Battle Cry" in 1955 and "Dam Yankees" in 1958; his career was in decline after failing to get the part of Tony in "West Side Story" but revived somewhat in the '80s with "Polyester" and "Grease 2".

James Darren went from "Gidget" in 1959 to "Deep Space Nine" in 1998 (Holographic singer Vic Fontaine) via "The Guns Of Navarone", "The Time Tunnel" and "T J Hooker" and had a number 28 hit with "Goodbye Cruel World" on the UK chart in 1961 in between. It reached number three on the US pop chart in 1961. Anthony Perkins had a number 24 hit with "Moon-Light Swim" as Tony Perkins on the US pop chart in 1957; it failed to chart in the UK. Although in many movies and the recipient of many acting awards he will always be remembered as Norman Bates in the movie "Psycho". He died in 1992 from AIDS which he caught from a blood transfusion. His widow, actress Berry Berenson, was killed on board American Airlines flight 11 in the 9/11 attack on New York in 2001, one day before the ninth anniversary of his death. The "Rebel Without A Cause" Sal Mineo, had a number 16 hit with "Start Movin'(In My Direction)" on the UK chart in 1957, it reached number nine on the US pop chart in 1957. After his performance with James Dean and a nomination for best supporting actor he was quickly typecast as a troubled teenager. He never reached those heights again but just as his career was turning around he was stabbed to death outside his apartment building in West Hollywood in 1976.

Answer: The Crickets

"That'll Be The Day" said John Wayne, and The Crickets had a number one for three weeks on the UK chart in 1957. It reached number one for one week on the US pop chart in 1957 and was their only number one on either chart. Buddy Holly had a posthumous solo UK number one for three weeks in 1959 with "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" - it reached number 13 on the US pop chart in 1959 and was written by Paul Anka.

Buddy Holly was still the lead singer of The Crickets at the time and had not started to make records under his own name yet. "The Searchers" was the movie that the quote was from that inspired the song title; it also inspired a skiffle group in Liverpool to call themselves The Searchers. Another skiffle group from Liverpool called The Quarrymen thought about changing their name to The Beetles as a tribute to Buddy Holly & The Crickets, they became The Beatals for a few months in 1960, then Johnny & The Moondogs, Long John & The Beetles and The Silver Beatles. I'm glad they settled on The Beatles or they would never have got started.

Answer: All Shook Up

Elvis Presley was "All Shook Up" and had his first UK number one after ten attempts and hitting number two twice, first with "Heartbreak Hotel" and second with "Hound Dog", both in 1956. "All Shook Up" was number one for seven weeks on the UK chart in 1957. It reached number one for nine weeks on the US pop chart in 1957.

"Too Much" was a number six hit on the UK chart and number one for three weeks on the US pop chart in 1957. "(Let Me Be Your)Teddy Bear" was a number three hit on the UK chart and number one for seven weeks on the US pop chart in 1957. "Jailhouse Rock" was number one for three weeks on the UK chart in 1957 and was the first record to enter the UK chart at number one. It was number one for seven weeks on the US pop chart. All the alternate songs were hits for Elvis.

Answer: Mary's Boy Child

Yes, of course it was "Mary's Boy Child" by Harry Belafonte. It was number one for seven weeks on the UK chart in 1957. It reached number 12 on the US pop chart in 1956.

Once styled the "King of Calypso" Harry Belafonte is a man of many talents, singer, actor, civil rights and political activist. In 1985 he was one of the organizers behind the song "We Are The World" and the effort to raise funds for Africa and performed in the Live Aid concert. In 1987 he was appointed as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF. He was strongly opposed to George W Bush, his administration and the war in IRAQ.