He was a British pop singing star with Top 10, hits including "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" and "Green Door". He studied at Leeds College of Art, but switched to show business after his audition succeeded and led to week's work in music hall. He went on to stardom as "Mr. Moonlight" in English variety-show world, based on his hit tune, "Give me the ...
NME Award for British Male Singer, NME Award for British Vocal Personality
Movies
Let's Make Love, These Dangerous Years, The Heart of a Man, The Lady Is a Square, The Right Approach, Ramsbottom Rides Again, Dangerous Youth, Wonderful Things!, It's All Over Town, Escape in the Sun
Star Sign
Aquarius
#
Fact
1
One son, David, is a record promoter (as at 1974).
2
Sister in Law was singer Joyce Shock.
3
Wrote the song Honey Bun Baby which he sung in the film The Lady is a Square.
4
Played football for Wingate F.C.
5
He was appointed Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire in 1993.
6
Devoted to his wife and children, he decided not to pursue a Hollywood career after his experiences on Let's Make Love (1960). He said subsequently that he never regretted his decision for a second.
7
He was the son of a Russian-Jewish upholsterer who lived in a poor area of Liverpool.
8
Initially trained for a career in commercial art, he won a scholarship to the Lancaster College of Art, then studied at Leeds College of Art where he gained his Art Teacher's Diploma in 1950.
9
The story goes that his change of name from Frank Abelson to Frankie Vaughan came about when he announced to his Russian grandmother that he intended to be a singer, and she told him, "Vell," she said, "then you vill be the best von there ever vas."
10
He was closely associated with the song "Give Me the Moonlight, Give Me the Girl," an old song which he discovered in a Glasgow music shop in 1954. He first sang it on stage wearing a top hat hired from an undertaker, and it became his signature tune.
11
He was awarded an O.B.E. (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1965 Queen's Honours List and a C.B.E. (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1997 Queen's Honours List for his services to drama.
12
He is a singer and dancer who performed in cabarets and legitimate theater.
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Lipstick on Your Collar
1993
TV Mini-Series performer - 1 episode
This Is Tom Jones
1969
TV Series documentary performer - 1 episode
The Right Approach
1961
performer: "Lady, Love Me"
Let's Make Love
1960
performer: "HEY YOU WITH THE CRAZY EYES", "INCURABLY ROMANTIC"
The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show
1960
TV Series performer - 1 episode
The 32nd Annual Academy Awards
1960
TV Special performer: "The Best of Everything"
The Heart of a Man
1959
performer: "The Heart Of A Man", "Walking Tall", "Sometime, Somewhere", "My Boy Flat Top" / writer: "Sometime, Somewhere"
The Lady Is a Square
1959
performer: "The Lady Is a Square", "Love Is The Sweetest Thing", "Honey Bunny Baby", "That's My Doll", "Ombra mai fu Handel's Largo" / writer: "Honey Bunny Baby" - as Frank Able
Wonderful Things!
1958
performer: "Wonderful Things", "Little Fishes"
Dangerous Youth
1957
performer: "These Dangerous Years", "Cold Cold Shower", "Isn't This a Lovely Evening?"
Escape in the Sun
1956
performer: "Escape in the Sun"
Ramsbottom Rides Again
1956
performer: "Ride, Ride, Ride Again", "This Is The Night"
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Right Approach
1961
Leo Mack
Let's Make Love
1960
Tony Danton
The Heart of a Man
1959
Frankie Martin
The Lady Is a Square
1959
Johnny Burns
Wonderful Things!
1958
Carmello
Dangerous Youth
1957
Dave Wyman
Ramsbottom Rides Again
1956
Elmer
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Surprise Surprise!
1995
TV Series
Himself
Paul Merton's Palladium Story
1994
TV Mini-Series documentary
Himself
Pebble Mill at One
1994
TV Series
Himself
This Is Your Life
1970-1994
TV Series documentary
Himself
Blankety Blank
1985-1990
TV Series
Himself
3-2-1
1987
TV Series
Himself - Guest Star
Super Troupers
1985
TV Series
Himself
A Century of Stars: The Story of the Grand Order of Water Rats
1984
TV Movie documentary
The Good Old Days
1963-1983
TV Series
Himself - Performer / Himself
Starburst
1983
TV Series
Himself
Forty Minutes
1982
TV Series documentary
Himself
Pro-Celebrity Snooker
1982
TV Series
Himself - Player
Look Who's Talking
1982
TV Series
Himself - Interviewee
The Basil Brush Show
1980
TV Series
Himself
London Night Out
1978-1980
TV Series
Himself
Parkinson
1979
TV Series
Himself
Looks Familiar
1976-1977
TV Series
Himself - Guest
Wednesday at 8
1976
TV Series
Himself
Seaside Special
1976
TV Series
Himself
Stars on Sunday
1976
TV Series
Himself
Saturday Night at the Mill
1976
TV Series
Himself
The Morecambe & Wise Show
1969-1976
TV Series
Himself - Musical Guest / Himself
Whose Baby?
1973
TV Series
Himself - Guest
The David Nixon Show
1972
TV Series
Himself
Saturday Variety
1972
TV Series
Himself
This Is Tom Jones
1969-1971
TV Series documentary
Himself
The David Frost Show
1970
TV Series
Himself
The Golden Shot
1967-1969
TV Series
Himself
The Liberace Show
1969
TV Series
Himself
Set 'em Up Joe
1969
TV Series
Himself
Top of the Pops
1964-1969
TV Series
Himself
Moira Anderson Sings
1968
TV Series
Himself
First Night
1968
TV Movie
Himself - Singer
Lulu's Back in Town
1968
TV Series
Himself
International Cabaret
1968
TV Series
Himself
Dee Time
1967-1968
TV Series
Himself
Time for Blackburn
1968
TV Series
Himself
Doddy's Music Box
1968
TV Series
Himself
All Systems Freeman
1968
TV Series
Himself - Singer
Showtime
1968
TV Series
Himself
The Blackpool Show
1967
TV Series
Himself
Spotlight
1967
TV Series
Himself
The Heart of Show Business
1967
TV Movie
Himself - Performer
Thank Your Lucky Stars
1963-1966
TV Series
Himself
The Eamonn Andrews Show
1966
TV Series
Himself
The Frankie Vaughan Show
1965-1966
TV Series
Himself - Singer
Mrs Thursday
1966
TV Series
Himself
The New London Palladium Show
1965
TV Series
Himself
Val Parnell's Sunday Night at the London Palladium