Craig Douglas obit

Tributes paid to Isle of Wight born singer Craig Douglas

 

He was not on the list.

Tributes are being paid to Isle of Wight born singer Craig Douglas, who has died at the age of 85.

Considered by many to be one of the most successful pop stars in Britain, Craig's cover of Sam Cooke's song Only Sixteen topped the UK charts in 1959, where it stayed for more than a month.

Born in Newport as Terence Perkins, Craig left the Island in the late 1950s and went on to have a string of hits, including A Teenager in Love, Pretty Blue Eyes and When My Little Girl Is Smiling.

At the height of his fame, he was outselling acts including Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley.

A spokesperson for Craig's family said he passed peacefully after a very short illness, with his family by his side.

They ask that people respect their privacy at this time.

In 1962, Craig starred alongside fellow musicians Helen Shapiro and Chubby Checker in the musical-comedy film It's Trad, Dad!

Craig then continued to record music, and he released his final studio album, The Craig Douglas Project, in 2011.

In 2021, the County Press reported on his 80th birthday celebration, which was arranged by his long-term friend, local showbiz journalist and broadcaster, the late John Hannam.

In a recent article about the IW's music legacy, Andrew Bradstock wrote about Craig’s career.

He said: “While rock ’n’ roll gripped the nation, there was still space for the clean-cut, boy-next-door singer of the Pat Boone variety.

“And one of the leading British versions of Boone was a man from the Island, the farmhand and milkman, Terence Perkins, later Craig Douglas

“One day he came home from his job at Bill Strickland’s Farm in Calbourne to find his mother had entered him in a talent contest at the Medina Cinema in Newport.

“This was November 1957, and he was just 16.

“Singing Mary’s Boy Child, he won the contest over some rockers who, as he put it, "had bootlace ties, luminous socks, Tony Curtis haircuts and did Presley stuff."

“He sang Pat Boone’s Love Letters in the Sand to win the first heat.

“Soon after, he was spotted by the manager and record producer, Bunny Lewis, and his wife, Janique Joelle.

“They encouraged him to turn professional, and gave him the stage name, Craig Douglas.

“After a week at the Empire Theatre, Portsmouth (where he was billed as ‘The Boy with the Golden Voice’), Lewis got him on BBC TV’s Six-Five Special alongside Cliff Richard and Joe Brown.

“His career really took off when he signed with the record label, Top Rank.”

Actor

Jess Conrad, Liz Fraser, and Tony Wickert in Murder Can Be Deadly (1962)

Murder Can Be Deadly

5.8

Nightclub Singer

1962

 

Ring-A-Ding Rhythm! (1962)

Ring-A-Ding Rhythm!

5.9

Craig

1962

 

Soundtrack

Albert Finney in Cold Lazarus (1996)

Cold Lazarus

7.6

TV Mini Series

performer: "A TEENAGER IN LOVE"

1996

 

Hugh O'Conor in The Young Poisoner's Handbook (1995)

The Young Poisoner's Handbook

7.0

performer: "Nothing Shaking (But the Leaves On the Trees)"

1995

 

The Morecambe & Wise Show (1968)

The Morecambe & Wise Show

8.1

TV Series

performer: "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" (uncredited)

1970

1 episode

 

Jess Conrad, Liz Fraser, and Tony Wickert in Murder Can Be Deadly (1962)

Murder Can Be Deadly

5.8

performer: "Another You", "Painted Smile"

1962

 

George Chakiris, Jocelyn Lane, Alfred Lynch, and Janette Scott in The Girl Swappers (1962)

The Girl Swappers

6.1

performer: "A Change of Heart"

1962

 

Ring-A-Ding Rhythm! (1962)

Ring-A-Ding Rhythm!

5.9

performer: "Rainbows", "Ring-a-Ding" (uncredited)

1962

 

Climb Up the Wall (1960)

Climb Up the Wall

4.0

performer: "Miss In-Between", "Of Love"

1960

 

Thanks

Talkies

7.0

TV Series

thanks

2019

1 episode

 

Self

Talkies

7.0

TV Series

Self

2019

1 episode

 

Noel Fielding, Greg Davies, Sophie Willan, and Jamali Maddix in Never Mind the Buzzcocks (1996)

Never Mind the Buzzcocks

7.8

TV Series

Self - Mystery Guest

2005

1 episode

 

Eamonn Andrews in This Is Your Life (1955)

This Is Your Life

6.4

TV Series

Self

1995

1 episode

 

The Time of Your Life (1983)

The Time of Your Life

5.0

TV Series

Self

1983

1 episode

 

Glamour...

TV Series

Self

1969–1973

6 episodes

 

The Golden Shot (1967)

The Golden Shot

6.8

TV Series

Self

1970

1 episode

 

The Morecambe & Wise Show (1968)

The Morecambe & Wise Show

8.1

TV Series

Self

1970

1 episode

 

Set 'em Up Joe

TV Series

Self

1969

1 episode

 

Dee Time (1967)

Dee Time

7.4

TV Series

Self

1969

1 episode

 

Tommy Quickly in Thank Your Lucky Stars (1961)

Thank Your Lucky Stars

7.5

TV Series

Self - Guest Host

1961–1966

16 episodes

 

Five O'Clock Club (1963)

Five O'Clock Club

7.8

TV Series

Self - Guest

1963–1966

10 episodes

 

Discs-a-gogo (1961)

Discs-a-gogo

7.4

TV Series

Self - PerformerSelf - Singer

1963–1965

2 episodes

 

A Vote for the Stars

TV Series

Self

1964

 

Song Boat

TV Mini Series

Self - Host

1964

2 episodes

 

Cilla Black in Blackpool Night Out (1964)

Blackpool Night Out

7.4

TV Series

Self

1964

1 episode

 

For Teenagers Only

TV Series

Self

1964

1 episode

 

Open House (1964)

Open House

TV Series

Self

1964

1 episode

 

Big Night Out (1961)

Big Night Out

7.0

TV Series

Self

1964

1 episode

 

Billy Cotton Band Show (1956)

Billy Cotton Band Show

6.4

TV Series

Self - Singer

1961–1962

2 episodes

 

Pops and Lenny (1962)

Pops and Lenny

TV Series

Self

1962

2 episodes

 

Young at Heart

TV Series

Self - Singer

1961

1 episode

 

A Song for Europe

TV Special

Self

1961

 

Whistle Stop!

TV Series

Self

1961

1 episode

 

Climb Up the Wall (1960)

Climb Up the Wall

4.0

Self

1960

 

Make a Date

TV Series

Self - Singer

1960

1 episode

 

The Sunday Break (1958)

The Sunday Break

TV Series

Self - Performer

1960

1 episode

 

Six-Five Special (1957)

Six-Five Special

6.6

TV Series

Self

1958

6 episodes

 

Archive Footage

Sounds of the Sixties

7.6

TV Mini Series

Self (archive footage)

1991

1 episode

 

Bernard Braden and Esther Rantzen in Braden's Week (1968)

Braden's Week

7.6

TV Series

Self (archive footage)

1970

1 episode