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Cliff Richard: Peter Pan or lost boy?
Sir Cliff: From rock 'n' roll's rebel to family entertainer |
Sir Cliff Richard's singing career has spanned more than four decades, enough time for the man once dubbed a "crude exhibitionist" by the NME to be written off by some in the industry as too "nice" to make the charts.
Born in India 59 years ago, Harry Roger Webb has become one of the UK's most consistently successful pop stars, selling more than 250m records worldwide.
Along with his backing group the Drifters - later changed to the Shadows, to avoid confusion with the US soul group - Richard stormed the UK charts in the late 1950s.
The Peter Pan of Pop or the critics' punchbag? |
Richard was quick to consolidate his fame - taking roles in the gritty film Serious Charge. The 1959 movie, also called Immoral Charge, took on the taboo subject of homosexuality.
The lead in Expresso Bongo followed in 1960, with roles in The Young Ones and Summer Holiday taking the young star more into the middle ground of musical and cinematic tastes.
With their cast of wholesome regulars - including Una Stubbs, Melvyn Hayes and the Shadows - and their full quota of catchy pop songs, these films made Richard a firm family favourite.
Eurovision: Congratulations, on coming second |
Congratulations, his entry for the 1968 Eurovision Song Contest, could only manage second place, but became one of the year's top sellers in the UK.
Another Eurovision entry in 1973, Power To All Our Friends, was a highpoint in an otherwise barren patch for Richard's acting and singing career.
Largely dismissed, the star staged a remarkable return to form with the 1976 best-seller I'm Nearly Famous, an album containing the hit Devil Woman.
The early 1970s saw Cliff go out of fashion |
In the 1980s the tally of hits continued to mount, thanks to a string of duets with the likes of Van Morrison, Elton John and Sarah Brightman.
Sadly, while many of his contemporaries have become revered elder statesmen - and in the case of Tom Jones acquired cult status - Sir Cliff has fallen from favour with the critics.
Having scored a modest success in the 1980s West End musical Time, in 1996 Richard decided to take on the role of Heathcliff in a musical version Wuthering Heights.
Sir Cliff too old for Heathcliff? |
"For years people have been telling me how old I look. I'm the perfect person to play a 38-year-old," he told his critics.
The clean-living, tennis-playing bachelor, who reportedly adheres to a strict diet, has earned the grudging title - The Peter Pan of Pop.
Despite his youthful looks and a staunch fan base, which sees him shift more than one million records each year, Richard has struggled for airplay in recent years.
Claiming that ageism was stopping radio stations playing his music, the star distributed a version of single Can't Keep This Feeling In under a false name.
The "Black Knight" remix - named after the song's producer and Richard's 1995 knighthood - found its way onto the air where the original had failed.
Sir Cliff, thought to be worth £50m, has again confounded his critics with Millennium Prayer. The charity disc has become his 14th No 1 despite not making the radio playlists.
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  TALKING POINT |
 Sir Cliff RichardHero or zero? Your verdict on the pop veteran |
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28 Nov 99 | Entertainment |
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Sir Cliff tops the charts |
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Sir Cliff Richard Home Page |
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