Doug Sheldon

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Doug Sheldon
Born
Bernard Bobrow

22 June 1936 (1936-06-22) (age 88)
Stepney, London, England
Occupation(s)Singer ·actor ·writer

Doug Sheldon (born Bernard Bobrow, 22 June 1936) [1] is an English former pop singer, actor, and novelist. [2]

Contents

Early life

Sheldon was born into a family of carnival businesspeople, and he worked as a barker while receiving training in acting. [3]

Career

After completing military service, he landed a role in the 1961 film The Guns of Navarone , [4] and worked in small theatre productions. He shared a flat in London with three other then-unknown actors, including Michael Caine and Sean Connery. Sheldon was discovered by Bunny Lewis while performing on-stage and was quickly offered a recording contract with Decca Records, even though he had no previous experience performing as a singer. [3]

Sheldon's first single was "Book of Love", which did not chart. The follow-up single was a cover of the song "Runaround Sue", which became a hit record in the UK Singles Chart reaching number 36, [5] although Dion's version soon overshadowed it in popularity. His next single, "Your Ma Said You Cried in Your Sleep Last Night", became his highest-charting hit in the UK at number 29. [5] Shel Talmy produced the next single, "Lollipops and Roses", which flopped, but with the song "I Saw Linda Yesterday" he managed to crack the UK Singles Chart for the last time in 1963 at number 36, thus emulating his first hit's position. [5]

After the middle of the decade, Sheldon returned to a career in acting, where he appeared on TV in Doctor Who , [4] The Avengers and Triangle , and in films such as The Yellow Teddy Bears (1963), the musical comedy Just for You (1964), Some Girls Do (1969), The Spy Killer (1969), Ryan's Daughter (1970), Soft Beds, Hard Battles (1974), Appointment with Death (1988) and Iron Eagle II (1988). [6] He also published novels using the slightly fuller name of Douglas Sheldon. [3] In 2007, his entire Decca discography was released on CD by Vocalion Records. [3] [7]

Singles

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1963 The Yellow Teddy Bears Mike Griffin
1965 Three Hats for Lisa Docks Foreman
1968 Up the Junction VillainUncredited
1969 Some Girls Do Kruger
1969 The Best House in London Second HecklerUncredited
1970 Ryan's Daughter Driver
1974 Soft Beds, Hard Battles Kapitan Kneff
1987 Snow White The King
1988 Appointment with Death Captain Rogers
1988 Iron Eagle II Demitriev
1992Daleks: The Early YearsKirksenArchival footage

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1960The Long Way HomeGestapo Guard2 episodes
1960, 1961 Probation Officer Teddy Lukins / Ray Russell
1961 Deadline Midnight 'Onions'Episode: "The Girls from Harrow"
1965 Doctor Who Kirksen2 episodes
1965, 1966 Dixon of Dock Green Alan Taylor / PC Andrews
1966IsadoraChauffeurTelevision film
1968 The Avengers BradEpisode: "The Forget-Me-Knot"
1969 The Spy Killer AlworthyTelevision film
1972ScoopHansEpisode: "The Ubiquitous Mr. Baldwin"
1972, 1974 Softly, Softly: Task Force Collins / Vernon Wills2 episodes
1978 Law & Order D.S. Jack Barcy
1979 Secret Army Defending Officer / Major Scheer
1981 Triangle Arthur Parker26 episodes
1981 Armchair Thriller OttoEpisode: "The Chelsea Murders"
1988Thieves in the NightJudge WilmotTelevision film

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References

  1. "Albums by Doug Sheldon: Discography, songs, biography, and listening guide". Rate Your Music. 25 January 1964. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  2. "Who is Doug Sheldon?". Omnilexica.com. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Bruce Eder, Doug Sheldon at Allmusic
  4. 1 2 "Rock and roll | Sue Records UK". Suerecordsuk.wordpress.com. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 495. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  6. "Doug Sheldon". IMDb.com. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  7. Bruce Eder (15 October 2007). "Craig and Doug at Decca: Singles Compilation 1957-1961 - Craig Douglas,Doug Sheldon | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 Search for "Doug Sheldon" performed at Everyhit.com Archived October 12, 2008, at the Wayback Machine database on September 29, 2008.