Clark, Petula (1932–)

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Clark, Petula (1932–)

English actress and singer. Name variations: Pet Clark. Born Petula Sally Olwen Clark, Nov 15, 1932, in Ewell, Surrey, England; m. Claude Wolff (French businessman), 1961; children: Bara, Kate, and Patrick.

At age 11, during WWII, became a popular child singer on BBC and in London concert halls and began to appear in films, including Strawberry Roan, A Medal for the General, I Know Where I'm Going!, London Town, Dance Hall and The Runaway Bus; with career on the decline, moved to Paris (1958) and gained a reputation as a concert and recording artist, eventually launching such pop hits as "Downtown," "Don't Sleep in the Subway" and "I Know a Place"; appeared in her own tv specials, had her own series "Petula" (1983), portrayed Norma Desmond in West End production of Sunset Boulevard (1999), and starred in such films as Finian's Rainbow, Goodbye Mr. Chips and Never Never Land; had 15 Top-40 hits. Named Commander of the British Empire (1998).

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