- Place – Langham London
- Time – 1995
- Artist Anthony Newley
A Night With Newley
Newley was to be filmed performing his one-man show in front of a star-studded audience at the Langham Hotel in London, my wife and I were invited by Tony to attend.
The venue was filled with celebrities from every area of show business.
Seating at the venue was prearranged as to how famous you were, so needless to say my wife and I were placed by the exit at the back of the room.
From the moment Tony appeared on stage he captivated the audience and held them throughout his entire performance.
Following several encores and standing ovations, Newley left the stage walking through the crowd shaking hands and embracing many of the guests.
As he approached the exit where we were placed, he spotted me and shouted at the top of his voice
“Kenny!” then came over to the table and gave me a huge hug, asking,
“Where’s Susie?”
He then spotted Sue and went over to give her the biggest cuddle and kiss.
This was such a wonderful moment making us feel so special and one that will stay with us for forever.
He then invited us upstairs to his dressing room and hospitality suite where there was to be a private party.
That night I believe we all witnessed the last great live performance of Anthony Newley’s one-man show.
What’s Eastenders?
During the nineties Newley appeared in several TV shows as well as performing in Leslie Bricusse’s Scrooge; The Musical.
Sadly at this time his health was deteriorating and this gruelling show was much too much for Tony,
There were rare occasions when Newley was so unwell he was unable to perform and his understudy would have to take his place.
This led to him receiving hate mail from fans that had expected to see Newley performing, not the understudy.
Tony was devastated by this and never understood how people could be so cruel.
Just over a year before he died, I had one of those crazy phone calls from Tony, asking me,
“Kenny what’s “Eastenders?”
I explained it was a very successful BBC TV show. I asked him why he wanted to know. He told me he had been offered a part in the program.
Within weeks of him appearing on the show he was thrilled with the adulation he was receiving, it had been quite some time since he had this much attention from the press.
During the filming of the show his health worsened and on Boxing Day 1998 he left the UK to seek specialist help in America.
Tony had pre-recorded a small part playing the Bishop in the TV drama The Lakes, which aired two months before he died.
This was such a fine diverse performance. I think if it had not been for his ill health, Newley would once again have been a household name.
Tony vs Newley
Tony’s artistic side was his alta ego. In the last few years he started to analyse Newley, the artist but total confusion set in .
This undoubtedly placed uncertainty into his creative psyche. We were once listening to one of his old hits, when he astounded me by saying,
“Listen to that vowel sound I am making, why didn’t anyone tell me?”
In regard to his relationships with women, he told me;
“Everywoman I have ever known has brought me to my knees.”
It’s possible they fell in love with Newley and then fell out of love with Tony.
This would change in the last few years of his life, when he reunited with Gina Fratini. Gina loved, cared and understood Tony more than anyone, bypassing all the barriers of his complex character.
A Sad Day
On Friday, March 19th 1999, I was leaving my studio early to get away for long weekend.
As I set the security alarm the telephone rang. I was undecided as to whether to go back and answer, in case it was someone who wanted to book the studio for that weekend, something I didn’t want to do as I had promised my Sue, my wife, we were going to have a couple of days away.
My conscience got the better of me and I answered the call.
To my surprise it was, Gina ringing from Florida, she said “Tony would like to talk to you.”
I was thrilled to hear from him. The conversation turned dark very quickly, he’d rang me to say goodbye.
I told him as I had so many times before,
“Don’t give up just keep fighting.”
In a very weak voice he said,
“I have nothing left to fight with, I am needed in another place.”
We said our goodbyes and I left the studio, wishing I had not gone back to answer the phone.
April 15th was my birthday.
I woke up and switched on the TV to see the morning news and I heard the announcement that Anthony Newley had died the night before in Florida.
Sue and I were so upset. I was now grateful for the phone call that had upset me so much a few weeks earlier.
Beyond this genius that went from child star to pop idol, composer, author, director, leading man, succeeding in every one of these areas, I knew a sweet, caring, emotional person. It was a privilege to have known and worked with Tony Newley.
“Marriage is like getting in the bathtub. Once you in, It’s really not so hot.” Anthony Newley
A signed photo from Anthony Newley
Who would be crazy enough to attempt this. Sorry to say I was.
Sometimes things go wrong and then other times they go really wrong
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