Movie Stars of Yesterday

The 16-year-old British star Hayley Mills flocked by autograph hunting fans and reporters for their interview with her and her famous actor-father,  John Mills.

 

Hayley Mills in Singapore for "Pretty Polly" in 1967
 

 

British Actor Trevor Howard and Actress Hayley Mills at Raffles Hotel for "Pretty Polly" in 1967

Hayley Mills and co-star Shashi Kapoor and a friend at Raffles Hotel on 28 Feb 1967 for filming.

Were you any one of  the shouting, chanting teenage crowd of more than 600 braved a downpour and besieged the airport when their dream idol, Hayley Mills of "Pollyana" and "Parent Trap" fame arrived at Singapore Paya Lebar Airport on 4 November, 1962?

Do you remember these nostalgic memories to meet your favorite movie stars in person 50 years ago?

How different are the movie stars and movie fans of yesterday as compared to those today?

This is a personal nostalgia photojournal with appropriate intensive old photos posted with "memory-aids" with photo credit of National Archives of Singapore (NAS). Thanks and acknowledgement, public domain sharing subject to conditions under NAS. You are welcome to contribute your personal stories and archived photos to Singapore Memory online portal to a fuller picture about the respective blog topics to share with everyone.

The old photos of people on these blogs are not intended to reflect the changes of the facial appearance , physique or physical conditions.

There is an increasing number of elders today with youthful looks, healthy and active lifestyle through regular exercises, community activities and brisk walking. More of them are the "evergreen trees" for both men and women...keeping healthy, happy and worries away. Its all in the mind, as these wise people tell us.

The focus on this blog is about the emotion and experience of one generation to another.

When the grandfather 50 years ago was chasing with excitement and frenzy to get Hayley Mills' the "die die must have" signature on his autograph book for keepsake and memories, look back a similar scenario when the grandchildren today rushing to the airport, hotel or the venue for the entertainment centre to grab hold of the most popular TV or movie stars, rock stars or the most fashionable stars from Korea, Japan or any other countries which you fancy (love, not crazy)?

After all, the same grandfather was young once and behaved that way 50 years ago falling head and toe with Hayley Mills... he wasn't crazy then !

Cliff Richard and "The Shadow"

The Young Ones (US title: Wonderful to Be Young!) is a British musical released in 1961, featuring singer Cliff Richard.



Performed live in front of 15,000 fans at London's O2 Arena, Cliff and The Shadows' 50th anniversary show The Final Reunion recreates the spectacular magic of some of their biggest hits, chart-toppers and unforgettable favourites, "The Young Ones" including Living Doll, Move It, and Apache.

Sit Back and enjoy the music that changed the face of British Rock 'n' Roll forever!

The Final Reunion Tour was Cliff Richard and The Shadows' last worldwide tour together. The October, 2009 arena tour included shows in UK, Ireland, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The tour marked 50 years since the pair first played together and was the first time the pair had played together in over 20 years.  The same singer, the same band performed the same song about 50 years apart. Awesome !

Cliff Richard, the 'evergreen singer" said: "Whenever it is, we will still be the "youngonce" !
 

There were many movie stars and  musical bands, recording artistes and performers who visited Singapore over the decades.

One of the popular British recording artistes was Cliff Richard  and "The Shadow".

My blogger friend, Andy Lim of the "Singapore 60s: Andy's Pop Music Influence" posted a related blog "Cliff Richard & The Shadows - British Influence" here .

Eight thousand fans gave English Rock-N-Roll idol Cliff Richard a wild reception when he appeared on stage at the Singapore Badminton Hall on 18 November 1961 with his ac ompanying quartet "The Shadows"  (Photos above).

 Cliff Richard at the record shop in Singapore to meet his fans and sign autograph (Photos below).

Cliff Richard and "The Shadow" performed "live" at the Singapore Badminton Hall, Singapore on 18 Nov 1961 to a packed audience.

Anneke Gronloh (of Indonesia) in Singapore in 1962

Anneke Gronloh and "The Blue Diamonds" in 1962

Charlie Chaplin in Singapore in 1961

Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE (16 April 1889 – 25 December 1977) was an English comic actor, movie director and composer best known for his work during the silent movie era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I..

Chaplin used mime, slapstick and other visual comedy routines, and continued well into the era of the talkiers, though his films decreased in frequency from the end of the 1920s.


Over the next 25 years, through the Great Depression and the rise of  Adolf Hitler, he stayed on the job.  It is doubtful any individual has ever given more entertainment, pleasure and relief to so many human beings when they needed it the most". George Bernard Shaw called Chaplin "the only genius to come out of the movie industry".

Gandhi met Charlie Chaplin In Newham, east London. October 05, 2009. 

Maurice Chevalier arrived in Singapore in 1960

Maurice Chevalier, 71-years-young, looked at the night sky, smiled in his inimitable way and said: "How I wish I had arrived in your lovely city during the day it would have been a marvellous opportunity to look around".  Chevalier, international star of stage and screen - to say nothing of the "Folies Bergere" - was in Singapore in April, 1960.