27 Years Ago, We Said Goodbye to the Broadway Star and Grammy Winner Who Married the Star of the Greatest ‘Star Trek’ Episode of All Time

On this day (April 14) in 1999, Anthony Newley died of renal cancer in Jensen Beach, Florida, at the age of 67. He rose to fame in the late 1950s and early ’60s as one of the most lauded leading men on Broadway. He was also an accomplished songwriter who penned dozens of hits for artists like Sammy Davis Jr., Nina Simone, and Tony Bennett. Newley also saw success in television and cinema as an actor, director, and writer.

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Newley’s career began in his teens when he landed the title role in The Adventures of Dusty Bates, a children’s film serial in 1947. The next year, he appeared in Oliver Twist as the Artful Dodger, his first major role, according to Music Theater International. The next decade saw him appearing in more than two dozen films as he transitioned from a child actor into an adult. He solidified his place as a viable leading man in the 1959 comedy Idol on Parade.

The film, which was about a singer who was drafted into the military, also launched his recording career. In the late 1950s and early ’60s, Newley released a string of hits on the UK Singles Chart. Among those hits were two No. 1 singles–“Why” and “Do You Mind.”

Anthony Newley Was a Versatile Songwriter

Anthony Newley wrote award-winning hit songs as well as musicals. He and his writing partner, Leslie Bricusse, wrote multiple musicals, including Stop the World–I Want to Get Off and The Roar of the Greasepaint–The Smell of the Crowd. They also wrote the music and lyrics for the songs from the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. The latter includes the song “Pure Imagination,” which has been recorded by a long list of artists over the years. Additionally, he co-wrote the theme from Goldfinger with John Barry.

The song “Feeling Good” first appeared in The Roar of the Greasepaint. Then, Nina Simone recorded it for her 1965 album I Put a Spell on You. It became one of her signature songs.

“What Kind of Fool Am I” originated from Stop the World and became a hit when Sammy Davis Jr. recorded it in 1962. The next year, the song brought Newley and Bricusse the Grammy Award for Song of the Year. They were the first British songwriters to win the award.

Newley’s Connection to Star Trek

Anthony Newley was connected to multiple iconic properties, including the musicals he helped create. He also appeared in the original Doctor Doolittle film, Alice in Wonderland, Boris and Natasha: The Movie, and The Garbage Pail Kids Movie, connecting him to some of the most powerfully nostalgic properties in cinema. He was also in the 1986 remake of Stagecoach, which starred country music legends Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, and Waylon Jennings.

Newley was also married to Joan Collins from 1963 to 1970. Collins has appeared in an incredibly long list of films and television shows. Among those was the Star Trek episode “The City on the Edge of Forever,” which is widely regarded as the best episode of the entire franchise.

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