Paul Anka
Known for: Acting
Paul Albert Anka (born July 30, 1941) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter and actor. He is best known for his signature hit songs including "Diana", "Lonely Boy", "Put Your Head on My Shoulder", and "(You're) Having My Baby". Anka also wrote the theme for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson; one of Tom Jones' biggest hits, "She's a Lady"; and the English lyrics to Claude François and Jacques Revaux's music for Frank Sinatra's signature song "My Way", which has been recorded by many, including Elvis Presley. He co-wrote three songs with Michael Jackson: "This Is It" (originally titled "I Never Heard") "Love Never Felt So Good", and "Don't Matter to Me", which became posthumous hits for Jackson in 2009, 2014, and 2018, respectively. Anka was born in Ottawa, Ontario, to Camelia (née Tannis) and Andrew Emile "Andy" Anka Sr., who owned a restaurant called the Locanda. His parents were both of Lebanese descent. His father came to Canada from Bab Tuma, Damascus, Syria, and his mother was an immigrant from Lebanon. His mother died when he was 18. Anka sang with the St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral choir under the direction of Frederick Karam, with whom he studied music theory. He studied piano with Winnifred Rees. He attended Fisher Park High School, where he was part of a vocal trio called the Bobby Soxers. Paul Anka recorded his first single, "I Confess", when he was 14. In 1956, with $100 given to him by his uncle, he went to New York City where he auditioned for Don Costa at ABC Records, singing what was widely believed to be a lovestruck verse he had written to a former babysitter. In an interview with NPR's Terry Gross in 2005, he stated that it was to a girl at his church whom he hardly knew. The resulting song "Diana" brought Anka stardom as it went to No. 1 on the Canadian and US music charts. "Diana" is one of the best selling singles ever by a Canadian recording artist. He followed up with four songs that made it into the Top 20 in 1958, including "It's Time to Cry", which hit No. 4 and "(All of a Sudden) My Heart Sings", which reached No. 15, making him (at 17) one of the biggest teen idols of the time. He toured Britain, then Australia with Buddy Holly. Anka also wrote "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" – a song written for Holly, which Holly recorded just before he died in 1959. Anka stated shortly afterward: "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" has a tragic irony about it now, but at least it will help look after Buddy Holly's family. I'm giving my composer's royalty to his widow – it's the least I can do." ... Source: Article "Paul Anka" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
Filmography
Series
The Simpsons
Paul Anka (voice)
1989
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962
Series
Real Time with Bill Maher
Self
2003
Series
Gilmore Girls
Paul Anka
2000
Series
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Co-Host
1961
Series
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
1961
Film
Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon
Self
2011
Series
The View
Self
1997
Series
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Musical Guest
2003
Series
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self
2003
Series
That '70s Show
Paul Anka
1998
Series
Las Vegas
Paul Anka
2003
Series
American Idol
Self - Guest
2002
Series
The Merv Griffin Show
Self
1962
Series
Champs-Elysées
Self
1982
Series
What's My Line?
Self - Mystery Guest
1950
Series
The Masked Singer
Broccoli
2019
Series
The Masked Singer
Broccoli (archive footage)
2019
Series
Sacrée soirée
Self
1987
Series
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
1948
Series
Kojak
Buddy Maus
1973
3 nach 9
Self
1974
Series
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
Self
1975
Series
Dinah!
Self
1974
Series
Numéro un
Self
1975
Midi trente
Self (voice)
1972
Die ultimative Chartshow
Self
2003
Series
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
Self
1956
Series
The Midnight Special
Self
1972
Series
Kraft Music Hall
Self
1958
Film
The Longest Day
U.S. Army Ranger
1962
Samedi soir
Self
1971
Series
Viña del Mar International Song Festival
Self - Musical Guest
1963
Series
Star Academy
Self
2001
Series
The Hollywood Palace
Self
1964
Series
Aktuelle Schaubude
Self
1957
Series
American Bandstand
Self
1957
Series
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
Self
1969
Series
Donny & Marie
Self
1976
Willkommen bei Carmen Nebel
Self
2004
Series
Rebel Highway
Mr. Lagrange
1994
Series
Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life
Paul Anka
2016
Series
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
Self
1996
Series
The Dick Clark Show
Self
1958
Series
Téléthon
Self
1987
Einer wird gewinnen
1964
Series
Svenska Hollywoodfruar
Himself
2009
4-3-2-1 Hot and Sweet
Self
1966
Series
Ein Herz für Kinder
Self
1998
Series
Cadet Rousselle
Self
1971
Wedden, dat..?
Self
1986
Series
Soundbreaking
Self
2016
Series
Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters
Self
1980
Film
3000 Miles to Graceland
Pit Boss #1
2001
Series
This Is Tom Jones
Self
1969
Film
Girls Town
Jimmy Parlow
1959
Goldener Löwe
Self
1984
Film
Captain Ron
Donaldson
1992
Werner Müllers Schlagermagazin
Self
1961
Series
Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell
1975
Film
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies
Self
2004
Film
Mad Dog Time
Danny Marks
1996
Film
Comedy Central Roast of Alec Baldwin
Self
2019
Film
Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster
Nick Angel
1991
Film
Shake, Rattle and Rock!
Mr. Lagrange
1994
Film
Ordinary Magic
Joey Dean
1993
Film
My Way
Self
2024
Series
Vegas: The Story of Sin City
Self - Entertainer
2024
Film
David Foster: Off the Record
Self
2019
Film
Jay Sebring… Cutting to the Truth
Self
2020
Film
Voices That Care
Self - Choir Member
1991
Film
The Private Lives of Adam and Eve
Pinkie Parker
1960
Film
Prince of the Hit Parade
Himself
1991
Film
Look in Any Window
Craig Fowler
1961
Film
Lily: Sold Out
Self
1981
Film
Mireille Mathieu - Singen, nur singen
Self (archive footage)
2021
Film
The Royal Variety Performance 1977
Self
1977
Let's Rock!
Himself
1958
Film
C'est votre vie
Self
2013
Film
Lindsay Wagner: Another Side of Me
Self
1977
Film
Cinderella at the Palace
Self
1978
Film
The Midnight Special Legendary Performances: More 1974
1974
Film
Paul Anka - Live in Switzerland
2013
Film
Lonely Boy
Himself
1962
Film
Buddy Holly: Rave On
Self
2017
Film
The Memories of Angels
Self (archive footage)
2008
Film
My Way
Self
1979
Film
Paul Anka: His Way
Self
2024
Film
Paul Anka plays Avo Session
2011