Petula Clark Biography: Age, Husband, Children, Songs, Net Worth, Movies, Career

Petula Clark is a British singer, actress and songwriter whose career stretches back to her childhood, making her one of the longest-active entertainers in British show business.

She first became known for performing on the radio for troops during World War II as a young girl, and later achieved global fame in the 1960s with hits like Downtown, My Love and Don’t Sleep in the Subway.

Profile

• Full name: Sally “Petula” Clark
• Date of birth: 15 November 1932
• Age: 93 years old
• Gender: Female
• Place of birth: Ewell, Surrey, England
• State/County of origin: Surrey
• Nationality: British
• Profession: Singer, actress, songwriter, performer
• Height: Slightly over 5 feet
• Parents: Mother: Doris (née Phillips); Father: Leslie Noah Clark
• Siblings: One sister (unnamed in many sources)
• Spouse: Claude Wolff (m. June 1961)
• Children: Three: Barbara, Kate and Patrick
• Relationship status: Widowed
• Ethnicity: British
• Net worth: $10 million

Early Life and Education

Sally Petula Clark is now at the graceful age of 93.

She was born on 15 November 1932 in Ewell, Surrey, England, to parents Leslie Noah Clark and Doris (née Phillips), both of whom were nurses.

Her mother had some Welsh ancestry.

She spent parts of her childhood in Abercanaid near Merthyr Tydfil in Wales.

As a child, during the Second World War she performed on BBC radio and in concert, singing for troops and participating in broadcasts designed to uplift morale.

She also acted in films as a young performer; one of her early film appearances was in Medal for the General (1944) when she was about twelve.

Personal Life

In 1955 Sally Petula Clark was romantically involved with Joe “Mr. Piano” Henderson; they considered marriage, but ultimately did not marry, though they maintained friendly professional ties.

In June 1961 she married her publicist Claude Wolff, who became a key figure in her career, particularly in relation to her French recordings and promotion in continental Europe.

They had three children: Barbara, Kate and Patrick.

In more recent years she has stated that she and Wolff are no longer in a romantic relationship.

Wolff passed away in March 2024.

Career

Petula Clark began performing professionally very young, during WWII.

As a child she sang on BBC radio broadcasts and entertained the troops.

She also appeared in films as a youth in the 1940s, including Medal for the General (1944), Strawberry Roan (1945), I Know Where I’m Going! (1945), London Town (1946), among others.

In the 1950s she continued recording in the UK, achieving hits such as The Little Shoemaker, Majorca, Suddenly There’s a Valley, With All My Heart among others.

She expanded into continental Europe, recording in French, German, Italian and Spanish, achieving major success especially in France with songs like Chariot.

Her international breakthrough came in the mid-1960s when she released Downtown in late 1964, which became a number-one hit in the US in January 1965.

This was followed by a string of hits in the US and UK: I Know a Place, My Love (also US number-one), Don’t Sleep in the Subway, Colour My World, This Is My Song, among others.

She also starred in musical films, for example Finian’s Rainbow (1968), and musicals/stage shows including The Sound of Music, Sunset Boulevard, Mary Poppins, and Blood Brothers.

Into later years she has continued to perform in concerts, release albums (in both English and French), and tour.

Awards and Nominations

• Grammy Awards: won for Downtown (Best Rock & Roll Recording of 1964) and I Know a Place (Best Contemporary Female Vocal Performance of 1965)
• Golden Globe nomination: for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for Finian’s Rainbow (1968)
• Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her contributions to music and entertainment (1998)
• Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France

Net worth

Petula Clark now has an estimated net worth of at least $10 million.

Social Media

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Filmography

• Medal for the General (1944)
• Strawberry Roan (1945)
• I Know Where I’m Going! (1945)
• London Town (1946)
• Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969)
• Never Never Land (1980)
• Sans Famille (1981)

Discography

• Put Your Shoes On, Lucy (1949)
• House in the Sky (1949)
• The Little Shoemaker (1954)
• Sailor (1961)
• Romeo (1961)
• Chariot (1962)
• Downtown (1964)
• I Know a Place (1965)
• My Love (1965)
• A Sign of the Times (1966)
• I Couldn’t Live Without Your Love (1966)
• Don’t Sleep in the Subway (1967)
• This Is My Song (1967)
• Colour My World (1967)
• Kiss Me Goodbye (1968)

Books

• Is That You, Petula? (autobiography)