Talk:Petula Clark

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Tony Hatch? Is that the same guy who wrote the theme for Crossroads? Mike H 18:19, Jul 26, 2004 (UTC)

Yes, it is . . . user:SFTVLGUY2

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I've reverted a bunch of recent changes made by user:SFTVLGUY2. It looks like a complete rewrite, with some new material added, but all links and formatting lost in the process. Please feel free to re-incorporate the added information, but please don't destroy the hard work of others with your edits. Jgm 18:52, 8 Nov 2004 (UTC)

It was not my intention to "destroy" anyone's work. As a first-time visitor to Wikipedia, I thought I was properly editing the entry for Petula Clark by adding considerably more than "some" new material. If anyone is guilt of "destroying" someone's hard work, it's Jgm, who removed everything I added by reverting the entry to its original and less-than-comprehensive form! User:SFTVLGUY2

Thank you for restoring the links and formatting to the article, and for your expansion. Jgm 11:47, 9 Nov 2004 (UTC)

Your article is wonderful, Tom.

Contents 1 Gay Icon Project 2 Clark and Belonfonte 3 References 4 Clark and the Carpenters 5 The early years 6 The International Petula Clark Forum 7 Use of International Dating format

[edit] Gay Icon Project

In my effort to merge the now-deleted list from the article Gay icon to the Gay icons category, I have added this page to the category. I engaged in this effort as a "human script", adding everyone from the list to the category, bypassing the fact-checking stage. That is what I am relying on you to do. Please check the article Gay icon and make a judgment as to whether this person or group fits the category. By distributing this task from the regular editors of one article to the regular editors of several articles, I believe that the task of fact-checking this information can be expedited. Thank you very much. Philwelch 20:20, 24 Mar 2005 (UTC)

• I do not see anything to support the notion of Petula Clark is a "gay icon". Can anyone else provide a link or any other source to support this contention? If not, I recommend the category be removed. 23skidoo 16:11, 5 September 2005 (UTC)
• I DO NOT think Petula Clark is a GAY ICON at all. SHe is not a diva-type person either privately or as a performer and is a wholesome, charming very much family orientated performer . You only have to see her movies and hear her songs to recognise this. Unlike the flamboyant Dame Shirley Bassey or the 'racked with a horrendous private life' Liza Minelli, Petula is down to earth and very normal. She should be removed from this list.
• Since everyone who has commented here seems to be in agreement, I've removed the category from the article. Graham/pianoman87 talk 05:01, 26 January 2006 (UTC)
• Perhaps I'm weighing in too late, but I think Petula DEFINITELY qualifies as a gay icon, particularly for gay men of a certain age. She is not a gay icon in the over-the-top way that performers like Minelli or Bette Davis are/were, but I think she still qualifies. The fact that someone could be described as a "family-oriented perfomrer" does not preclude their also being regarded as a gay icon. Dolly Parton, for instance, undisputably a gay icon, could also be described as a "family-oriented performer." --Markt3 15:26, 12 April 2006 (UTC)
• Sorry to disagree with some of you, but having been to many of her concerts both here in the US and abroad, I can assure you Petula Clark DEFINITELY is a gay icon. TOM 12:46, 6 October 2006 (UTC)
• Like, DUH!--4.159.80.39 19:41, 16 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Clark and Belonfonte

" During a duet of an anti-war song she had composed, "On the Path of Glory," with guest Harry Belafonte, Clark innocently touched his arm, much to the dismay of a representative from Chrysler, the show's sponsor. When he insisted they substitute a different take, with Clark and Belafonte standing well away from each other, she and husband Woolf, producer of the show, refused and delivered the finished program to NBC with the touch intact. It aired to high ratings and much critical acclaim, and marked the first time a man and woman of different races touched on American television." I just had to add that I was so surprised to read that Clark's touch of Belofonte's arm was disapproved and the first ever seen on American televison between people of different racial backgrounds as late as 1968 --especially since they were also singing an Anti-War song. Great that Petula Clark and Harry Belafonte refused a more 'acceptable' take. At least most of the American viewers didn't share the same absurdity of the unwarranted dismay of the Chrysler company. Tari 22:09, 4 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Is that what that was about? I came here wondering what on earth the article was talking about, i.e. why this innocent touch of the arm was significant. That it was a racial thing didn't even occur to me.

I think it might be advisable to mention what the issue was in the text. This is especially true for non-American readers, who may have no idea what race relations were like in the U.S. in the 1960s. --Saforrest 00:47, 31 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] References

I've put a tag there at the top of the article to see if someone can supply a reputable source for 'over 70 million albums sold'. If a proper reference can be located, please remove the tag from the top of the article. Proto t c 15:23, 5 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Clark and the Carpenters

The information about Petula Clark discovering the Carpenters appears to be apochryphal. According to the duo's biographer, Ray Coleman, the Carpenters were already signed to A&M (and had released an album) when the label arranged for their appearance at the premiere of Goodbye, Mr. Chips in late 1969. They certainly weren't well known then, however, and Clark may have believed that she was hearing undiscovered talent. RBrown 09:39, 16 January 2006 (UTC)

I have removed the information: that seems to be a reliable source. Graham/pianoman87 talk 13:47, 16 January 2006 (UTC)

Thanks. I've edited the information in the Carpenters article as well. RBrown 15:55, 16 January 2006 (UTC)

On January 11, 2002, I attended a concert by Clark at the Carpenter Center for the Performing Arts in Long Beach, CA. She was introduced by Richard Carpenter who, in his opening remarks, stated that he and his sister owed her a debt of gratitude for having brought them to the attention of Herb Alpert. I assume when info like this comes straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak, it can be accepted as accurate. SFTVLGUY2

I am not doubting your account of the 2002 concert, but even first person accounts such as you describe can be faulty when removed by more than 30 years from an event. If the Goodbye, Mr. Chips premiere occurred in late 1969 and if that was where Clark first heard the Carpenters perform, then no, she would not have been the one to bring them to Alpert's attention. They had already been signed to Alpert's label earlier that year and had already released the Offering LP by then. RBrown 03:59, 12 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] The early years

Isn't it more likely that the mention of the US Army should really be the British Army at El Alamein? She was very famous in the UK, not very famous in the US of A, and the US Army wasn't at El Alamein (certainly not in force) SteveCrook 01:33, 31 January 2006 (UTC)

Reference to the US Army is accurate, as documented in "This is My Song: A Biography of Petula Clark" by Andrea Kon, published by W.H. Allen & Co. Ltd., 1983 SFTVLGUY2

OK, thanks. My wrong assumption. SteveCrook 00:32, 18 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] The International Petula Clark Forum

[1] This is a great, friendly and very active place for fans of Petula Clark to discuss the career and music of the great lady. The forum is administated by someone who has been running the long-standing Original PetulaClark-Listserver at Yahoo Groups for nearly nine years and has been operating this forum since 2005. It would be so nice to see a link included on Petula's Wikipedia page for this wonderful Forum Almil 12:50, 2 February 2007 (UTC)Al

[edit] Use of International Dating format

Petula Clark is British. Using U.S. format (month/day/year) dates for this article is inappropriate under WP:DATE, which says:

If the topic itself concerns a specific country, editors may choose to use the date format used in that country. This is useful even if the dates are linked, because new users and users without a Wikipedia account do not have any date preferences set, and so they see whatever format was typed. See Wikipedia:Manual of Style#National varieties of English for more guidance.

Insisting that the article must use U.S. Dating format because the subject has American listeners and owns a house in Miami Beach is just bizarre. --Pete 23:45, 21 March 2007 (UTC)

As the dates have the month in words, both November 15 and 15 November are commonly found in use in Britain. If you stick to the Wikipedia standard then you can choose how to have the date displayed -- SteveCrook 23:58, 21 March 2007 (UTC)

As the reference indicates, users without an account (which is most users, being readers rather than editors) don't have date preferences set, and therefore see the raw format. --Pete 00:14, 22 March 2007 (UTC)

And as they use the month in words, it doesn't really matter. You don't get the same confusion you do with 11/12/06, not being sure if it's December 11th or November 12th -- SteveCrook 01:12, 22 March 2007 (UTC)

It matters to readers who otherwise get the impression that Wikipedia is an American product, when in fact the focus is on internationalisation. Using the same logic, you could argue that using American spellings in a British article is fine, because everyone knows what is meant. --Pete 03:49, 22 March 2007 (UTC)

But as I said before, when the month is spelt out, both forms are in common use in Britain -- SteveCrook 03:55, 22 March 2007 (UTC)

Feel free to amend the Manual of Style accordingly. Be prepared for a lot of resistance. I shall watch with interest. In the meantime, I shall continue to use International Dating format as per WP:DATE. --Pete 13:37, 22 March 2007 (UTC)