Paul Anka's Main TV Roles Show Character(s) The Dick Clark Show Paul Anka This Is Tom Jones (UK) Paul Anka Michael Parkinson's Greatest Entertainers (UK) Paul Anka Dan Raven Paul Anka Hullabaloo Paul Anka Personality Paul Anka Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell Paul Anka

Main Movie Roles 2001 - 3000 Miles to Graceland 1992 - Captain Ron 1962 - The Longest Day 1961 - Look in Any Window 1959 - Girls Town

BIOGRAPHY:

Canadian-born Paul Anka first achieved success in the 1950s as a teenage singing star (and, for the times, an unusual one in that he wrote many of his own songs). Although he appeared in several films, and was quite believable as a nervous, hyper young soldier in The Longest Day (1962) (for which he also composed the theme music), Anka's main interest was music, and he concentrated his efforts into composing (he wrote Frank Sinatra's classic "My Way") and nightclub appearances in Las Vegas.


TRIVIA:

• He wrote "Lonely Boy" for his mother, who died of a liver disease.
• "My Way", the song he wrote for 'Frank Sinatra' (qv), is tagged as the "Killer Song" in the Philippines. It's the top pick of drinking buddies in karaoke/videoke bars and when sung off-key, the singer is usually roughed up (or oftentimes shot or stabbed to death) by other drunks in the bar.
• His childhood ambition was to be a lawyer or a journalist.
• Formerly co-owner of the NHL's Ottawa Senators.
• Married his second wife, 'Anna Åberg' (qv), in Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Italy. They have one son, Ethan (b. 2004).
• He started singing at age 12.
• Pictured on one of four 52¢ Canadian commemorative postage stamps honoring Canadian Recording Artists, issued 29 June 2007. The other stamps pictured 'Gordon Lightfoot' (qv), 'Joni Mitchell' (qv), and 'Anne Murray (I)' (qv).
• Father of five daughters: Alexandra, Amanda, Alicia, Anthea and Amelia.