Pat Kirkwood

Pat Kirkwood was a British stage actress, singer and dancer who appeared in numerous performances of dramas, cabaret, revues, music hall, variety and pantomimes. She also performed on radio, television and films. In 1954, BBC Television broadcast The Pat Kirkwood Show; she was the first woman appearing on British television to have her own series. She was born in Pendleton, Salford, Lancashire to a Scottish shipping clerk and his wife. She started her career at the age of 14 by entering a talent contest and later appeared in local variety shows and pantomimes. She became famous for her rendition of Cole Porter's song "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" at the London Hippodrome in 1939. She was dubbed 'Britain's first wartime star' as she performed at the London Palladium during the Second World War. She also starred in several films, such as Save a Little Sunshine, Me and My Pal, No Leave No Love and After the Ball. She was known for her beauty and charisma, as well as her powerful voice and dancing skills. She was nicknamed 'the eighth wonder of the world' by the theatre critic Kenneth Tynan. She was married four times, but had no children. She was rumored to have had an affair with Prince Philip, but she always denied it. She suffered from Alzheimer's disease in her later years and died of a stroke on Christmas Day 2007. She was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1975 for her services to the theatre.