As good looking as Gable and charming as Conti, he nevertheless had Chaplin's pathos. In Oliver Twist, his artful dodger was craftiness to perfection.

He switched as if by magic to become a rock-and-roller in Idle On Parade, then a slapstick funny man in the style of Whitehall farce in film comedies such as Getting Married and In The Nick.

Matinee idol he was in smash hit shows such as Stop The World - I Want To Get Off. He was even married to Joan Collins for some time.

But, most of all, this phenomenon of a man was known for his way with a song.

Combining all the emotion of Aznavour with the cockney charm of Joe Brown or Tommy Steele, he swung like Shakin' Stevens and ladies in their legions forgot their inhibitions at his concerts and threw their underwear on stage.

Tom Jones himself would have been amazed at the quantity of lingerie on display at some gigs.

So it is amazing Anthony Newley is best remembered for re-working a rhyme we learned on our mother's laps - Pop Goes The Weasel.

-Michael Parker, Brighton