- Born
- Died
- Nicknames
- Pat
- Britain's Betty Grable
- The Schoolgirl Songstress
- Pat Kirkwood was born on February 24, 1921 in Pendleton, Salford, Greater Manchester, England, UK. She was an actress, known for After the Ball (1957), The Passing Show (1951) and The Great Little Tilley (1956). She was married to Peter Knight, Hubert Gregg, Spiro de Spero Gabriele and John William Atkinson Lister. She died on December 25, 2007 in Ilkley, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, UK.
- SpousesPeter Knight(March 3, 1981 - December 25, 2007) (her death)Hubert Gregg(May 4, 1956 - 1979) (divorced)Spiro de Spero Gabriele(February 22, 1952 - 1954) (his death)John William Atkinson Lister(August 10, 1940 - 1950) (divorced)
- Following the failure of No Leave, No Love (1946), she suffered a major breakdown and attempted suicide, spending eight months in a New York sanatorium. This cost her the lead in the London stage production of "Annie Get Your Gun".
- Cole Porter once sent her a message: "You may sing any song of mine at any time for the rest of your life.".
- Was offered a contract with MGM in 1944, rumored to be worth $250,000. She made just one film in America the following year (No Leave, No Love (1946)) in which she sang three songs. Poor reviews, in addition to a strict diet and fitness regimen imposed by the studio, contributed to her having a breakdown and she attempted suicide. She subsequently returned home to England.
- She made her professional debut at the age of 14. A year later, she made her first appearance on stage, billed as the "Schoolgirl Songstress" at the Royal Hippodrome in Salford. Her first big break came in "Black Velvet" at the London Hippodrome in 1940.
- In 1954 she became the first female star to have her own one-hour series on British TV, The Pat Kirkwood Show (1954). That same year she broke box-office records with a three-month sold-out cabaret show at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas, NV.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
