Steele was regarded as Britain's first pop star[?]. Born in London, his cheeky Cockney image, combined with boy-next-door looks, won him success as a singer after starting out as an actor and variety entertainer.
Most of Steele's 1950s hits were covers of American hits, such as "Singin' the Blues". Following the increase in home-grown musical talent during the 1960s, he progressed to a career in stage and film musicals. In the West End he appeared as Hans Christian Andersen. On film, he recreated his stage role in Half A Sixpence[?], and played character roles in Disney's The Happiest Millionaire[?] and in Finian's Rainbow[?] with Fred Astaire. In 1983 he directed and starred in the West End stage production of Singin' in the Rain.
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