Biography
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Born
2 July 1939 (age 84)
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Born In
Eastbourne, East Sussex, England, United Kingdom
Musician, comedian and actor Leapy Lee is perhaps best know for his hit record 'Little Arrows'. It was written by Albert Hammond, released in the UK in August 1968 and went straight into the charts. It remained there for twenty-one weeks in eighteen countries enjoying global sales of nearly 3,500,000. This earned Leapy Lee a coveted gold disc. It spent fourteen weeks on the US bestsellers peaking at number twelve.
Leapy was born in 1939 in Eastbourne, Sussex, the only child of Kathleen and William. He was educated at Bourne Secondary Modern and went on to have his first taste of work as a bingo Caller, club Manager and Barrow Boy in the Portobello Road.
His first professional gig was in 1955 at The Panorama Espresso Lounge, Eastbourne with his London debut at Metropolitan Theatre, Edgeware Road, the following year. His first season was in 1958 at the London Palladium in a show called Large as Life. He went onto appear in Johnny the Priest (Players Theatre, London), Oh Dad, Poor Dad, I've Locked You in the Closet (Lyric Theatre) and Sparpers Can't Sing (Theatre Workshop, Stratford and Criterion Theatre, London).
Leapy's first record was released on Pye Records in 1962 called 'It's All Happening', however his first major hit arrived eight years later in the guise of 'Little Arrows' reaching number one in eighteen countries.
Leapy moved to Saudia Arabia as a show producer in 1976 and in 1983 moved to his present home in Mallorca where he opened a bar with Andrew Ray, son of comedian Ted Ray. It didn't last and in 1985 he started the cabaret circuit continuing to entertain the crowds to this day. Between 1998 and 2001 Leapy and his family featured prominently in the BBC television series 'Passport to the Sun' fronted by, first Liza Tarbuck then Nadia Sawalha.
He has appeared on TV, in film, on radio and the stage as one of the UK's original all-round entertainers.
With the exciting release of 'Little Arrows II' Leapy Lee is enjoying the glare of the showbusiness spotlight once again with radio, TV and live appearances. For more information about this album, for samples of each track or to make a purchase, click here
Photographs courtesy Erica Phutware
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