Born in London's East End, Anthony was attracted to acting after seeing an ad for a child actor in a Fleet Street window. He attended the Italia Conti Stage School from the age of 14 and two years later played the Artful Dodger in David Lean's film Oliver Twist. Called up to the Army for his national service and by the late _1950s he had a hit song Idol on Parade when he was in the movie of the same name. He married his first wife, Tiller Girl Ann Lynn in 1956 but it was a rocky marriage and they divorced in 1963. He was in the pop charts 7 times in 1960, twice at number 1 with "Why ?" and "Do You Mind ?" written by Lionel Bart. In 1961 he collaborated with Leslie Bricusse on the hit stage show Stop the World: I Want to Get Off. After long runs in London and on Broadway it was made into a film starring Millicent Martin with the hit song "What Kind of Fool am I ?". In 1963 he married Rank starlet Joan Collins. She described him at the time as "A half Jewish Cockney git" and herself as a "Half Jewish princess from Bayswater via Sunset Boulevard". Newley's film career thrived, most notably with acting roles in Doctor Dolittle and The Cockleshell Heroes and as a writer and composer. Hir partnership with Bricusse continued with "The Roar of the Greasepaint: The Smell of the Crowd" and many other Oscar, Grammy and Ivor Novello award winning collaborations. The had hit songs such as "The Candy Man" and "Goldfinger". His marriage to 'Joan Collins' broke up in 1971. He had two of his four children with her. He married a third time to former air hostess Dareth Rich only to divorce again. He once said "My only regret is that in a showbusiness career you can have no private life." Alond and facing a battle against cancer, he moved in with his mother Gracie - now in her 90s - at her home in Esher, Surrey. The stage performances continued but were nothing to match his hayday. His last TV appearance was as a dodgy used car salesman in EastEnders.
He had a daughter with Dareth Rich in 1973. His daughter with Joan Collins is singer Tara Newley. Newley was raised by his mother Grace and a stepfather, whose name was Ronald Gardner. The latter wound up in Beverly Hills working as a Chauffeur for London Towne Livery Service LTD, owned and operated by actor Gerald Peters. Newley searched with the help of a detective and found his real father George Kirby and bought him a house in Beverly Hills, in the hopes that he would reunite with Grace--but it was not to be. Sammy Davis Jr. later bought or leased the house which can be seen in an episode of the original Charlie's Angels. Newley's stepfather's subsequent wife, Lucy, worked as a housekeeper for Newley's partner Leslie Bricusse for many years. Leslie traveled a lot and rarely lived in his Beverly Hills house so Lucy maintained it while Leslie rented it out in succession to Natalie Wood, Peter Sellers, Michael Caine and Yul Brynner. A lifelong home movie enthusiast, Newley filmed his first date with Joan Collins. Children by Dareth Dunn: Christopher and Shelby. Children by Joan Collins: Tara Newley (born 12 October 1963) and Alexander Newley (born 8 November 1965). Donated his papers to the Boston University (MA) Library Special Collections Department. David Bowie has admitted to copying Newley's singing style. Was taught to ice skate by Paul Newman. Was nominated for six Tony Awards: four in 1963 for "Stop the World -- I Want to Get Off," as Best Actor (Musical), and, with Leslie Bricusse, as Best Author (Musical), Best Composer and Lyricist, and for book, music and lyrics of Best Musical nomination; and two in 1965 for "The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd," as Best Director (Musical), and, again with Leslie Bricusse, as Best Composer and Lyricist. He did not win any of these awards. Biography in: "American National Biography". Supplement 1, pp. 447-448. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. In addition to the five children he had with his three wives, Newley had a daughter out of wedlock with Anneke Wills named Polly. Tragically, the girl died in an automobile accident without ever finding out that Newley was her father--or vice versa. Ex-brother-in-law of Jackie Collins and Oscar Lerman.