Frankie Vaughan
3 February 1928 – 17 September 1999
RIP Frankie 
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Frankie Vaughan, CBE, DLBorn Frank Ableson, 3 February 1928
He was born Frank Abelson in his Russian grandmother’s house in Liverpool on 3 February 1928. In a heavy Russian accent she used to describe Frankie, her first grandchild, as “My Number Vorn” – the origin of his stage name
Singer of Easy Listening and traditional pop music, who recorded more than 80 singles in his lifetime. He was known as “Mr. Moonlight” after one of his early hits.
In the Fifties and early Sixties he was probably Britain’s best-known crooner, a word no longer in fashion. And the lyric he was best known for crooning, “Give me the moonlight, give me the girls and leave the rest to me” disappeared from set lists in an age of sexual equality.
He went on to top the bill at every big British theatre and became the first British singer to star in Las Vegas. He broke house records in cabaret at New York’s Copacabana.
Vaughan notched up two number one hits, “Tower Of Strength” and “Garden Of Eden”. Nevertheless, Vaughan kept his strong and loyal fan base of women of a certain age through the pop and rock explosion of the Sixties, despite the anachronisms of punctuating his songs with high kicks and usually wearing a boater and wielding a cane.
He underwent surgery after heart problems but was sent home from hospital.
A spokeswoman for his agent, Peter Charlesworth, said: “He died peacefully with his family and was buried in accordance with the Jewish tradition. The family have requested privacy for the time being.”
Vaughan was also a matinee idol and appeared in the 1960 film Let’s Make Love with the screen goddess Marilyn Monroe. He later said that Monroe had tried to seduce him but the attempt was doomed to failure because he loved his wife, Stella.
He once said: “I have flirted with women, particularly when I’m doing my act, but I never stop telling my wife that I love her the most of all. I wake her up every morning with a kiss, a cup of tea and a biscuit. She’s the greatest pleasure in my life.”
He turned to showbusiness from a short career as a commercial artist after leaving Leeds College Of Art.
In October 1983, Frankie visited St.Anne’s Ziona Garden Party, and is pictured here with members of the Committee.
A school friend of mine lived in the same street as Frankie and when he came to a Harold House Club dance she introduced me to him – I was quite moonstruck! My other claim to fame is I had a cousin who went out with his sister!!! What a long time ago that was!! This brought back memories.
I remember being taken to a garden party that he opened on 16 June 1961, and wondered why all the “old ladies” were lining up to be kissed by him.
Whenever in a Blackpool show during the Rosh Hashono/ Yom Kippur season he always came to Shul . He was a personal friend of the Blackpool Minister Rev. Braslavsky.
I can remember those days quite clearly.
He opened a garden party for St. Annes Ziona in
1983. There were photographs in the Jewish Gazette. I’ve got a couple of copies of the photo.