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Petula: A Cinematic Journey Through the Decades

In 1943, a ten-year-old Petula stepped into the spotlight with her first film role, cast by British director Maurice Elvey as Irma Smith, a spirited Cockney refugee, in Medal for the General (1944). Produced by British National Films, the wartime drama featured a distinguished cast including Godfrey Tearle, Jeanne de Casalis, Mabel Constanduros, and Irene Handl.

Petula (centre) in a scene from Medal for the General

Petula's early film career unfolded rapidly. She reunited with Elvey for Strawberry Roan (1945), and appeared in Murder in Reverse?, I Know Where I'm Going!, and Trouble at Townsend (1946), a GB Instructional film aimed at educating evacuee children. That same year, she featured in London Town, Britain's first major Technicolor musical, directed by Wesley Ruggles and filmed at Shepperton Studios.

Early Danish film poster featuring Petula's name (1947)

Petula takes the stage at the London Town premiere, Odeon Leicester Square, August 1946

In Murder in Reverse?, Petula portrayed Jill Masterick as a child, with William Hartnell and Chili Bouchier playing her parents. Dinah Sheridan took on the adult version of Jill, in a plot that questioned whether a dead man could be murdered. Jimmy Hanley, a frequent co-star, also appeared.

Here Come the Huggetts press book

By 1948, Petula was under contract with the Rank Organisation, appearing in Vice Versa alongside Anthony Newley, directed by Peter Ustinov, and Easy Money with Jack Warner. That year marked her debut as Pet Huggett in Here Come the Huggetts, followed by Vote for Huggett (1949) and The Huggetts Abroad (1949), solidifying her place in one of Britain's most beloved fictional families living in the London Borough of Strutham!

Her first starring role came in Don't Ever Leave Me (1949), where she played Sheila Farlaine in a more mature performance. Filmed at Islington and Shepherd's Bush Studios, the film showcased Petula's vocal talents with two musical numbers composed by Jack Fishman and Peter Hart. She also made her screen debut as a dancer in a lively jitterbug sequence.

Don't Ever Leave Me press book

A charming anecdote from the Gloucester Journal in 1949 recalled Petula's reunion with actor James Hayter, who had directed her in one of her earliest stage performances in the Army concert party Black Beret Pie. Hayter had once written in her autograph book: "Petula Clark, who will be a great star one day. And don't forget I said it first."

The Romantic Age trade advert

Petula's filmography continued to expand with The Romantic Age (1949), Dance Hall (1950), White Corridors (1951), and Madame Louise (1951). In Dance Hall, filmed at Ealing Studios, she played Georgie Wilson, a teenager with dreams of ballroom glory, mastering dance skills in just five weeks that typically take years. Petula was awarded the Institute of Dancing Bronze and Silver Medals in recognition of her performance in the film. These medals were a formal acknowledgment of her contribution to the film's dance sequences and her proficiency in performance, reflecting the standards set by the Institute at the time. Her co-stars in Dance Hall included Douglas Barr, Diana Dors, Donald Houston, Kay Kendall, Bonar Colleano and Natasha Parry.

Dance Hall trade advert

In Madame Louise, Petula explored slapstick comedy opposite Richard Hearne, and enjoyed the convenience of filming near her East Molesey home. Her punctuality was legendary-arriving at the studio with just a minute to spare after waking at 6:45 a.m.

During Made in Heaven at Pinewood Studios, Petula's evenings were anything but restful. One night, her accompanist Joe Henderson phoned from London to play a new composition over the telephone. Petula jotted down the melody while her dinner cooled, later performing it on the studio piano to unanimous acclaim.

In The Gay Dog, Petula and Wilfred Pickles charmed audiences as father and daughter in a comedy set against the world of greyhound racing. The film featured a romantic subplot and a musical number, "A Long Way to Go," performed in Petula's signature style.

By 1954, Petula starred in The Happiness of Three Women, a whimsical tale of wishes made at a magical well, alongside Patricia Cutts and Patricia Burke. She took on a more serious role in Track the Man Down (1955), a crime drama involving stolen greyhound takings.

That Woman Opposite British quad poster

In That Woman Opposite (1957), Petula played Janice Lawes in a suspenseful whodunit adapted from John Dickson Carr's The Emperor's Snuff-Box. Set in a quiet coastal town, the film starred Hollywood talents Phyllis Kirk and Dan O'Herlihy, with Wilfred Hyde White rounding out the cast.

By the close of the 1950s, Petula had appeared in over two dozen films, earning praise from directors who unanimously declared, "This girl is an actress."

6.5 Special advert in Picturegoer

Her cinematic presence continued into the 1960s. In 1958, she appeared in the 6.5 Special, working on her hit single "Baby Lover," which reached No. 12 on the UK Singles Chart. Cameos followed in French and Italian productions, including A Couteaux Tires (1964), for which she composed the incidental music, and The Big T.N.T Show (1966).

Finian's Rainbow trade advert

Goodbye, Mr. Chips UK poster

In 1968, Petula starred as Sharon McLonergan in Finian's Rainbow, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, alongside Fred Astaire and Tommy Steele. Her performance earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Musical / Comedy. The following year, she played Katherine Bridges opposite Peter O'Toole in Goodbye, Mr. Chips, directed by Herbert Ross with music by Leslie Bricusse.

Never Never Land US poster

Petula returned to Elstree Studios in 1980 for Never Never Land, portraying Aunt Bee in a poignant drama filmed across London. Though only broadcast on ITV in 1985, the film saw limited release in the U.S., and its theme song "Fly Away," recorded by Petula, was later featured on an anthology CD release.

In 1989, Petula composed themes for the TV docudrama Petain, chronicling the life of Philippe Petain. The film featured Harry Andrews in his final role and was co-produced by Dee Shipman. Portions of Petula's score were later released on the 2007 album In Her Own Write.

From child prodigy to seasoned performer, Petula's cinematic legacy spans genres, generations, and continents, an enduring testament to her versatility and star power.

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Explore the Collection:

Dive into an extensive archive showcasing the full spectrum of Petula's film appearances. The collection features both commercially released editions and rare transfers sourced from VHS or direct-to-DVD recordings, captured from television broadcasts where no official release exists. It's a rich cinematic tapestry that preserves Petula's screen legacy in all its forms.

Current holdings within the film collection have been fully digitised and are preserved in optical disc formats, comprising both DVD and Blu-Ray editions:

Medal for the General 1944 Shelf mark: [2]009

Strawberry Roan 1945 Shelf mark: [2]010

Murder in Reverse? 1945 Shelf mark: [2]131

I Know Where I'm Going 1945 Shelf mark: Box 20

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Trouble at Townsend 1946 Shelf mark: Box 20

London Town 1946 Shelf mark: 399

Vice Versa 1948 Shelf mark: Box 20

Easy Money 1948 Shelf mark: 398

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Here Come the Huggetts 1948 Shelf mark: Box 20

Vote for Huggett 1949 Shelf mark: Box 20

The Huggetts Abroad 1949 Shelf mark: Box 20

Don't Ever Leave Me 1949 Shelf mark: 397

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The Romantic Age 1949 Shelf mark: 396

Dance Hall 1950 Shelf mark: 395

Tin Pan Alley 1951 Shelf mark: 385

White Corridors 1951 Shelf mark: 394

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Madame Louise 1951 Shelf mark: 393

The Card 1952 Shelf mark: Box 20

Made in Heaven 1952 Shelf mark: 392

The Runaway Bus 1954 Shelf mark: Box 20

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The Gay Dog 1954 Shelf mark: Box 21

The Happiness of Three Women 1954 Shelf mark: 391

Track the Man Down 1955 Shelf mark: 390

That Woman Opposite 1957 Shelf mark: 389

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Six-Five Special 1958 Shelf mark: 388

A Couteaux Tires 1964 Shelf mark: Box 21

Questi Pazzi, Pazzi Italiani 1965 Shelf mark: Box 21

The Big T.N.T Show 1966 Shelf mark: 379

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Finian's Rainbow 1968 Shelf mark: Box 21

Goodbye, Mr. Chips 1969 Shelf mark: Box 21

Droles De Zebres 1977 Shelf mark: 221

Never Never Land 1980 Shelf mark: 386 / 387

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Petain 1989 (as composer) Shelf mark: 283

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The Fan Archive Collection holds an extensive and richly curated collection of materials documenting Petula's film career. This includes original production stills, press and publicity photographs, vintage film and trade advertisement posters, promotional press books, historical news clippings, movie star photo postcards and a wide array of soundtrack recordings, each piece offering a unique glimpse into her cinematic legacy.

Above: Poster tubes and a selection of film posters and press books maintained by the Fan Archive Collection

We've also curated an extensive trove of over 250 issues of Picturegoer magazine that spotlight Petula as a film star. This remarkable collection offers a vivid chronicle of her cinematic journey, beginning with her earliest screen appearances in 1944 from a child star to a leading lady. Each issue captures a moment in time, film reviews, interviews, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and cover features, that piece together the story of Petula's film career and her timeless appeal in British popular culture.

Below is an overview of the materials held for each film title within the Fan Archive Collection (further accruals are expected):

1940s:

Film Title	Viewing Copy	Film Stills / Lobby Cards	Poster / Trade Ad	Press Book / Programme	News Cuttings	Soundtrack Recording / Sheet Music
Medal for the General			-	-	-	-
Strawberry Roan			-	-	-	-
Murder in Reverse?		-			-	-
I Know Where I'm Going			-	-	-	-
Trouble at Townsend		-	-	-	-	-
London Town				-		-
Vice Versa						-
Easy Money					-	-
Here Come the Huggetts
Vote For Huggett
The Huggetts Abroad
Don't Ever Leave Me
The Romantic Age				-	-	-

1950s:

Film Title	Viewing Copy	Film Stills / Lobby Cards	Poster / Trade Ad	Press Book / Programme	News Cuttings	Soundtrack Recording / Sheet Music
Dance Hall
Tin Pan Alley		-	-	-	-	-
White Corridors				-		-
Madame Louise				-	-	-
The Card				-	-	-
Made In Heaven				-	-
The Runaway Bus				-	-	-
The Gay Dog					-	-
The Happiness of Three Women					-
Track The Man Down				-	-	-
That Woman Opposite				-	-	-
Six-Five Special				-	-

1960s:

Film Title	Viewing Copy	Film Stills / Lobby Cards	Poster / Trade Ads	Press Book / Programme	News Cuttings	Soundtrack Recording / Sheet Music
A Couteaux Tires
Questi Pazzi, Pazzi Italiani		-	-	-	-	-
The Big T.N.T Show			-	-	-	-
Finian's Rainbow
Goodbye, Mr. Chips

1970s and 1980s:

Film Title	Viewing Copy	Film Stills / Lobby Cards	Poster / Trade Ads	Press Book / Programme	News Cuttings	Soundtrack Recording / Sheet Music
Droles De Zebres		-	-	-	-	-
Never Never Land				-
Petain (as composer)		-	-	-	-

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Petula: When the Actress Sings

Though celebrated for her musical triumphs, Petula's voice often shimmered through the silver screen in films not strictly billed as musicals - moments where character and melody entwined with effortless charm.

Her first on-screen singing role came in Trouble at Townsend (1946), where she portrayed Mary Bishop and performed "There's No Place Like Home" while accompanying herself on the piano. It was a quiet yet poignant debut that hinted at the vocal magic to come. In this performance, Petula played the piano with the poise and assurance of a seasoned professional, delivering both music and emotion with effortless grace.

Then came the Huggett trilogy, where Petula, as Pet Huggett, lit up British hearts. In Here Come the Huggetts (1948), she sang the cheeky "Walking Backwards," penned by Jack Fishman and Peter Hart. The following year, Vote for Huggett featured her sweet rendition of "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree," and The Huggetts Abroad doubled the delight with "House in the Sky" and the playful "Doodle-oodle-day", all courtesy of Fishman and Hart's songwriting duo.

In Don't Ever Leave Me (1949), Petula stepped into the role of Sheila Farlaine, delivering two heartfelt numbers: the title song and "It's Not For The Want of Trying," again by Fishman and Hart, showcasing her transition into more mature, emotionally resonant performances.

Her voice graced Tin Pan Alley (1951) with "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You," and in Made in Heaven (1952), she played Julie Topham, singing the film's title track, composed by Joe Henderson with lyrics by Peggy Jones and her father Leslie N. Clark.

In The Gay Dog (1954), Petula portrayed Sally Gay, performing "A Long Way to Go," another Henderson-Clark collaboration, in a film that paired her with Wilfred Pickles in a warm-hearted tale of working-class life and greyhound racing.

That same year, The Happiness of Three Women saw her as Delith, singing "Our Love" in a story spun around wishes and wistful dreams.

Fast forward to 1964's A Couteaux Tires, where Petula appeared as herself, singing the sultry French ballads "Prends Garde a Toi" and "Il N'a Chante Qu'un Soir", a nod to her international stardom and bilingual finesse. As a side note to her cameo appearance in A Couteaux Tires, the incidental score was composed by Petula, and issued as a six-track EP in 1964 by Vogue Records.

And finally, in Never Never Land (1980), she lent her voice to the film's opening theme, "Fly Away," a haunting lullaby that drifted through London's twilight streets and into television screens years later.

In tribute to Petula's on-screen vocal artistry, the archival reference CD shown above, assembles a comprehensive selection of these featured performances, preserved in one consolidated volume. Note that this is for archive reference purposes only and is not for sale.

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The Films That Got Away: Petula's Unmade Cinematic Dreams

In the golden age of British cinema, Petula's name shimmered not only on marquees but in the pages of industry gossip and tantalising press releases. Between 1951 and 1970, she was linked to a constellation of film projects that, despite the buzz, never quite made it to the screen. These were the roles that might have been, the scripts that whispered her name, and the cinematic paths left unexplored.

1951: Covent Garden - A Technicolor Dream Deferred. Anthony Asquith, one of Britain's most respected directors, was reportedly captivated by Petula's dramatic turn as a probationer nurse in White Corridors. So impressed, he planned to cast her in Covent Garden, an original Technicolor production set to be filmed at Pinewood Studios. The story revolved around a humble market porter who rises to operatic fame, a role that would have required Petula to perform full operatic arias. Earl St. John, the Rank Organisation's legendary executive producer (dubbed "The Earl of Pinewood"), publicly declared, "I believe Petula will have a major success in it." But despite the fanfare, the film was quietly shelved.

1951 - 1953: Peregrine's Progress - A Birthday Gift with Cinematic Ambitions. In 1951, whispers emerged of a film adaptation of Jeffrey Farnol's Peregrine's Progress, with Petula poised to play a gypsy girl who sings for her supper. The project was a personal one, her father, Leslie Clark, was writing the screenplay as a birthday gift for his daughter's 19th. In a BBC feature titled "The Film Part I Would Most Like to Play", Petula named the role as her dream part and even suggested Dirk Bogarde as her leading man. A scene was broadcast, and the concept earned praise from listeners and Bogarde himself. Yet, the film never materialised.

1953: Trouble in Store - A Stand for Substance in a bold move. Petula turned down the role of Sally Wilson in Norman Wisdom's comedy Trouble in Store, citing the character's lack of depth. "I simply couldn't go on being a sweet little girlfriend any longer," she said at the time. Initially promised multiple songs, Petula discovered the script offered only a single duet. The role eventually went to Lana Morris, and Petula was suspended by the Rank Organisation. She accepted the decision with grace, stating, "They were quite within their rights-I am not resentful about it."

1966: 9th Floor of The Plaza - An American Mystery Mid-decade. Reports surfaced of Petula's involvement in a U.S. production titled 9th Floor of The Plaza. Details were scarce, but the project hinted at a glamorous transatlantic venture that never came to pass.

1967: Castle of Otranto - Gothic Whispers and Michael Caine. Petula was said to be in talks for Castle of Otranto, a film to be shot on location in the United States. Rumors swirled that Michael Caine would co-star in the gothic tale. Despite the intrigue, this castle remained un-built.

1968: Petula in the Wild West? Hollywood murmured of Petula saddling up for a Western, in an unexpected genre twist. Though never confirmed, the idea of Petula trading ballads for buckaroos captured imaginations!

The roles that might have been throughout the late '60s: Petula's name was floated for several high-profile films: Elvis Presley's Paradise, Hawaiian Style (1966), the controversial Valley of the Dolls (1967), and the ensemble disaster epic Airport (1970). Whether due to scheduling, creative differences, or shifting tides in casting, these opportunities remained tantalising footnotes in her career.

These "films that got away" offer a fascinating glimpse into the breadth of Petula's appeal and the cinematic roads not taken. Each project, whether whispered in studio corridors or splashed across entertainment columns, adds texture to the legend of a performer whose talents transcended genre, geography, and expectation.

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Questions? Drop us an email: info@petula-archives.co.uk