Paul Anka
Acting • Born 1941-07-30
Biography
Paul Albert Anka (born July 30, 1941) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter and actor. He is best known for his signature hit songs including "Diana", "Lonely Boy", "Put Your Head on My Shoulder", and "(You're) Having My Baby". Anka also wrote the theme for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson; one of Tom Jones' biggest hits, "She's a Lady"; and the English lyrics to Claude François and Jacques Revaux's music for Frank Sinatra's signature song "My Way", which has been recorded by many, including Elvis Presley. He co-wrote three songs with Michael Jackson: "This Is It" (originally titled "I Never Heard") "Love Never Felt So Good", and "Don't Matter to Me", which became posthumous hits for Jackson in 2009, 2014, and 2018, respectively. Anka was born in Ottawa, Ontario, to Camelia (née Tannis) and Andrew Emile "Andy" Anka Sr., who owned a restaurant called the Locanda. His parents were both of Lebanese descent. His father came to Canada from Bab Tuma, Damascus, Syria, and his mother was an immigrant from Lebanon. His mother died when he was 18. Anka sang with the St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral choir under the direction of Frederick Karam, with whom he studied music theory. He studied piano with Winnifred Rees. He attended Fisher Park High School, where he was part of a vocal trio called the Bobby Soxers. Paul Anka recorded his first single, "I Confess", when he was 14. In 1956, with $100 given to him by his uncle, he went to New York City where he auditioned for Don Costa at ABC Records, singing what was widely believed to be a lovestruck verse he had written to a former babysitter. In an interview with NPR's Terry Gross in 2005, he stated that it was to a girl at his church whom he hardly knew. The resulting song "Diana" brought Anka stardom as it went to No. 1 on the Canadian and US music charts. "Diana" is one of the best selling singles ever by a Canadian recording artist. He followed up with four songs that made it into the Top 20 in 1958, including "It's Time to Cry", which hit No. 4 and "(All of a Sudden) My Heart Sings", which reached No. 15, making him (at 17) one of the biggest teen idols of the time. He toured Britain, then Australia with Buddy Holly. Anka also wrote "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" – a song written for Holly, which Holly recorded just before he died in 1959. Anka stated shortly afterward: "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" has a tragic irony about it now, but at least it will help look after Buddy Holly's family. I'm giving my composer's royalty to his widow – it's the least I can do." ... Source: Article "Paul Anka" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
Filmography
88 credits
The Longest Day
Movie • 1962
U.S. Army Ranger
Look in Any Window
Movie • 1961
Craig Fowler
Girls Town
Movie • 1959
Jimmy Parlow
Voices That Care
Movie • 1991
Self - Choir Member
Lonely Boy
Movie • 1962
Himself
David Foster: Off the Record
Movie • 2019
Self
Let's Rock!
Movie • 1958
Himself
Lindsay Wagner: Another Side of Me
Movie • 1977
The Private Lives of Adam and Eve
Movie • 1960
Pinkie Parker
The Memories of Angels
Movie • 2008
Self (archive footage)
C'est votre vie
Movie • 2013
Self
Shake, Rattle and Rock!
Movie • 1994
Mr. Lagrange
Mad Dog Time
Movie • 1996
Danny Marks
Lily: Sold Out
Movie • 1981
Self
My Way
Movie • 2024
Self
Jay Sebring… Cutting to the Truth
Movie • 2020
Self
Prince of the Hit Parade
Movie • 1991
Himself
Paul Anka - Live in Switzerland
Movie • 2013
Captain Ron
Movie • 1992
Donaldson
Buddy Holly: Rave On
Movie • 2017
Self
Comedy Central Roast of Alec Baldwin
Movie • 2019
Self
Paul Anka plays Avo Session
Movie • 2011
The Midnight Special Legendary Performances: More 1974
Movie • 1974
Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster
Movie • 1991
Nick Angel
My Way
Movie • 1979
Self
Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon
Movie • 2011
Self
3000 Miles to Graceland
Movie • 2001
Pit Boss #1
Paul Anka: His Way
Movie • 2024
Self
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies
Movie • 2004
Self
Ordinary Magic
Movie • 1993
Joey Dean
Mireille Mathieu - Singen, nur singen
Movie • 2021
Self (archive footage)
Cinderella at the Palace
Movie • 1978
Self
The Royal Variety Performance 1977
Movie • 1977
Self
Las Vegas
TV • 2003
Paul Anka
The View
TV • 1997
Self
4-3-2-1 Hot and Sweet
TV • 1966
Self
Donny & Marie
TV • 1976
Self
American Bandstand
TV • 1957
Self
Kojak
TV • 1973
Buddy Maus
American Idol
TV • 2002
Self - Guest
The Hollywood Palace
TV • 1964
Self
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
TV • 1969
Self
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
TV • 1956
Self
This Is Tom Jones
TV • 1969
Self
The Masked Singer
TV • 2019
Broccoli
Svenska Hollywoodfruar
TV • 2009
Himself
Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters
TV • 1980
Self
The Simpsons
TV • 1989
Paul Anka (voice)
The Masked Singer
TV • 2019
Broccoli (archive footage)
The Dick Clark Show
TV • 1958
Self
That '70s Show
TV • 1998
Paul Anka
The Midnight Special
TV • 1972
Self
The Mike Douglas Show
TV • 1961
Self - Co-Host
Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell
TV • 1975
Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life
TV • 2016
Paul Anka
Gilmore Girls
TV • 2000
Paul Anka
The Ed Sullivan Show
TV • 1948
Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV • 1962
Self
The Mike Douglas Show
TV • 1961
Self
What's My Line?
TV • 1950
Self - Mystery Guest
Einer wird gewinnen
TV • 1964
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
TV • 1996
Self
Goldener Löwe
TV • 1984
Self
Cadet Rousselle
TV • 1971
Self
Die ultimative Chartshow
TV • 2003
Self
Willkommen bei Carmen Nebel
TV • 2004
Self
Vegas: The Story of Sin City
TV • 2024
Self - Entertainer
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
TV • 1975
Self
Numéro un
TV • 1975
Self
Midi trente
TV • 1972
Self (voice)
Champs-Elysées
TV • 1982
Self
Viña del Mar International Song Festival
TV • 1963
Self - Musical Guest
3 nach 9
TV • 1974
Self
Ein Herz für Kinder
TV • 1998
Self
Star Academy
TV • 2001
Self
Aktuelle Schaubude
TV • 1957
Self
Téléthon
TV • 1987
Self
Wedden, dat..?
TV • 1986
Self
Samedi soir
TV • 1971
Self
Werner Müllers Schlagermagazin
TV • 1961
Self
Kraft Music Hall
TV • 1958
Self
Sacrée Soirée
TV • 1987
Self
Dinah!
TV • 1974
Self
The Merv Griffin Show
TV • 1962
Self
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
TV • 2003
Self - Musical Guest
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
TV • 2003
Self
Rebel Highway
TV • 1994
Mr. Lagrange
Real Time with Bill Maher
TV • 2003
Self