Danny Baker shares an anecdote on the television show Q.I. (Quite Interesting) from the superstar Anthony Newley about the soundtrack for the James Bond film, Goldfinger. Stephen Fry provides a brief description of Anthony Newley. Jeremy Clarkson mistakes him for the film’s writer. Bill Bailey and Alan Davies listen in.
Further investigation has revealed, though the two songs are alike, most of this story is not correct on many levels. The Goldfinger soundtrack did not win the statue for either soundtrack or song at the 1965 awards show.
Perhaps these events happened when Newley was holding the Oscar for a friend. He was nominated for a song in Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory in 1972, but not the winner that year.
Apparently, the connection between two songs is an open secret. How long did Henry Mancini know about this and his choice of action is lost to time.
Anthony Newley was quite a character, known for his energy as an all around (stage/screen/music) entertainer. Look at the delight Newley’s mention brings the two (Stephen Fry and Danny Baker). One of my favorite performances from him is in the film The Cockleshell Heroes, an underrated war film from the mid ’50s.
The soundtrack for Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) was almost three years old by the time the song Goldfinger came on the scene. Mancini looks like a class act in this situation.
Both soundtracks are classics among collectors.
Jen Kilzer
