Lionel Bart

Born in Stepney in 1930, Lionel Begleiter was the seventh surviving child of a Jewish tailor. From early schooldays he had a very mischievous sense of humour and great artistic talents for both fine art and music, but he did not like to be tied down by authority or deadlines.

After attending art college on a scholarship, he completed National Service in the RAF. Becoming involved with theatre (first as a scene painter, then a performer) Lionel changed his name to bart (a joke - taken from the silkscreen printing firm he had co-founded with friend J. Gorman - G&B Arts). Bart joined the International Youth Theatre, and in 1952 wrote IYC Revue 52 with a fellow student - his first stage success. The pair joined London's Unity Theatre, continuing to write together. In 1953 the brilliant Joan Littlewood saw their work and invited them to join her 'Theatre Workshop - Stratford East' - the launching pad for many great names (and decidedly left wing!). Joan insisted on authentic accents on stag (a new idea!) and Bart took note.

In 1953 Bart's first musical Wally Pone (based on Ben Jonson's Volpone was staged by Littlewood. Its mild success led to a request in 1959 for lyrics for Lock Up Your Daughters (based on a Fielding play) and to Fings Ain't What They Used To Be, a smash hit musical with Bart writing lyrics, music and book. Also in 1959 Bart's career in pop music took off as his song "Livin' Doll" gave Cliff Richard his first number one hit. Other hits followed - for Russ Conway, Anthony Newley and Andy Williams, Adam Faith and Shirley Bassey. Bart branched out into film, writing numerous scores for mediocre films, but peaking in 1963 with massive hit From Russia With Love.

In 1960 Oliver! hit the West End and Broadway, breaking all records. Bart was a millionaire! He went on writing, with Blitz another hit in 1962 (about wartime childhood in London) and Maggie May (about a Liverpool tart) in 1964.

Bart joined London's 'fast set' spending and drinking recklessly and taking drugs. In 1965 he staged Twang! (a spoof about Robin Hood) using his own money, in spite of friend Noel Coward's advice to 'never invest in your own show'. With poor quality lyrics (written 'under the influence') it was a huge flop. So was 1969's La Strada (based on Felini's film) which played for one night only on Broadway.

Bart lost everything. He even sold the rights to Oliver!. Bankruptcy followed. Bart hit rock bottom (being 'saved from himself' by old friend J. Gorman).

The 1980s brought better fortune - "Livin' Doll" was re-released along with Bart's new satirical version - both made the charts. Bart was writing and singing for TV commercials. One of these, "Happy Endings" (for Abbey National) was so popular it became a hit single.

The 1990s brought revivals of Maggie May and Blitz. In 1994 Bart's rewrite of Oliver! was staged at London's Palladium by Cameron Mackintosh - who owned half the rights to the show. Mackintosh insisted that a percentage of profits should be given to Bart.

In 1999, exactly ten years ago this week, Bart died of cancer while working on a new production of Fings.

During his career, Bart won many awards, including nine ivor Novellos for songwriting - not bad for someone who could not read music - always preferring to tape himself singing or playing the piano 'with one finger' or to dictate ideas for others to notate.

In 2006 a musical about Bart was staged at the Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch. It was called It's a Fine Life!.

(Click on the image to return to the Oliver! web page.)