Shirley (TV 2011)

In 1938 mixed race baby Shirley Bassey,her mother and eight siblings are living in a poor area of Cardiff after her father is imprisoned for sexual offences. The teen-aged Shirley will help... See full summary »

Director:

Colin Teague

Writer:

Shelagh Stephenson

Stars:

Ruth Negga, Lesley Sharp, Babou Ceesay

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ruth Negga	...	Shirley Bassey
Lesley Sharp	...	Eliza Bassey
Babou Ceesay	...	Henry Bassey
Victoria Pugh	...	Neighbour
Issiah Cai Forest	...	Henry Bassey Jnr
Larissa Wilson	...	Iris Bassey
Jack Llewellyn	...	Policeman
Amira Arish	...	Shirley Bassey (Aged 9)
Danny Sapani	...	Bobo
Charlie Creed-Miles	...	Mike Sullivan
Colin Mace	...	Agent
Jeany Spark	...	Juhni Sullivan
Matthew Marsh	...	Jack Hylton
Di Botcher	...	Mrs. Morrison
Henry Lloyd-Hughes	...	Kenneth Hume

Storyline

In 1938 mixed race baby Shirley Bassey,her mother and eight siblings are living in a poor area of Cardiff after her father is imprisoned for sexual offences. The teen-aged Shirley will help the family finances bringing her big,impassioned singing voice to local clubs and,in 1954,aged seventeen,she moves to London,impressing agent Mike Sullivan. To further her career however she must give up her illegitimate daughter Sharon to be raised as her own child by Shirley's sister Iris. After winning over the famously hostile Glasgow Empire audience Shirley has arrived. Impresario Jack Hylton stars her in the West End and she has hit records. She rides out gutter press interest in Sharon and,after a row with Mike,takes fledgling film producer Kenneth Hume as her agent and husband. Not only does he fail to further her career but turns out to be a homosexual. Yet Shirley is a born survivor,weathering her divorce from Ken in 1965 and,decades later,still every inch a star,belting out the ...

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Plot Keywords:

cardiff wales

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 September 2011 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Prospect Cymru

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in Breakfast: Episode dated 26 September 2011 (2011)

User Reviews

The one & only, Dame Shirley Bassey

Ruth Negga stars in a tele-film from BBC2, about the life of the one, the ONLY, Dame Shirley Bassey.

SHIRLEY follows in the standard pattern of bios of 'fabulous talent, from hardscrabble beginnings,' but, maybe because I love her music, but, also, because of a terrific cast (featuring Lesley Sharp - familiar to WHOVIANS as Sky Silvestry, in the terrific episode MIDNIGHT

• as Bassey's mother).

For those not familiar with Shirley, she's the singer of several James Bond title themes - GOLDFINGER, DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, MOONRAKER.

Dame Shirley's powerful voice, and glamorous image, belie a life that started in Wales, in the '30's, as a mixed-race child. Through sheer talent and drive, Dame Shirley became the toast of London, and then, internationally through a slew of hits from the 1960's up til today.

I usually am not a fan of 'true life' bio-pics, but, this one is truly wonderful.

Hopefully, it'll be shown here, in the States, soon.

See it, and, listen to that voice! 