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Marion Ryan:

Marion Ryan was one of the most glamorous British singers to emerge during the 1950s. As a good-looking singer with a strong voice, she became a favourite with TV audiences in the early days of television production. She never had as many hits as other singers of the period but was still popular with the public. Indeed, she was dubbed "the Marilyn Monroe of popular song" by the Press.

Born in 1931, Marion was brought up and educated in Leeds, studying music and singing under the tutelage of a local music teacher, Madame Coran. She entered show business at the age of 21, singing with a dance band at the Locarno. This was an evening escape from her daytime job as sales girl in a ladies' lingerie shop.

Marion Ryan - Leeds' glamour girl

Spotted by Ray Ellington, whose Quartet provided musical interludes in The Goon Show, she was swiftly signed up to sing with his group. After a few years she left the group in company with pianist, Dick Katz, who became her personal manager. She then started to record, making several entries in the Top Twenty, beginning with "Hot Diggity" in 1956. Two years later she made minor recording history by singing Britain's first ever stereo single, "The World Goes Round And Around".

Her success allowed her to make numerous television appearances, becoming the resident singer on the musical game show, "Spot That Tune"- which would become one of TV's longest running series. Like many singers of the era, it could be argued that she was very much a product of the 1950s and although she carried on working with reasonable success into the 1960s, her style rapidly became anachronistic despite remaining popular on TV and even having some success on US TV shows.

By 1967, she married the American show business millionaire, Harold Davison. This doubtless gave her the opportunity to retire gracefully but by that time a second generation of Ryans started hitting the charts, as her twin sons, Paul and Barry had begun their own successful singing careers. Marion and Harold moved to Florida in the late 1980s, before Marion died from heart failure following the onset of pneumonia a few days before her 68th birthday.

Ronnie Hilton:

Born Adrian Hill in Hull in January 1926, Hilton left school at 14 and worked in an aircraft factory in the early days of the second world war before being called up into the Highland Light Infantry. During his time in the army, a regimental bandmaster who had heard him singing in the shower was impressed enough to order Corporal Hill to go to the bandroom. After singing a couple of numbers, he was instantly appointed resident singer of the regimental band.

Ronnie Hilton

Demobbed in 1947, he became a fitter in a Leeds sewing machine plant. His passion for singing saw him enter a competition which he won and the prize was evening performances with the Johnny Addlestone band at the Starlight Roof in the city. Adrian (as he was still known as) stayed with the band for four years and it was there that he was heard by HMV's A&R manager, Walter Ridley, who recommended that he change his name, have an operation for the reconstruction of a hare lip and take up his offer of a recording contract. Hilton accepted all three suggestions and success followed.

Hilton, with his regulation slicked back hair and steady croon, had a number of top twenty singles in the 1950s, including "No Other Love", which went to number one in 1956. During this time he enjoyed a period as a pin-up for teenage girls, who swooned over his good looks and sent him thousands of fan letters.

During the course of his career, Hilton sang with all of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ orchestras, and made numerous guest appearances on television shows of the 1950s and 1960s. He even sang in a private cabaret for the Royal Family at Windsor Castle.

Unfortunately, in later life, he suffered a series of setbacks including a stroke, a number of convictions for shoplifting and bouts of depression brought on by his flagging career. In 1989 the British Academy of Song Composers and Authors awarded him its gold medal for services to popular music which brought his name back to the fore and soon after he became the presenter of the nostalgic Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Two show 'Sounds of the Fifties'. He also continued to perform in nostalgic concert tours with contemporaries from the 1950s. Ronnie died aged 75 in 2001.

** Marion and Ronnie were major stars in their day, do you have any memories of seeing them perform in Leeds? Or are there other singers of the period from Leeds who deserve a mention? Let us know...

Your comments:

We were 'courting' in those days and remember her very much at the Mecca ballroom in Leeds. She was a bouncy blond, about 5'2", and very lovely. We would go there with friends sometimes, although we were from Horsforth and Leeds was forbidden for us! My parents thought Leeds was dangerous - maybe why we wanted to go there! I was born in 1934 so she was about the same age as me. We saw her the very first time she sang at the Mecca. I was sad to see she had died in the 1980s.
We also remember Ronnie Hilton, but we always thought Marion was special, I hope she led a happy life as she was such a happy person.
Theresa and Donald Bolton, Charente Maritime, France