24 Facts About Carl Wayne

Colin David Tooley, better known as Carl Wayne, was an English singer and actor.

Carl Wayne is best remembered as the lead singer of The Move, a group that he co-founded in 1965.

Carl Wayne left in 1970, and pursued a cabaret career with slight success.

Carl Wayne notably played Tom-Tom in several episodes of Emu's TV programmes, such as the Christmas special from 1977.

Carl Wayne was born in the area of Winson Green, Birmingham, and grew up in the Hodge Hill part of the city.

Carl Wayne initially played bass guitar and played the instrument in a gig for the Vikings, though decided to ditch the bass after he didn't enjoy his playing.

Carl Wayne represented England at the prestigious Golden Orpheus Song Festival in Bulgaria.

In front of a live and televised audience of over 20 million, Carl Wayne won first prize.

Carl Wayne grew frustrated with the Move's management pushing Wood to the forefront of the band and himself to the background by encouraging Wood to write the Move's songs and allowing the Move to record songs which Carl Wayne did not sing lead on.

Carl Wayne was initially offered to play timpani for ELO, but rejected the offer.

Carl Wayne left the band shortly after the band's sole tour of the United States.

Carl Wayne went solo and made several singles and record albums, some including songs written and produced by Roy Wood.

Carl Wayne was originally offered the chance to record "Sugar Baby Love" but rejected it as "rubbish"; it was promptly given to a new band, the Rubettes, and it launched their career with a number one hit.

In 1977, Carl Wayne took part in the Song for Europe contest, hoping to represent the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Carl Wayne made a few recordings with ELO as guest vocalist, though these remained unreleased until they appeared as bonus tracks on a remastered re-issue of the group's second album, ELO 2 in 2003.

Carl Wayne never made the charts after leaving the Move, but still enjoyed a steady career in cabaret and on television, recording versions of songs from the shows of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, as well as voiceovers and jingles.

Carl Wayne sang backing vocals on Mike Oldfield's Earth Moving, released in 1989.

Carl Wayne's most acclaimed stage role was as the narrator in Willy Russell's Blood Brothers between 1990 and 1996.

Carl Wayne was a fund raiser for leukaemia research, and ran several London marathons for charity.

Carl Wayne made an appearance on The Benny Hill Show in 1985, in which he played the "Face" character in a parody of The A-Team.

The segment revolved around Rod's ancestor, King Boggle, his sister Princess Hortensia, and servant Odd Job John played by Carl Wayne who were trapped in medieval times.

Carl Wayne performed several songs during the show, including renditions of Puttin' On the Ritz and Greensleeves.

Carl Wayne was a guest singer with Spike Edney's SAS Band.

Carl Wayne played what turned out to be his last concert with the group on 10 July 2004 at Egersund, Norway.