Petula Clark (born 1932) Petula Clark, born Sally Olivia Clark in Epsom, England, is a British singer, actress, and songwriter with an 80+ year career spanning child stardom to international icon. Starting as a child performer on BBC radio during WWII (over 500 appearances), she became a teen film star in Britain. Her breakthrough U.S. hit was “Downtown” (1964, No. 1 Hot 100, Grammy winner), launching a string of 1960s smashes: “My Love,” “I Know a Place,” “Sign of the Times,” “This Is My Song,” and “Don’t Sleep in the Subway.” Blending pop, easy listening, and French recordings (she’s fluent and successful in multiple languages), she sold over 68 million records. Clark starred in films (Goodbye, Mr. Chips), Broadway (Blood Brothers), and West End revivals like Mary Poppins (2019–2022 as the Bird Woman). A trailblazer, she controversially touched Harry Belafonte’s arm on U.S. TV in 1968, challenging racial norms. Widowed in 2024 after husband Claude Wolff’s death, she published her memoir Is that You, Petula? in 2025 and remains active at 93, with book signings, planned concerts (including London dates), and occasional performances in 2026. Inducted into halls of fame, Clark’s versatile, enduring voice defines the British Invasion’s pop elegance.