Cilla Black
The Beatles' favorite singer from Liverpool who became Britain's beloved, cheeky television aunt for decades.
1943–2015 (age 72)·English singer and media personality·Birthday: May 27·The Silent Generation
Biography
Cilla Black's story is a classic showbiz fairy tale with a Merseybeat soundtrack. Discovered singing in a Liverpool club by Brian Epstein, she was the only female singer he ever managed, propelled to stardom by powerful, pop-ballad hits like 'Anyone Who Had a Heart.' Her voice, a robust and emotional instrument, made her a chart rival to her friends The Beatles. But Black's true legacy was her second act as a television presenter. In the 1980s and '90s, she shed her pop star image to host 'Surprise Surprise' and 'Blind Date,' shows that defined Saturday night television for a generation. With her signature cry of 'lorra lorra laughs' and a warm, unscripted rapport with contestants, she became a national institution. Her journey from Cavern Club coat-check girl to the queen of light entertainment captured the heart of a nation.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Cilla was born in 1943, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Cilla Was Born
The biggest hits of 1943
#1 Movie
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Best Picture
Casablanca
Cilla's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1943Born
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1948Started school
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1956Became a teenager
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1959Could drive
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1961Could vote
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Turned 21
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1973Turned 30
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 40
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 50
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 60
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 70
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2015Died at 72
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
Key Achievements
- Achieved three UK number-one singles in the 1960s, including 'You're My World.'
- Hosted the massively popular dating show 'Blind Date' for nearly 20 years, from 1985 to 2003.
- Was the first female entertainer to have her own primetime variety series on the BBC, 'Cilla.'
- Awarded an OBE in 1997 for services to entertainment.
Did You Know?
She worked as a cloakroom attendant at Liverpool's famous Cavern Club, where The Beatles performed.
Her birth name was Priscilla White; her stage name came from a newspaper misprint of 'Cilla Black.'
She turned down the chance to record the Bond theme 'Diamonds Are Forever,' which was later sung by Shirley Bassey.
“I've always been a grafter. I've never been one for sitting around.”
