Films and Television
He was a pioneer in the new medium of television with his own television series on ABC in 1952. The Billy Daniels Show was sponsored by Rybutol, a popular vitamin tablet at the time. This 15-minute show, telecast from New York on Sunday evenings from the what was later to become The Ed Sullivan Theatre (and now The Late Show) was a milestone ; the first sponsored network television series starring a black performer. He appeared on television in the US and UK and Australia and Canada throughout the 1950s and 1960s with performances on The Milton Berle Show and 'The Ed Sullivan Show.
His films include When You're Smiling (Columbia, 1951) and Columbia's Sunny Side of the Street (Columbia, 1952).
Daniels' recordings cover the period of transition from 78-rpm to the dawn of microgroove recording. Remembered mostly for his charismatic live performances, he made an album at Abbey Road, The Magic of Billy Daniels (1978) that contained a disco version of "That Old Black Magic". He recorded one of the first soul records, "Woe Woe Woe", a now rare recording.
He had four daughters and three sons: Yvonne Daniels (Chicago's Radio Hall of Fame - deceased), Baroness Von Czenkow, William B. Daniels II, Bruce Daniels (deceased), Jack (Pearce) in England b.1954 and from his 1955 marriage to Pierrette (Cameron) Andrea (Grefelt), and Dominique Daniels (Billy Daniels Foundation); and 6 grandchildren: Adrien, Gregory, Kristen, Bo, Jonas, and Desiree.
He died at age 73 in Los Angeles, California, surrounded by family and friends and his beloved wife of 33 years, Pierrette H. Daniels (aka Perri). He was one of the first African-American entertainers to cross over into the mainstream and his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame lies alongside that of Jerry Lewis.
Read more about this topic: Billy Daniels
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