Michael Crawford

During his early career, he used to do heavy dramatic plays - such as Shakespeare, French tragedy, satire, and etc. One of his first dramatic roles was when he played the part of Henry the 8th on an early BBC Radio show, and later on performed in more than 100 radio broadcasts. He also was on the early "live" BBC soap operas playing motorcycle accident victims, bad guys, drug addicts and such.

He used to consult Ian Adam (until Adam's death in 2007) for occasional singing lessons. At one such lesson, Sarah Brightman heard him sing and recommended him to Andrew Lloyd Webber for the role of the Phantom.

Early in his career, he performed in the Shakespearean play, Coriolanus in the role of the Second Citizen and Second Serving Man. Interestingly enough, Gerard Butler, who played the phantom in The Phantom of the Opera (2004), also performed in the same play as a young man in the same role.

E! Channel nominated him one of the Most Sexiest Men in the World in 1995.

He has two daughters, Emma and Lucy by his ex-wife, Gabrielle Lewis. Lucy was married in the Fall of 1994 and Emma married Jeremy Bevan in November, 1994 in England, UK. He does have another child, with a former girlfriend, but he, the child, and her mother, and both families prefer to keep any history about that private.

While singing "Please Wake Up" for the film Once Upon A Forest (1993), he reportedly tried not to cry at the sadness of the song, which his character (Cornelius) sings to his sick granddaughter, Michelle.

Won Broadway's 1988 Tony Award as Best Actor (Musical) for "Phantom of the Opera."

He was awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1987 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to drama. He was elevated to CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2014 Queen's New Year Honours List for charitable and philanthropic services, particularly to children's charities.

He helped British ice dancers Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean learn various circus stunts for their free program at the 1983 World Championships, where they used music from the show. (Torvill and Dean won that year.)

He has won many awards over the years. Two Laurence Olivier Theatre Awards for his roles in "Barnum" (1981) and "The Phantom of the Opera" (1987). He also has won the coveted Tony Award in 1988 for "The Phantom of the Opera", Drama Desk Awards, a BAFTA, and numerous others for his achievements in entertainment.

During the celebrations for the Queen Elizabeth II's silver jubilee in 1976, Michael toured the children's street parties near his home in Bedfordshire. The kids were delighted!.

When he took up singing seriously again (for the musical "Billy" in 1974) after having left singing to perform in films, he went to singing coach, Ian Adam (who also coached or taught Sarah Brightman, Elaine Paige, Michael Ball, and Sean Connery). At the first meeting, Ian asked Michael to sing something. Michael sang "Danny Boy". Ian remarked that "he was standing underneath a portrait of John McCormack, that hangs in the singing room, and it brought back tremendous memories of how John McCormack sang". After he finished his piece, Ian said, "Well, now I have to tell you. There is a wee bit of work to be done on the top (of his voice), and a wee bit of work, down below. And a little bit in the middle, other than that you have a great voice". And Michael, in reply said, "I am terribly sorry for bothering you and I'll leave now".

Performed most of his own stunts on the British sitcom Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (1973).

He used to be an avid smoker, till he quit in the 1970s for health reasons. He was an avid Guinness drinker but quit that early on, also for health reasons.

Was cast for the role of Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly! (1969), by Gene Kelly after auditioning in a 1960s outfit of striped blue pants and a checkered shirt (after changing his clothes numerous times) with a bleeding (from shaving too many times) face and trying to tap dance. Kelly said, "What we are looking for (for Cornelius Hackl) is an attractive idiot. My wife thinks you're attractive, and I think you're an idiot".

Shared a Spanish villa with John Lennon while they were filming How I Won the War (1967).

Variety Club of Great Britain Most Promising Artist for 1965 for his performances in Byron (television), The Knack..and How to Get It (film) and Travelling Light (stage).

During the early 1960s, long before he was known for the roles of the Phantom in "The Phantom of the Opera" and Frank Spencer in Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (1973), he was best known in England for the mod-style tough motorcycle riding, Byron in the BBC satirical series, Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life (1964).

Is a fan of the old Hollywood style of films; ranging from the 1950s all the way back to the silent film era. Some of the performers he enjoys to watch on film are Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis, Lana Turner, Harold Lloyd, Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy, Gene Kelly, James Stewart, Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison, Mary Pickford, and even Buster Keaton, with whom he worked in his first movie musical, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966) in 1965-6. Michael played the role of Hero, while Buster Keaton played the role of Erronious, which was Buster's last film role.

The first Disney film he ever saw Dumbo (1941). Years later, he performed his version of the famous lullaby from the film, "Baby Mine," on the DVD release.