Jim Carter’s Lonnie Donegan Documentary

The life of singer Lonnie Donegan (1931-2002) is being made into a documentary for the UK’s ITV channel, where the legendary star often performed back in the channel’s infancy.

Actor Jim Carter (Downton Abbey) is the driving force behind “Jim Carter: Lonnie Donegan and Me,” in which the actor will reveal how the King of Skiffle inspired him at the tender age of 11 when he first saw Donegan perform. Carter was far from the only person Donegan had such a profound influence on and some of the luminaries who will appear in the film include Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Roger Daltrey and Sir Van Morrison. When stars pay tribute to their inspirations, it is such a beautiful thing. Here is Van Morrison singing “I Wanna Go Home” (Wreck of the Sloop John B) with Lonnie Donegan in 2000, two years before the Skiffle King passed away.

According to ITV, “Without Lonnie there might have been no Beatles and the film exclusively airs the earliest known recording of 16 year old John Lennon, singing one of Lonnie’s hits with his Skiffle group The Quarrymen in 1957. It also unearths archive footage from Lonnie’s hit prime time 1960s TV show, Puttin’ on the Donegan, seen again for the first time since it aired….”

The press release then goes on to say that Donegan is now “almost forgotten” or is remembered mostly for his novelty hits like “My Old Man’s a Dustman.” Well, sure, we remember that and “Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor” (Flavour in the UK of course). But a favorite here is “The Golden Vanity.” We play it often so never say he’s forgotten around here. Way catchier than Burl Ives (same title) or Paul Clayton (Turkish Revelee).

The film will air in the UK in July, amid 60th anniversary celebrations of Lonnie’s breakthrough hit “Rock Island Line.” We don’t know when it will make its way across the pond, but in the meantime, there are plenty of Lonnie Donegan videos on youtube to enjoy.