How Shirley Bassey's road to stardom began in Blackpool in the days when she carried her gear in a shopping bag

The A to Z of performers in Blackpool's Century of Stars is parked at letter B and there's a long queue!

Out in front is Shirley Bassey, an ordinary gal who could "glam up" with the best of 'em and knock you flat with her voice.

And yet when she came to Blackpool in a second rate touring show at 16, all her gear was held in a shopping bag. It was October, 1953, the show was a Jolson tribute and the theatre was the Queen's.

Shirley was back six months later in a similar touring revue, titled Hot From Harlem, at the Palace Theatre.

Her break came at the Palace on Sunday, August 28, 1955, as guest singer with the great Johnny Dankworth Orchestra. Just four American classics, finishing with Harold Arlen's Stormy Weather, and her future was set.

In 1956, impresario Harold Fielding put her in Sunday concerts at the Palace and the Opera House and after her first Top 10 record, The Banana Boat Song, she topped an Opera House Sunday concert bill for the first time in July, 1957.

She chalked up another 26 (two shows) by 1965. An eight week 1961 season at the same theatre was followed by regular tour visits.

Shirley switched on the Blackpool Illuminations in 1994 and was last seen at the Opera House on her Millennium Tour.

Bassey and Barry still resonate. That's John Barry (1933-2011) of course. Shirley's recording of his Goldfinger title theme (lyrics by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse) came out in October, 1964, two months before the John Barry Seven's last stage tour came to the Opera House on a Brenda Lee-Marty Wilde tour.

The award-winning composer had first appeared in Blackpool in August, 1957, with his combo, in Tommy Steele's afternoon season at the Palace. In 1960 they were at the old Hippodrome for Adam Faith's summer season and in May, 1962, played in the annual CADS charity show at the Opera House.

With 11 James Bond film scores to his name and many others, five of which won him an Oscar, John Barry had the golden touch.

The Hippodrome had been rebuilt as the ABC when the Beatles hit town in 1963 to head five Sunday show bills plus two at the Queen's Theatre. Beatles mania hit the Opera House for two Sundays in 1964 and Blackpool Night telecasts from the ABC in 1964 and 65.

The Beatles' visits have been well written-up but the most intriguing is the show that didn't happen. The Central Pier producer, Peter Webster, told me that in 1962 he had been offered the group for the 1963 summer season. "I'd never heard of them," he said. Neither had we!

Tribute time for Tony Bennett, who retired only last year, aged 94! He first came to Blackpool on an Opera House Sunday bill in August, 1955, the year of his Stranger in Paradise hit disc.

In 1967 Tony and the Count Basie Orchestra did the entire annual CADS charity concert at the Opera House. More acclaim came for Tony on a Sunday in September, 1971, at the ABC Theatre, singing in front of a 32-piece orchestra.

Two other Bennetts had a stage presence in Blackpool. Comedian Lennie Bennett was actually Gazette reporter Michael Berry (1938-2009) who wrote the Saturday show page before treading the boards and hosting TV shows like Punch Lines.

He compered the Blackpool Centenary Show in 1976 and was in the Royal Performance at the reopened Grand Theatre in 1981.

Twenty years later, when the bookings dried up, Mike quipped: "This is the only business where they don't tell you that you've retired."

Comedian Billy Bennett (1887-1942) made a more dramatic exit. After starring visits to the Palace in the 1930s, he was one of five star names in George Black's 1942 revue Black Vanities at the Opera House. After the opening show he collapsed and died in Victoria Hospital a few days later.

When can the letter B stand for circus? When we talk about Blackpool's Norman Barrett!

He settled in the resort after starting a 25-year residency as ringmaster of Blackpool's Tower Circus. For several years he hosted the televised Circus World Championships.

On Norman's final night in 1990, TV presenter Michael Aspel announced: "Norman Barrett, This Is Your Life" and a special programme was filmed there and then.

Norman helped launch the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Superdome circus and was ringmaster for seven years. He then guided Zippo's Circus in 13 years of tours and is still busy.

The 1950s was Eve Boswell's era. We of a certain age remember her catchy hit records Sugar Bush and Pickin' a Chicken.

In 1949 Eve (1920-1998) came to Blackpool from Johannesburg to audition for bandleader Geraldo, who was starting a season at the Winter Gardens.

He presented her on that evening in a public audition before about 3,000 dancers - and signed her as one of his resident vocalists.

Going solo in 1952, Eve's first hit was heard in an Opera House Sunday show and she was well-billed in the theatre's 1953 season show, coinciding with her second hit. She also starred in seasons at the Opera House in 1956 and the Queen's in 1958.