Clifford grew up in Los Angeles as the son of a trumpet soloist and received singing lessons from an early age. At the age of 15 he started performing in nightclubs in his hometown, and at 16 he got his first record deal with Liberty Records , which led to two single releases . After Helen Noga took over the management for Clifford, he moved to Columbia Records in 1960 . Although five singles were produced there within two years, Clifford had to wait for a sales success. In July 1962 he changed the record company again and went to United Artists (UA) , where he worked with producers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller . The A-side title of the first UA single Close To Cathy became Clifford's greatest record success. The single was released in August 1962, and on September 15, Close To Cathy was included in the Hot 100 hit list by the US music magazine Billbord . There the song rose to number 12 and stayed in the Hot 100 for a total of 13 weeks. The songs What To Do With Laurie (68th) and One Boy Too Late (96th), produced by UA, were also included in the Hot 100. It remained with these three record successes, even if Clifford changed the record company several times after eight singles with UA. His last three singles were produced in 1970 at American International in Los Angeles. After that, Clifford ended his recording career. His songs have also been released in other countries, including Great Britain and Germany. In Germany, United Artists also released a Clifford single in 1967 with the German-language title When I look into your eyes / Because I love you so much .
actor
Clifford made his film debut in 1965 in the science fiction film Village of the Giants , where he had taken on the role of a singer. In Germany he was seen in two films. In the summer of 1978, the film Panic in the Sierra Nova (Day of the Animals) with Clifford in a supporting role was released. A year later he was seen in The Lord of the Rings , also in a small role. Clifford had taken on roles in eight movies, most recently in 1984 in the horror film Satan's Touch .
US charts on Billboard
Started
title
Hot 100
9/1962
Close To Cathy
12.
12/1962
What To Do With Laurie
68.
5/1963
One Boy Too Late
96.
US discography
Vinlyl singles
From page
Catalog no.
published
Liberty
Should I / Whisper Whisper
55207
08/1959
I'm Afraid To Say I Love You / I Don't Know Why
55219
11/1959
Columbia
Stranger / Poor Little Girl
41962
12/1960
Uh Huh / Look In Any Window
41964
02/1961
Pretty Little Girl In The Yellow Dress / At Last
05/1961
Bombay / When We Marry
42226
11/1961
Joanna / Mary, Mary
42335
02/1962
United Artists
Close To Cathy / She's Just Another Girl
489
08/1962
What To Do With Laurie / That's What They Said
557
12/1962
One Boy Too Late / Danny's Dream
588
03/1963
Gee, I Don't Remember / Cotton Dresses
614
07/1963
All The Colors Of The Rainbow / It Had Better Be Tonight
713
04/1964
One By One The Roses Died / See You In September
763
09/1964
Don't Make Her Cry / Barbara's Theme
794
12/1964
How To Murder Your Wife / Here's To My Lover
823
02/1965
Cameo
Before I Loved Her / Shirl Girl
381
09/1965
Out In The Country / Countin '
395
12/1965
Sidewalk
Send Her Flowers / This Time, Time May Be Wrong
917
06/1967
Mary Jane / Gas Hassle
939
0 2/1968
American International
Broken Hearted Man / When, Cindy, When
138
001970
You Better Start Singing Soon / Do Your Own Thing
158
001970
You Say Love / It's A Dream Away
171
001970
LP
For the Love of Mike, United Artists 3409, 1965
Tracks:
Close To Cathy / All The Colors / What To Do With Laurie / Song About Love / Cotton Dresses / That's What They Said / Don't Make Her cry / One By One The Roses Bled / Had Better Be Tonight / Barbara's Theme / Imagining / Lavender Dreams
Discography Germany
Vinyl single
When I look in your eyes / Because I love you so much, United Artists 67045, 1967
