Commercial success[edit]

Recording for Decca, The Stargazers enjoyed considerable commercial success during the 1950s, including two United Kingdom number one hit singles on their own, "Broken Wings",^[1] which was the first recording by a native British act to top the UK Singles Chart (all previous number one singles were by American artists),^[2] and "I See the Moon", along with a third number one hit with Dickie Valentine on "The Finger of Suspicion", and were much in demand for back-up work and broadcast work.^[1][3]


In 1954, The Stargazers recorded "The Happy Wanderer" by F.W. Möller with Syd Dean and His Band, which reached number 12 in April of that year.^[1][4] Other UK chart hits included "Close the Door", which reached number 6 in September 1955, and "Twenty Tiny Fingers", which reached number 4 in November 1955.^[3] They were voted "most popular vocal group" by readers of the New Musical Express for five years running.


Stargazers' member Fred Datchler went on to form the Polkadots, who enjoyed success in their own right.^[1] Beyond their own hit singles and albums, which included a cover version of "April in Paris", the group recorded extensively with Jo Stafford, Peggy Lee and Frank Sinatra. One of Datchler's sons is Clark Datchler of Johnny Hates Jazz.^[1]