He gave us the moonlight and a load of Sunderland memories. It's the ultimate entertainer Frankie Vaughan
Mr Moonlight Frankie Vaughan blessed Sunderland with a load of appearances and plenty of memories.
The entertainer played the Sunderland Empire on numerous occasions starting in the 1950s and continued to entertain in the 60s, 70s and 80s with his appearances at the nightclubs of Wetheralls and La Strada.
Rocking the crowd at the 1973 FA Cup Final
But Sunderland fans will always remember that he led the community singing at the FA Cup Final at Wembley in 1973 - the day the Black Cats shocked the world by beating Leeds United.
He led the way in Abide With Me and You’ll Never Walk Alone on a famous day for Wearside but his links with the North East went much further.
Helping charity 15 minutes before he went on stage
Sixty five years ago this week, he was in town and discussing plans to help a local cause right up to 15 minutes before he was due on stage.
At the request of his friend, Mr Duncan Gibson, secretary of the Durham County Association of Boys' Clubs. Frankie went along to look over some plans of new boys clubs in Hetton Lyons and Chester le Street.
Frankie, well known for his interest in boys clubs, was a member of the famous Keystone Kops which was a committee, under the chairmanship of the Earl of Westmorland, which met regularly to discuss ways of raising money for new boys' clubs.
Always had time for his fans
Frankie was also in Sunderland in 1970 when he stayed at the Seaburn Hotel and joined fashion models for photos. He also took time to sign autographs for his young fans.
But there was another reason for his visit that time. The fashion show was organised by Durham County Association of Boys' Clubs to raise money during the National Club Week.
Tell us about the celebrities you met
We would love to hear about your memories of meeting the star - or any other celebrities for that matter.
Get in touch by emailing chris.cordner@iconicmediagroup. co.uk
In case you missed it;
Support your Sunderland Echo and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news, the latest football stories and new puzzles every day. With a digital subscription, you can see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe.