Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson

The husband-and-wife duo of Pearl Carr & Teddy Johnson were the U.K.'s representatives at the 1959 Eurovision Song Contest, where they finished as runners-up. Their greatest fame, however, apparently stems from being mentioned in Monty Python's "Communist Quiz," when "Chairman Mao" is asked to name the title of their entry. It was, of course, "Sing Little Birdie." Pearl Lavinia Carr was born on November 2, 1923, in Exmouth, Devon; Edward Victor Johnson was born on September 4, 1920, in Surbiton, London. Both were popular vocalists, Carr as a member of the Keynotes and a regular guest on BBC radio, Johnson with a string of solo singles and a berth DJing for Radio Luxembourg. The pair wed in 1955, and became regulars on a host of TV, radio, and variety shows. Eurovision was the peak of their commercial career, with "Sing Little Birdie" also climbing to number 12 on the U.K. chart. The duo's attempts to represent their country at the 1960 event, however, foundered in the qualifying section, where their "Pickin' Petals" was beaten out by Teddy's own brother, Bryan Johnson, whose "Looking High High High" finished second at the main event. Carr & Johnson scored a second U.K. hit in 1961 with "How Wonderful to Know," and remained a popular act on the variety circuit into the 1980s. In 1987, they were stars of a revival of Stephen Sondheim's Follies musical. ~ Dave Thompson