John O'Neill

Who was John O'Neill?

John O'Neill was a professional singer, born in Stanley, County Durham, England to Irish parents from County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. He was in demand for his tenor singing as well as his whistling skills. He was also a trumpeter. O'Neill was largely self-taught and was able to sight-read music scores.

He began his musical career playing in a dance band in Craghead, Durham where he met his soon-to-be wife, Catherine Collins. He was drafted to India to entertain the officers and on his return was a founder member of 'The Four Ramblers' with Val Doonican. In the 1960s he was regularly booked to be in popular light entertainment TV shows such as 'The Black and White Minstrel Show' and 'Sunday Night at the London Palladium'. He frequently worked as a session singer alongside many contemporary comedians and entertainers such as Tommy Trinder, Charlie Drake and Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise of 'The Morecambe and Wise Show'.

He had a number one hit single with "I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman" credited as Whistling Jack Smith. He recorded this as the solo whistler for a set fee and was never acknowledged as the performer of this unusual hit, nor paid any royalties.