Michael Crawford OBE (born 19 January 1942 in Salisbury, Wiltshire) is an internationally famous English actor and singer. He has won critical acclaim and numerous awards during his career, which includes work in radio, television, and the stage (including appearing on stage in West End in London and Broadway in New York). He notably originated the role of the Phantom in the musical 'The Phantom of the Opera', singing in well-received numbers such as "The Music Of The Night". Finding his voice in a school choir, Crawford began his professional career still a teenager. Having some luck on the London stage in the early 60s, he then found his way onto the BBC and starred in various programmes such as 'Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'. He also had film roles in 'The War Lover', 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'. and 'How I Won the War' (which brought him into the same work as John Lennon). Andrew Lloyd Webber's casting of him opposite Sarah Brightman and Steve Barton as the Phantom in 1986 shot his career into high gear. Winning a Tony Award for his role, Crawford also had the aforementioned tune, "The Music Of The Night", reach the British Top Ten. He has released several studio albums such as 'A Touch of Music in the Night' and 'On Eagle's Wings' among others. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.