Mr. Newley was born in London and performed, as a teen-ager, in the 1948 film version of "Oliver Twist," playing the Artful Dodger. He appeared in revues, in films and became a popular singer with hits such as "Why?" and "Do You Mind," but he may be best remembered for his mannered singing style of his own songs, "Once in a Lifetime" and "What Kind of Fool Am I?," from his tour-de-force musical, Stop the World (1961). He was star, writer, co-songwriter (with Leslie Bricusse) and director of the fable about one man's life.
The show was a success in London and New York, and was followed by the less popular The Roar of the Greasepaint in 1964, another collaboration with Bricusse. The show, though not a smash, produced "Who Can I Turn To?," "Nothing Can Stop Me Now," "On a Wonderful Day Like Today" and "The Joker."
He also co-wrote the score to the film classic, "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," and often sang "The Candy Man," the film's signature number (also a hit for Sammy Davis Jr.). He also wrote the James Bond movie theme, "Goldfinger," a hit for Shirley Bassey.
Mr. Newley's on-stage musical theatre characters always had a touch of Chaplin's Little Tramp in them, so it was not surprising that he played Chaplin in a musical, Chaplin, in Los Angeles in 1983.
Mr. Newley also appeared in the film, "Dr. Dolittle," which had a score by Bricusse. In the 1970's and 80's, he was mostly known for his appearances on TV talk shows, singing interpretations of his show tunes.
He struggled with cancer in the mid 1980s and it had returned in recent years.
He survived by his mother, Grace, and four children. Among his three ex wives was the actress Joan Collins.
