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Mr. Lee Grant
Mr. Lee Grant
Birth name	Bogdan Kominowski
Born	22 April 1945 (age 79)
Origin	Polish
Genres	Pop
Occupation	Singer
Instrument	Vocals
Years active	1964–1975 (as singer)

Bogdan Kominowski (born 22 April 1945) is a New Zealand former pop star and actor.^[1] He is also known by his stage name, Mr. Lee Grant. He has had a successful singing and acting career, having starred in stage shows such as Jesus Christ Superstar and Elvis, television shows, and the James Bond movie A View to a Kill.

Early life

Kominowski was born in a Nazi German concentration camp just outside of Düsseldorf, to Polish parents. His father died in the camp, but he and his mother survived and in 1949, emigrated to New Zealand where they settled in Palmerston North.

He left school in 1963 and enrolled at Palmerston North Teachers College, after which he taught at West End School. While there he displayed considerable talent not only as a musician and singer, but also an artist. One particular teacher (Mrs. M. Foster) was so delighted with the friezes he drew around the top of her blackboard that she made a considerable effort to retain them even after he left teaching. He was well-liked by all his pupils and fellow teachers.

His first interest in music came when he joined a local band called The Cyclones.

A friend knew a DJ called Keith Richardson, who ran youth dances in the Hawkes Bay area, and he managed to get him some gigs there. Keith decided that Bogdan Kominowski was a bit of a handful. However, it was Sylvia Richardson, Keith's wife, who came up with a new name, Lee Grant (Ref: Never a Dull Moment by Keith Richardson – see p67 – this was an autobiography.) The Mr was added to avoid confusion with an Auckland actress Miss Lee Grant (there is also a US actress of that name).

Mr Lee Grant's first recording was "Doo-Doodle-Do-Doo"/"As Long As I Have You" on Viscount in 1965. To promote the record, he travelled to Auckland for an appearance on Teen Scene. It was while doing that show, he met reporter, Dianne Cadwallader. She decided to become his manager and groomed the 21-year-old as a presentable soloist. Dianne secured guest spots at Teenarama in Wellington and a recording contract with HMV. She had him dressed by a Wellington fashion mogul and he quickly became New Zealand's Mr. Mod. After two unsuccessful singles, Dianne managed to get him a spot on the hit New Zealand music show, C'Mon.

Music career

C'mon

The producer, Kevin Moore, was impressed and contracted Mr. Lee Grant as resident vocalist on C'Mon. During 1966–67 he went on three brief tours around New Zealand as a support artist to the Sandy Edmonds, Roy Orbison, The Walker Brothers and The Yardbirds package. This gave him quite a high level of exposure by the time C'Mon kicked off in February 1967.

Towards the end of the first C'Mon series HMV released the single "Opportunity", which entered the National Charts at number 17. By the time Mr. Lee Grant had completed the Animals, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich tour five weeks later, "Opportunity" was at number one on the charts in May 1967.

His next single "Thanks To You" was released in September 1967 just prior to the "Golden Disc Spectacular". "Thanks To You" also made it to number one on the National Charts and collected the 1967 Loxene Golden Disc award. To complete a magnificent year, Mr. Lee Grant also picked up the NEBOA Award for "Entertainer of the Year"

A new single "Movin' Away" in December 1967 stalled at the number two position. Then with a failure for the next – "Ave Maria" – not even making the charts, he was rescued by the follow-up single "Why Or Where Or When", which had him back at number one in March 1968, just as Mr Lee Grant was preparing to leave for Britain.

London

On 3 March 1968, the biggest male star since Johnny Devlin flew out of Auckland bound for London. In his absence, he scored two more Top 10 hits in New Zealand. In June 1968 "Rivers Run Dry" reached number 5 and "Bless You" reached number 6 in August.

Being away from his adoring fans, his popularity soon plummeted, and his record sales came to a halt. He did release some singles in England, however, as Lee Grant, but none of them were successful.

Resurgence through acting

Success as a pop star in England was never realised, so he turned to stage, TV and film under his birth name. He played roles in Jesus Christ Superstar, Elvis, and TV shows such as the revival of Oh Boy and Brushstrokes.

In 1993 he appeared in the title role of the Australia/New Zealand production of Ken Hill's 1976 Phantom of the Opera musical (best known as being the inspiration for Andrew Lloyd Webber's better-known version).

With Frankie Stevens, he is one of two New Zealand singing stars to have appeared in a James Bond movie. He played the part of a KGB agent in A View to a Kill.

Discography

In 2001 EMI released a CD called The Very Best of Mr Lee Grant.

Singles

Song Title	Highest NZ Chart Position	Year
"Doo-Doodle-Do-Doo"	–	1965
"Mind How You Go"	–	1966
"Opportunity"	No. 1	1967
"Thanks To You"	No. 1	1967
"Movin' Away"	No. 2	1967
"'Ave Maria"	–	1968
"Why or Where or When"	No. 1	1968
"Rivers Run Dry"	No. 5	1968
"Bless You"	No. 6	1968
"A Little Love And Understanding"	–	1970
"What Am I Gonna Do"	–	1971
"Mechanical Man"	–	1972
"You Keep on Dancin'"	–	1972
"Come on Dance"	–	1974

Albums

"Mr. Lee Grant" (#1, 1967)

Havah Nagilah
You Can Have Her
The Real Thing
Some Kinda Magic
Coloured Lights
Opportunity
Yo Yo
Take My Hand
Love
The Coalman
Spicks and Specks
Thanks To You

"Mr. Lee in London" (#3, 1968)

Tabatha Twitchit
To Make A Big Man Cry
Stop! In the Name of Love
Walkin' With My Angel
Maria
Why or Where or When
You Don't Have to Say You Love Me
Big Man
The Wanderer
Tossin' and Turnin'
Do You Mind?
Big Boots

"The Very Best of Mr. Lee Grant" (2001)

Opportunity
Tabatha Twitchet
Spicks and Specks
Thanks To You
To Make A Big Man Cry
Movin' Away
Maria
Why or Where Or When
Rivers Run Dry
You Don't Have to Say You Love Me
Bless You
Take My Hand
Some Kinda Magic
Do You Mind?
The Coalman
Big Man
Walkin' With My Angel
Tossin' and Turnin'
Havah Nagilah
Big Boots

Partial filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1980	Flash Gordon	Lieutenant of Ming's Air Force	Film
1981	To the Manor Born	2nd Surveyor	Episode: "Station Closing"
1982	Whoops Apocalypse	Arch Mullah Operator	Episode; "The Violent Hour"
1983	Reilly: Ace of Spies	Peters	3 episodes
1985	A View to a Kill	Klotkoff	Film
1986	Lytton's Diary	Tennis Coach	Episode: "Rules of Engagement"
1987	Sorry!	Sandy	Episode: "Dream Time"
1989	Confessional	Turkin	1 episode
1989	The Paradise Club	Elvis Look-Alike	Episode: "Bring On the Cavalry"
1990-1	Brush Strokes	Marcello Morella	7 episodes
1995	The Ghostbusters of East Finchley	Psycho	1 episode
2004	The Bill	Nikolai Semanova	Episode: "Crocodile Tears"
2014	Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit	Mr. Borovsky	Film
2014	Vera	Walter Kraszewski	Episode: "On Harbour Street"