Ralf Bendix

b. Karl-Heinz Schwab, 16 August 1924, Germany. Bendix functioned as both an entertainer and as director of TWA’s Dusseldorf airport. In 1955, he appeared regularly on a regional television variety show in Pittsburgh, USA, but had to wait five years for record success with ‘Kriminal Tango’. A 1961 German translation by Joachim Relin of Buzz Clifford’s ‘Babysittin’ Boogie’ likewise sold a million copies - more than the original - in Europe, but Bendix was sufficiently established as a multilingual novelty act in North America to make a Las Vegas season and even a US tour in 1962 worthwhile exercises. However, by the mid-60s, his business concerns took precedence and later artistic forays on stage and disc were sporadic. In his musical career he had a total of 24 Top 40 entries in Germany between 1956 and 1967.