Gerald Arthur James, known professionally as Jess Conrad, is an English actor and singer born on February 24, 1936, in Brixton, South London. He began his career as a repertory actor and film extra before transitioning to music. Signed to Decca Records, he achieved early 1960s pop hits with the singles “Cherry Pie” (1960), “Out of Luck” (1960), “This Pullover” (1961), “Mystery Girl” (1961), and “Pretty Jenny”. In 1977, seven of his singles were included on DJ Kenny Everett's "World's Worst Record" list, leading to their inclusion on the 1978 compilation album The World's Worst Record Show. Throughout his career, his film appearances include Serious Charge (1959), The Boys (1962), and the Sex Pistols film The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (1980). He also performed in stage shows such as Godspell. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2011, and his recent television work includes a 2022 role in Doctors.
