'Billy' film mirrored Elton

As a boy being brought up in the suburbs, young Reginald Dwight's ambition to be a rock'n'roll star horrified his RAF officer father.

Stanley Dwight thought his son ought to devote himself to a safe number-crunching career as an accountant and tried to stifle his desire to attend the Royal Academy Of Music.

Today Reginald, who grew up to be Sir Elton John, told how his tempestuous relationship with his father inspired him to write the score for the multi-millionpound stage adaptation of the hit British film Billy Elliot.

He believes the story of Billy, who wins over his hostile father to follow his dreams to the Royal Ballet School, closely resembles his own struggle to pursue his dream.

So much so that, when Sir Elton saw the film in Cannes in 2000, he was overcome by emotion as Billy's tough father first rejects and then champions his talented son.

He said: 'I was a mess when the film ended - I was falling out of my seat. I found it very similar to my background.

'It is well known that my father and I had difficulties, which we settled. But I was always trying to prove something.

'And I think the story with Billy's father, and the fact that he succeeded in the end in his story to win his father over, hit home very hard for me."

Sir Elton was born in Pinner and became fascinated by music at an early age. But Stanley, an RAF lieutenant, wanted his son to pursue a safer career.

When Stanley and Sir Elton's mother Sheila divorced, the rift deepened - but like Billy, his father eventually relented. Aged only 11, Elton won a scholarship to the Royal Academy Of Music.

He said: 'I won my father over in the end. But he didn't really want me to become a musician.

'I grew up in the Fifties and Sixties and things were different then. So it really struck a chord.'

David Furnish, Sir Elton's partner, is one of the musical's executive producers.

He said: 'Elton was a child prodigy who wanted to be a rock'n'roller, and his father wanted him to be an accountant.

'Elton had a very strained relationship with his father as a result.'

Now the search is on for talented young actors who can take the lead role in the £5 million musical, due to open in the West End at the end of this year.

Aspiring Billy Elliots will get their shot at the big time this Sunday at an open audition at the London School Of Musical Theatre in Borough Road. It starts at 9am.

Mr Furnish said: 'We need a pool of Billys. Children can only do a certain number of shows a week so we are working on finding this pool of especially talented kids and putting them through a special academy.'

Director Stephen Daldry is also looking for boys to play Michael, Billy's friend.

Sir Elton said: 'Finding one kid between the ages of 11 and 14 who can sing, dance and act is hard enough. But finding three or four of them...you've got to have charisma too.'

He added: 'When Stephen did the movie Jamie Bell was one of the last people he saw - so you can't give up.'